There are some flavors that are just meant to be together-peanut butter and chocolate, French fries and ketchup, and oil and vinegar are just a few examples. But most of us wouldn't think of creating the following combinations, lest we experience a palate clash akin to orange juice and toothpaste. Ironically, the following duos are surprisingly delicious. Check them out then tell us your favorite surprising food combinations.
Brie cheese and raspberries
There's something about the creaminess of the cheese and the slightly sweet delicacy of the raspberries that works wonders on the tongue. Try them as a bite together or puree the berries to create a sauce to pour over the cheese and you will be delighted with the results.
Champagne and popcorn
Wine pros have long known that the buttery flavor of popcorn is an outstanding companion to bubbly. It also takes the stuffiness out of enjoying sparkling wine, so next time you pop a cork, serve your bubbly with buttered and salted popcorn and see just how good the highfalutin and everyday can be together!
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Strawberries and balsamic vinegar
Gourmet ice cream makers often sneak a little balsamic vinegar into their strawberry ice cream because it punches up the fruit's flavor. The same thing happens when you drizzle fresh berries with a reduction of balsamic vinegar (just simmer it down to syrup in a pot, watching carefully not to burn it) or when you add strawberries to a salad dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Blue cheese and honey
Surprising but true, sweet honey is a spectacular partner for tart, tangy blue cheese. Crumble a little of the cheese on a toasted piece of bread and drizzle with honey and you'll see what we mean. You can add even more palate excitement if you add a sprinkle of cayenne and a few bits of walnut. Delicious!
Peanut butter and apple
The apple is the tart, crisp, and sweet yin to the peanut butter's creamy, rich, salty yang. Spread some peanut butter on apple slices and you've got the perfect snack for the whole family.
Chili paste and dried apricot
Thai and Indian cuisines prove that combining sweet and hot flavors results in winning combinations, and the chili paste and dried apricot duo prove the point.
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Olive oil and ice cream
Yes, it sounds gross, but in high-end restaurants around the country, gourmet vanilla ice cream drizzled with super-premium olive oil and salt was a huge trend this past year.
Salted butter and mint
If you have yet to experience the heaven that is salted butter mixed with minced mint, you need only to spread the combination on a piece of whole wheat bread to indulge in all its glory.
Chocolate and chili peppers
Mole sauce, a delicious traditional Mexican sauce, has long heralded the genius of combining chocolate and chili peppers. But gourmet candy bars, including one from high-end chocolatiers Vosges, have recently jumped on the bandwagon. That's how good the two taste together.
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