Pairings

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``Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it."Anonymous


Pairings

BEFORE we begin, we have to decide what wines to choose or decide what kinds of food to have. So often wine and cheese tastings (more later on the inherent disadvantages of combining wine and cheese) are built around the choice of wines followed by, almost as an afterthought, “oh, by the way shouldn’t we have something to eat or at least snack on?”.

Next consideration: Will this gathering be dinner or a snacking? Will there be hot and cold foods or only one of the two. Let’s go for the simplest for now with the more complicated later. Five appetizer sized, cold and prepared in advance foods and one surprise piece de resistance. (Recipes are available at the end if you don’t want to wing it.)

Next, decide how much food and how many different foods you wish to have. A good starting place is five foods and five wines. Plan on about 2 ounces of wine per person (you will need a measured pour spout-readily available at most liquor stores that have a good wine selection) and about 2 snacks per sample of wine. If the event goes as planned, it will probably last anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half hours (longer if you are making this more party than pairing) depending on the number of people, whether everyone arrives at the same time etc.

You don’t have to go out and buy an extensive set of new wine glasses, but having at least one glass per person that is designed for white still wines, one that is designed for red still wines and one that is designed for sparkling wines will greatly enhance your wine experiences. (Hint: several of the dollar stores sell a variety of wine glasses at $1.00 each).

Plan on a water carafe or bottle for each person. I prefer to have some unflavored carbonated water available for guests.
While it would be possible to suggest infinite possibilities for food and wine, here is one short list; others will follow on some other day. Serve in the order written.

Wine: Proseco A Dry, sparkling white
Food: Cremini crunch

Wine: Pouilly-Fuisse¢ A Medium dry, still white
Food: Grilled salmon w /chipotle cream

Wine: Sancerre A Light dry, still white
Food: Garlic puree on bread

Wine: Chablis A Dry fruity, still white
Food: Chicken scaloppini on a stick

Wine: Pinot Noir A Medium Body, still red
Food: Roast beef sandwichettes


Dessert: Piece de Resistance Unfrosted Chocolate brownie chunks which we will have with a small glass of the Pinot Noir!

Assuming the highest price for each bottle of wine and assuming the wine is exactly spread over the number of people attending, you should be able to put on the whole spread for under $20 per person (if you come from the thrifty part of Scotland, however, it can be done for under $12). The food prep should take no more than 1 hour.

Voila! A wine and food pairing!

Cheers!





The Cellarmaster at
Reds N Whites
Recipes
Wine: Proseco Zardetto-Conegliano, IT
Food: Cremini crunch

1. About 1/8 lb. cremini mushrooms & about 1/8 lb. white mushrooms per person. (= 1 portion).


2. ½ tablespoon butter and ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil per portion.


3. ½ shallot or onion equivalent per portion.


4. ¼ teaspoon ground thyme per portion.


5. Salt and pepper to taste.


6. ¼ cup dry Sherry (Cooking Sherry is ok)


7. 1 loaf baguette or narrow French bread, sliced.

Clean & trim mushrooms and, along with shallots or onions, chop medium fine in food processor. Heat skillet over moderate heat. Add oil and butter to skillet and season with thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms are deep brown and tender, roughly 5 to 6 minutes. Add Sherry. Place mushroom mixture in small serving dishes, toast bread slices and serve.

Wine: Pouilly-Fuisse¢ Louis Jadot- 2003,Burgundy, France
Food: Grilled salmon w /chipotle cream

1. About 1/8 lb. fresh salmon per person fillet w/skin. (= 1 portion).


2. ¼ oz. Sour cream per portion.


3. ½ teaspoon chipotle powder per portion.

Mix sour cream and chipotle cream and set aside. Rinse & pat dry salmon fillet removing any stray fish scales from flesh side. Add hickory chips to charcoal or smoker box. Spray aluminum foil with oil and place salmon, skin side down, on aluminum foil. Place over coals at medium temperature or height adjusted to achieve medium temperature. Grill until flesh begins to change color to light pink at edges. Carefully turn salmon over and grill for another 2 minutes. Remove from grill and remove skin. Cut in 3” squares and serve with chipotle sour cream.

Wine: Sancerre Cherrier &Fils-2003, Sancerre, France
Food: Garlic puree on bread

1. One fresh garlic clove per person. (= 1 portion).


2. 1 loaf baguette or narrow French bread, sliced.

Remove white outer husk to reveal garlic cloves. With sharp knife, cut tips from cloves while leaving cluster of cloves intact. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake on cookie sheet or ovenproof dish in preheated oven at 350 ° until cloves are easily pierced by fork and spreadable (about 30 minutes). Serve individual clusters with bread slices and knives to spread on bread.

Wine: Chablis Gerard Tremblay-2002, Poinchy, France

Food: Chicken scaloppini on a stick

1. About 2 oz. boneless chicken breast per person. (= 1 portion).


2. ½ cup chicken broth per portion.


3. 3 teaspoons lemon juice per portion.


4. 1-teaspoon cornstarch per portion.


5. ½ cup flour, salt and pepper to taste.


6. ½ tablespoon butter and ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil per portion.

Mix chicken broth and cornstarch until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium until sauce thickens. Pound chicken breasts until about 1/3 inch thick. Dredge each thoroughly in mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Add butter and olive oil to skillet and heat skillet to high, short of smoking and add chicken breasts. Sauté until edges begin to brown, turn and continue to cook until both sides are browned. Remove from skillet and cut in 1” strips. Cut strips into 3” lengths and insert toothpick in each curling strip into semicircle. Cover strips lightly with lemon sauce and serve two strips per person.

Wine: Pinot Noir Estancia-2003, Monterey, CA

Food: Roast beef sandwichettes

1. About 2 oz. Deli roast beef per person. (= 1 portion).


2. ¼ cup mayonnaise per portion.


3. ½ teaspoon horseradish portion.

Mix mayonnaise and horseradish thoroughly and spread lightly on split roll. Add two slices of Deli beef to roll and cut into eight pieces. Serve two pieces per person.



Dessert: Piece de Resistance Unfrosted Chocolate brownie chunks which we will have with a small glass of the Pinot Noir!