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 cup mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon pepper • 2 filets Niceland Ocean Perch (on special this week at Marczyk Fine Foods: F&F $12.99/lb — reg $14.99), 6 or so ounces each • Olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin and chili powder • 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and salt • 6 (or more, if small) flour tortillas HERE’S WHAT YOU DO: Make a coleslaw: Stir together in a bowl the shredded cabbage and carrots, the onion, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside. Place fish fillets on a lightly greased broiler pan; brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with the cumin and chili powder, the dried oregano and salt; rest 15 minutes. Broil fish until lightly browned. Flake gently into chunks with a fork in a bowl. Fill 6 heated tortillas with shredded fish; top with the coleslaw. |
AND THE WINES! Ananto Macabeo — El Campillo, Spain Aromatic, well-balanced, fresh and fun with notes of white flowers, green apple, Mediterranean herbs, and slight salinity. F&F $9.99/bottle (reg $12.99) Backbone Sauvignon Blanc — South Africa Loads of tropical and citrus notes. This is a perfect middle ground between Marlborough (NZ) and the Loire Valley (FR). F&F $14.99/bottle (reg $16.99) Jean Vullien Jacquère — Savoie, France Made 100% from a grape called Jacquère. High acid and very herbaceous. Notes of green apple and freshly cut grass. F&F $15.99/bottle (reg $17.99) |