FOOD and WINE PAIRING—Cold Meats (continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 10 December 2011)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–Many tasty Cold Meats can be left over from Christmas and New Years Day. If we focus on Poultry, Game Birds and Pork, then there are numerous wine options available for consideration. Cold Pork Pies or Game Bird pies can also be considered under the following recommendations. 

CHALLENGES:—–Be careful that strong Pickles and Chutneys such as Piccalilli or strong mustard based sauces may conflict with some of the wines recommended. Fruit chutneys and mild sauces will not be a major problem.

 RECOMMENDATIONS:—–The first recommendation which will accompany all the meats in question and is not too powerful, Rose D’Anjou  from the Loire, a refreshing wine for any time of the day or night. Many heavy reds will overpower most cold white meats, therefore for red wine lovers , a perfect match would be a light fruity Pinot Noir from Australia, Pirie South Pinot Noir,Tasmania. My final recommendation is a full bodied white wine from the Rhone , Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc , the long lasting spicy flavours match well both cold meats, pork pies or game pies.   
 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.
 
NEXT ARTICLE:—–Wild Game including Venison and Wild Boar

HAPPY COLD MEATS PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—Christmas Pudding
(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated12 December 2011)

 INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

 FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–We are featuring Christmas Pudding, but the wines recommended also pair well with Christmas Cake , Mince Pies or Chocolate Log and even a rich Sherry Trifle.

 CHALLENGES:—–Fortified wines and full bodied dessert wines are the ones to meet the challenge of rich Puddings and Cakes which could be accompanied by Brandy Sauces, Cream or Custard. Since it is Christmas, be bold and have more than one style of wine available to please your family or/and your special guests.

 RECOMMENDATIONS:—–The first recommendation would be Campbells Rutherglen Muscat, it has the depth and rich sweetness to match any big pudding. Try leaving the wine in the freezer for one or two hours before serving. Another rich full bodied accompaniment would be Pedro Ximenez Sherry, served chilled. Yes it is unusual to chill sherry, but works very well and your guests will be refreshingly and pleasantly surprised. A traditional recommendation has to be a quality Sauternes from the Bordeaux Region, chill a bottle of Chateau Rolland and enjoy a wine with a good balance of rich fruit, acidity and long lingering aftertaste. This wine is also a great companion of Blue Cheese, if you have any room left  
 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.
 
NEXT ARTICLE:—–Cold Meats

 HAPPY CHRISTMAS PUDDING PAIRING DAYS

 Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—Christmas Seafood Starter
(continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 28 November 2011)

 INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

 FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–With Christmas Dinner’s main dish being so wholesome and filling, often a light starter such as prawns with avocado, green salad and a seafood mayonaise base sauce is certainly more than sufficient. One can substitute the prawns for either crab, lobster or fresh water crayfish.

 CHALLENGES:—–The challenges are not too difficult if one selects a dry or medium dry white wine. When matching white wine with crustaceans, try to favour wines with a fruity bias, since they can add much piquancy to the food in question. If the dish contains no seafood mayonaise sauce and only green salad, then a much drier white wine can be accomodated.

 RECOMMENDATIONS:—–Whether its prawns, crab, lobster or crayfish a rich fruity wine from the Loire such as Vouvray cannot be faulted as a great partner. A similar wine, but more flowery, which definitely would make a good friend of seafood and happens to be my favorite white wine, a  Gewurztraminer from Alsace.  The last but not least  recommendation would have to be a wine from New Zealand the land of seafood, Chardonnay , this wine has the correct balance of fruit and acidity to support any rich seafood dishes and also, its most enjoyable on its own.
 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.
 
NEXT ARTICLE:—–Poultry for Christmas

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SEAFOOD STARTER PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

The earliest Cape Liqueur of South Africa

An inimitable tangerine flavoured liqueur, Butlers Van Der Hum Liqueur is produced in the Cape winelands of South Africa. A blend of aged potstill brandy, wine distillate, tangerine peel, herbs and secret spices. The extracts are sweetened with glucose and cane sugar syrup.

When the first European settlement was established at the foot of Table Mountain by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, it was found that the climate and soil were ideally suited to the cultivation of grapes. Soon the first wines were being produced and brandy distilled. One drink that found particular favour, also among the early mariners following the Cape Sea Route, was this distinctive master blenders liqueur.

Try a warming sip-mix 1 shot of Butlers Van Der Hum Tangerine Liqueur with 1 shot of Sandeman Imperial Spanish Jerez Brandy.Relax and Enjoy.

HAPPY BUTLERS VAN DER HUM LIQUEUR DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—DESSERTS – (continuation from blog “ Food and Wine Pairing” dated 8 November 2011)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.
FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–DESSERTS, many organises of dinner parties forget or ignore pairing desserts and wine. Making the effort to successfully pair this course will no doubt be a wonderful finale to a great evening.
CHALLENGES:—–The challenges are not too difficult. Play safe and follow convention i.e. pair sweet wine with sweet dessert. The next rule is to select a wine that is sweeter that the dessert being served. Get the balance right and one will not overpower the other, harmony will prevail.
RECOMMENDATIONS:—–To assist wine pairing, three contrasting desserts have been chosen. First a simple fruit salad served with fresh cream, but not ice cream. A tasty fruit salad can be classed as slightly sweet or sweetish – a matching wine would have balanced acidity with sweetness and the recommendation would be a Spatlese from Germany, Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese. Our second dessert is a creme caramel with a crispy sugary top. A perfect match would be a wine with less acidity and more sweetness than the German Spatlese and to fit the bill try Chateau Peyruchet 1er Cotes de Bordeaux Molleux. For the final dessert, we have selected a sweet and heavy flavoured Chocolate and Cafe Roulade – for this rich dessert, we need to match with a full bodied, silky and luscious wine. My recommendation would be either Maury Solera 1928 or Elysium Black Muscat.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Casseroles and hearty meat stews

HAPPY DESSERT AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

CAPE NORTH VODKA

Cape North is an ultra premium single grain vodka from a family owned company in Sweden.Cape North is small batch distilled five times and is the only Scandinavian vodka produced from a specified grain and in this case a specially selected highest quality wheat grain cultivated in France. The water comes from Porla, which is the most famous spring water in Sweden, renown for centuries for its purity, which is carefully filtered through diatomaceous soil using a kieselguhr filter rather than charcoal in order to preserve the delicate flavours and aromas. Cape North Vodka was launched in Sweden four years ago where it is now the leading ultra premium vodka and following its launch in London, it has achieved the favour and respect of top Uk bartenders and Spirit Journalists.

“One of the best vodkas I have ever encountered. It’s creamy-smooth on the palate with subtle flavours of citrus, vanilla and wheat grain perfect drunk neat or in a Martini with a twist of lemon.” – Paul Wootton, Editor of Class Magazine.

Winner of Silver Medal, International Wine & Spirit Competiton

Vodka does not get much better than this.

HAPPY VODKA DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—VEGETARIAN DISHES
(continuation from blog “ Food and Wine Pairing” dated 3rd October 2011)

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–VEGETARIAN DISHES have become much more popular in recent years and restaurant chefs are far more creative with their vegetarian recipes than perhaps a decade ago. With many different and wonderful flavours matching these dishes with wine is now a serious subject.

CHALLENGES:—–The main challenges are identifying what dishes are strong in flavour, such as a nut loaf or caramelised root vegetables or lighter flavoured dishes like salads or spring vegetable soup. Once you have catagorized your dishes then pairing with the right wines become much much easier.

RECOMMENDATIONS:—–With a light tasting soup such as pea or potato why not try a light bodied unoaked white wine such as Luztville Chenin Blanc from South Africa. For pulses like lentiles which have been enriched with cream or butter, go for a medium bodied red wine such as Pinot Noir by Tindall Vineyards in New Zealand. With strong flavoured dishes such as roasted vegetables, a powerful nut roast or stews which contain soya sauce or marmite to replicate meaty flavours, then a full bodied Bordeaux red such as Chateau Semonlon Haut Medoc or a new world wine like Carmenere Reserva from Chile will certainly do the trick.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and deserts. Also view Great Friends-Cheese and Wine for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Desserts

HAPPY VEGETARIAN DISHES AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING – WHITE FISH (continuation from BLOG “FOOD AND WINE PAIRING” dated 2nd December 2010)

INTRODUCTION :- This blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine

FOOD BEING FEATURED :- WHITE FISH, white fleshed fish such as Lemon Sole, Flounder, Dover Sole, Dab, Turbot, Halibut and Brill have the lightest, sweetish and most delicate flesh of all the fish family

CHALLENGES :- Finding the perfect match for fish can be challenging since a very dry and acidic wine could go well with oily fish like Mackerel or Sardines, but could destroy subtle dishes like Poached Halibut or Sole Meuniere. Go for mellow and fruity white wines with little or no oak. Stay clear of red wines, although light red wines like Fleurie can go well with meaty, dark fleshed oily fish

RECOMMENDATIONS:- It’s not only traditional , but white wine certainly supports most fish dishes, especially white fish. So white wine with pan fried fish like sole or plaice are exceptinally well suited to a good quality Chenin Blanc such as Luztville from South Africa. Poached Halibut in olive oil and match with a Chilean Gewurztraminer from Vina Segu, the slight acidity from this wine works very nicely. Wild Sea Bass will respond well to a firm, fruity Italian white wine like Gavi de Gavi from the Piedmonte region of Italy.

Your choice of sauce or accompaniment can also be influential to a fish dish. A heavy tomato based sauce or a side dish with spice would welcome a white wine with high intensity and substance such as a white Chateauneuf du Pape or a full bodied Chardonnay such as those made in the Barossa Valley, Australia.

MAIN DIRECTORY :- Click on THE MARRIAGE OF FOOD AND WINE to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also view GREAT FRIENDS-CHEESE AND WINE for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE :- PASTA DISHES

HAPPY FISH AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

GRAHAM D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—SHELLFISH (continuation from blog 

 “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 4th February 2010 )

INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–SHELLFISH including PRAWNS, LANGOSTINE, OYSTERS, CLAMS, MUSSELS, SCALLOPS, CRAB and LOBSTER

CHALLENGES:—–Delicate shellfish need due care and attention, beware and stay away from strongly oaked wines. You should seek out crisp dry white wines, new world sauvignon blancs, dry champagne or a quality sparkling wine will do the job very well. Shellfish cooked with, cheese, cream or herbs do support a much broader range of wines.

 
RECOMMENDATIONS:—–When eating live shellfish try a very dry and crisp Muscadet  or a more up market Pouilly-Fume, both from the Loire Valley.

When enjoying rich dishes like Devilled Crab, Lobster Newburgh or Lobster Thermidor, then you could choose from all three colours and good recommendations would be a light red from the Loire—Saumur Champigny, a fine and sturdy rose from Australia—Willowglen Rose  or a buttery Chardonnay from New Zealand— Hunter’s of Marlborough.

Lightly cooked Scallops, Clams or Mussels in a white wine sauce go exceedingly well with New World Sauvignon Blancs or a Mortitx Blanc from the island of Mallorca.

Prawns, Shrimp and Langostine dishes cooked in richer style sauces (not curry spices) are very well suited to more full bodied whites like Chateaunuef du Pape  from the Rhone Valley and a rich Chilean Chardonnay from Millaman.

MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also  Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.

NEXT ARTICLE:—–Smoked food including,  smoked trout, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, smoked eel, smoked halibut, smoked ham, smoked chicken , smoked duck and smoked goose.
 
HAPPY  SHELLFISH AND WINE PAIRING DAYS

Graham D

FOOD and WINE PAIRING—WILD GAME (continuation from blog  “ Food and Wine pairing”  dated 9th January  2010)

 INTRODUCTION:—–this blog and the many more following will examine the pleasurable and often complex relationship between good food and wine, with the ultimate aim to assist our many discerning customers evolve the convivial bonding of good food and wine.

FOOD BEING FEATURED:—–WILD GAME DISHES, including PHEASANT, PARTRIDGE, WILD MALLARD, PIGEON, RABBIT, HARE, VENISON and WILD BOAR.

CHALLENGES:—–Wild game varies in taste quite a bit, one has the light and flavoursome meats of partridge and pheasant, middle of the range in taste would be rabbit, pigeon and mallard and the strongest tasting meats would be venison, wild boar and especially hare. The challenge is selecting wines to match all three different groups

  RECOMMENDATIONS:—–Big or robust red wines of quality will go well with all three categories of feathered or furred game mentioned above and classic matches would be a full bodied Crozes Hermitage from the Northern Rhone or a well matured Barossa Shiraz from Australia.

If we focus on the lighter meats like pheasant and partridge then there a number of  white or rose wines that would hold their own if the meat is roasted or served with light sauces. Try a full flavoured Chablis Premier Cru such as  from the estate of Tremblay or a Gisborne Viognier from New Zealand. For a rose go for the highly recommended Whispering Angel. A light bodied red wine suited to this particular category would be a juicy red Chinon from the Loire Valley.

Rabbit, pigeon and mallard  all love medium to full bodied red  ranging from Pinot Noirs like those from Oregan and Volnay and Pommard  from Burgundy, to a fruity Hawkes Bay Merlot from the Southern Hemisphere’s New Zealand. These same four red wines are well suited to Rabbit Stew or Pie and also Cold Game Pie.

Venison, Wild Boar and Hare do prefer complex and more full bodied red wines of character and style. Two big boys that immediately come to mind are of course Chateaunuef-du-Pape from the lower Rhone region of France and a quality red from Ribera del Duero from the north east of Spain. If you are brave and considering the famed game dish of Jugged Hare, then the intense and fruity wines from Gigondas and Vacqueyras will the perfect match.

 
MAIN DIRECTORY:—–click on The Marriage of Food and Wine  to access our quick search facility to locate hundreds of other food/wine/food pairing options, including hors-d’oeuvres, starters, soups, main courses and desserts. Also Great Friends-Cheese and Wine  for cheese and wine pairing.

 NEXT ARTICLE:—–Shellfish dishes, including prawns, langostine, clams, mussels, scallops, crab and lobster

 
HAPPY  WILD GAME AND WINE PAIRING DAYS
Graham D