Wine Pairing – winefoodthought

Cuban Food and Wine

Published on January 6, 2019January 10, 2020 by BasiliosLeave a comment

Cuban Ropa Vieja.

If you’ve ever wondered what wine to drink with Cuban food, in this case Ropa Vieja, you should give this wine a try.

Ropa Vieja, which translates literally to Old Clothes, is shredded beef in a sofrito of peppers, onions, garlic, etc. (I like to add a little chorizo and green olives) this Layer Cake Primitivo does the trick in a magical way. It is made with the intensely dark and rich Primitivo grape from Puglia, Italy, known as Zinfandel elsewhere. This particular Primitivo offers allspice and stewed black cherries on the nose, and added hints of dark caramel and butterscotch on the palate. Balances beautifully with the smokiness of the chorizo and the savory brine of the olives. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. $16

Would you like the recipe?

RED WINE WITH MEAT? NOT NECESSARILY

Published on October 16, 2018January 10, 2020 by BasiliosLeave a comment

RED WINE WITH MEAT? NOT NECESSARILY

When pairing any dish, it is important to consider all its components, from the protein, to the seasoning to the sauces.

When pairing this dish of Pan Roasted Pork Chops, one of the main components in addition to the meat, are the herbs that went into the marinade. the 48 hours of marinating in parsley, cilantro, thyme, rosemary in addition to garlic and onions adds complexity that should be mirrored in the wine. Another consideration is the fact that there was no acidity added to the marinade in the form of lemon juice or vinegar. This will play a key role in the selection of the wine. Mushrooms and asparagus were cooked simply. Extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. No butter or cream.

The only component with acidity in this dish is the quick mock béarnaise sauce. Mayo, whole-grain mustard, red vinegar, tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper.

The advantage to a side sauce like this, is that each diner can adjust the amount of sauce to his or her own taste, or skip it all together.

So, we need a wine that is fresh without much acidity, medium body, not earthy, not oaky.

Chardonnay is a wine that meets this criteria, although a light red Beaujolais would also work.

The paired Pam’s Un-Oaked Chardonnay has a fresh golden delicious apple and slight citrus aroma, medium body and a welcome buttery texture in the palate. Although I found it slightly sweet, the sweetness is welcome as a counterbalance to the sauce. The wine should be properly chilled to about 50º F.

It bears mentioning that if the chops had been grilled over firewood, this would have added a layer of smokiness to the flavor profile and in turn it would have called for some oak in the wine, in which case a Pouilly Fuissé from the Maconnais region of Burgundy, or perhaps a slightly oaky California Chardonnay would have been a good option.

Please ask away if you have any questions.

GASTRIQUE, THE FRENCH SWEET AND SOUR, AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF WINE AND FOOD PAIRING.

Published on October 7, 2018January 10, 2020 by BasiliosLeave a comment

How do you approach wine pairings when you have limited resources and want to open that specific bottle of wine you have been waiting to try.

For dinner, I wanted to use a couple of NY Strip Steaks and a bottle of Brouilly Chateau de La Chaize that I had not tried before.

Brouilly is from one of the 10 village areas of Cru Beaujolais in South Burgundy, France. I wanted to make something simple and did not want to grill the steaks as I had done the night before.

I decided to sample the wine first.
Color: beautiful intense and bright deep ruby.
Nose: fruity and slightly floral.
Palate: matching the nose in floral and fruity, but the acidity was fairly intense.

Beaujolais wines are usually enjoyed young. They are made with the thin-skinned Gamay grape using a Carbonic Maceration technique that keeps the wine light and lively. This particular 2012 vintage, had slightly more depth and character than a Beaujolais Villages, although in my opinion, it could benefit from a couple more years of holding. Nevertheless, besides the acidity, the wine was promising.

The acidity of the wine and the fresh fruity undertones reminded me of sweet and sour. Sweetness and acidity are two of the characteristics in a wine that should be mirrored when pairing with food.

My background in cooking pointed me immediately to gastrique. In its simplest form, gastrique is a French term for caramelized sugar deglazed with vinegar.

In addition to this, the flowery aromas could be mirrored with some Herbes De Provence. See what is going on here? French wine, French technique, French flavors. At least that was my plan.

First, I started by browning the cubed meat with a minced clove of garlic in olive oil. Removed the meat, added a little butter and heated until it stopped foaming. I then added 1 teaspoon of all purpose flour and cooked it on medium until slightly browned. This would be the roux to thicken the sauce.

Meanwhile, I dissolved 2 teaspoons of brown sugar with 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of the Brouilly wine.

As soon as the flour started to brown I added the sugar, vinegar and wine mixture and let it cook slowly until thickened. I then returned the browned meat to the pot and heated it gently.

Steamed vegetables finished in browned butter, seasoned with a pinch of Herbes de Provence and a little sea salt, finished bringing the dish together.

The pairing result was delicious. The intensity of the gastrique tamed the acidity of the wine, and the richness of the sauce was balanced by the lightness of the wine which I served slightly chilled to about 58ºF.

I hope you will try this technique and share it with your friends.

Questions, comments and suggestions are most welcome.

The What and Why of 10 BOTTLES FOR EASY WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS

Published on September 30, 2018January 10, 2020 by Basilios1 Comment

In my previous post I described the wine styles of the 10 wines you should have at hand to help you with your food and wine pairings.

In this post I will address the specifics of what and why and make specific recommendations that are easy to find at your local grocery store. First, lets recap the 3 simple rules when making your selections.

Rule#1: 5 reds and 5 whites
Rule#2: Each wine must have a wide range of affinity with everyday foods.
Rule#3: Each wine, red or white, should be different enough from the other four to maximize range of pairing.

One more thing. When looking at the options pick the ones that best suit your food preferences. Take a look for instance at the first white wine. Although the grapes share a similar broad range within the fresh, dry, acidic style, the wines listed do not have exactly the same aroma/flavor profile. So, if you tend to cook or like Italian food, it makes more sense to select a Pinot Grigio, over a Verdejo which will complement Spanish food better.

WHITES:
1. Fresh, dry, acidic. Verdejo, Colombard, Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio

rueda Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo, Spain $10

Salads with Mustard or Vinegar Dressing, Fried Chicken, Chicken Francese or Lemon Butter, Salad Nicoise, Sushi, Ceviche, Tuna Casserole, Fried Calamari with Aioli, Fish Soup with Lemon, Garlic Shrimp.

2. Citrusy, Herbal. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc

Image result for whitehaven sauvignon blanc Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand $15

Chicken with Herbs and Dumplings, Quiche with Leeks and Goat Cheese, Pizza with Veggies, Green Vegetables such as Asparagus and Zucchini.

3. Unoaked, Complex. Light unoaked Chardonnay

a-to-z-chardonnay2 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay, USA $15

Chicken Pot Pie, Pan Roasted Fish, Pizza Margherita, Mushroom Risotto, Macaroni and Mild Cheese.

4. Rich, Oaky. California Chardonnay

alamos-chardonnay Alamos Chardonnay, Argentina $10

Roast Chicken, Grilled Chicken, Chicken with Mushrooms and Cream Sauce, Pasta Carbonara, Pork with Mustard-Cream Sauce, Grilled Burgers with Cheese.

5. Balanced sweet and acidity. Dry Riesling

Image result for Chateau St. Michelle Dry riesling Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling, USA $11

Fish with Moroccan Spices, Pork or Bratwurst and Sauerkraut, Apple Stuffed Pork Chops.

REDS:
6. Light, acidic. Chianti, Côtes du Rhône

Image result for banfi chianti classico Banfi Chianti Classico $15

Fried Calamari with Tomato Sauce, All Meat Pizza, Chicken Cacciatore, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmigiana.

7. Medium body, fruity. New Zealand, California Pinot Noir

sterling-pinot-noir Sterling Vintner’s Collection Pinot Noir $14

Grilled Chicken or Steak Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing, Pizza with Tomato and Cheese, Roasted Salmon.

8. Medium Body Old World Red. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tempranillo

Image result for campo viejo crianza Campo Viejo Crianza $12

Chorizo Omelette, Beef Goulash, Pasta with Beans, Pasta with Sunday Gravy, Beef Bourguignon.

9. New World Full Body Red with ripe fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec

Tahuan Siesta Malbec $15

Wood Grilled Burgers with Blue Cheese, Grilled Steaks, Pan Roasted Tenderloin with Pan Sauce.

10. Full Body Red with Earthy undertones. Barolo, Old World Syrah, Australian Shiraz, Petite Sirah.

Image result for koonunga hill shiraz Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz $13

Wood Grilled Burgers with Smoked Bacon and BBQ Sauce, Smoked BBQ Meats, Braised Beef with Olives and Capers, Pasta Bolognese, Pork with Sausage and Beans.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

10 BOTTLES FOR EASY WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS

Published on September 28, 2018January 10, 2020 by BasiliosLeave a comment

Frustrated by not having the right wine to pair with your dinner every night?
You don’t need to spend a fortune, or an unlimited number of wines for a great pairing.
Starting with just 10 bottles and following 3 simple rules you will have a very good pairing most of the time.

WHITES:
1. Fresh, dry, acidic. Verdejo, Colombard, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio

Salads with Mustard or Vinegar Dressing, Fried Chicken, Chicken Francese or Lemon Butter, Salad Nicoise, Sushi, Ceviche, Tuna Casserole, Fried Calamari with Aioli, Fish Soup, Garlic Shrimp.

2. Citrusy, herbal. New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc