Time to take your taste buds on a ride

Hey guys!

It’s been a hot minute so let’s get into it.

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Trust me, when it comes to pairing beverages with meals, most people think of either wine or beer.

But hear me out, soft drinks can also be a great pairing option especially if you want to avoid alcohol or prefer a non-alcoholic beverage.

So here are 10 different African foods and cuisine to pair fizzy soft drinks with.

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Oily & filling

This is one of my personal favourites, this are the finger licking meals that you get mostly at night, an example is Catfish and chips (there is a myth that the darkness adds to the taste😉). The OG’s know that you enjoy this meal better when you eat with about 2 to 3 other people-if you know, you know! And because of its name “Oily and filling” dish like this fish and chips clearly need a palate cleanser.

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Soft drink to pair with

To cut through the high fats, Sweet lemon flavoured soda like Teems bitter lemon is recommended as it pairs well with oily food. The light bubbles really helps to cut through the oily foods while refreshing and cleansing your palate.

Talk about a 2 in 1 bundle.

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Rich & heavy

African dishes are usually very Rich and heavy. One such meal is the African beef stew and white rice A.K.A  “Sunday Rice” because who doesn’t eat rice and stew on Sundays 🤷🏽 ?

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Soft drink to pair with

This meal needs a rich, full-bodied drink to enhance the flavor and what better choice than the high intense and rich caramel notes of Pepsi to compliment the red stewed meat perfectly?

This combo is premium enjoyment!

Period!

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Smokey

You can’t think “Smokey” without thinking “Jollof!”. The gist is that salt and acidity need to work in harmony with the smoky jollof rice dish so it can further enhance the flavorful meal.

Just think of all the tantalizing flavors to explore! Yum!

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Soft drink to pair with

It’s no news that Coca**-**Cola pairs very well with smoky jollof. I kid you not, the smoky savoriness becomes triple enhanced. Just Imagine this combo: a good blend of cola sweetness plus an highly flavored smoky meal!

Such delish!

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Salty & savoury

African sauces and soups are those savory side dish that adds contrasting flavor to your meal. So because sauces add texture and visual appeal to your dish, they need an acidic based drink to balance any fat in the sauce and cleanse the mouth.

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Soft drink to pair with

It gladdens my hearts that our favorite fruit flavored Fanta pairs well with salty and savoury dishes.

The sweetness and fruity flavors of orange juice is giving and it never fails to enhance a savory side dish like this vegetable sauce, while also neutralising the palette from high salt levels.

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Creamy & rich

Rich, creamy dishes such as yam or potato pottage requires a drink with moderate level of “tangy flavor” to neutralize the drying sensation from the yam meal and also to contrast the yummy creaminess of the dish.

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Soft drink to pair with

A good pair is a Lemon and lime based drink as it works well with creamy dishes especially for when the yam becomes so drying; you would really need the light and bubbly 7up to refresh your palate while enhancing the dish’s flavor’s too.

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Aromatic Dishes

Aromatic dishes like the famous Ghanaian Waakye and shito usually contain ingredients with strong fragrant herbs and spices which need to be complimented with fruit based drinks.

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Soft drink to pair with

What else would compliment aromatic flavors other than an Exotic drink with either a mango or pineapple base!

Fayrouz drinks are the perfect partner for such aromatic dishes as they balance the complex fragrant herbs in the food.

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Hot & spicy

Everybody who has had Hot & spicy noodles will know that you need a drink that can cool and neutralise the hot palette quickly!

Because spice enhances drink flavors, your choice of soda needs to be more neutral.

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Soft drink to pair with

Since softs will be used here as a palette cleanser in order to balance the heat, you should pair your spicy meal with the O.G refreshing ice cold Coca-Cola.

The instant relief it gives your burning mouth is second to none.

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Sweet & Sour

When it comes to this kind of sauce, your drink needs to balance and not over-power the sugar and salt within Sweet & Sour dish. So look for drinks with similar ingredients as the food such as ginger and plum.

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Soft drink to pair with

You’d be surprised to know that Ginger flavored drinks work well with sweet & sour dishes and that’s because the peppery ginger finish compliments the herbs and sauces within the sour dish.

Bold ginger soda is a good choice.

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Light & crispy

Light and crisp dishes such as salads need a light refreshing drink to accompany them as so not to over-power it.

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Soft drink to pair with

Lightly sparkling juices and infused softs will forever compliment light meals and salads. So you might want to consider pear and raspberry based drinks with a soft undertone like Sprite.

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Sweet desserts and snacks

This one is for the sweet tooth’s.

To enjoy your snack, you need a drink that is either sweeter than the snack, to allow the drink to stand out, or choose a drink that contrasts and is quite sour.

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Soft drink to pair with

Traditional hot drinks like tea and coffee often pair well with snacks but soft drinks with fruit based notes such as cherry, apple and raspberry also compliments many snack foods well.

Lipton sodas would give that slightly sour and slightly sweet taste which is just perfect for snacking.

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So Lets wrap this up

So guys, when it comes to pairing your delicious meals and treats with a fizzy and indulgent soda, remember that the key is to balance the flavors of your meal with the flavors of your beverage.

And never be afraid to experiment until you find your own perfect pairings!