Two days ago I discussed my upcoming culinary dream come true: the Charleston Food and Wine Festival. In an effort to be as selfless as utterly possible, I suggested that You have a little Food & Wine Festival of your own. I don't want to be the only one experiencing food heaven. Because... well, if that were the case, poor you! In honor of my direction to create a unique meal paired with complementary wine, I will provide you with a little help. But only if you promise to listen. Kapeesh? Deal. Shmooze a man- or lady-friend with this bad boy and you're pretty much set for life. Well, you're set for dinner at least. (I know your dating history... take what you can get!) So I recently purchased the book Entertaining: Inspired Menus for Cooking with Family and Friends (Williams-Sonoma), and it describes what to look for when pairing wine and food. Here's the scoop (from the book---I'm not this good).
Select wines or other beverages to complement the food. Keep in mind that food and wine are most complementary when their qualities are similar (a full-bodied red served with a slow-cooked meat dish) or contrasting (a sweet, light white matched with a spicy dish). Note that wines are better appreciated when they progress from light to heavy over the course of the meal (whites served before reds, dry wines before sweet ones).
Matching Food and Wine
Salty snack foods: Sparkling wines (Champagne, Prosecco, California sparkling wine)
Spicy, salty, or smoked dishes: Fruity, low-alcohol wines (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir)
Rich or fatty dishes: Full-bodied wines (Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah)
Highly acidic dishes: High-acid wines (Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Chianti)
Desserts: Sweet wines, with the wine at least as sweet as the dish (Sauternes, Vin Santo, Muscat)
Goat's-milk cheeses: High-acid white wines (California Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre)
Double- or triple-creme cheeses: Fruity or sweet red wines (Young Pinot Noir, tawny Port)
Blue cheeses: Sweet white wines (Sauternes, late-harvest wines)
Word to the wise: If you're trying to impress your lady, don't memorize and spit these lines like an eminem song. The subtle gesture of having perfectly paired, delicious wine and food is infinitely more impressive.
Moral of the story? So now that you know how to match food and wine, let's move on to your wardrobe...
No comments:
Post a Comment