THE annual Easter feast is almost upon us.
But if you also fancy sinking a few bevvies over then pick your drinks pairing with care.
Finding the right tipples to sip with seasonal treats such as and can be tricky, as the wrong combo can leave both feeling flat.
Luckily drinks expert Helena Nicklin is on hand to suggest some great glugs that will go brilliantly with all your favourite bank holiday treats.
Here, she suggests some classic Easter Bunny-approved booze and food combos.
NEST CAKES
Sip: Ballycastle Cream Chocolate Honeycomb Liqueur, 70cl, £6.99,
NEST cakes, with their simple charm of crunchy choccie-covered outers, mini eggs in the middle and perhaps a few fluffy decorative chicks on top, give a lovely bit of nostalgia.
They either represent something we’ll make with the kids, or remind us of our own childhood at Easter.
I’d say go all in and up that hug-in-a-glass feeling with a sip of honeycomb-flavoured Irish cream.
Fans of Crunchie bars will love this indulgent treat that’s pure pudding in a bottle.
The creaminess really sets off the munch into the nest eggs too.
If you can’t go all out on the sugar – in your glass and on a plate – at Easter, when can you?
HOT CROSS BUNS
Sip: Westmalle Trappist Extra Beer, 300ml, £2.92,
THE trick when deciding what to sip with sugary snacks is to find drinks which are as sweet or sometimes even sweeter than what you’re about to scoff.
Then in my opinion you are best placed to end up with a beverage match made in Easter treat heaven.
Ease gently into your buttery, toasted and fruity treats with a hot cross bun accompanied by a dark, Trappist beer.
This rich, malty and spicy tipple will make the cinnamon in the bun ping and is a perfect partner for the dried fruits and pieces of peel.
The beer bubbles will refresh the palate – especially if you have done it right and added a decent slab of salted butter.
EASTER BREAD
Sip: Limoncello Spritz, 75cl, £4.49, Aldi
EASTER bread is usually lightly sweet, fairly buttery and citrusy thanks to the addition of orange or lemon peel running through the dough.
Whether you toast your loaf and slather it with jam, or rip off hunks, this fun new drink from Aldi will bring the party to your pairing.
This is a lovely, vibrant fizz that really captures the essence of spring in a sip.
Think limoncello, citrus vibes that make the candied lemon peel sing, all freshened up with a cool, frothy finish.
Not overtly sweet but jolly enough to wash down something that contains dried fruit, and it makes a lovely cocktail-style aperitif.
A bit different, and reasonably priced.
Mini Eggs
Sip: I Heart Asti sparkling wine, 75cl, £6.75,
THESE simple, tiny and oh-so-moreish sugar shell sweets are all about crunchy vanilla encasing the chunky and creamy milk chocolate in the middle.
Whatever colour is on the outside, they are always saccharine heavy, so you’ll need to sip something that matches the lightweight note of the eggs but with enough sweetness to stand up to them.
Washing it down with a bottle of frothy Moscato d’Asti sparkling wine is ideal.
This Italian fizz is a cork-popping bargain for the bank holiday weekend and a flute will feel very celebratory.
And with its low ABV and notes of apricot and pear, it’s the best-laid choice for sipping with your mini eggs.
ROAST HAM
Sip: Toro Loco Rosé Superior 75cl, £5.49, Aldi
A JUICY roast ham loves crunchy, light red wines or wonderfully fruity rosés.
Whether you are having your salty joint warm or cold over the holiday, Aldi’s top-value Toro Loco Spanish pink is a spot-on pairing to pour.
Made from the up-and-coming Bobal grape, it means it will even match your meat in colour.
The flavour is all about juicy raspberry and spicy strawberry fruit, with enough tang to keep everything fresh.
A soon-to-be classic combo that will be just as yummy when you are having the leftovers in a sarnie too.
And it is incredible value, so ideal if you fancy a few bottles.
ROAST LAMB
Sip: Monte Plogar Gran Reserva, 75cl, £4.98, Lidl
WINE experts will always tell you the classic roast lamb wine pairing is an earthy, spiced red Rioja.
But this “other”; Spanish tipple from is my pick for opening and pouring with your Easter Sunday plate.
Giving you all the tang, spice and leathery goodness of a great Rioja for a fraction of the price, this is an Easter bargain that is well worth stocking up on for the spring celebration.
With its fancy label, it looks very smart and befitting for a big feast too.
Ideal with your lamb, roasties, gravy and veg and it also offers fabulous bang for your buck.
A proper bargain that tastes far pricier than it actually is.
TRADITIONAL CHOCOLATE EGGS
Sip: M&S Special Reserve Ruby Port Decanter, 20cl, £6
CHANCES are, there will be some egg nibbling going on over the Easter break, even among the grown-ups in the room.
So whether you are cracking into a milk, dark or white shell, how about going for this ultimate, catch-all ideal wine with your chocolate?
It might not be your first thought but Ruby Port is a perfect match.
This fortified, sweet red is packed with concentrated, dark berries flavours and it will have you covered, whether the egg is on the sweeter, milkier, creamer side or more cocoa-dense and bitter.
It will also match whatever treats you find in the middle, from choccie buttons to truffles. You can’t go wrong.
SIMNEL CAKE
Sip: Amaretto Veroni Classic Almond Flavour, 50cl, £6.58, Asda
TRADITIONAL Easter simnel cakes are everywhere in the shops this year and if you are picking one for a centrepiece pud, you will soon find out it’s the thick layer of marzipan that is the best bit.
It is also the bit you need to watch out for with a drinks pairing to ensure you get something that can match the fondant perfectly, as well as go down a treat with the fruity base and possibly some chocolate eggs or almond icing balls on top.
Enter own Amaretto. This classic nutty liqueur will raise your Easter pudding game to a whole new level.
It is a springtime sip made in heaven that really is perfect and I promise you won’t regret trying.
All I can say is, wow!
