Combining chicken meat with alcoholic drinks

Every day at the table drinks are served during meals. They should correspond to the dishes but most important is the established custom. Thus, in the USA cooled skimmed milk is served with each dish, in Italy and France - light ("thin") wine, in Germany and Denmark - beer, in the Southern countries - ayran and fruit juices.

In our country, it is the custom that a festive menu should contain 3-5 dishes, and for very special occasions (marriages, anniversaries, banquets, etc.) - up to 12 and even more dishes. Lately, for such occasions people more and more often use a cold buffet with "self-service" or the so-called "cocktail", with which everything becomes simpler and easier.

As a rule, when too many people are gathered at the table, liquid dishes should be avoided (such as soups, sauces, compotes), since they make serving more complicated and require the use of a larger number of utensils.

It is the custom that strong alcoholic drinks or cocktails should be served with the hors d'oeuvres, with white meat dishes (chicken, veal, fish) - white wines, with dark meat dishes - red wines, with desserts and "at chats" - dessert and sweet wines. White and dessert wines are served at a temperature of about 10-12°С and, if the guest desires, with soda water.

Red wines are served at room temperature, i.e. 16-18°С.

Specifically:

• With hors d'oeuvres - all types of strong spirits (rakia, vodka, absinthe, ouzo, etc.). For the summer, vermouths are more appropriate - well chilled, with a carbonated drink if the person desires. Fruit juices with a few drops of plum or grape rakia, cognac, rum are also served.
• With poultry and fish - Riesling, Manastirska Izba, etc. with soda water.
• With cooked dishes - home-made "rose" wine, whether cooled or not, mixed with regular or mineral soda water.
• With grilled, fried or stewed "dark" meats - heavy red wines: Mavrud, Malaga, Burgundy, etc.
• With desserts and "at chats" - effervescent, dessert, sweetened or mixed wines, strongly chilled. Also in the summer: iced "boles", and in the winter - mulled rakia with sugar or honey; mulled wines, punch, grog. Liqueur wines made from berries (black currants, raspberries, strawberries, etc.) are also served, always with biscuits when there is not another dish following.

Beer is served cooled, but not too much (it curdles), with all dishes with the exception of soups, desserts, compotes, yoghurt and coffee.

Non-alcoholic drinks are served if desired: with cooked dishes - ayran or cooled skimmed milk; with grilled, fried and stewed meats - tomato juice with a couple of drops of lemon juice and black pepper; mixed vegetable or apple juice; grape juice; with desserts - orangeades and lemonades from fresh fruits.

Fruit wines (fermented or curdled) belong with the dessert wines and are served cooled, with or without soda water, "at a chat", with biscuits, salt crackers, etc., in small wine glasses.