"J" is for Jenson Cheese for New Year's Eve

If you're interested in hosting a unique New Year's Eve, consider an elegant, but simple wine and cheese tasting. I'm talking about your hosting an event that is not 'cliche' or predicatable, like pairing red wine and Ermite blue cheese.

Consider pairing one style of cheese, such as Cheddar and its various strengths with different wines. Keep it simple.

When you pair one cheese with several wines you experience a deeper personal connection with your own senses -- your sense of smell, taste and feel. Said another way, you begin to notice more about our own sense of taste than focusing on the cheese and wine.

Pairing one style of cheese of different strengths with several wines also allows you to experience how different strengths of the same cheese create wonderful taste and flavour reactions in and around various parts of your mouth.

I hosted this kind of event a while back. I choose Jensen Cheese because this company specializes in different strengths of Cheddar and Cheddar related cheeses. It's trendy to celebrate the local angle, too.

Jensen produces fabulous Cheddars. The company has a long history of cheese making in Ontario, opening in Simcoe in 1925 by master Denmark cheesemaker, Arne Jensen. Since its inception, Jensen has won many awards for their products.

The goal of our tasting was to determine if any specific guidelines exist that can be applied to wine and cheese.

The first discovered guideline is this: You can successfully pair wines and cheeses of the same weight, even if their strengths differ. My guests and I found that different strengths of Cheddar -- mild, medium or extra strong -- can all harmonzie with high alcohol reds. They just harmonize in a variety of ways.

What do I mean by equal weight? (Fattiness is mouth feel, also known as texture. Cheddar is high in fat. Austere reds, such as Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec are generally high in alcohol (14% to 15%). High alcohol gives wine more viscosity (thickness). This thickness is experience on the palate as 'fatty.' So the fattiness in all Cheddars (despite mild, medium, strong and extra strong) match the weight and fattiness of high alcohol reds.

The second guideline is that strong Cheddars can soften the bitterness (tannin) in austere red wines.

We sampled ten cheeses and seven austere red wines. Of this group, two pairings stood out. The Pari Estate Pangkarra Grenache 2005 (CSPC 127335), $18.95, from Australia is a delicious red with classic ripe blackberry fruit and licorice flavours, full body and a long, enjoyable finish. When paired with Jensen’s old Cheddar, the combination was pleasant with the cheese’s flavour softening some of the wine’s bitterness (tannin.) If this wine is not available at your local LCBO, choose any Australian Grenache with forward fruit character.

The third guideline reveals that a strong red wine partnered with mild Cheddar (but of equal weight) allows the wine to shine.

When we paired an Australian Grenache with Jensen’s Marble cheese the combination reacted differently. In this partnership, the cheese allowed the wine's full character to dominate.

This specific guideline is important if you're planning on wowing your New Year's Eve guests with a fabulous vintage you've been cellaring for a while. Choose a Cheddar with equal weight, but of softer flavour.

We also enjoyed a Duval-Leroy La Fleur Leroy 2004 (CSPC 17228), $19.15, from France. It offers lots of earthy, barnyard flavours on the nose with a palate that is medium bodied, earthy and spicy.

This red with an extra old cheddar created perfect harmony on the palate.

The fourth guideline then? Strong reds obviously work with extra old Cheddars.

Yet, when paired with Monterey Jack, the wine provided up front flavours; the cheese providing intensity of flavour on the back palate.

If this wine is unavailable, choose a 2007 Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon to partner to an old Cheddar and Monterey Jack.

If you decide to undertake this wine and cheese tasting at home this New Year's Eve, contact Jensen Cheese at 1-866-625-0615 or go to http://www.jensencheese.ca/, to find out where the products are available in your neighbourhood. An LCBO wine consultant can help you choose a variety of fruit forward and austere red wines.

"I" is for Incredible Stuffing

Also referred to as the ‘dressing,’ stuffing is a mixture of ingredients used to stuff poultry, fish, meat, some vegetables and casseroles. It can be cooked separately from the main ingredient, such as vegetarian stuffing cooked separately from the Thanksgiving turkey, or the stuffing can be stuffed into the main ingredient, as done with turkey and chicken. While the stuffing list is endless, they all have two elements in common – all stuffings are usually well seasoned and based on breadcrumbs or cubes. However, cornbread, rice, potatoes and other ingredients can be used as the base, as well.

An old European wine rule states that red wine is best served with red meat, and white wine works with white meat. The person who came up with this rule was obviously more wino than stuffing gourmand. Stuffing – if its made to do its job – will add plenty of big flavours to most dishes and must certainly be considered as the primary ingredient when choosing a wine partner. So, the new pairing guideline, if there is one, might be: pair white wine with the biggest flavours in the dish, and pair red wine with the biggest flavours in the dish.
Here’s a few stuffing and wine partner choices:

Fruit and Nut-Based Stuffings:
Fruit and nut-based stuffings, such as those including half a cup each of dried plums, chopped apple and cranberries as well as almonds are best to be matched to a white wine with a hint of sweetness, such as an off-dry Riesling. The wine’s sweetness will marry well to the fruit’s sweetness in the stuffing.

Italian Style Stuffing:
An Italian style stuffing can consist of one jar (14-3/4 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, (undrained), one package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), one teaspoon of finely chopped fresh oregano and basil, half a cup of grated Parmesan, and one cup of white wine. Artichokes, spinach, fresh oregano and fresh basil all possess a wonderful ‘bitterness’ that works well with the bitterness in tannin found in heavier red wines like Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon.

East-Indian Stuffing:
An East Indian stuffing can include one cup of pineapple juice, one cup of pineapple chunks, one cup of shredded coconut, one cup of raisins, one cup of almonds and one tablespoon of curry powder. The pineapple and coconut in the stuffing is best matched to a wine with a hint of sweetness. Off-dry Gewurztraminer offers enough sweetness, as well as a hint of spiciness to match the curry.

Mexican-Style Stuffing:
Adding one cup of oil, one cup of spicy tomato juice, half a cup of green salsa, one cup of olives (chopped), and one cup of celery (chopped), can make a wonderful Mexican-style stuffing. For this recipe you will want a white wine with good acidity to decrease the heat associated with the spicy tomato juice and green salsa. A full-bodied Chardonnay would do the trick, also able to hold its own against the big flavours of salsa and olives.

"H" is for Holiday Appetizer

When it comes to entertaining family and friends over the holiday season, it’s sometimes difficult to choose between the idea of creating extravagant appetizers that are sure to WOW the crowd or appetizers that are fast, simple and inexpensive. Obviously, it depends on one’s budget and time.

Being a food and wine lover, I have often gone for exotic and extravagant with the intention of impressing my guests. But, on a few occasions the results did not meet my expectations, especially when I attempted a new recipe for the first time. There’s always that chance of failing to create the masterpiece that is celebrated in the cookbook.
Also, I’ve learned that, beyond my wine and food companions, many family members and friends do not like exotic tasting foods.

An old adage claims that, “If you listen to your mother, you’ll never go wrong.” This is certainly true for me in almost all areas of my life, but especially when it comes to cooking. Some of my mom’s most incredible tasting dishes are brilliantly simple and come from the darndest places – like the sides of butter containers and cereal boxes.

She tries out a recipe herself, and if it’s good, she’ll then serve it to the family. If family members enjoy the recipe, it is dubbed “worthy” and then is placed into her crafted, homemade cookbook. My mom will then serve the dish to friends and at family gatherings for years to come, knowing well that the results are predictable and that the majority of guests will love it.

Here’s a deliciously simple and inexpensive appetizer from my mother’s cookbook. (Note: she did not CREATE this recipe herself. In fact, if you recognize the dish, no doubt you also noticed it on the side of some container.)

Cold, Veggie Pizza
Two packs of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
One cup of mayonnaise
One envelope of original ranch dressing (dry)
One package of cream cheese
Three stalks of fresh broccoli, chop into small pieces
One head of cauliflower, chop into small pieces
Four carrots, chop into small pieces
One small box fresh mushrooms, chop into small pieces
Cheddar cheese (to taste)

Spread crescent rolls over jelly role pan. Press together seams to seal into one whole crust. Bake at 350 F for ten minutes. Let cool. Mix together mayonnaise, dry ranch seasoning, cream cheese and chopped vegetables. Spread mixture over crust. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheddar cheese. To serve, cut pizza into desired size squares.

This simple and tasty appetizer is a crowd pleaser. It requires a brut (bone dry) bubbly or crisp, dry white wine that complements the tanginess of cream cheese without overpowering the delicate taste of fresh vegetables. Sauvignon Blanc, with its inherent refreshing citrus and grassy character is ideal. Dry Riesling or Pinot Blanc will also do the trick.

"G" is for Garlic

Garlic is a staple in my kitchen. The way in which one cooks with garlic will determine the best wine accompaniment for the resulting dish. While many varieties exist, soft-necked white skinned garlic is the most popular, readily available in supermarkets.

The kind of taster you are obviously determines the amount of garlic you enjoy in any given dish. Supertasters (with many taste buds) can survive with a clove or two in an entree or sauce, whereas a non taster (with fewer taste buds) demands the entire bulb.

I'm a non taster and so use heavy garlic when cooking for myself. So, I must take the dominant taste of garlic and its cooking method into consideration when choosing an appropriate accompanying wine for the finished dish.

The way in which you cook garlic will determine its most suitable wine partner.

Chopped and sliced garlic do not dissolve in hot oil. As a result the chunks or slices leave a mild bitter sensation in the aftertaste of the dish. The best wine matches are ones with well-balanced flavours. You don’t want any one taste sensation predominating in the wine, such as sourness, sweetness or bitterness. White wines such as pinot blanc and unoaked chardonnay and reds like merlot are good partners. Wines produced from these grape varieties generally have no overbearing sensations and therefore support without overpowering the subtle flavour of garlic.

Pressed and crushed garlic dissolves in heat during the cooking process and adds slightly more aromatics and bitterness. This level of garlic calls for a wine with more bitterness to match. White and red wines that undergo oak aging have soft, pleasant bitterness and so are great partners. Look for oak aged chardonnay and merlot from both cold and warm climates, such as Ontario, Oregon, California, Chile, Australia and South Africa.

Browned garlic adds nutty notes to a dish. Orvieto is a lesser-known Italian white grape variety grown in Umbria, central Italy. Its wines are clean and crisp with nutty tones that complement garlic prepared in this fashion.

Garlic grilled over hot coals adds more earthy, toasty and smoky tones. Many countries around the world, such as Australia, Chile and France produce barrel fermented and barrel aged chardonnay with earthy, toasty and smoky tones that harmonize with dishes celebrating grilled garlic. Australia’s semillon can also show toasty, smoky and nutty flavours, along with its deep, rich pineapple and honey notes. This earthy character can also be found in some aged reds. Rioja reserva is a Spanish red wine renowned for undergoing aging in cask and bottle before release. Rioja is known for its spicy, earthy character.

Raw garlic offers the strongest flavour, adding forward bitterness and a zesty bite to dishes. Dishes highlighting raw garlic demand whites and reds with similar bitterness. White wines, such as sauvignon blanc can offer a pleasant bitterness on the finish, complementing the flavour of raw garlic. Cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon are reds with lots of astringency and tannin that also bring bitterness and dryness to the palate. These characteristics work nicely with raw garlic, as well.

Slow roasted garlic becomes caramelized and sweet. This sweetness requires a white or red wine with a hint of sweetness to match. An off dry riesling, off dry gewürztraminer or off dry rose works well with an oil based pasta highlighting caramelized, slow roasted garlic.

So consider how you are preparing the garlic in your dish before choosing the appropriate wine partner.

"F" is for Fusion Cuisine

For some time now professional chefs and home cooks have been delving into the world of fusion cooking. Fusion cuisine is primarily defined as "a style of cooking or the innovation of contemporary chefs who fuse or meld together and experiment with the elements -- a variety of ingredients, techniques, and presentations from diverse cultures and traditions to create tasty sensations. One of the primary disciplines of fusion cuisine is the chef’s reliance on fresh ingredients. The freshest, local fish and quality, organic meats and local produce (vegetables and fruits) are essential ingredients to have the dish be ‘authentically fusion.’ Everything from Asian staples, like Jasmine Rice and Udon Noodles to rare spices, such as Szechwan peppercorns and Galangal are celebrated and welcomed ingredients.

Fusion has become popular for many reasons, primarily because baby boomers, more than 78 million strong, are considered the most culinary-literate and food-active generation in history. Due to the technology age, baby boomers are educated about cultural affairs and are more likely to be in communication with people from around the world. So, they are more ‘open’ to accept and celebrate our world’s wonderful variety of cultures and traditions.

Some folks claim that if a dish is a regional specialty, a wine from the region is more likely to be the most compatible choice. This is certainly a safe bet. Others feel one should drink, in general, Italian wines with Italian foods, French wines with French food, and Canadian wines with Canadian food. But what exactly IS Canadian food? Do we have a culinary style? From my perspective New Canadian cuisine can best be describes as FUSION! Our Canadian chefs come from around the world. They celebrate cultural diversity, use traditional preparations and cooking methods and implement fresh, local produce and proteins.

What are the best wines to marry to Canadian fusion fare? ‘Anything you like!’ When searching for a vintage for fusion foods, look at marrying similar textures and flavours than in worrying about regional matches. Cooking methods and the source of ingredients (local or imported) are less important. What’s more important is choosing a wine that complements the primary building blocks in the dish.

For pairing success, look at choosing the following matches:

· If the dish is sweet in nature; choose a wine that offers sweetness. Make sure the wine is SWEETER than the dish.
· If the dish is hot and spicy; choose a wine with sweetness to soften the heat between bites. Acidic and tannic wines will clash. Tannin increases the perception of heat on your palate.

· If the dish has good acidity (tomato-based sauce), then choose a wine with more acidity.
· If the dish is fatty (cream-based sauces); choose a wine that is fatty too, that is one high in alcohol (14% to 15%). Alcohol creates thickness or viscosity on the palate that feels creamy and oily, thus matching the same mouth feel in fatty foods.
· If the dish is bitter; choose a wine with good tannin and astringency. Tannin and astringency are experienced on the palate as bitterness and dryness.
· Heavily textured dishes (meats) deserve wines with plenty of texture – big, bold reds.

"E" is for Excellent Reds, South African Pinotage to be exact!

Pinotage is South African’s most exciting grape and signature wine. What is interesting is that this particular grape is vinified in many styles. Pinotage can be velvety like merlot or rough and tumble like cabernet sauvignon. As a wine lover your task is to do much research, buying and sipping that is, to find the ones you enjoy the most. Be sure to make wine notes, as well. This will allow you to pair different pinotage with a variety of dishes. One may complement baked salmon seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper. Yet, another pinotage could to stand up to cedar planked salmon or lamb.

A quality pinotage, despite its style, will offer a balance of fruitiness, acidity and sufficient tannin. Pinotage flavours include black berry liqueur, violet, pepper, cherry, plum, smoke, earth, roobis tea, fruit cake, and bananas, to name a few. Remember, however, that your interpretation of flavours is subjective. Five people can smell and taste the same wine and describe it differently.

It’s a fabulous red generally sold at a reasonable price, ranging from $10 to $25. If you purchase a more expensive vintage, add a little flair to your dinner party. Pair your pinotage with ‘bobtie’, a classic South African beef or lamb meatloaf with a custard topping. You can find dozens of bobtie recipes on line. Sosaties is a South African version of a kabob, specifically lamb on a skewer marinated in a Malay curry sauce. Experiment with pinotage before pairing with this curried dish. A pinotage with velvety texture and soft tannin would work best. The heat and spice of curry can clash with any red offering too much bitterness and astringency.

Pinotage also partners with grilled chicken or steak, hamburgers, roast beef and lamb. A variety of pasta sauces will also harmonize with this wine, such as pesto, roasted tomato, olive oil and garlic, brie and mushroom or creamy blue cheese and rosemary. It’s a tasty wine to drink in all seasons.

Professor of Viticulture, Abraham Izak Peroldt, of Stellenbosch University in Stellenbosch, South Africa, bred pinotage in 1925. He crossed the two vitis vinifera varieties of pinot noir and cinsault. Peroldt used pinot noir for its finesse, taste and flavours and cinsault for its hardiness and disease resistance.

The variety went unnoticed until 1991. Winemaker Beyers Truter of Kanonkop Estate took his pinotage to England’s International Wine and Spirit Competition. Here the judges were so impressed that Truter was awarded the Robert Mondavi Trophy of International Winemaker of the Year. Truter was the first South African to win this prestigious award. Truter has now left, but Kanonkop still reaps a fabulous reputation for producing quality pinotage. Today, pinotage accounts for 50% of the winery’s plantings.

This award put pinotage into the minds and hearts of wine lovers around the world. By 1995 its price escalated by approximately five hundred percent. The LCBO does not carry any Kanonkop Estate pinotage at this time. However, they do have a variety that are reasonably priced and worth researching.

"D" is for Decanting Wines

People often ask me about the art of decanting wine. First wine whites do not need to be decanted. Whites are generally meant to be consumed within the first two years of purchase. However, some people prefer to decant big, white wines. The added aeration opens up the wine’s aromas.

Decanting is the process of transferring wine from its bottle into a decanter. A decanter can be a glass pitcher or a carafe. Its purpose is to three fold. Decanting is necessary when a young wine needs aeration, an old vintage has deposited some sediment in the bottom of the bottle, and cork parts have slipped into the bottle.

The best decanters for young wines look similar to a science beaker. This decanter is narrow at the top with a wide, almost flat base. The wider base allows for more surface of the wine to be exposed to air and therefore aerates more readily. Adding air to a young wine helps to open up the aromas and helps to softens some of the bitter bite from the youthful tannins.

(Schott Zweizel Decanters available in fine china shops)

Putting an opened bottle of wine on the table is not a form of breathing or decanting. The only wine that is exposed to air and can therefore breath is the small surface inside the bottleneck. The point is to allow as much wine as possible to be exposed to air.

When decanting young wines, remove the foil from the bottleneck and pull the cork. Tip the bottle into the decanter at a ninety-degree angle. The angle allows the wine to tumble aggressively into the decanter. This tumbling action pulls in air, thus helping to aerate the wine. Let the wine sit in a cool place for a couple of hours before serving.

Narrow decanters are ideal for extremely old reds. Old reds don’t necessarily need to have their tannins softened. Decanting is primarily used to remove the wine from its sediment. The sediment in the bottle accumulates over time. This takes place when the wine is sleeping in the wine cellar. Sediment is dead yeast, colour pigments and tannin that slowly precipitate to the bottle of the bottle. Sediment can be displeasing to the eyes and taste buds.

To decant older wines, remove the foil from the bottleneck. Gently remove the cork from the wine. In old vintages, the cork may be brittle or dry, causing it to split or break off into pieces. Cork the wine. Clean the neck and inside lip of the bottle with a damp clothe. The idea is to not allow any dirt to fall into the bottle.

Light a candle and sit it into a candleholder. Hold the wine bottle in one hand and the decanter in the other. Position the bottle well above and just in front of the flame; do not let the candle heat the wine. Tilt the decanter slightly. While pouring, you’ll notice sediment climbing toward the bottleneck. Continue to steadily pour the wine into the decanter until the sediment reaches the neck of the bottle. Discard the bottle, and serve from the decanter.

Decanting old wines can be done in advance or at the table as you dine. It’s a beautiful ritual that adds to the experience of celebrating with loved ones and friends.

Countless decanters are available today in all shapes and sizes. You’ll find them in quality china shops and inexpensive supermarkets like Wal-Mart and HomeSense.

"C" is for Cooking with Fortified Wines

If you're looking to give your family favourite recipes the MOAN factor by adding depth and roundness of flavour, consider adding fortified wine during the cooking preparation.

Unlike table wines, fortified versions are higher in the fifth taste sensation called umami or savoury. The four primary sensations are bitterness, sweetness, sourness and saltiness, experienced on the palate. Umami is the 5th. It is highly regarded in Asian countries and found in many of their fermented, aged, dried and slow roasted foods, such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, and dried shrimp. In North America we cherish and crave umami in the form of brand name products like Ketchup! We love our slow cooked tomatoes on eggs, french fries and steak! Fresh tomatoes possess simplistic umami. When you slow roast them the umami increases. They become high in synergistic umami.

By adding a splash of fortified wine to a dish you increase its umami content, thus adding depth and roundness of flavour.

A fortified wine is one that has had the addition of an alcoholic spirit, such as grape brandy, or has been infused with herbs, roots, peels or spices. Spirit was originally added to wine to protect it from spoilage during long sea voyages.

Because alcohol is a preservative, a fortified wine, once opened, will store longer than table wine in the refrigerator, up to a few months. So you can use it often in your cooking. Be bold. The alcohol burns away, thus leaving the spirit's flavour presence. Well known types for cooking include sherry, Port, vermouth, Marsala.

This style of wine can be used in the preparation of salads, soups, hors d’oeuvres, entrees and desserts. As a marinade, its high alcohol and acidity tenderizes flesh. Poaching, de-galzing and flavouring are its best uses. Be sure to burn off the alcohol before adding it to cream sauces to prevent curdling.

Desserts incorporating fortified wine don’t freeze well. The other liquids in the dessert freeze more quickly than its alcohol, altering its composition and texture.

Sherry is the most versatile, adding nutty qualities to dishes. It is produced in three styles – dry, medium cream and full cream. Dry sherry is used to flavour soups, as well as served as an accompanying dinner companion. This fortified wine is also added to Asian style dishes and can replace rice vinegar in recipes. If a recipe calls for dry sherry, don’t substitute a sweet one, as this will alter the flavour of the dish.

Port is also a popular cooking ingredient and adds fruity character to a dish. Produced only in Portugal, this fortified wine comes in a few styles, as well. Tawny Port is amber in colour. So, refrain from using this one in a white sauce, as it will turn gray. Ruby Port has a brighter and fruitier flavour. All Ports are a delicious addition to meat dishes and desserts.

Vermouth is infused with herbs and spices, thus adding these same flavours to a dish. It can be red and sweet and is added to red sauce reductions. White versions are produced extra dry to sweet. Dry vermouth can replace white wine is recipes, thus adding more umami to the dish. Sweet vermouth can add delciious flavour to fruit-based desserts.

Marsala is the name of the fortified wine, as well as the name of the Italian city in which it is produced. It is used in the preparation of many Italian dishes and possesses an intense amber colour and complex aromas. The aromas come through in the resulting dish, adding dimension. Chicken Marsala is famous and incorporates onions, shallots, mushrooms and herbs.

"B" is for Bread, The Aboriginal Kind

I am Canada's only aboriginal wine writer. So, it may come as no surprise that I have a soft spot for Nk'Mip Cellars (pronounced 'in-ka-meep'), Canada’s only aboriginal owned and operated winery. (http://www.nkmipcellars.com/).

This winery also happens to produce a list of outstanding and award winning wines. I've visited the winery on several occassions and am impressed with both the value and consistency of quality from year to year of both their whites and reds.

While I was touring this stunning place, located on the Osoyoos Reservation in the Okanogan Valley, B.C., I experienced an interesting, Native crispy bread made by the aboriginal in-house chef. (Most of the staff are native Canadians.) The bread was served with a chickpea dip. This wasn't pannock, the doughy pancake I grew up on, but rather a style of bread similar to India's poori. It is a thin, crispy unleavened, fried flatbread.

I sat on the patio over looking the steep vineyard dipping into the blues of Osoyoos Lake and crunched on my bread, all the while sipping Nk'Mip's Pinot Blanc. (I’ve included the bread recipe below. )

This bread can be served with a variety of dips, such as hummus, tzatziki, artichoke and white bean. An ideal starter for barbecue dining, this bread and dip combination can also be successfully partnered with a refreshing, chilled sauvignon blanc, pinot blanc, pinot gris or pinot grigio. These wines possess crisp acidity that naturally complements the crisp texture of the bread. The bread also has a hint of spice from the black pepper and cayenne, just enough to lift the tangy flavours in these wines.

Homemade dips always taste better. To make homemade hummus, use one can of garbanzo beans, a handful of chopped parsley, two or three green onions, two cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of tahini, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and with the motor running, add a steady stream of olive oil until the mixture is pureed until smooth.

To make tzatziki place a half-cup of plain homemade yogurt in a coffee filter over a bowl to drain over night in the refrigerator. Place thickened yogurt, two to three cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste into a food processor or blender. With the motor running, add a steady stream of olive oil until the mixture is pureed until smooth. Fold in half of a peeled, chopped cucumber and a teaspoon of fresh dill.

This artichokes dip is wonderfully tasty. Place a can of artichoke hearts in a blender or food processor with a handful of fresh cilantro, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, two cloves of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. With the motor running, add a steady stream of olive oil to puree the mixture until smooth.

The white bean dip is just as easy to prepare. Place a can of white beans in a food processor or blender, along with a half teaspoon of ground cumin, black pepper, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. With the motor running, add a steady stream of olive oil to puree the mixture until smooth.

The dips all offer tanginess from the lemon, thus harmonizing with the list of crisp, dry white wines above. The dips can also be made in less than 15 minutes, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated, along with the wine, until your guests arrive. This bread can be prepared in advance, as well.

Osoyoos Crisp Bread
Four cups of all purpose flour (sifted)
Quarter cup shortening (lard)
One tablespoon salt
One tablespoon garlic powder
One tablespoon paprika
One teaspoon cayenne pepper
One teaspoon ground black pepper
Two tablespoons baking powder
One cup cold water

Sift all dry ingredients together. Cut the lard into the flour mixture. Slowly add the cold water until a dough ball comes together. Kneed the dough for at least five minutes. Portion dough into four parts and roll into balls. Wrap dough balls in plastic wrap and let rest for ten minutes. Roll out each ball as thin as possible. (This will take some work. Use little flour when rolling out the dough). Cut abour four ½ inch slits in the dough and place on two baking sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (The purpose of slits is to keep the dough from rising and therefore flat and crispy. Bake at 400 degrees F. for fifteen to twenty minutes or until bread is golden brown and crispy.

"A" is for Acidity

Some wine lovers have difficulty distinguishing and understanding the difference between acidity and tannin in wine. These are technical wine terms. Acidity is experienced on the palate as sourness, tanginess or zestiness. Tannin and astringency are experienced as bitterness and dryness.

If you bite into a lemon (acidity) and then chew a walnut (tannin), you will understand the difference between these two taste sensations. Both sensations are important to the taste, quality and longevity of wine.

Wine has three primary acids -- tartaric, malic and lactic. Acidity provides the refreshing bite we experience when we wip, supports the fruit flavours and adds to the after taste in the wine. Acidity also helps wine retain its colour and preserves its lifespan. A wine with good acidity will last for a longer time in the wine cellar. A wine with too much acidity can taste sour. This sourness is often misinterpreted as bitterness. A wine with too low acidity will taste flat. Tartaric acid accounts for more than half the total acidity in wines produced in warm climates. Some precipitates as an acid salt called potassium bitartrate or cream of tarter during the winemaking process. At home when the wine is chilled, the cold forces more potassium bitartrate to fall to the bottom of the bottle and form crystals. The crystals tell us that the wine was produced from ripe grapes that had sufficient acidity and minerals. The crystals, often referred to as wine diamonds or wine stones, are tasteless and colourless. Wine possessing crystals should be decanted.

Malic acid is the most sour of acids. It gives wine that distinct green-apple taste and is more readily found in wines produced in cooler climates. During the winemaking process, the winemaker will reduce this acidity by putting the wine through a malo-lactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation transforms some of the malic acid to lactic acid, thereby giving the wine a softer taste and creamy mouth feel.

Tannin comes from the stems, seeds and skin of the grapes during fermentation and from the oak barrels used to ferment and/or age wine. The level of tannin and astringency in the wine is determined by the grape variety used, the length of time the juice remains in contact with the skin/stems during fermentation and the time the wine spends in oak barrels. Some red grape varieties like pinot noir are thin skinned and so do not impart much depth of colour to a wine. As a result pinot noir is mostly light red with soft tannin and refreshing acidity. Cabernet sauvignon has thicker skin. As a result the wines are concentrated in colour and have a good dose of tannin. The use of oak barrels for fermenting and aging contribute to the level of tannin in white and red wine, as well. French oak barrels impart more tannin to wine than American and Eastern European barrels. Like acidity, tannin and astringency is also a preservative contributing to a wine's longevity.

Try the lemon and walnut test, then sip from a glass of cabernet sauvignon. You should be able to detect both the acidity and tannin in the wine.

"Z" is for Zucchini

Zucchini is about 7000 BC years old – its origins date back to Mexico.

While considered a summer squash, this vegetable is available at supermarkets year round. It appears, at first glance, to be one of those useless things with little taste. But zucchini is actually high in Vitamin C, and has useful amounts of folate, potassium, and Vitamin A.

While it comes in many sizes, choose zucchini that are 4 to 6 inches long. Larger than this and your squash will have a too thick skin and slightly bulbus texture. Look for ones with blemish free skin, as well. They can be yellow to light and dark green to black. Dark green to black versions also possess a good source of beta-carotene.

Zucchini is a fabulous ingredient to add to a variety of dishes as it contributes colour, texture and nutrition. Zucchini bread is a classic. Other dishes celebrating this vegetable are zucchini fritters and fries, lasagna, stuffed, pan-fried and an ingredient in soups.

When pairing a zucchini dish to wine, consider the more predominant flavours.

Try zucchini latkas. Use shredded zucchini rather than potato. Choose a topping of choice and pair the wine to the topping. If you decide to top the latkas with a dollop of sour cream, pair the dish with a crisp dry white offering tanginess to match. A pinot grigio would be ideal. Zucchini and goat cheese tarts can be paired with this same wine because the cheese is tangy, too.

If, on the other hand, you choose to add a spoonful of applesauce, consider an off dry Riesling. Applesauce has natural sweetness than cannot be ignored. So, choose a white wine offering some sweetness. An off dry Gewurztraminer would also harmonize.

A zucchini, bacon and gruyere quiche has lots of fattiness. Consider a big, fat white wine, such as a warm climate Chardonnay with decent alcohol (13.5 to 14%). An Australian or South African Chardonnay would be fabulous at brunch with this quiche.

Fettuccini with toasted walnuts, zucchini ribbons and Pecorino cheese has bitterness from the walnuts and saltiness from the cheese. A big red wine, such as Zinfandel would work well. This bitterness and saltiness harmonizes with the wine’s decent, but not over the top, tannin.

This squash has been known to team up with chocolate, too. How about dark chocolate and zucchini cupcakes, cookies, muffins, and cake? Pair these sweet items with an ounce of tawny port. Just make sure the wine is sweeter than the dessert.

Here’s a fun Zucchini and Parmigiano-Reggiano Flatbread Recipe
Serves 4 to 6

Nonstick cooking spray
10 ounces of fresh pizza dough
3/4 cup cream cheese
1 (7 to 8-inch) green zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds, divided

3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 small red onion, peeled
Olive oil as needed

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with nonstick spray. Unroll dough onto parchment. Spread half of cream cheese over 1 long half of dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Sprinkle with half of Parmesan and 2 tablespoons parsley. Using parchment as aid, fold plain half of dough over filled half (do not seal edges). Spread remaining cream cheese over top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cut onion into 1/8-inch-thick rings. Arrange 1 row of zucchini down 1 long side of dough. Arrange onion rings in row alongside zucchini. Arrange 1 more row of zucchini alongside onion. Brush vegetables with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the flat bread until puffy and golden, about 25 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Pair with Sauvignon Blanc

The tanginess of the cream cheese and saltiness of Parmesan will complement the tanginess of this wine, while nicely offsetting the saltiness.

"Y" is for Yogurt, The Homemade Kind

Yogurt has been a staple in the human diet for 4500 years. Today it's a staple in many cultural cuisines. It's certainly a staple in my diet.

Plain yogurt is also a fabulous ingredient to add to a variety of dishes that can be paired to wine.

Its predominant taste sensation is tanginess. This makes it a great match for wines possessing this same taste sensation.

Dishes highlighting yogurt like Tzatziki, a Greek and Turkish appetizer, partner extremely well with crisp, dry white wines, such as Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, Viura (Spain), Cortese di Gavi (Italy), Orvieto (Italy), Gruner Veltliner (Austria), and more. Tzatziki is traditionally made from sheep or goat's milk (along with cucumbers, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic), which has this predominant zesty, tangy taste.

So, if yogurt is the featured ingredient in your dish, consider a crisp, dry white wine as its accompaniment.

I am addicted to homemade yogurt. I make it every day. It took me about 3 months to finally learn how to make themophilic homemade yogurt. This is the process of making yogurt in a warm environment. I have yet to master the mesophilic process, that is using a room temperature environment.

Store bought yogurts are generally thermophilic. However, homemade room temperature versions are apparently easy to do and offer different texture and flavour.

Yogurt has many cultural names. Piimä is a homemade Scandinavian version with a runny texture and almost cheesy flavor. My girlfriend Dina’s mother makes Lebenah, a fresh Middle Eastern cheese made from homemade yogurt. Fresh yogurt is placed in a strainer lined with cheesecloth (I use paper towel), set on top of a bowl. The whey (water soluable liquid) drains from the curds (fat soluble part) of the yogurt, leaving the thick fresh cheese. The cheese is seasoned with salt and pepper, coated in olive oil, covered and refrigerated. Yogurt cheese can be used in a whole plethora of recipes and is a healthy substitute for other cheeses like cottage and ricotta.

What all yogurts have in common is that they are made from fermented milk. Yogurt can be made from cow, sheep or goat's milk. You can use skim to whole milks. Soy and rice milks need a specialized culture.

I purchased a Styrofoam yogurt maker to make mesophilic (room temperature) yogurt from my local health food store. The process failed. I am still unsure as to what I did wrong.

I tried making yogurt in a jar, placed in the oven with the heat on. This process failed. I tried making the yogurt in the oven with the heat off and the light on. Another failure.

I finally stumbled on an electric yogurt maker at my local Value Village. It cost me $8.00. I highly suggest you invest in an electric model if you’re interested in making yogurt at home for the first time.

Homemade yogurt is a probiotic food containing live beneficial bacteria that colonize the stomach with microbiota. Microbiota are essential to the proper functioning of your immune system and digestion and supports your body’s ability to digest critical nutrients.

In winemaking yeast comes into contact with sugar and starts the fermentation, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide evaporates, leaving wine. Yogurt works in much the same way. The beneficial bacteria come into contact with the sugar in milk called lactose. This starts the fermentation.

Yogurt is lower in carbohydrates than milk and is high in protein, calcium, riboflavin, B 6 and 12 vitamins, and folic acid. It also contains strains of L. acidophilus (friendly bacteria), a probiotic. Probiotic means ‘pro life.’. Yogurt is believed to support the health of the digestive system, reduces constipation, eliviates vaginal yeast infections, and boosts the immune system. Homemade yogurt is also believed to be the best food to ingest after a bought of antibiotics.

Scientific studies suggest that the l’acidophilus in pill form contains dead bacteria, therefore useless in producing any healthful benefits. Many sources also reveal that cold, store bought yogurt in tubs is low in L. acidophilus, as well. Especially the versions containing sugar and fruit.

So, homemade yogurt is an important food to add to your diet. The key is to find a store bought version that you like. You can use a ¼ cup of this one as your starter culture. This way you’ll be able to make homemade yogurt with a taste profile that you enjoy.

Every morning I eat a bowl of homemade yogurt topped with a combination of cereals and grains. The combination sets my digestive track up for the day, boosts my immune system, and cleans my colon. A well flushed colon allows one's body to digest food, thus utilizing the nutrition in the ingredients more efficiently. A great aid during weight loss.

I also use my plain homemade yogurt in salad dressings, dips, and sauces. How about a citrus salad with ginger yogurt dressing? Or grilled salmon with a citrus yogurt sauce? The internet is a great source for finding a whole bunch of yogurt recipes.

Tonight I’m making lemon garlic pork chops with yogurt sauce. A delicious vegetarian course is curried couscous with roasted vegetables and cilantro yogurt.

If you love frozen homemade yogurt, invest in an electric ice cream maker.

Here’s my recipe for homemade yogurt:

Homemade Yogurt
Makes 1 quart

1 quart whole milk
1 tbsp plain gelatin (from bulk food store or supermarket)*
¼ cup favourite plain yogurt from supermarket

*You’ll only need to use the gelatin for you first and maybe second batch of homemade yogurt. (Always keep a ¼ cup remaining of fresh yogurt to be use as the starter culture for your next batch.) By the time you get to making your third batch of homemade yogurt, using ¼ cup of the culture from the batch before, you won’t need the gelatin.

Turn on your electric yogurt maker. Pour milk into a large pot on the stove. Heat on high until milk starts to steam. Reduce heat to low. Do not let the milk boil. Leave milk to simmer on low for 30 minutes. Skim of the milk skin from the milk. Pour milk into your yogurt maker container and let cool to room temperature. Remove about ½ cup of milk from the container. Add geletin to this ½ cup of milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk this ½ cup of geletized milk back into the larger container of milk. Now whisk your ¼ cup of your favourite store-bought plain yogurt into the container, as well.

Place the lid on the container and set inside the yogurt maker. Let the milk ferment for 8 to 12 hours. The longer the milk ferments, the higher the acidity level in the resulting yogurt. If you like tangy yogurt, leave the mixture to ferment for 12 hours. Once fermented, transfer the container of fermented milk to the refrigerator. The cold stops the fermentation process. Let the yogurt set for 6 to 8 hours.

"X" is for eXtra Virgin Olive Oil

About a month ago and for my cooking club, I hosted a class on olive oil with one of the world's best Italian producers of Italian olive oil named Olearia San Giorgio Olive Oils.

Sarafino Inc. is a small importing and distribution company that handles only quality artisanal products true to their origins. They have a committment to educating their retailers and customers about their products and how they are made. Sarafino specializes in Internationally renowned Virgin and Extra Virgin Olive Oils and their newest child, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, all produced on the family estate.

Olearia San Giorgio olive oils have won several International awards for their products and are regarded as one of the best by olive oil producers in the world. The company is owned by 5 brothers (they inherited the family company.) Angelo, the son of one of the brothers, distributes the oils. Many gourmet shops throughout the GTA and in Peterborough (Firehouse Gourmet, Strano's Mediterranean Market) carry these products.

The workshop was outstanding, and I learned a great deal about this healthy oil.

First of all, there's more Italian olive oil distributed throughout the world than there are Italian olives growing! How is this possible? Well, according to Angelo, this industry has many manipulations and falsehoods. Said another way, the public is purposefully mislead about oil authenticity and quality.

Many olive oils are not pure. Many are blended with other oils, such as canola. People (like me) use these inferior blends, thinking they're doing good things for their body.

How do you find pure olive oil?

Look for the family's name on the bottle. Also, the product should be "made in Italy" NOT imported from or bottled in Italy. The address of the estate should be present on the bottle, as well. And most importantly, there MUST have a Lot #. Every pure bottle that leaves Italy (sealed) is given a lot #.

Since this workshop I've been using olive oil as a face and body moisturizer. "Pure extra virgin olive oil" is the best thing for one's skin and for preventing skin cancer, Angelo told us. You use it right on your skin. This protects the skin from all the bad ultra violet rays that cause skin cancer. The best sun screen.

It you rub olive oil on your skin and it sits on top and is greasy, it's not pure. It is no doubt blended with other bi-products. PURE virgin olive oil absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving it soft.

Pure olive oil also reduces wrinkles if you mix some with a little lemon juice and use it on your face at night.

For your hair, after shampooing, mix some olive oil, lemon juice and an egg yolk, and a little bit of beer together. Save your wine for sipping in the tub! Rub this mixture into your hair and leav it on for 5 minutes. Rinse.

The olive oil experts (who must train as diligently as wine growers) say that you should not put ANYTHING on your skin that you would not put into your mouth. Everything that goes onto the skin is absorbed into the brain within 10 seconds, Angelo said.

So, olive oil is the most effective and safest product for the skin, for aging, for sun protection, and for aiding in the prevention of skin cancer.

"Pure virgin olive oil" also does the following ...

reduces LDL cholesterol
reduces arterial occlusion
reduces angina and myocardial infarction
reduces blood glucose and triglyceride levels
increases bile secretion for improved digestion and aids in liver detoxification
increases vitamin A, D and E absorption
heals sores
reduces gallstones
improves membrane development, cell formation and cell differentiation

When it comes to pairing dishes with olive oil to wine, consider the idea of viscosity. Viscosity is a term used to describe the thickness of a substance, such as a dish or wine. Even light extra virgin olive oils have decent viscosity. The more oily the dish, the greater the alcohol content you'll want in the matching wine. High alcohol contributes to a wine's viscosity. Pesto, for example, works with Chardonnays ranging in alcohol content from 13.5 to 15%. (Sugar and glycerine also contribute to viscosity. That's why Icewine can be so thick, even if its alcohol content is only 12.5%.)

"W" is for Wine Vinegars

Products from Niagara Vinegars in Niagara, Ontario

Wine vinegar has many places in the culinary world. Vinegar derives from the French word, “vin aigre”, meaning sour wine. Many commercial wine vinegars are made from cheap wine. Stainless steel tanks are filled with wine and bacteria. Compressed air is blown into the tank, causing the “acebacter” or bacteria to eat the alcohol and turn the wine into vinegar.

In commercial processes this can take place from three hours to three days. Quality wine vinegars take time to produce, however. Quality versions are made through the “Orleans Method,” originally proposed by Louis Pasteur. Named after the French city of Orleans, this process provides three main ingredients – food (the wine), air and a dark, warm environment (oak barrels). Oak barrels are filled with wine, then inoculated with an actively fermenting vinegar. Taking from nine months to a year, the wine slowly turns to vinegar, all the while developing complex flavours.

While of French decent, the Californians have capitalized on this concept of “varietal” wine vinegars. This means the vinegar is produced from a specific grape variety. For example, Chardonnay Vinegar is produced from the Chardonnay white wine, made from the Chardonnay grape. Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar is made from the varietal wine called Cabernet Sauvignon, deriving from the same red grape.

Many food and wine lovers assume that Chardonnay wine would be a perfect match for a salad drizzled in a “Chardonnay vinaigrette." After all, both are made from Chardonnay grapes, obviously possessing similar flavours. Right?

Not quite. It's not quite that simple because it's important to harmonize the taste sensations of each, not the name of the grape on both bottles.

The primary building block in Chardonnay wine and in Chardonnay vinegar is acidity experienced on the palate as tanginess or sourness. That’s good. BUT …vinegar is more sour than wine. The vinaigrette's overpowering acidity makes the wine’s acidity occur as flat on the palate. The wine tastes flat, thus losing its refreshing quality. Said more simply, vinegar overpowers wine.

For the combination to harmonize, the wine should offer more tanginess or acidity than the vinaigrette.

Pairing Chardonnay wine with Chardonnay vinaigrette can work, providing you use the vinaigrette sparingly and incorporate proteins into the salad, such as cheese, nuts and/or flesh (chicken, ham). By doing this you dispurse and decrease the intensity of the vinegar in the salad, allow the wine to remain MORE sour.

If the wine vinegar uses with other ingredients like fruit, then be sure to look at the overall sweetness level. If the vinaigrette is sweet, then consider pairing the salad with a wine possessing some sweetness, such as a semi-sweet Riesling. Again, make sure the wine is more sweet than the vinaigrette.

Niagara Vinegars based in Niagara produces a wide range of wine vinegars fused with other fruit flavours, such as peach chardonnay, raspberry baco noir, and juicy orange vidal. Consider the sweetness level in these vinegars to choose the appropriate wine. This company produce some of the most delicious vinaigrettes I've tasted.

The point is that considering the taste sensations of the wine and the vinaigrette is more important than marrying the grape variety used in both.

Niagara Vinegars also produces rice wine. Rice wine is far softer than white or cider vinegar and is the ideal product to incorporate into a vinaigrette that is being married to wine. A salad drizzled in rice vinegar is the perfect partner for Pinot Gris.

My favourite vinegarette made by this company is Ruby Red Grapefruit. It is juicy and outstanding. Every time I serve this product on salads for guests, I'm forced to give the bottle away. This vinaigrette is a crowd pleaser. You don't need a lot to make your salad taste fabulous.

It's a little tart for wine, so be sure to add some proteins into the salad like toasted peacans to have it pair with wine. Marry salads in this vinaigrette to crisp, dry white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc and dry Riesling.

I purchase my Niagara Vinegars at Firehouse Gourmet in East City, Peterborough. However, the their products are available throughout Ontario and Canada, I believe. To find out where the vinegars are availabile in your town or city go to: http://www.niagaravinegars.com/ or call 905-685-0385.

"V" is for Vinho Verde

I recently rediscovered one of my favourite white wines from Portugal called Vinho Verde while dining at a local Greek restaurant about a month ago. I had ordered the chef’s specialty of fried calamari with tzatziki. “Vinho Verde is my recommendation,” the sommelier declared. I agreed.

I fell in love with this crisp, dry white wine all over again. Vinho Verde possesses spritzy effervescence and a distinctive lemony flavor that complements dishes with lemony or tangy flavoured ingredients. Vinho Verde served with sizzling, fried calamari with a splash of fresh lemon juice and a side order of tangy, garlicky tzatziki was nothing short of heavenly. Since this experienced I’ve purchased several different brands of this Portuguese wine to match to dishes I create at home.

For example, one chilling night last week, I decided to make Armenian lentil soup. While it may simmer for hours, this simple recipe contains nothing more than vegetable broth, dried lentils, olive oil, lots of garlic and plenty of fresh lemon juice. These ingredients harmonize with the crisp acidity and lemony flavor of a chilled Vinho Verde. The hot soup also contrasted nicely with a glass of this chilled wine that boasts light carbonation and tart, refreshing acidity.

Vinho Verde is a region located in the historic province of Minho, in the northwest corner of Portugal between the Douro River and the Minho River. The climate is fairly humid and cool. Unlike the trellising systems used in North America to train vines, the vines in Vinho Verde are trained up trees in what is called the hanging system, or on traditional pergolas. These ancient systems are slowly being replaced with cross-shaped cruzetas, garlands and fencing. The name Vinho Verde means ‘green wine’ but refers to the crisp acidity rather than to the wine’s colour. The grapes used to produce this wine are alvarinho and loureiro. The most sought after vinhos derive from the Albarinho grape (Albariño across the border in Spain).

Three qualities of Vinho Verde are produced. Vinho regional is the lowest level classification. It is similar to the designation of vin de pays in France. The IPR (Indicacao de Proveniencia Regulamentada) is the next level of quality and is similar to the VDQS in France. The DOC (Denominacao de Origem Controlada) is the equivalent of AOC in France and VQA in Ontario, and is Portugal’s highest rank of quality wine.

The LCBO carries a selection of Vinho Verde ranging in price from $8.00 to $20.00. The inexpensive ones serve as an accompaniment for appetizers featuring citrus, sour cream, yogurt or vinaigrette flavours. Pricier versions are an excellent match for seafood and chicken entrees highlighting the same tangy flavours.

Due to its tanginess, this crisp white is an excellent match for seafood and fish. Drizzle either in fresh lemon juice and you'll have a pairing that creates the MOAN Factor for you and your guests.

"U" is for Unfiltered Wines

It seems food and wine lovers are becoming obsessed with the idea of buying local, quality and natural or preservative free products. It’s no wonder, then, that Ontario’s wineries are following suit, on the heels of California, and producing wines that are not filtered or, said properly, unfiltered. The question is are unfiltered wines really of better quality than fined and filtered ones? Or is this concept more of a marketing ploy?

First, what exactly, is an unfiltered wine? First, let’s look at the process called filtration. Filtration takes place after the juice has been fermented and the wine, racked off its lees or “sediment”, has been fined. Fining is a clarifying process. A small amount of gelatin or egg whites is mixed with a little wine and poured into the container. At some point, the albuminous matter coagulates the solids in the wine and falls to the bottom of the cask. This process can be done once or twice, depending on the winemaker’s style and choice. The wine is then pumped off of this sediment into a new container and then filtered. The wine is sent through filter pads, of varying degrees of thickness or thinness, to get rid of any remaining sediment. This leaves the resulting wine clear and bright and ready for maturation in vats, casks or bottles.

An unfiltered wine does not undergo filtration. The reason is that some winemakers or wine aficionados believe that filtration can strip a wine of significant important properties and flavours. These experts believe that an unfiltered wine retains more richness, body, colour and aging ability.

Other experts disagree; believing that filtration is necessary to avoid unnecessary risks, such as a secondary fermentation in the bottle and to ensure the wine will remain healthy and not go bad. Some also believe that filtering a wine does not really strip the wine of any noticeable elements. Opinions differ as to whether the idea of unfiltered wines is another marketing ploy.

Either way, many of Ontario’s wineries are producing filtered and unfiltered wines, thereby giving the general public the choice. You often see the title ‘unfiltered’ on the label, but little is said on the backside of the bottle as to what this actually means. My assumption is that most people would see the word ‘unfiltered’ and thereby feel justified in paying a $20.00 price or over.

Should you buy an unfiltered wine? It is really better than a filtered one? Opinions will always differ regarding this question. The level of filtration depends largely on the thickness of the filter itself. The thicker the filter, the more sediment is extracted from the wine and thereby also more of the wine’s character. Thinner filters strip less sediment and character. When buying wine the consumer does not know what kind of filter has been used on the wine by the winemaker. So, finding unfiltered wines with plenty of character is a matter of experimentation. In fact, it might be an idea to buy two bottles of the same grape variety, bottled and produced in the same year by the same winery -- a filtered an unfiltered one. Then, you can discover the differences for yourself. Do we want to drink unfiltered wines? Why not? Ontario has many. The enjoyment of wine is in the exploration and discovery of regions, grape varieties and winemaking styles. Just remember that unfiltered wines have more sediment left in the bottle, which means you may want to decant.
Unfiltered wines do provide a level of prestige, however, and will certainly impress guests who like to follow the latest trends. Personally, I have yet to discover any large differences in an unfiltered wine. For me the bottom line is not about whether a wine has been filtered or not; it is more about whether I like it, despite how it has been produced, and of course, the price I am willing to pay for a wine.

"T" is for Tinfoil.

This past weekend my girlfriend Michelle and her new boyfriend invited my husband and I over to their cottage for dinner. Michelle prepared for us a delicious tinfoil feast on the barbecue.

Tinfoil barbecuing is easy and convenient, keeps the grill clean, and produces flavourful and moist foods. The idea is to make pouches from the tinfoil that hold the foods and sit on the barbecue. This style of grilling also allowed Michelle to walk away from the barbecue and spend more time with Jack and I.

Michelle prepared large pouches, each containing various vegetables and fish. She grilled a steak, too, just in case we didn't like fish.

The barbecue itself was small, so she grilled one pouch at a time, putting cooked ones into the oven to keep warm.

Tinfoil pouches require some form of moisture to keep foods from drying out. You can use a couple of tablespoons of salad dressings, sauce, butter, stock, marinade, wine or even water.

Cooking times depend on the heat of the coals. Obviously, the hotter the grill, the faster the foods will cook. Generally, delicate fish take about ten to twelve minutes to cook. Salmon and tuna are thicker and can take about twenty minutes. Hamburger and chicken require from twenty five to thirty minutes. Turn the packages over so each side gets equal cooking time. Keep the lid closed. Opening it too often can add additional grilling time. Be careful if you’re using a fork to check the food for doneness. If the fork punctures the foil, moisture will escape and dry out the foods.

A wide variety of vegetables, such as asparagus, green beans and potatoes can be cooked in tinfoil pouches. Michelle prepared

three varieties of potatoes, cutting them into thick wedges. She tossed the wedges with organic olive oil and Italian seasoning.

The rosemary in the seasoning demanded a wine with some bitterness. Michelle served a chilled Lindeman’s bin 85 pinot grigio from Southern Australia (CSPC 668947), $10.95. This white had enough weight to stand up to the heaviness of potatoes and offered pleasant bitterness that harmonized with the rosemary in the seasoning. We also enjoyed green beans sprinkled with toasted almonds and crisp greens with Gorgonzola. Pinot grigio worked well with these items, as well.

Our perch was drizzled in lemon juice and sprinkled with finely chopped fresh cilantro. The tinfoil kept the fish tender, moist and scrumptious. The sourness of the lemon juice worked nicely with the refreshing acidity in the wine.

Just as with other styles of cooking, tinfoil barbecued dinners can complement a wide range of wines. When considering a combination of foods in the meal, think about the spices, herbs and sauces. Pair the wine to the most predominant flavours.

If serving several flavours within one meal, choose ones that will likely harmonize with the same wine. A safe approach is to keep the meal simple by adding only salt and pepper. Salt complements the sourness in crisp, dry white wines and mellows the bitterness and astringency in big, heavy red wines.

"S" is for Salt

Did you know that there’s more than 14,000 uses for salt? Besides being a flavourful condiment, salt has unlimited uses in the kitchen. It is a cleaning agent, by itself or in combination with other substances. A solution of sea salt and water will clean the bottom of your wine decanter, removing all the red wine stains and sediment.

Salt is the world's oldest known food additive. We were born with the ability to distinguish and crave salt for our survival. Salt keeps our bodies hydrated. Severe salt depletion would kill, so we’ve evolved to seek out salt when we need it. Our nerves and muscles require salt to function.

In the world of our senses, salt is considered a predominant taste sensation experienced on our tongue. We crave the saltiness of a wide variety of ingredients and foods. For this reason it must be considered when pairing wine to food. The level of saltiness in food will change the taste of the wine.

There are as many different types and kinds of salts from around the world as there are wines. Sea salt is a favourite, containing trace elements and minerals that are good for us, that is when consumed in moderation. Considering the flavor it provides, on a pinch-by-pinch basis, a quality sea salt can certainly be a reasonable, culinary investment.

Wales produces Halen Mon, a sea salt harvested from the Atlantic waters. Fleur de sel, meaning the ‘flower of salt’, comes from the island of Ré, off France's Atlantic coast. Since the seventh century, the sun and wind have evaporated the sea water, leaving fine crystals that are harvested in July and August from the surface. Fleur de sel is recognized for its delicate flavour and concentration of minerals. Fleur de sel does not bit the tip of the tongue like table salt. It is best used as a condiment where its finest qualities, such as its delicate flavour and texture, will shine. England, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii all produce their own salts from the sea. Celtic gray sea salt was once a well-kept secret, highly regarded by food writers and chefs around the world. This salt comes from the marshes of Brittany on the coast of France. Celtic gray sea salt is more widely available and is now more reasonably priced.

Local bulk stores and gourmet food shops sell sea salt at a reasonable price. Sea salt brings out the natural flavors of ingredients and provides texture and appearance to dishes.

Sea salt complements both white and red wines. Saltiness, in general, contrasts well with the sourness or acidity in crisp, white wines, such as sauvignon blanc, aligote, gruner veltiliner, muscadet, viognier and vinho verde. Salty foods, such as smoked salmon, raw oysters, cheeses like feta or goat’s milk and even potato chips. Salty foods can work well with red wines, as well. The saltiness in foods works with the bitterness from the tannin in heavy, red wines Red wines with lots of tannin, such as cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, barberesco, barolo and pinotage naturally complement salty cheeses like parmesan and blue cheese.

Here’s a tip … if you purchase a red wine with too much bitterness, sprinkle more salt on the accompanying dish. The saltiness will soften the taste of the bitterness in the wine.

"R" is for Rice Papers

Vegetarian Spring Rolls


A few years ago I volunteered to make all of the appetizers from my girlfriend’s wedding. After creating all the tasty bites, I had this feeling, a familiar one, that I just had not made enough food. When alcohol is being served at events like weddings, it’s important that guests have enough food so they don’t get too silly too quickly.

After rummaging through my cupboards, I came up with a package of rice papers and a few cans of tuna. In the refrigerator I found wasabi paste and mayonnaise. I had fresh greens on hand.

I made a stack of Tuna Spring Rolls with Fresh Herbs and Wasabi Mayonnaise. (Recipe below)

Interesting, my quick and easy spring rolls made with rice paper were the first nuggets to be demolished by hungry guests.

I decided to include this recipe in my most recent cookbook entitled Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines – Tiny Bites with the MOAN Factor.

I love rice papers. They are so inexpensive and easy to work with. Because they don’t possess any real flavour, the filling is the most important element to consider when pairing with wine.

For a quick meal, I make vegetarian spring rolls with fresh avocado, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, and fresh herbs, like basil. Forgo the dressing. Toss the vegetables in fresh lemon or limejuice, and pair these simple treats with Sauvignon Blanc. The lemon flavours harmonizes with the wine. (See photo above).

This thin, almost translucent paper can be purchased in various sizes, from small to large, round and square. To use the rice paper, just fill a large bowl with warm water. Slip the paper into the bowl and let it soak until the paper becomes soft and pliable. Set the soft paper on the cutting board. Place your filling close to the end of the paper. Roll up the filling, tucking in the ends.

If you’re using the rice paper raw to make spring rolls or appetizers for weddings, be sure to use two papers per roll. The longer the rolls slit, the softer they become and will no doubt split. So, double up on the papers. Make your first roll, then wrap the roll in another sheet.

Rice paper treats can also be deep fried, pan fried or baked. Deep fried rolls taste great when paired with a dipping sauce. Be sure to take the taste sensations of the sauce into consideration when pairing your rolls with wine. Fill the rolls with left-overs like rice or salad and pan fry.

Limitless spring roll and wine pairings exist.

Salmon spring rolls with a coriander dipping sauce call for a well balanced, medium bodied white, such as Chardonnay (with no oak).

Chicken spring rolls with a hoison dipping sauce has sweetness and therefore needs a white wine with some sweetness, such as a semi sweet Riesling.

Banana and mango spring rolls drizzled in dark chocolate demand Icewine.

You can even pair a lovely Pinot Noir with pork spring rolls.

Here’s the recipe for the tuna spring rolls:

Tuna Spring Rolls with Fresh Herbs & Wasabi Mayonnaise
Serves 4 to 6

2 6 ounce cans tuna (in water)
½ cup mayonnaise (try fat free)
1 tbsp wasabi paste
2 tbsp each of finely chopped fresh mint, cilantro and basil
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 rice paper rounds (6-inches in diameter)
Mixed grees (as needed)
Vegetable oil (as needed)

Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, wasabi and fresh herbs in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pour hot tap water into another bowl. Place 1 rice paper round in the water and let it soak for 15 seconds, until it’s soft. Pull the round from the water, letting the excess water drip off. Be careful not to split the rice paper.

Place the round on a work surface. Place 1 tbsp on tuna mixture on each round. Add a small handful of mixed greens to the runa. Fold the round over the ingredients, then roll the rice paper wrapper into a jellyroll (folding over the sides and ends to ensure the filling stays in.) Repeat the process if you’re double-wrapping. Coat your serving dish with a fine layer of vegetable oil to keep the rolls from sticking to it. Place a damp cloth over the rolls and refrigerate them until they’re ready to serve, but no more than 2 hours.

Wine Suggestion: Choose a semi-sweet white wine, such as Riesling. The wine’s sweetness harmonizes with the sweetness in mayonnaise. The wine’s sweetness also nicely offsets the heat from wasabi.