greatpairings.com Blog

October 30, 2007

Administrator — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:49:12 +0000

It has been a while since my last post. I will begin updating the blog and site more regularly, so please check back to see what has been added.

My latest recipe entry is a Corn, Fennel and Coconut Soup that was paired with the Stonestreet 2005 Red Point Chardonnay. It is in the “Great Pairings / Recipes” section of the website.

Bruce

August 3, 2007

Administrator — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:35:41 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, we prepared a luncheon for the Paradise Ridge Wine Club.

The first course was Roasted Shrimp with a Fennel-Apple Salad and a Ginger Aioli. Since this is the start of our local Gravenstein apple season, I thought this would be a good recipe to share. If you cannot find Gravenstein apples, try any good sweet-tart apple.

The dish was paired with their 2006 Estate Sauvignon Blanc. The dish though, will work with many white wines. If the wine you select is tart, then add a touch of lemon juice to the top of the shrimp and it should help bring out a little more of the fruit. If your wine is softer, or if you are using a Chardonnay, try a touch of extra sea salt (flakes are best, Maldon salt is an excellent choice).

To find the recipe, look in the “Perfect Match” section of the website, under “recipes”.

Enjoy!

June 6, 2007

Administrator — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 06:17:31 +0000

Often the simplest desserts are the best. This time of year stone fruit and strawberries are plentiful, and this promises to be a great year for them!

The other night, I served Peaches & Strawberries in Rosé Syrup with vanilla scented whipped cream and biscotti (try the thin “Almondina” brand biscotti at Trader Joe’s). It took about 15 - 20 minutes to put together.

I used a Red Bicyclette French Rosé. The strawberry flavors in the wine work well with the fruit. The wine itself is a wonderful dry Rosé that is better suited for savory dishes, (desserts are best served with sweeter wines) but it brought out the fruit in the wine and worked fairly well.

This recipe can be made with most white wines, especially ones with a good “fruit forward” character to them and some residual sugar (pinot gris & reisling are a couple examples).

Serve it with ice cream, whipped cream, or over a shortbread & whipped cream to make a great spring or summer shortcake.

I’ve posted the recipe on the website. Let me know if you have any questions or anything to add.

Chef Bruce Riezenman, June 6, 2007

Eat well!

May 31, 2007

Administrator — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:25:12 +0000

Today I’d like to share with you my recipe for zinfandel-cherry balsamic glaze.

It is one of the staples in my kitchen both at home and work. We call it “liquid gold”. Once made, it will last in the refrigerator for weeks. It is especially good for meats with some fat, as the acidity in the glaze cuts right through the fat and cleans your palate.

The glaze is dark with a wonderful luster and a consistency (when cold) of warm honey. It is best served at room temperature, and because it is so flavorful, a little goes a long way.

Just a few ways I use the glaze: brush it on a steak, drizzle it on quail wrapped in pancetta (see the photo Perfect Match / Balancing Weights), spread it lightly on a sandwich of grilled lamb, serve it with duck breast or leg, or add it to a sauce to give depth and acidity.

Try variations by changing the cherries to another fruit or “flavor essence” and a different wine. I’ve made a Pinot Noir & mushroom glaze by replacing the cherries with dried mushrooms and the Zinfandel with Pinot Noir.

Because the sauce is well-balanced and uses “flavor connections” like cherries (or mushrooms) and wine, it pairs well with many wine varietals. It has a touch of sweet and of acid which compliment each other and lower your perception of alcohol in the wine (see the chart in “Elements of Taste”). The only concern is tannins, as both sweet and acid will magnify tannins in wine. Since fats coat your palate and lessen the effect of tannins, you are OK as long as the meat you are serving with it is not overly lean.

You can find the recipe in the “Perfect Match / Recipes” section of the web site. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions you might have. And certainly feel free to try different variations of the recipe and let me know how it turns out.

Chef Bruce Riezenman, 5/31/07

Eat well!

May 29, 2007

Administrator — Tue, 29 May 2007 19:01:23 +0000

This is the first entry for my Great Pairings journal, and, like most of entries to come, it is about a simple food & wine experience I’d like to share with you.

I stopped in to a new wine bar in San Francisco called “District” on Townsend Street. I tried a 2002 “Pinot Nero” (same as a pinot noir) from Movia in Slovenia. Different style, but very nice. Lots of fruit and a good balance of acid, tannins and alcohol. For California standards, the alcohol was relatively low (13%), which makes it easier to pair with food, especially spicy (hot) food.

I had a small order of “Arancini with fontina and sage”. These are small risotto rounds, breaded and fried, with creamy, melted fontina inside. It was served with a slightly spicy roasted pepper sauce. The combination worked well. The cheese and the oil from the fried arancini coated my palate and softened the tannins, while the spice heated it up just a bit and lower the my perception of the fruit of the wine (look at the chart under the “Perfect Match / Elements of Taste on the web site). All this worked well with the wine. It did diminish the fullness of the flavor, but overall, it was a good match.

Thanks for reading, please feel free to e-mail any comments or questions you might have and I’ll try to answer them as part of the blog.

Chef Bruce Riezenman, May 29, 2007

Eat well!