What to serve on game day? How about some elevated comfort food and beverages to match.
Footy’s winding up once more and finals season is fast approaching. Whether it’s NRL, AFL, rugby union or soccer that takes your fancy, we all know there’s one key element that’s perhaps even more important than the winner: game-day drinks and snacks. The pub is great, but nothing beats the comfort of your own living room (and your TV). And if you’re going to host your mates for a sport-centric gathering, you’d better do it right.
Classic nosh is the best pairing with a bit of screaming at the refs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t elevate things. After all, even the athletes themselves are stepping up their chic levels these days. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to fancy up your classic footy-watching snacks and drinks. Below, we have four cheap and easy ways to take your game-day feasting to a new level.
Click image to shop
1. Sausage rolls with spicy tomato chutney
Pair with: Balter XPA
The classic stadium combo of a sausage roll and a beer always leaves something to be desired. We think the time has come to elevate the pairing, not only with a quality sausage roll sourced from your local butcher (seriously, the difference is night and day), but with a beer actually made to stand up to all that pastry and fatty sausage meat. Balter XPA is an easy-drinking favourite, and fruity and tropical enough to cut through the richness. All you need now is a spicy chutney to top that sausage roll. It’ll only cost you a couple of dollars more than regular tomato sauce, but it’s the key to making a sausage roll something you’d eat off a plate rather than out of plastic packaging.
2. Hot chips with feta and parsley
Pair with: El Toro Grapefruit Paloma
Think of this as a grown-up spin on the hot chips/Passiona pairing you almost certainly got from the local takeaway when you were a kid. Chips and fruity sodas are a match made in heaven, and El Toro delivers a welcome hit of tangy grapefruit, along with smooth blanco tequila to take things up a level. Whether you’ve picked up the chippies from your favourite spot or whacked some frozen fries in the oven, they can be easily improved by stirring through some crumbled feta and chopped parsley. A true game-changer.
Click image to shop
Click image to shop
3. Footy franks with pickles, hot sauce and fried shallots
Pair with: Patient Wolf Melbourne Dry Gin
The ever-popular footy hot dog pairs wonderfully with all manner of classic drinks. We’re opting for a G&T made with Patient Wolf Dry Gin from Melbourne (these are footy franks, after all). Made with an array of classic dry gin botanicals with a few Aussie natives thrown in for good measure, it’s a distinctly Aussie take on a drink that’s a wonderfully refreshing complement to a savoury, smoky favourite. Kick those franks up a notch by topping them with fancy pickles, hot sauce and fried shallots. Takes you two seconds, and it’s well worth the minimal effort.
4. Meat pies with mushy peas and mint
Pair with: Tar & Roses Sangiovese
Pairing a meat pie with a red wine might look a little out of place at most live events (unless you barrack for Melbourne), but there’s no reason you can’t push the culinary boundaries in the comfort of your own home. After all, few things pair with lashings of beef and gravy quite like a red wine, and the Tar Roses Sangiovese is dry and full-bodied enough to stand toe-to-toe with perhaps Australia’s most iconic sporting snack. We’re topping our meat pies with mushy peas and mint for a British twist on an Aussie classic. It’s an upgrade that takes frozen pies to a whole new level.
Click image to shop
