Arctic Charr “en papillote”

Charr is particularly suitable for a "papillote" preparation, a little piscinepackage of parchment paper roasted a few minutes, then opened at eachplate for both heady steam and tasty treat. Even more tasties come by way of a wine selection that is close to being all-encompassing: a dry crisp white; a sparkling pink; and a medium-bodied, lean red. Charr is the kind of fish — rich, succulent, unctuous, flavors on all fours — that appeals to nearly any kind of wine, as long as that wine has a good backbone of acidity and freshness. These three do.   HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:• 1 large [...]

By | 2020-09-28T21:33:05+00:00 October 30th, 2019|

Niceland Ocean Perch Tacos

To paraphrase St. Paul, in wine there are acid, sweet, tannin, and alcohol,but the greatest of these is acid. Acidity — that tangy, zesty close to a sip of wine, that which sweeps the palate clean — is crucially important to delicious, successful wine and food pairings. It balances wine against any correlative acidity in the food prepared, as here, with its cider vinegar. The two acidities, interestingly, cancel each other out and a taste of both together is refreshing and cleansing, not tart or sour.  HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:• 1 bag (16 ounces) pre-shredded cabbage and carrots• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced• 1/2 [...]

By | 2020-09-28T21:33:32+00:00 October 30th, 2019|

Zucchini “Fettuccine” with Lamb Burgers

Let’s pretend, to "noodle" the recipe a bit (ba-dum-tsssshhh), that this is afull-on Mediterranean preparation, for wines from that region would well accompany it. By and large, the reds of Italy, Portugal, and southern France sport a bit more acidity and more cleansing tannins than their New World offspring, perfect for taming the oils from the citrus and the olive oil, as well as the fats from the meat and dairy in this recipe. Plus, with all their vowels, they sound nice with the words "zucchini" and "fettucine."   HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:• 4 lamb burger patties• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil• 2 cloves garlic, [...]

By | 2020-09-28T21:34:11+00:00 October 1st, 2019|

Broiled Salmon with Bacon

Bacon makes everything with which it’s eaten, from eggs to ice cream, just taste better. One reason is its salt, of course, but another is its high glutamate content, a pronounced factor in any cured meat. Pair bacon with another food, such as salmon, also high in glutamate, and the savory quotient ratchets up —and then up again. All that juicy deliciousness suggests certain wines over others, those also multilayered in taste and savor. No monotonic fruit bombs here, but a crisp zesty white and two reds all with nuance, built-up flavors, and long, beckoning aftertastes. Perhaps most crucial, however, [...]

By | 2020-09-28T21:34:25+00:00 October 1st, 2019|