Wine & Food Pairing

My closest friend, Brittany, landed her dream job in her dream location last summer. Her and her husband Patrick packed up their lives and ventured out West to Seattle, Washington! I've missed them terribly and anxiously awaited their planned visit this Spring... and what better way to celebrate than with some girl time, good food, and an array of wine?! We invited three more of her closest friends for an intimate evening where we could catch up and have fun!

To make this both relaxing and fun I decided to create an interactive evening of wine and food pairing. I prepared the food menu and assigned each girl with a certain wine to bring: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. 

For a larger event with more people, you can add bottles of wine, but I wouldn't exceed six different kinds of wine, as that can get overwhelming for your taste buds!

^^ While everyone was arriving, we began with ice water and a cheese plate. I kept this simple with one kind of cheese, my favorite, red-wine infused asiago. I paired this salty cheese with unsalted crackers and sweet green grapes. Mixed olives, mild pickled peppers, and unsalted roasted almonds were the perfect balancing act. (All found at TJ's) 

I think this course is vital for prepping your palate and stomach to be introduced to a few wines and different foods.

^^ I prepared the food for the evening and the girls were each assigned a type of wine to bring. Prior to the party, the girls visited a local wine shop called Tinto's to find their wine. They explained the event, the food the wine would be paired with, their price point, and the sommelier helped them pick the perfect bottle! 

** I often (ok, always) grab my go to bottle of Malbec while at the grocery store because it's easy, and I know I like it. At the grocery store, there is no one advising me about what wine would pair best with what I'll be making for dinner, or sharing their knowledge about certain wines from different regions. After visiting a few wine shops, I highly encourage you to take advantage of the insight from these specialty shops, especially if it is for a special occasion. This extra stop during my grocery run does make a difference and makes me appreciate and enjoy the wine even more! 

On the bar, I set up tasting plates, cocktail napkins, wine glasses, and a pitcher of ice water with glasses for in between tastings. 

^^ Once the ladies picked their bottles, I printed a tasting sheet with the name of the wine, vineyard, and year it was bottled. This is a vital part of a tasting event because it ensures that you record  certain things you liked about each wine. You can then use this sheet to find a certain wine you enjoyed. I used and edited a downloadable PDF. Link here.

^^ I did some research prior to the party and then prepared a fact sheet to keep at the table. As we tasted each wine and paired it with a specific dish, I read off facts so we could learn about the pairing. Here are some facts about the wines and food we tasted:

Reisling: 

• This is a white grape originating in Germany and is one of the oldest grape varieties dating back to the early 1400's. 
• This grape is suited for cooler climates because it buds late and avoids the early Spring frost. It also has thicker bark than most vines, avoiding damage of winter. 
• It is considered to be the most versatile food-pairing wine because of its balance of sugar and acidity.
• It is known for it's ability to show a sense of place. The same grapevine may be planted in Italy and California and taste vastly different because of the climate, soil, and altitude at which the grape was grown! 
• This wine is seldom oaked and more commonly cultivated in stainless-steel tanks. 
• This wine is crisp, reminiscent of peaches, apples, and it's sweet quality compliments strong cheeses and spicy cuisine such as Indian, Mexican, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Cajun spices. 
• Riesling has a universally low alcohol content. 

Sauvignon Blanc:

• This is a white grape that is believed to have originated in the Loire Valley in France. 
• This wine is known for it's herbaceous nature including characters of asparagus, grass, capsicum, and dried herbs. 
• Sauvignon Blanc is more commonly made in stainless steel tanks, but more recent wine makers are oaking this wine, looking for more depth and complexity. 
• Today, this wine is most notably cultivated in New Zealand. 2000 acres were purchased to plant this grape in the 1970's for $200 an acre. Today, this land is work $85,000 an acre! Wine can be an investment.. right?
• Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with green herbs: parsley, rosemary, basil, cilantro, and mint. Goat cheese and seafood (especially fish, clams, and shrimp) as well. 

Cabernet Sauvignon: 

• This wine is a newer variety: a product of the crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc during the 17th century in France. This was a mystery until recent DNA testing!
• This was the most widely planted red wine grape in the 20th century. 
• France and California are most popular for planting this grape. 
• The young grape produces notes of black cherries and plums while a mature grape produces flavors of cedar and tobacco. 
• This wine pairs best with lamb, ribs, cheeseburgers, and other rich meats. 

Malbec:

• This is a full-bodied red wine that grows mostly in Argentina. 
• It is known for it's plump dark fruit flavors and smoky finish. 
• When cultivated in a cooler climate such as France and Washington, it produces notes of black cherry and raspberries. When cultivated in warmer climates like Argentina, it produces notes of plums, blackberries, coffee, and chocolate. 
• Oak aging this wine for long periods of time produces vanilla, tobacco, and coconut flavors. 
• This is my faaaaavorite wine !!
• Malbec pairs well with deep colored fruit, mushrooms, beans, lean red meat, vanilla, and chocolate. 

^^ I kept the table scape simple with a runner and votive candles. This chalkboard runner was perfect for this party because I could set the table accordingly and give the girls a visual of our evening. I bought this chalkboard-fabric a couple years ago from JoAnns fabric store and had it cut to size as a runner for my table. I've used it for many different events, and each time it wipes perfectly clean with a damp cloth. It easily stores rolled in a drawer. Click here for a similar one. 

I often make dips served with an entire bag of chips for parties, however, for this tasting, I made single guacamole servings in small glasses with a few blue corn chips. This method of serving was great for grabbing and socializing without having to hover over the chip and dip bowls at the table. This spicy guacamole paired perfectly with Riesling. 

Spicy Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 4 avocados
• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 diced jalapeno (seeds removed)
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (stems removed)
• 1 lime (juice & zest) 
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

• Dice avocado into 1 inch pieces, quarter tomatoes, and dice jalapeños (remove seeds)- add to a large bowl.
• Next, remove the cilantro leaves from the stem, chop fine, and add to the avocado mixture. 
• Zest an entire lime into the bowl, then add the lime juice and salt. 
• Mash together lightly until just combined using a potato masher or a fork. I prefer my guacamole to be chunky with all ingredients visible rather that smooth and creamy. If you prefer a smooth guac, keep mashing! 
• Scoop the guacamole into individual serving cups and top with tortilla/corn chips!  

Since I know these girls well, I knew we would all like this dish because of our mutual love for salmon. Lox is a popular spread for bagels: a mixture of smoked salmon and cream cheese. It is usually accompanied by fresh dill, cucumbers, and capers. This bite sized dish is a little deconstructed version of this infamous bagel; cucumber slices topped with cream cheese, Alaskan smoked salmon, a sprig of fresh dill, and cracked black pepper. I know, this dish sounds "fancy" but it was the easiest to prepare and it was delish!

Cucumber Lox Bites

Ingredients:

• 1-2 slices of smoked salmon (found packaged in the seafood refrigerator case)
• 2 cucumbers
• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• fresh dill
• fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions:

• Peel 2 cucumbers with a vegetable peeler and slice 1/4 inch thin.
• Spread about 2 teaspoons (small spoonful) of cream cheese on each slice.
• Top the cream cheese with a small slice of smoked salmon
• Garnish with a small sprig of dill and cracked black pepper. 
• Keep refrigerated until ready to eat!

To keep with the theme of easy-to-grab and bite-sized dishes, I made 80/20 beef burger siders topped with sharp cheddar held in mini pitas! It is vital to use the 80% (lean) and 20% (fat) for these small slider style burgers. Leaner meat will become dry and tough when grilled! Lastly- no one likes to be on the grill in the middle of a party, so these can be made before the party, grilled to medium, and then kept warm in the oven. These bite-sized burgers are perfect for tastings without the standard mess of a full-sized burger. 

Pita Sliders

Ingredients:

• 1 pound 80/20 beef
• 2 teaspoons of seasoning (even mix of garlic powder, salt, and pepper)
• Block of sharp cheddar cheese
• 8-10 small pitas (found at Trader Joe's)
• Kosher pickles and spicy brown mustard to garnish

Instructions:

• Mix the meat and seasoning in a bowl. Then make small palm sized patties, they will shrink a bit when grilled.
• Grill on medium heat until cooked to medium (pink in the middle).
• Add cheese slices on top of each slider.
• Transfer sliders to a baking dish and keep warm in the oven (200 degrees) until ready to serve in pita pockets. 
• Plate & serve with spicy mustard and pickles! 

For the final dish, I plated strawberries, and Natalie brought an array of homemade truffles! This was a sweet finale for our tasting adventure... and luckily she shared the recipes with me!

Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut 
• 3 1/2 ounces good bittersweet chocolate
• 3 1/2 ounces good semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
• 1 tablespoon prepared coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Chop the hazelnuts and place them on a sheet pan. Roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. (If the hazelnuts have skin on them, roast them for 25 minutes.) Set aside to cool. 
• Do the same, and toast the shredded coconut for 5-10 minutes until golden.
• Chop the chocolates finely and place in a bowl.
• Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it boils. Immediately pour the hot cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with the chocolates. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. (If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir for a few minutes just until it melts.) Whisk in the hazelnut liqueur, coffee, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour until pliable but firm enough to scoop.
• With 2 teaspoons or a 1 1/4-inch ice cream scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres. 
• Roll the chocolate in the chopped hazelnuts or coconut and chill again. Truffles are best when they're allowed to set overnight in the refrigerator.

This was such a fun evening and I can't wait to host another one, based around different wines! Gather your girlfriends, assign some wines, and create a fun interactive night of wine tasting and food pairing! Enjoy!

XO- 

Monica