Leeks and Skyborry perry

One of the many appealing things about Birch in Bristol is that they have an extensive list of artisanal ciders. Which is maybe not so surprising given that they are intending to sell the restaurant and concentrate on making cider themselves.

I always feel I should reward the effort that goes into this list by ordering at least a glass when I go there and in fact it does go brilliantly well with their largely vegetarian menu which is based on produce that is grown on their allotment.

The dish that particularly stood out this time was a beautifully presented plate of baked leeks with hazelnut mayo and the perkiest, freshest chervil I’ve ever tasted but it was the sweet oniony taste of the leeks themselves that was the key to the match with a zanily labelled sparkling perry called Waiting for the Miracle (after the Leonard Cohen song). It's made by a Welsh producer called Skyborry out of Brandy and Winnals Langdon pears

The best wine - and other - pairings for leeks

Although perry is made from pears it doesn’t taste quite so obviously of the fruit as cider does of apples but is more like a light dry or off-dry white wine. This one was only 5%. It’s a really versatile partner for summer food so well worth looking out for when you’re in a good local restaurant or pub.

Some top food pairings for perry

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