La Niña, the weather event we have to thank for the wetter than usual summer we’ve had this year, is due to end at the start of autumn. So many of us will be hoping to spend March and – hopefully – most of April catching up on missed time in the sun. We’re getting well and truly stuck into 2022 now (even if your silly season managed to extend well into the new year). Our routines are starting up and we’re doing a lot more cooking at home again. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in something special from time to time.
Here, we’ll show you how what to eat with a versatile and elegant Champagne – whether it’s hot, cold, rainy or dry.
What to eat in early autumn
Seafood and Champagne is always a good idea, but that’s especially true of the Blanc de Blancs style. There’s a reason you always see white wine paired with shellfish and fish, and as a gastronomic wine, Champagne Lanson Le Blanc de Blancs – which solely uses chardonnay grapes from Grand Crus and Premier Crus – is the perfect companion to a seafood dish.
If you’re a chardonnay lover, this is the Champagne for you: Blanc de Blancs are a clean expression of the chardonnay grape, done through a Champagne lens.
A scallop carpaccio with lime and yuzu lemon is a great autumn dish to enjoy in the last of the warm months. Falling somewhere between a crudo and a ceviche, the sweetness of high-quality raw scallops – lightly cured by the citrus elements – are the perfect partner for Le Blanc de Blancs, whose candied citrus aroma whets the appetite. The minerality and salinity of the Champagne, meanwhile, will complement the taste of the scallops beautifully.
For something simpler: fresh Pacific oysters, perhaps with a simple mignonette dressing, would also work well.
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What to eat in late autumn
A croque madame is no ordinary toastie. It’s less well-known than its flashier partner, the croque monsieur, but when it comes to casual indulgence, we think it has the edge. It takes the classic combination of a toasted ham and cheese sandwich – sometimes with bread dipped in beaten egg, always crowned with melted cheese – and adds an egg on top. Our recipe adds béchamel, too, for good measure.
Croque Madame.
(Photo: William Meppem)A bottle of Champagne Lanson Le Blanc de Blancs is the ideal partner for such a rich dish. The fresh and invigorating tastes of nougat and zest and its saline finish cut through the heaviness of the croque madame excellently. We guarantee you: after trying this (for better or worse), you won’t ever want to have a toastie without a glass of Champagne again. This is an especially good option as the cooler months of autumn start to settle in, and comfort begins to reign supreme.
Drink responsibly, 18+.
Champagne Lanson Le Blanc De Blancs is available online or in-store at Dan Murphy’s.
Brought to you by Champagne Lanson. Champagne Lanson, it’s all about love: the love of terroir, taste and celebration. It’s the perfect champagne for outdoors.
