THE MOAN FACTORY

"F" is for Flat Rock Cellars in Niagara

2010-08-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

While the new buzzword ‘sustainability’ is said to have as many as 85 meanings, it has a specific meaning within the wine industry. Sustainability is the growingof grapes and the producing of wine in a way that protects the environment and conserves natural resources where possible. Sustainability also ensures the long-term viability of the vineyards for generations to come. This philosophy includes social responsibility, as well, which means wine producers are not only aware, but are sensitive to the concerns and needs of those living within wine country. Sustainability, while considered a conscious approach to wine production, also embraces the entrepreneurial spirit to succeed in a competitive international wine market.

These practices include monitoring the health of the soil, water conservation and quality; pest control; grape and wine quality; ecosystem management; energy efficiency; resource renewability and solid waste reduction.

Flat Rock Cellars in Niagara is Ontario’s first wineries to be committed to sustainability from the onset, from the moment it opened its doors in April, 2005 to today.

Flat Rock is owned and operated by Ed Madronich, who used to head up the marketing department of Inniskillin Wines at Vincor Inc., the 6th larges wine corporation in North America. In his 30’s, Ed represents Ontario’s newest, leading edge breed of winery owners committed to making excellent wines, all the while sustaining the environment.

Ed is diligent about fitting into rather than dominating or destroying the natural ecosystem of the environment. For example, he built the winery around the natural rock, rather than blasting through it -- hence the name of the winery.

Flat Rock is one of the only wineries in Ontario prepared to implement major sustainable practices to create a solid foundation that is environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable. This includes the use of a gemo-thermal system that uses only 20% of the energy to cool the fermentation tanks during fermentation. This system burns no fossil fuels or freon, either.

Flat Rock also treats 100% of its own waste water through an on-site bio-filter system approved by the Ministry of the Environment, which is presently a major expense for Ontario’s large, commercial wineries. Their ozone machine also disinfects the oak barrels without the use of any chemicals.

To prevent bruising, the grapes are handpicked, placed in individual baskets and carried to the winery where 15% of the fruit is sorted out. (Often handpicked grapes are placed into larger baskets at the end of every vine row. Larger baskets hold too many berries and cause pressure on the bottoms ones, thereby bruising and crushing them unnecessarily.) This low impact or non-interventionist philosophy also includes the use of both wild and cultured yeasts during fermentation, whole cluster fermentations and minimal racking to ensure the distinctiveness and quality of the wines.

Flat Rock wines are available through the LCBO. However, it’s worth the drive to Niagara to discover this leading edge winery. It is set on the Niagara Escarpment, encased in a glass building and overlooking rolling vineyards with the Toronto skyline on the horizon.

Flat Rock is renowed for producing outstanding Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay and Riesling. The Rieslings are some of the best I’ve ever tasted out of Niagara. They are luscious and rich with ripe, juicy tangerine fruit. This is a different profile for Riesling from Niagara, which often displays more grapefruit flavours.

"E" is for Eating Mojo Chicken with Wine

2010-07-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

My husband and I decided to take a four-day holiday in Tampa, Florida. While dining out I noticed that many dishes had Cuban influences.

Part of the Caribbean hodgepodge of foods, Cuban cuisine combines French, Spanish, African, Arabic, Chinese and Portuguese cooking techniques. This cuisine also uses fresh, local foods, such as meats and legumes, starchy fruits and vegetables and citrus – lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit. Cuban food is similar in style to Creole cuisine, incorporating well seasoned, but not overly spicy dishes. The foods are sautéed or slow-cooked over a low flame, and there is little to no emphasis on deep-fried foods or those with cream-based sauces. For flavor, a few basic spices are used, such as garlic, cumin, oregano and bay laurel leaves. Meats and poultry are mostly marinated in citrus juices, such as with lime, orange or grapefruit juice, then slow roasted over low heat, as well.

During my restaurant tour, I noticed a dish called Cuban mojo chicken on many menus. The chicken is marinated in citrus juice and grilled over low heat on a barbecue. I decided to order it. When the dish arrived at our table I saw that the marinade had acted as a glaze, adding wonderful Caribbean flavor to the skin, while sealing in moisture and allowing the flesh to be tender and deliciously juicy.

The mild heat and heavy spiciness of mojo chicken demanded a glass of Johannisburg Riesling (off-dry). With its low acidity and hint of sweetness offsetting the mild heat and heavy spiciness, this wine and Cuban food combination really worked. I asked the chef for the recipe and was not surprised to hear that the marinade included lime and orange juice and corn syrup, thus explaining why this dish harmonized so well with the slight sweetness in the wine. The wine’s tropical flavours also complemented the heavy spiciness of the garlic and cumin.

This is a great way to enjoy chicken this summer on the barbecue. You can marry mojo chicken with a variety of off-dry white wines, such as an Ontario off-dry vidal, gewürztraminer or riesling.

Here’s one recipe. This citrus marinade would also complement seafood, such as shrimp and scallops and fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
Cuban Mojo Chicken
Serves Four

Juice from one lime
Quarter cup orange juice
Two tablespoons water
One tablespoon light corn syrup
One eighth teaspoon chili paste
One teaspoon vegetable oil
Quarter teaspoon cumin powder
One eighth teaspoon salt
One eighth teaspoon pepper
Three cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4

Squeeze limejuice into a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Place chicken in large glass dish. Pour marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning turn chicken occasionally in marinade. Heat grill. Remove chicken from marinade. Reserve marinade. Place chicken on grill over low heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Chicken is done when meat inside is white. Discard remaining marinade.

"D" is for Dips and Wine

2010-06-24T05:07:00.000-07:00

The ‘dip’ is a timesaving and easy hors d’oeuvre to prepare for BBQ dining this summer. When you’re pairing your favourite wine to dips, it’s more interesting to serve original recipes than to serve store bought versions.

Dips are easy to make and you don’t necessarily need a recipe. Use your taste buds as your guide.

Fresh fruit refresh the palate during the summer. If the dip has sweetness due to chunks of fresh fruit like pineapple or mango, even cranberry, be sure the wine offers sweetness as well. A sweet dip will make a dry wine taste offensive. Hot and spicy dips also require a matching wine with sweetness. Sweet and/or hot and spicy dips work best with an off dry white wine.

Just remember that light bodied wines work best with sour cream based dips, while heavier vintages complement cream cheese based ones. The same holds true for adding cheese. Add fresh cheese like feta and Chevre or salty cheeses like parmesan to dips that will be paired with light bodied whites. Use heavier cheeses, such as cheddar and blue cheese when matching a red wine to your dip.

If you’re beginning your party or event with a crisp, dry sparkling wine or brut Champagne or crisp, dry white wine, such as pinot gris and sauvignon blanc, create a yogurt or sour cream based dip. Sour cream is tangy, which is the same as the prominent taste sensation in this style of wine.

How about an avocado dip? Combine sour cream, avocado, finely chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, diced onion, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Artichoke and parmesan and spinach and artichoke dips also work with crisp, dry whites.

Complementary wines to serve with these dips include Henry of Pelham cuvee Catherine Brut (CSPC # 616441), $29.95 and Cooper’s Creek sauvignon blanc (CSPC # 957407), $15.45.

A riesling wine with a hint of sweetness works nicely with sweet, hot and spicy and/or cream cheese based dips. Fielding Estate riesling semi dry (CSPC # 36202), $15.95, and Vineland Estates riesling semi-dry VQA (CSPC # 232033), $13.85 both complement pineapple and ham dip. Combine cream cheese, chunks of fresh pineapple, diced ham, diced onion and salt and pepper. Hot and spicy and curry based dips also work nicely with this style of wine.

Asiago cheese dip is ideal to match to a big, fat white wine, such as a barrel fermented and aged chardonnay. Bring together mayonnaise, cream cheese, shredded asiago, and diced onion, salt and pepper. Flat Rock Cellars 2004, (CSPC # 681247), $16.95 is perfect to pair with this dip. This dip can also be paired with reds, as well.

Bacon blue dip is perfect for a red wine offering forward fruit character. Bring together cream cheese, chunks of blue cheese, minced onion, and crumbled bacon (include some of the bacon fat), salt and pepper. In fact, any dip highlighting bacon will work with red wine. Bacon has enough fat to stand up to the weight of reds. Pair this dip with Frog’s Leap 2005 zinfandel (CSPC # 593525), $37.95 or Henry of Pelham baco noir VQA (CSPC #270926), $13.75.

"C" is for Chicken Wings and Wine

2010-06-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

Chicken wings and beer are natural partners. But what if you love wings and dislike beer? Or what if you simply feel like having a glass of wine with your wings? As much as I love having a bottle of beer on a hot sunny day (a bottle rather than a glass) or after working out at the gym, I find it filling and bloating. I dislike the idea of being bloated because of a beverage. If choosing to be bloated, I prefer this to be a result of too many French fries or chicken wings!

It also might seem rather frivolous to serve a quality vintage with something as casual as chicken wings? This may be true. However, there are plenty of delicious wines that fall into the ‘casual’ category. What makes a wine casual? Foremost it is the price. Casual wines, at least from my perspective, cost under $12.00 per bottle. Casual wines are also easy drinking, tasty but unsophisticated and drinkable today. Drinkable today means the wines are not complex and therefore will not benefit from time in your wine cellar.

Keeping price in mind, rose and blush are the best wine styles for chicken wings. Both offer good acidity that cuts through the greasiness of deep fried finger foods and a hint of sweetness that pairs well with most wing sauces. Honey-garlic, barbecue, sweet and sour, mango spice and other sauces contain some sweetness that pairs well with the sweetness in an off-dry rose or blush. When it comes to suicide or any hot and spicy versions made from hot peppers, the heat on one’s palate is subdued by both the sweetness and sourness (acidity) in the wine. So, we can refresh our palate with a rose or blush between delicious bites of chicken wings.

What is the difference between blush and rose wines? Rose is a traditional wine style. In the early 80’s, however, savvy winemakers started a new wine style called “blush” or Blanc de Noir. Blush wines were generally paler than roses. While some still exist, roses, like other legitimate wines, have never gone out of fashion. Rose and Blanc de Noir can be made with or without skin contact during the fermentation. The grapes may be crushed, leaving a bit of pigment in the juice, before the skins are separated and fermented. The grape skins can also be fermented with the juice for a short period, such as for eight hours to two days. The amount of time the skins remain in contact with the juice will determine the depth of colour in the blush or rose.

Chilling roses and blush wines makes them ideal for hot, spicy chicken wings. Even if you’re not a big fan of off-dry wines, you might still consider trying this combination. There are wines that shine when served alone and others that act as the perfect partner in food and wine pairing. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a lovely looking and refreshing rose!

"B" is for "Bison" with Malbec

2010-05-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

My dad had a triple by-pass a few years ago. Knowing red wine in moderation possesses antioxidants that are good for one’s health, he drinks the occasional glass of red with his meals. Since he’s not an aficionado, he purchases products that tend to be inexpensive and awfully sweet.

A few months ago a wine loving friend recommended I try an inexpensive red called Finca Flichman Misterio malbec, (CSPC # 28803), $7.95. I tried the wine. For the price this is a decent quaffer, offering medium weight with fruity flavours like dark, ripe plums and a hint of toast on the back notes of the nose and palate. I purchased a bottle for my dad and he really enjoyed it.

Misterio is made from the malbec grape. It is one of six grape varieties used in the production of France’s famous red blend called Bordeaux. The grape requires lots of heat and sun, and so has really taken root in Argentina. It is now the national grape of this country with its largest plantings in Mendoza. Here the wines made from this variety are inky red with deep dark fruit flavours and velvety texture.

With 13.5 percent alcohol, this wine has enough viscosity (weight and fattiness) to work with red meat. I decided to try this wine with a type of red meat that is good for the heart, as well…bison!

I sipped a glass of Misterio with a bowl of chili made that I made with ground bison purchased at the Peterborough Buffalo Farm booth at the Saturday Peterborough Farmer’s market. The local farm and booth are owned and operated by Tim Belch.

Bison is low in fat, thus leaner than other red meats. However, it has a taste and texture very similar to beef. I added ground bison to my classic chili recipe. I also incorporated some unsweetened dark chocolate powder and finely ground coffee. Dark chocolate and coffee have pleasant bitterness that adds wonderful depth and roundness of flavour on the finish of the chili, harmonizing with the subtle tannin in Misterio.

Bison can be incorporated into a variety of heart-smart dishes that will complement Misterio. Tim Belch also offers a range of bison cuts at the farmer’s market. You can substitute bison for any dish that normally features beef. Examples are coffee marinated bison short ribs, bison burgers with extra old cheddar, bison pot pie, sheppard’s pie, bison and barley soup, meat sauce for spaghetti, etc. Try using bison in a traditional recipe for beef bourgignon. I’m sure Julia Child would have ventured to try bison bourgignon. Keep in mind that bison, because it has low fat, cooks in half the time as beef.

Misterio malbec tends to be slightly bitter on the finish when the bottle is first opened. After all, it is an inexpensive quaffer. I recommend you decant the wine for an hour or so before sipping.

"A" is for Acidity, the Crisp Kind

2010-05-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

I often recommend chilled white wines with high acidity for the summertime. Crisp, dry white wines with good acidity partner well with summer foods, such as vinaigrettes for salad, grilled chicken and seafood, greasy finger foods and fresh vegetables from the garden.

When recommending crisp, dry white wines, I often suggest Sauvignon Blanc and dry Riesling. There are other white wines produced in wine regions around the world that fall into this category.

Pinot Bianco is an Italian grape variety grown in the northeast part of the country, in the provinces of Alto-Adige, Veneto and Friuli. Wines from this grape are medium-bodied with a light fruitiness and crisp acidity. They are sometimes fermented and/or aged in oak. When oak is employed these varieties fall into a different wine style category called big, fat whites. So, make sure that your pinot bianco has not seen any oak if you’re looking for a crisp, dry white.

Some Chardonnay is produced in this crisp, dry white wine style, as well. Chablis is the most northerly region of Burgundy. The area’s wines that receive the Chablis AOC must be made from the chardonnay grape. The AOC stands for the Code de Legislation des Appellation d’Origine Controlee. The AOC has two main objectives. The first is to geographically define wine-producing areas so that the origin of a wine may be clearly and accurately stated. The second objective is to establish production standards for each defined wine area, thus guaranteeing the origin and quality of a wine. The AOC is complemented by other laws, such as Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure, Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. Generally speaking, an AOC wine is guaranteed to be of high quality, and to be produced in a way that preserves local traditions and emphasizes the uniqueness of the region or terroir. (Terroir is the combination of the geography, climate and soil of a particular wine region.)

Back to the crisp, dry white wine style. There are four classifications of Chablis AOC, each producing chardonnay with different character traits. All, however, falls into this crisp, white wine style. The classifications are: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. This region also produces crisp, white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Aligote grapes.

In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is also grown and made into a crisp white with good acidity. Bairrada is a wine region in Portugal that produces white wines in this style, as well, with crispness and lemony character.

Other white wines that celebrate this style category are Bacchus and Baden from Germany, and a Swiss grape variety called Chasselas. Frascati, Pinot Grigio and Orvieto are three more crisp, dry whites from Italy. It’s not surprising that many dry, crisp whites come from Italy. Wines produced in this style are considered food friendly as the high acidity cleans the palate. The Italians are renowned for drinking wine with almost every meal. So, it’s not surprising that they would produce crisp, dry whites that clean the palate between bites.

"Z" is Zealous for Super Foods!

2010-04-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid my mom would always repeat, “Eat your spinach. It’s good for you.” Somehow my mom knew instinctively that spinach was a super food. I should have realized its power, given Popeye’s love for it.

I was too busy indulging my immature palate with corn, macaroni and cheese, chocolate, pizza, potato chips and French fries (Yippee!!). I was laying the groundwork for my carbohydrate addiction. Unfortunately, there’s no 12-step program for this gut-expanding, flab producing, artery blocking, childish diet program.

However, I’ve learned that adding super foods to one’s diet will aid in boosting the immune system and fighting disease.

Dr. Steven Pratt is considered the Superman of super foods. He is a world-renowned authority on the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of disease and optimizing health. He is also a senior staff ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California at San Diego.

Pratt is the author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods. According to Pratt, about 14 super foods are better for you than others. He says, “Each food was selected based on gold standard research of healthy dietary patterns around the world. These foods are an integral part of all the recognized healthy dietary patterns that prevent disease and extend our health span, and perhaps our life span, as well.”

His list of 14 include beans, blueberries, broccoli,

1. Beans: A great low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and an easy way to help control your weight and your blood sugar.
2. Blueberries: The best food on the planet to preserve a young brain as we mature.
3. Broccoli: The best food on the planet to prevent cancer.
4. Oats: A sure-fire way to lower your cholesterol.
5. Oranges: The most readily available source of vitamin C, which in turn lowers the rate of most causes of death in this country, for example, heart disease and cancer.
6. Pumpkin: Loaded with phytonutrients, which keep our skin young and help prevent damage from sunlight.
7. Wild salmon: A guaranteed way to lower your risk for cardiac-related death.
8. Soy: The only complete vegetarian source of protein.
9. Spinach: The best food on the planet to prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, thus ensuring a lifetime of good vision.
10. Tea -- green or black: The easiest and cheapest no-calorie way to avoid heart disease and cancer.
11. Tomatoes: One of the easiest ways for men to avoid prostate cancer is the consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products.
12. Skinless turkey breast: The leanest meat source of protein on the planet.
13. Walnuts: Consuming walnuts is an easy, tasty way to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
14. Yogurt: A tasty, easy way to boost your immune system.

Super foods are those packed with nutrients, aiding your body in boosting your immune system and fighting off all forms of disease.

Studies now show that red wine, consumed in moderation, with meals contributes toward a healthy lifestyle. So, there’s absolutely every reason why you should include red wine as part of your New Year’s resolution of eating right in 2006. You can cut down on fat, or calories or carbohydrates and still enjoy a glass of the fermented red grape.

Research shows that where the diet is high in fat, those who drink red wine with meals have a lower incidence of heart attacks. Many experts believe that red wine contains compounds, such as antioxidants, that aid in protecting our hearts and reducing the risk of strokes. Resveratrol is the most famous antioxidant found in red wine. It is believed to be good at mopping up chemicals responsible for causing blood clots, the primary cause of heart disease. Guercetin is another antioxidant believed to help prevent lung cancer. Red wine also has a flavanoid known as catechin that contributes to the reduction of heart attacks, as well.

Add to this that a glass of red wine after a stressful day acts as a natural tranquilizer, reducing anxiety and tension. Wine also aids in our digestion and contributes minerals and vitamins to our bodies.

A glass of red wine is also okay if you’re on a low carbohydrate diet. A 3.5 ounce glass of red wine contains only 1.8 grams of net carbohydrates. If you’re reducing your caloric intake, you’ll be happy to know that this same glass of wine only contains 74 calories.

While it is always pleasant to include a glass of red wine with your evening meal, it’s an experience of the senses to choose one that harmonizes with your main entrée.

There are basically three styles of red wine. The first is light, fruity red wines, which include those produced from grape varieties, such as Gamay or Pinot Noir. These wines tend to be refreshing, fruity with some sourness. For this reason it is best to chill your light reds for a half hour in the refrigerator before serving. Light, fruity red wines go nicely with ingredients offering sourness as their predominant building block. Foods highlighting sourness are cheeses, such as fresh Chevre, feta, as well as sour cream and cream cheese. When it comes to fish, tuna and salmon work nicely with light, fruity reds.

Red wines with forward fruit character is another wine style. Wines that fall into this category include shiraz, zinfandel and merlot. These wines tend to be low in sourness and low in bitterness with lots of berry fruit flavours. Pair these wines with roasted meats and vegetables, pasta or pizza with roasted tomato sauce, chicken or beef.

Austere red wines are heavy with lots of pleasant bitterness from the tannin and fattiness from their high alcohol content – about 13.5 to 14%. Cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc are two grape varieties fermented into austere red wines. These reds work well with game meats and beef. Due to their bitterness, you can also pair them with foods offering bitterness, such as olives, radicchio and blue cheese.

"Y" is for Yummy Wine Cocktails

2010-04-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Picnics are simply fun. But add a wine cocktail and you’ve turned a picnic into a celebration. Wine cocktails are a refreshing and tasty choice for spring and summer entertaining. They're simply yummy! The best part about this style of beverage is that you can use any brand of inexpensive wine.

When you’re creating wine cocktails, you may want to think of new ones that combine wine with fresh juices, liquors, pure alcohols and garnishes. O, you may want to reinvent an oldie.

Like food and wine, wine cocktails taste best when balanced in flavor. Too much acidity from added juices, too much bitterness or too much sweetness from liqueurs can alter the entire experience of a wine cocktail.

It’s fun to look for new and/or obscure ingredients for your wine cocktails, as well. Wine cocktails can include ingredients, such as lemongrass, maraschino liqueur and truffles. In fact, one of the most popular and newest wine cocktails in downtown Toronto is the Icewine Martini graced with a real, frozen Vidal grape from Niagara. Fresh mint leaves, slices of lemons and limes and sliced strawberries add color to these cocktails, making them pleasing to the eye.

‘Sangria’ is no doubt the most well known wine cocktail. Made in a pitcher, Sangria recipes are countless. However, a boozy version calls for five cups of red wine, five cups of orange juice, one and a half cups of Triple Sec, one cup of sweet and sour mix, one cup of Grenadine, one cup of brandy and two cups of lemon-lime soda. Triple sec adds strong orange flavour to this beverage, while Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranates that adds a bright color and zesty fruit flavour. Sangria is like an alcoholic tropical fruit bunch.

Along with Sangria, there are a variety of wine cocktails that you can serve this summer for barbecue dining and for entertaining. White port can be used in the making of ‘Scotti’s Apple Juice.’ To make this beverage, place crushed ice in a glass. Add an ounce of white port and an ounce of Drambuie and fill the remainder of the glass with apple juice, adding a dash of bitters at the end. Drambuie, made from a blend of scotch whiskies, gives this cocktail its alcoholic zing.

The ‘Cardinal’ combines red wine with an ounce of Crème de Cassis over ice and decorated with a slice of orange. Crème de Casis is a sweet, black currant-flavoured liqueur that complements the subtle acidity in full-bodied red wines.

The ‘California Julip’ is made with one and a half ounces of brandy, a quarter ounce of strawberry liqueur, a tablespoon of simple syrup (a mixture of sugar and water), brut sparkling wine and mint leaves. To make this drink, place a few mint leaves and the liqueur and syrup into the bottom of a glass. Using the back of a spoon, crush the leaves into the liquid. Place crushed ice in the glass. Add the brandy and fill the glass with sparkling wine. Garnish with mint sprigs.
I once asked my husband, “If I was a glass of wine, what wine would I be?” He immediately replied with “Champagne.” His reasoning, he told me, is that I’m always justifying a reason to celebrate. I crack open a bottle of bubbly if I’ve failed or succeeded, happy or sad. I prefer to think of myself as a complex, vintage Champagne. He argues that I’m an easy-going bubbly.

Wine cocktails made from sparkling wine are festive, refreshing and pleasing to the palate, not to mention a less expensive alternative to table wine for patio dining. And while these specialty drinks are called ‘Champagne’ cocktails, it’s best to use inexpensive sparkling wines, as well. These cocktails can also be made with soda water for the designated driver. Just add a little sugar to the soda water to sweeten the mix.

For wine aficionados who do not believe in mixing the ‘purity’ of wine with other liquids, such as fruit juices, pure alcohols and liqueurs, I have but one comment, “Lighten up!”

Here are a few Champagne cocktail ideas:

Classic Champagne Cocktail:
Champagne cocktail is the easiest to make. Pour sparkling wine (one with some sweetness) into each flute glass. Add 2 tablespoons of brandy and add a dash of bitters. A slice of lemon to each glass adds some flare.
· Colio Wines Viva Spumante (CSPC # 184390) $6.75
(Available at Colio Boutiques)
· Barclay’s Brandy (CSPC 6528) $12.75
· Alpenbitter (CSPC 212688/100 mL), $3.95

La Vie En Rosé:
This cocktail is also easy to make. Place four sugar cubes in the bottom of flute glasses. Pour one tablespoon of rosewater over the sugar cube. Let the cube soak up the liquid. Pour rosé sparkling wine into each glass.
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95
Rose water available at health food shops and some pharmacies

‘Death in the Afternoon’
This drink combines an ounce of absinthe and five ounces of sparkling wine, served in a champagne flute glass.
· Pastis Janot (CSPC # 701045) $19.95
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95

Bellini
This wine cocktails calls for an ounce of fresh peach puree and five ounces of sparkling wine.
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95
· 3 peaches, peeled and pureed

Flirtini
This is a highly alcoholic cocktail, calling for two pieces if fresh pineapple, half an ounce of cointreau, half an ounce of vodka, one ounce of pineapple juice and three ounces of sparkling wine.
· Cointreau SA (CSPC # 10322) $15.95
· Alberta Pure Vodka (CSPC # 1503) $11.70
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95

"X" is for eXceptional Beer Marinade to Pair with Wine

2010-04-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

Summer may be around the corner, but barbecue season is in full swing!

This past weekend my husband and I headed to my mom and dad’s house for a barbecue. My brother Bret and his family joined us.

Bret is as proficient with the barbecue as I am with my oven. As my dad puts it, “That boy can barbecue!” So, when dining at mom and dad’s home, Bret is always designated grill master.

Bret also brought with him a tub of rib eye steaks that he said had been marinating for a few hours in his refrigerator. I asked him about the marinade, and he told me that it was made from beer. Bret is as proficient with using beer in his cooking, as I am, wine.

In fact, I sat and watched him barbecue the steaks, hoping to pick up a few tips. Barbecuing appears to be an effortless affair for Bret. He holds a can of Canadian beer in one hand, and with the other, swings the tongs back and forth and up and down as though he is conducting a symphony.

At one point Bret jerked his arm forward, spraying beer from the can over the steaks. They sizzled. Smoke bellowed from the grill. I asked him if he had added more beer to flavour and tenderize the flesh.

Bret replied, “No. I’m putting out the flames.”

As a wine lover, I rarely use beer in my cooking, unless making a batter for deep fried fish or shrimp. I was curious as to how the taste of beer in the grilled steaks would taste with the flavours of red wine.

The steaks were delicious -- tender and juicy and highly flavourful.

The beer marinade obviously tenderized the meat while adding the taste sensation of bitterness to the steaks. Hops are the primary source of bitterness in beer. Red wine also possesses bitterness that derives from tannin. So the beer marinade and red wine harmonized in taste sensations.

This marinade also possesses flavour sensations that complements red wine, as well.
Bret’s beer marinade is a great match for big, red wines with weight and structure.

Paxton Jones Block 2005 Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, (CSPC # 149914), $26.95 is a good choice. This is an exceptional Shiraz, the aromas swirling with ripe black berries and black peppercorns. The full-bodied palate offers flavours of raisins and leather, supported by excellent structure, medium tannin and a black pepper corn finish. This wine will certainly complement steaks done in Bret's marinade.

Paxton Jones Block is a member of ‘1% For the Planet Organization (www.onepercentfortheplanet.com). This organization’s mission is to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet. All members donate 1% of their profits to environmental groups around the globe each year. If you choose wines not only for their taste, but also for their social consciousness, you may want to explore other wineries committed to this same mission. Other wineries that belong to this organization in California include Sterling Vineyards, Spottswoode Winery, Shypoke Vineyard, Paradigm Winery, Oakville Ranch Vineyards, Hess Collection Winery, Grassi Wine Company and Ceritas Wines. Odisseia Wines in Portugal, Paxton Wines in Australia, Constant Jomini in Switzerland and Dosnon Champagne in France also belong to ‘!% For the Planet.’

The 14.5 percent alcohol gives Paxton Jones Block Shiraz much viscosity, making it ideal for heavier proteins like steak.

Here is the recipe:

Bret’s Beer Marinade
For Four Rib Eye Steaks

Three quarters cup of Canadian beer
One cup of Kraft Signature Roasted Garlic and Fine Herb Dressing
One package of Club House La Grille Seasoning Mesquite Marinade
Four rib eye steaks

In a large glass baking dish combine all ingredients. Whisk together. Set steaks in dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Set in refrigerator for about four hours, turning steaks over at beginning of second hour. When ready to grill, remove steaks from marinade. Throw out remaining marinade. Grill steaks to desired doneness.

"W" is for Wine and Wellington

2010-03-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

I tried beef Wellington for the first time at age 16 at Inn on the Park in North York, Ontario. My first boyfriend and his family invited me to join them for dinner. This was the first sophisticated restaurant I had ever attended and it certainly left a great impression on me. My boyfriend assured me by whispering in my ear, "You can order whatever you like." I decided to order the same dish as my boyfriend's father, as I was enamored by his enthusiasm for a menu item called beef Wellington. Well, that evening I fell in love with the boy, his family, beef Wellington and fine dining.

It is believed that the Duke of Wellington, who won the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, was a finicky eater, yet happen to like one particular dish -- beef wrapped in puff pastry. So, this dish was named after him. Another story says this dish supposedly resembled his highly polished Wellington boot, and therefore acquired the name this way.

Whatever the true story might be, beef Wellington has remained a decadent and popular dish since this time.

This is a dish I've struggled with and have yet to master. The reason is my possessing an unwillingness to remember to use a meat thermometer.

Classic beef Wellington uses filet of beef tenderloin covered with pate (often liver or foie gras) and duxelles (mixture of mushrooms, onions, shallots and herbs), wrapped in puff pastry.

One version uses a Madeira sauce. Due to the richness and sweetness, this sauce requires, as a wine partner, a full-bodied red wine with forward fruit flavours and soft bitterness. Too much tannin (bitterness and astringency) will clash with the sweetness in the sauce. Try Merlot or Shiraz from a warm climate like Australia.

You might also choose to pair this dish with a dense, off-dry rose or even a small glass of tawny Port.

Forgo the Madeira sauce and partner classic beef Wellington (with or without a red wine sauce) alongside an austere red wine of choice, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillio, Amarone, etc.

There are many Wellingtons one can make using vegetables, fish, seafood, chicken, duck, pork, veal, venison, buffalo and even elk. I've recently discovered elk and absolutely adore it.

When making a classic rendition I use puff pastry. When making mock Wellington I like to use Pillsbury’s croissant dough, available in the refrigerator section at supermarkets. The croissant dough is easy to work, reliable and delicious and makes for outstanding individual, mock Wellingtons of every flavour. Just be sure to par cook heavier flesh like pork, chicken, venison or elk before wrapping it in the pastry.

I enjoy creating mock versions, such as salmon, chicken with pesto Wellington, steak with blue cheese and others.

Salmon Wellington seasoned with fresh herbs, such as dill or chives, tastes wonderful with pinot noir or red Burgundy. Salmon has enough fattiness to stand up to a light, fruit red.

Chicken with pesto Wellington is fatty, thus requiring a white wine with lots of fattiness, such as a barrel fermented and aged white like fume blanc or chardonnay. Fume blanc is sauvignon blanc that has been fermented and aged in oak barrels. Or look for a white from a warm climate with higher alcohol (14%). Alcohol adds viscosity to wine -- thickness in weight and texture. This occurs on the palate as fatty or creaminess.

Steak with blue cheese Wellington certainly requires a red wine with austere tannins, such as cabernet sauvignon.

You could also create pork Wellington with honey mustard, as well. The sweetness in the honey mustard needs a white wine with a hint of sweetness to match. Try off dry riesling or off dry gewürztraminer.

In fact, any sauce that you like with a particular flesh will work within the croissant pastry, as well. The choices are endless. Thai versions could include a coconut curry based sauce that can be matched to an off dry white wine, like riesling. Chicken Wellington with an Asian slant could include soy sauce with garlic and ginger or even a spicy plum sauce. Match the spicy plum sauce version to an off dry rose.

"V" is for Vegetarian Appetizers

2010-03-20T04:53:00.001-07:00

When entertaining I always suggest you begin with lighter dishes and move to heavier ones. Nowadays people are apt to enjoy vegetarian dishes in an attempt to cut back on animal fat. Meat can also be expensive, especially if you're incorporating it into many dishes throughout a meal.

I enjoy preparing an array of vegetarian appetizers. You are sure to please most guests and keep costs relatively low. It's also pleasurable to buy fresh vegetables at the local farmer's market, thus adding a seasonal approach and a level of quality and sophistication to the evening.

About a week ago I attended a fund raising, women-only event for one of my best friends, Terri Catlin. The profits from the evening were to fund her upcoming trip to the WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL in Miami where Terri's short film would be celebrated. The Dirty Truth is about a 1940s detective duo and how they discover that their new case may be more than they bargained for. When a domestic dispute turns out to be a matter of global proportions, Vic & Vera find themselves out of their league.

Back to vegetarian appetizers...

We chose four appetizers from my latest cookbook entitled Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines -- Tiny Bites with the MOAN FACTOR.

We paired one wine style each with four appetizers. However, when entertaining, the key is to do the opposite -- choose three to five appetizers that partner with one wine.

Dining became with a sheep's milk feta dip incorporating olive oil, fresh oregano, black olives and artichokes. The tangy and bitter taste sensations in this dip called for a bone dry (brut) sparkling wine offering similar characteristics.
This dip is very easy to prepare. Lay out 2 pieces of tin foil in a "cross" formation. Drizzle the tin foil with quality olive oil. Add a handfull of chopped black olives (from a jar), artichoke hearts (from a can) and about a half cup of fresh oregano. Pull a large piece of sheep's milk feta from its way and lay it on top of the other ingredients. Wrap the cheese tightly in the tin foil and refrigerate for a couple of hours, allowing the flavours to meld.

About 45 minutes before guests arrive, place the tin foiled cheese in the over at 350 F. Upon guests arriving, open a bottle of brut sparkling wine or Champagne. Pull the cheese from the over. Open the tin foil and convert the cheese into a bowl. I like to slice a French baguette and fry the slices in oil in a fry pan. Serve the fried bread with the feta dip.

We also enjoyed sweet potato and curried latkes with a dollop of apple sauce. Another easy and inexpensive and tasty appetizer. The sweetness from the sweet potato and apple sauce and heat and spice from the curry demand a white wine with sweetness to match. The key is to ensure that the wine is sweeter than the potato and apple. An off dry Riesling with a sugar code of 2 will serve as ideal.

Our farmer's market features a mushroom vendor who supplies the most fabulous variety of fungi! The great thing about mushrooms is that they are high in the fifth taste sensation of umami. This makes them compatible with every style of red wine.

Wild mushroom and three cheese bruschetta complemented its accompanying red wine, an Ontario Shiraz.

We also enjoyed a Shitake Mushroom and Cashew Pate with an Ontario Merlot Reserve.

Spring is on the horizon and there are many Ontario grown fruits and vegetables available at this time of year, such as apricots, beets, carrots, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, etc.

All of these ingredients can be highlighted in appetizers. How about substituting the apple sauce for spicy apricot chutney on the sweet potato latkes? Or prepare a curried carrot and apple soup served in small portions inside cappuccino cups? Caramelized onions can be the centre piece of flat bread topped with brie or blue cheese and paired with Pinot Noir.

When considering ideas for appetizers think fresh and local vegetables. By doing so you can feature your meat in the entree -- perhaps Roasted Rack of Lamb with Spring Succotash and Wilted Spinach. Be sure to pair this lamb dish with a South African Cabernet Sauvignon.

"U" is for Unbelievable Mushrooms

2010-03-13T05:57:00.000-08:00

Recently, owner, friend and chef extraordinaire from Rare restaurant on Brock Street in Peterborough, handed me a bright red-orange and wonderfully lumpy ingredient.

“A gift,” he said. His eyes twinkled with excitement. You would have thought he was Jack T. Colton, soldier of fortune in the 1984 movie Romancing the Stone, handing me the treasure. “A lobster mushroom,” he said.

I had sampled lobster mushrooms in dishes before, but I had not actually seen one whole until this moment. The mushroom’s colour resembled the red-orange shell of a cooked lobster. I felt giddy, knowing Brad had just given me a hard-to-obtain culinary gem.

When I put the mushroom up to my nose to smell it, one question immediately came to mind. “What wine would harmonize with the damp woody smell of this British Columbian delight?” I had a plethora of wines to consider.

Fresh lobster mushrooms are a rare find in Ontario. I have chef friends who have only tasted dried versions of this exotic Canadian west coast fungi. In fact, this is not a mushroom at all, but rather a parasitic ascomycete that grows on mushrooms, turning them lobster red.

Grown in areas, such as Vancouver Island, lobster mushrooms are firm, but softly textured with a distinctive woody smell and taste. Some say the mushroom smells like sweet cooked lobster. I don’t think so. I think its woody character makes it an ideal ingredient for a wine offering earthy aromas and flavours.

That evening I cut the mushroom in half, deciding to incorporate its flesh into 2 meals. Using fresh tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar I made bruschetta on toasted Italian bread for my husband and parents.

This appetizer had an overall tangy taste from the tomatoes and balsamic, calling for a chilled pinot noir. We sipped Pelee Island Winery 2007 pinot noir, VQA, (CSPC # 135939), $12.45. What I love most about Pelee Island wines is that they are predictably good from year to year. It’s difficult to get a pinot noir at this price, let alone one with loads of flavour. At $12.45 per bottle, this is the ideal price to spend on a wine that you’re serving with an appetizer. The wine is light bodied with good tangy notes with earthy flavours that gently drew the palate’s attention to the woody flavour of the lobster mushrooms. This bruschetta can be made with shitake mushrooms, as well.

While the mushroom provided earthy notes to the bruschetta, I did feel that it had competed with the big flavour of ripe tomatoes. So, I decided to feature the second half of my fungi in a pasta dish the following evening. Brad had suggested I keep the pasta dish simple, sautéing the thin slices of mushroom in quality olive oil with fresh minced garlic, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. I made this pasta sauce according to his directions, tossing it with a bowl of hot spaghetti. I sprinkled the dish with freshly grated parmesan. The mushroom flavours shone through this time, adding exotic flair to such a simple meal. Any Spanish red, with an earthy quality, will work with this dish. You can use any wild mushrooms in this dish, as well.

My husband and I sipped a glass of Tapena 2008 tempranillo, (CSPC 72942), $13.95. This Spanish red is also a culinary gem, medium bodied with earthy, chocolate and coffee tones on the nose and palate. It is a delightful quaffer at a reasonable price.

Tempranillo is one of the most popular grape varieties grown and vinified in Spain. This particular Tapena red is bold enough to work with beef, lamb, duck and game meats, and of course, lobster mushrooms.

Tapeña wines are generally fruit forward. You may recognize this winery byone of its most famous wines called “Freixenet.”

"T" is for Taking the Time for the Song and Dance

2010-03-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

This is part three in the series called Romancing the Grape.

In many restaurants the mark-up on wine can be hefty. You pay not only for the wine, but for the sommelier or server's song and dance - that is the art of opening and presenting the wine to you, the host, and your guests.

After ordering from the list, the server will return to your table, presenting the bottle of wine to you. He/she will display the label. Be sure to read the name of the winery, the style (Bordeaux) or grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) and most definitely the vintage date. The same wine can vary in quality and price from year to year.

While attending sommelier training at George Brown College (I need not mention the year), my teacher, Jacques Marie, taught us that a professional server or sommelier will blend into the wood work. Today too many servers are looking to be the centre of attention during your dining experience. A trained, professional sommelier or server will create a quiet, seamless and professional experience for the host and his/her guests.

Quietness is key. This includes the sommelier quietly pulling the cork from the bottle rather than popping it out. The sommelier uses the cork screw to pull the cork about three quarters out of the bottle neck. Wrapping his/her hand around the cork, the sommelier will then gently wiggle the remainder of the cork from the bottle, thus ensuring complete silence in opening the wine.

Again quietness is key. At no time should the server or sommelier interupt or listen in on the table conversations.

The sommelier may then wipe the rim of the bottle if some cork has been desposited here.

After opening the bottle, the sommelier will then put the cork in front of you, the host, who ordered the wine. The bottle may be placed on your table for stability or the sommelier may hold the bottle in the air. In either case, the sommelier stands to the right of host.

You may have noticed some people smelling the cork. This is to apparently determine if the wine is ‘off.’

Smelling the cork tells you very little about what's in the bottle. A musty or moldy smell from the cork could mislead you, as well. It is common for the cork to develop a little mold just under the capsule. It will most likely not affect the wine in the bottle.

Look at the brand name on the cork and make sure it matches the brand on the label. If the names are different this could be an indication that the wine is homemade or a fake.

For some it is advantageous to feel the cork. If it is completely dry, this may be a sign that the bottle has been stored upright, rather on its side, thereby allowing air inside the bottle and causing the wine to oxidize – to age before its time. Young wines, however, may have dry corks because they have just been bottled. If the cork is gummy, this may be a good indication that the wine has oxidized.

The sommelier or server will then pour an ounce into the host’s, glass. The host’s job is to swirl the wine, smell it and taste it. If you’re unsure as to what to smell, just concern yourself with the taste. If the wine tastes pleasant, nod and let the sommelier then fill your guests’ glasses first; yours last.

If the wine’s taste reminds you of cooked fruit – the kind you put into a pie – then the wine may very well be oxidized. If the cork is gummy and the wine taste liked cooked fruit, ask for another bottle of wine. Cork taint affects approximately about three percent of all wines. So, your chances of getting one are slim.

If ready for a second bottle of wine to be brought to the table, make sure the server does not put new wine into your used glasses. Politely put your hand over the bowl and request a new glass for your second wine. If you’re switching from white to red wine, it’s also appropriate to ask for a clean glass.

If you like the wine, be sure to tell the restaurant owner. This is the only way he/she will know how to successfully build a wine cellar.

"S" is for Selecting Wines from the Wine List

2010-02-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

Part Two of Romancing the Grape -- The Wine List

The restaurant wine list can be intimidating. Restaurateurs will tell you that some of their finest vintages never sell because the names of wines can be difficult to pronounce. Gewurztraminer, for example, is one of those wines. Pronounced ‘ge-wurz-tra-meener’, this white is full bodied, is produced both dry and off-dry and offers wonderful aromas and flavours of flowers, spice, and tropical fruit, depending on the terroir in which the grapes are grown.

While it may be ideal to partner to spicy Thai dishesa and East Indian cuisine, Gewurztraminer is often avoided. Many customers would rather refrain from mispronouncing the name and therefore looking bad to their fellow companions than in trying something new.

Don't be shy to ask the wait-person or sommelier how to pronounce the wine. Their job is to both educate you and create your culinary experience.

Add to this that every restaurant has its own individualistic approach to creating the wine list. Lists can be organized and simple, dividing by country, grape variety, style, price and/or region. Other lists look like a novel, listing pages upon pages of vintages.

So how does the average, novice wine lover read the wine list? The answer is by process of elimination and the art of experimentation.

First, are you a foodie who sips wine or a wino who likes to eat? Foodies choose the dish and then find a wine to match. Winos choose the wine and then order a dish accordingly.

What is your budget? I like to hunt for unique and quality wines at reasonable prices. Given that most wines are marked up by 100%, I refrain from drinking these excessively expensive vintage while dining out.

Next, eliminate the house wine. They are often inexpensive, non descript red and white wines, purchased by price rather than quality. They carry the highest mark-up, as well.

No doubt the easiet way to choose is to match a regional wine to a regional food and to stay within your budget.

And then there are those foodies and winos who operate by their emotions above budget and palate. They choose wine according to their mood.

So, there are no hard and fast rules that can be applied to choosing wine from the list for each kind of wine lover.

Most people choose wine to partner to the entree.

If you feel like drinking white wine, then choose a style that will match your dish. All wines fall into various styles. Within each style you'll find an array of grape varieties or 'varietal' wines. The style will dictate the wine's most predominant taste sensations, such as tangy and fruit or fruity and sweet. The taste sensations are key when pairing wine to food.

The terrior in which the grape is grown will determine the wine's flavours on the nose and palate. While two whites may be light and crisp, one can have citrus flavours in the aromas while another might be more floral. Flavours are less important in creating harmony on the palate between the wine and food.

Pair your entree to a wine's taste sensations.

Crisp dry whites (Sauvignon Blanc) work with tangy dishes highlighting ingredients like goat cheese or feta or salty dishes, such as caviar or smoked salmon.

Off dry white wines offset heat and spice and complement foods slightly sweet, such as those featuring sweet potato.

Full-bodied, oaky whites (Chardonnay) harmonize with fatty foods like cream-based or butter-based sauces over pasta.

If you enjoy red wine, then there are three basic styles from which to choose -- light fruity reds like Pinot Noir), reds with forward fruit (like Shiraz) or austere reds(Cabernet Sauvignon).

Light, fruity reds marry well with oily fish like salmon and tuna, as well as chicken or fresh tomato based sauces over pasta.

If you prefer gentle heat and spice choose a red wine with forward fruit as the tannin tends to be soft, thereby not interfering with the heat and spice. This style also complements roasted tomato sauces and can complement chicken, beef or duck.

Heavier reds work best with red meats, salty cured meats like prosciutto and salty, hard cheese like Romano or Parmesan.

Consider experimenting. Ask the server to recommend a wine. Take a chance. Before ordering, request samples of a few wines. This will give you the opportunity to experiment and try the wines before spending your hard earned dollars.
Buy wine by the bottle. If dining with two or more guests, it’s cheaper to order by the bottle than by the glass.

If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge, ask the server if you can try a half glass of two wines (listed at the same price) rather than ordering a full glass of wine.

If you like a certain grape variety, such as chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, try ones from different wine regions and/or countries. An Ontario chardonnay, considered a wine produced in a cool climatic region, for example, has a completely different taste profile than a chardonnay produced in a warm climate, such as South Africa. Ontario chardonnays are lighter in style with a good backbone of acidity. The acidity cleans the palate between bites, thus making them good food wine.

A South African chardonnay will be heavier in style, more suited for heavier dishes, such as cream based pasta. The more sunshine hours over a growing season and the hotter the temperatures of a region, the greater the sugar level in the grapes. During fermentation sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide dissapates, leaving alchol in the wine. So warm climates tend to produce wine with higher alcohol. Alcohol creates viscosity or thickness on the palate. It is experienced as mouth feel. Wines with high alcohol can have a heavy or creamy texture, thus making them suitable for fattier dishes.

Don’t shy away from trying new wines because the grape variety is hard to pronounce. Ask the server to pronounce the name for you and have him/her explain the qualities of the wine.

If ordering two glasses of wine, rather than a bottle, try different ones. Save a little wine from your first glass to compare against the new wine in your second glass. This simple act, alone, will aid in expanding your love and understanding of the fermented grape.

There's only one guideline I like to stress and that is to keep an open mind and try a different wine every time you dine out, exploring wine regions from around the world. This is the only way to finally discover the wines that fit into your personal taste profile.

"R" if for Romancing the Grape

2010-02-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

Wine service is an important part of the hospitality and restaurant industries, a fact that too few restaurateurs recognize.

On more than one occasion, I have ordered a bottle of wine, only to discover that the server is unskilled in recommending and presenting the wine.

The restaurateur needs to know that, while choosing great wines for the restaurant is a major factor in attracting food and wine lovers, so too is presenting the wine in proper glassware.

Nothing is more disappointing than purchasing a $50 to $80 bottle of wine and having to drink it from glasses that might have been purchased at a dollar store. Don't get me wrong; I love the Dollar Store. But it's not the stop to shop for quality restaurant or home wine glassware. There are plenty of shops that carry inexpensive, durable wine glasses that are the right shape and so enhance the aromas and flavours of your favourite grape varieties.

While a great wine list and quality glasses are aspects to proper service, romancing the grape begins with its presentation at your table. Restaurateurs mark up wines dramatically. Therefore, as customers, we deserve to get a little dog and pony show if we are to pay these exorbitant prices.

Wine should be opened properly and served in the traditional style, with the server standing to the right of the diner. Proper serving techniques are another factor that helps justify the sometimes unreasonable cost of a bottle of wine.

The best way to convince restaurant owners to train their staff in wine service is for us, the consumers, to begin demanding it. Servers should do their homework and taste the wines offered on the wine list. Tasting wine? How can that be considered arduous? The more a server knows about wine, the more confident his/her recommendations, the better the customers' experience and the greater the server's tips. Servers must know more than a wine's colour. They should be able to pronounce and identify the various grape varieties, names of wines and regions. Proper pronunciation, alone, would increase the level of wine service offered to us, the consumers.

So, in the next few blogs I'm going to be covering the topic of proper restaurant wine service.

Topics will include how a wine list should be constructed and how the wines should be presented and opened at your dining table. At the very least, these tips will contribute to your overall enjoyment of wine while dining out.

See you back here next week!

"Q" is for Quick Choices For Fabulous Reds

2010-02-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

If you're celebrating Valentine's Day at home, you may want to pick up a couple of bottles of great reds at reasonable prices. Using the CSPC #, this makes shopping "quick" and easy.

Over the past week I’ve had the opportunity to taste a whole array of red wines. Some of these were okay; others, great!

In the Vintage section of the LCBO you’ll find Etim 2007, (CSPC #146019), $14.95, Montsant, Spain. This is a powerful red wine offering lots of black pepper, smoke and cassis in the aromas. In the aromas you’ll also find a mineral quality, the smell of limestone, which can be found in the soil of the vineyards of Montsant in the province of Tarragona (Catalonia), Spain. Dark berries, leather and spice coated in great structure with velvety texture and full body is found on the palate. Decant this wine for an hour or so to take the edge off its tannins. Etim an excellent choice to partner with game birds and meats.

Portugal is worth considering, not only for its Port, but also for its table wines. The principal red grape varieties of the Douro region include Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cao, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesca and Touriga Nacional. These varieties are grown in schist and granite soil profiles surrounded by a continental climate featuring hot and dry summers and very cold winters.

Recently, the LCBO released into Vintages a lovely Portuguese wine called Sogrape Reserva Douro 2003 D.O.C., (CSPC # 335208), $17.95. In this wine I found aromas of ripe plums, chocolate and spice. The palate swirls with flavours of red fruit, spices and smoke, embraced by full body, firm tannin and a long finish. I really enjoyed this wine. It’s a fabulous partner for game meats, duck, goose, lamb and roast beef.

This month the LCBO is showcasing its best releases scoring over 90 points with an average cost of between $17.00 and $25.00. I experienced one of the wines last night called Juan Gil Tinto 2006, (CSPC # 1677), $21.95. This baby scored 91 points by Robert Parker (www.erobertparker.com). The Monastrall grape variety is fermented dry to produce a wine with finesse and complexity. The Monastrall grape grown in Spain was believed to be the same variety as France’s Mouvedre. Today, however, experts are still not quite sure. Monastrall does produce big, bold, tannic reds that soften with age, very much like Mouvedre.

The nose of Juan Gil is at first delicate with aromas of violets. Give it time to age in a decanter. The nose opens up offering lots of dark berry flavours. Medium body with dark berries, loads of structure, and a long finish come through on the palate. The wine was aged for a year in both American and French oak. While the wine can take some cellar aging for a few years, it is also highly drinkable now. Marry this wine with heavy dishes, such as roast beef, gourmet burgers, venison, goose and duck. Spaghetti with buffalo used in a meat sauce would taste great alongside a glass of Juan Gil. Pizzas will require pepperoni or other red meats.

"P" is for Partnering Popcorn with Wine

2010-02-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

I commissioned a local potter to make a handcrafted popcorn bowl for me. The perfect bowl is long and narrow, more like a pail than a bowl. The narrow bottom fits comfortably on one’s lap. The narrow rim tells people that this is a personal, rather than a community bowl! I hate other peoples’ hands digging through my popcorn. The depth makes room for lots of popped corn.

I pop my kernels in a large pot on the stove. I use corn oil, due to its high smoking point, to pop my corn. I also prefer organic popcorn and sea salt. Organic popcorn seems crunchier to me -- my personal opinion.

Popcorn is a good source of fiber and is low in calories. Sea salt is full of trace minerals that enable our bodies to effectively utilize the water we consume and to utilize the nutrients in our food.

I heat the pot until just before the oil starts to smoke, between 400-460 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil burns and smokes at about 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oil is heating up, I place a large tea towel around the inside of the lid, holding the four corners on top. When the kernels release their moisture, the steam is trapped by the tea towel. This ensures crunchier popcorn.

I drop a kernel or two into the pot to test the heat. When the kernels pop, I add the remainder, pouring in just enough to coat the bottom. I cover the pot with the tea towel lid and shake to coat all the kernels with oil. After reducing the heat slightly, I continue to shake the pot until the sound of popping dramatically slows down, and then pour the popped corn into a bowl.

The appropriate wine depends on how you like your popcorn. Popcorn with lots of salt and little to no butter requires a crisp, dry white wine with good acidity, such as pinot gris, sauvignon blanc or a dry riesling. The sourness from the acidity offsets the saltiness in the popcorn. Bone-dry sparkling wine is also a good choice, as well.

Popcorn with heavy butter calls for a white or red wine with lots of oily or buttery texture. A big, fat white wine, such as a barrel fermented and/or aged chardonnay with high alcohol is a good match. Reds with forward fruit character with soft acidity and soft tannin work nicely, too. A creamy, fruity shiraz or merlot would be ideal.

Processed cheese topping for popcorn is generally more salty than fatty and so requires a crisp, dry white, such as the ones mentioned above. Organic popcorn sprinkled with sea salt also works nicely with an organic chardonnay with no oak aging.

Sometimes I pour hot butter on my popcorn and then sprinkle it with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and sea salt. Delicious! This Italian style popcorn calls for a big, austere Italian red, such as barbaresco.

Jamaican popcorn seasoning combines a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and pinch of cayenne. An off-dry gewürztraminer or a sparkling wine with some sweetness is perfect. The sweetness offsets the heat and spice.

"O" is for Oysters on Valentine's Day

2010-01-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

The oyster is a well-known aphrodisiac. It contains a high zinc level, which is an important nutrient for the production of testosterone. Testosterone stimulates the libido in both men and women.

So, this Valentine’s Day you may want to consider enjoying a feast of raw oysters with an accompanying wine with your romantic partner.

Rather than serving the traditional dish of oysters on the half shell, why not prepare a few Japanese oyster shooters?

To make oyster shooters, you’ll need to buy about a dozen oysters. Many supermarkets carry fresh oysters in the fish department. Remember that the size of the shell is not an indicator of the fattiness of the oyster.

You need not hunt for the biggest shells. The shell size does not determine the size of the oyster. Look for shells that are not chipped or cracked and are tightly sealed.

Be sure to purchase an oyster knife, if you don’t already own one. It need not be expensive, and supermarkets usually sell them.

When you get home from the supermarket, store your live oysters in a bowl, flat side up in their own liquid in the refrigerator. Because they need to breathe, do not store them in an airtight bag, otherwise they will die.

To clean, rub the shells with a stiff brush under cold running water. To shuck them, wrap your left hand in a kitchen towel. Place the oyster shell in the towel and firmly cup the bottom shell. Be careful to not tip the oyster when shucking, as you will lose some of the delicious, oyster liquor. Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinged end of the shell and work it gently back and forth until you feel the shell release. Once opened, gently probe against the upper shell with the tip of the knife, cutting through the sinewy umbilical cord that holds the muscle to the shell. Remove the top shell. Discard any bits of shell in the liquor. Work the knife gently underneath the meat to free it from the bottom shell.

Inspect the meat. The oyster should be plump with a grayish colour and a mild, fresh water scent. If pink, discard the oyster. This can be an indication of the presence of yeast. Dried out oysters should also be thrown out, as well.

Place the shucked oysters on a bed of lettuce leaves set on ice in a bowl while you prepare your shooters. The lettuce will keep the shells from over-chilling.

To make a Japanese shooter, place a raw oyster and its liquor in the bottom of a shooter glass. Add a half teaspoon of ponzu. Ponzu is a citrus-based, thin sauce used in Japanese cuisine. Top the oyster with a quarter teaspoon of tobiko. Tobiko is the Japanese word for fish roe, used in various sushi, including California rolls. The eggs are usually orange with a crunchy texture and salty flavour. Sprinke a few small pieces of green onion on top. Both ponzu and tobiko are available at Asian supermarkets. Add an ounce of vodka to the shooter glass.

The Japanese oyster shooter pairs nicely with Aveleda Vinho Verde (CSPC 5322), $7.95, from Portugal. This is a crisp, dry white wine with lemon flavour and delicious sourness that offsets the salty flavour of fresh oysters and tobiko. The wine also has a hint of effervesce, giving it an interesting mouth feel.

If you’re going ‘all out’ this Valentine’s Day to impress a loved one, then forgo the quaffer and invest in a bottle Champagne! Veuve Clicquot Brut (CSPC 563338), $64.95, offers sophisticated, exceptional taste and characteristics that harmonize with oysters. The wine’s brut quality (steely acidity) nicely offsets the saltiness of oysters and tobiko.

"N" is for Naked Grape

2010-01-25T07:11:00.000-08:00

I recently sampled, once again, a line of easy drinking quaffers released through the LCBO and Wine Rack stores throughout Ontario.

The line is the Naked Grape series of wines. This line offers four varietal wines – sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot and shiraz. At under $10.00 each, the wines are worth exploring. I call these 'weekday wines.'

The name ‘naked’ refers to the idea that the wines shine with their natural fruitiness, without having to share the spotlight with any woody, vanilla or oaky character imparted through fermentation or aging in oak barrels. These are Canadian wines made in the latest trendy style of forward fruitiness. This style of wine is quite popular and readily available in Californian and Australian wines.

Naked Grape sauvignon blanc (CSPC # 665224), $9.95, is medium in weight, crisp and tart with lots of tangerine and lime flavours typical of this grape variety. I love a good sauvignon blanc, and this is certainly one that works for me. This wine is too tangy to serve at large gatherings over the holidays. Save it for dinner entertaining. Its tart acidity would be far too intrusive for older relatives or anyone sensitive to acidity. Yet, it’s an excellent food wine to pair with specific dishes. I served this white with sole drizzled in fresh lemon juice. Matching appetizers include those highlighting caviar, fresh goat cheese, feta or smoked salmon. Greek chicken marinated in yogurt is also an ideal match.

Naked Grape chardonnay (CSPC #665232), $9.95, is also medium in weight yet has lots of forward ripe pear fruit and balanced acidity. Due to its taste and price, this is an ideal wine for holiday functions and Christmas parties for large groups. Its easy drinking and will please most of your guests. I would match this wine with a variety of appetizers at a large function, such as canapés featuring chicken, mozzarella and garlic or Cuban chicken skewers marinated in orange and lemon juice with olive oil and a pinch each of cumin, paprika and dried oregano. This white would also work nicely with cold salads, cold turkey and grilled salmon.

The merlot in this series (CSPC # 665208), $9.95, is medium in weight with red raspberry flavour with some sourness and bitterness. It’s not a typical soft merlot, but still can be matched to certain types of food. To work with the wine’s character, I cooked t-bone steaks with fried garlic and season salt. Fried garlic tends to be slightly bitter, pairing nicely with the wine’s hint of bitterness. The salt on the steaks also helped to soften the bitterness.

Naked Grape shiraz (CSPC# 665216), $9.95, offers typical, delicious character. The wine is blackberry with a hint of spice, medium in weight and smooth. This is a great, easy drinking red that will work with turkey and all the trimmings during the holidays. The wine’s berry character and hint of sweetness will also pair nicely with not too sweet homemade cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce from the can requires wines with more sweetness, such as off-dry whites and off-dry roses. This is a good red to serve to large gatherings over the holidays, as well.

"M" is for Mastering Meatballs

2010-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Chinese Meatball Recipe Below

Every culture has its own traditional meatball.

I have a fettish for meatballs of every kind. I love them in soups, sauces, and salads. I'll eat a giant meatball from the deli counter at my local supermarket as my lunch. I also serve them as hors d'oeuvres.

There is a mastery to making the perfect meatball.

The first secret to the perfect Italian meatball is to use a combination of pork, veal and beef. Veal adds the richness, while pork provides flavour and beef gives structure to the meatball. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh oregano and fresh parsley with this mixture. If you substitute with inferior ingrediens, you'll end up with a mediocre meatball.

The second secret is to ensure you do not overwook the mix. Warming up the mixture smears the fat throughout and make the meatballs tough.

Third...keep added ingredients cold, as well. If you're adding sauted mushrooms or carmelized onions to your meatball cool them down first.

Whenever using dried breadcrumbs, soak them in milk or heavy cream first. This keeps them moist and light. Or use fresh breadcrumbs with a little egg to make them tight.

The fifth secret is to consider how you cook the meatballs. Searing or braising them renders the fat from the balls into the sauce. This makes the dish high in fat, thus highly flavourful.

But if you're interested in eating more healthily, render the fat from the balls and sauce. Roast the balls first and then remove the fat. Or poach the meatballs for the same reason.

Lastly, be sure to cook your meatballs completely to avoid the potential of food born illnesses.

In Asian and Thai cuisine, for example, fish and seafood balls are popular. Ground crab, scallops and/or shrimp work nicely with cilantro, cumin, lemon and garlic, to name a few. These combinations also work with a white wine possessing good acidity called Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is delicious on hot, summer days. Its grassy, grapefruit, fig, green herb and bell pepper aromas and flavours complement meatballs that combine some of these ground meats and herbs and spices. The key is to experiment.

Other seafood balls, made of ground fish, such as salmon, or lobster, shrimp, chicken, pork, veal or turkey combined with chervil, fennel seed, fresh sage, garlic, curry, ginger, tarragon, and basil go nicely with a white called Chardonnay. Barrel fermented Chardonnay is known for its full-body and tropical aromas and flavours and buttery texture. This makes it an ideal sparing partner for all these ground meats.

Meatballs can also be made from the ground meat of smoked chicken, smoked duck, and smoked turkey, all of which complement rose. Most roses with a hint of sweetness work with the herbs and spices found in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southwestern and Indonesian cuisines. Some of the herbs and spices in these multicultural cuisines are allspice, caraway, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg.

Beef meatballs combined with the flavours of basil, bay leaves, clove, garlic, lavender and thyme go nicely with a light, fruity red wine called Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir often is medium bodied with aromas and flavours of black cherry, berries, cloves, violets and sometimes with smokiness. The idea is to choose a specific type of ground meat, choose a couple of spices and marry this to a specific wine. You wouldn’t want to go overboard with too many herbs and spices in one meatball. Simplicity is key.

Lamb, wild game, beef and duck meatballs are often incorporated into North American and Italian cuisines. Black pepper, garlic, lavender, mustard, rosemary, and thyme are all flavouring agents that partner well with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, full-bodied red wine with black currant, cassis, eucalyptus, mint, berry, chocolate, cedar and tobacco like character.

One of my favourite red wines is Zinfandel. It possesses wild blackberries, raspberries, black pepper, chocolate and sometimes violet notes in the aromas and flavours. This big red is an ideal partner for spaghetti and meatballs. The herbs and spices of basil, bay leaves, and oregano are perfect complements for this grape variety. Zinfandel also complements many Italian, Creole and Southwestern dishes, all of which highlight meatballs, as well.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for meatballs, remember that there’s a wide range of ground meats, along with combinations of herbs and spices and wine partnerships from which to choose.

Here's three meatball recipes and matching wine notes to consider:

Chinese Rice–Studded Meatballs
Serves 4

These rice-coated meatballs are known as zhen zhu or “pearls” in Chinese. Steaming the meatballs on bok choy leaves helps to keep them from sticking to the steamer. While this dish can be served as an appetizer, my husband likes it as an entrée.

1 cup jasmine rice (or rice of choice) 250 mL
2 to 4 outer bok choy leaves 2 to 4
4 scallions 4
1 egg 1
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts 125 mL
1 Tbsp each cornstarch, rice vinegar and sesame oil 15 mL
1 tsp sugar 5 mL
1/2 tsp chili paste 2 mL (or as desired)
1 lb ground chicken 500 g
Salt and pepper to taste
Bok choy leaves (for garnish)
Dipping Sauce: (Chinese Plum Sauce with added fresh lime
juice and splash of hotsauce)

Place rice in a bowl. Cover with hot water and soak until needed. Set a skillet filled with water on the stove and place a bamboo or metal steamer on the skillet. Line the steamer with bok choy leaves.

In a food processor or blender, add scallions, egg, water chestnuts, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili paste. Puree, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll mixture into balls. Drain rice and transfer to a shallow dish. Coat meatballs with damp rice.

Bring the water in the skillet to a boil. Place batches of meatballs in steamer and steam until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick in each meatball and place on a platter lined with bok choy leaves. Serve with dipping sauce.

Wine Suggestion: Sparkling Wine with Hint of Sweetness
The predominant building block is hot and spiciness from the dipping sauce, so the recipe requires a demi-sec sparkling wine with sweetness to offset the heat and spice.

Blue Cheese Meatballs
Serves Four

1 ½ lbs ground lean beef
1 ½ tsp salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 large egg
¼ lb blue cheese, cubed
Flour (for drudging)
4 tbsp butter
1 cup Cabernet Franc

Put meat in mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with salt crushed with minced garlic; blend in egg. Shape pieces of meat around each cube of cheese, and then roll each meatball lightly in flour. Heat butter in skillet and sauté meatballs, turning frequently until well browned. Add wine and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Franc
This recipe calls for a big red with plenty of flavour to stand up to blue cheese and texture of meat.

Spicy Shrimp Balls
Serves 4

1 lb shrimp
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and chopped*
4 coriander roots*
10 pepper corns (1/4 tsp cracked black pepper)
1 small piece krachai root (about 1 tbsp chopped)*
½ tsp grated wild lime (makrood) peel (lime peel may be substituted)*
5-10 dried chillies or to taste
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
8 oz green beans, thinly sliced in rounds
1 egg beaten
2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

*lemon grass, coriander roots, krachai and makrood are available in asian supermarkets

Peel and devein shrimp; puree or grind. In a mortar, pound together shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, krachai, wild lime peel and chillies. Gradually blend in shrimp paste and fish sauce as the ingredients start to break down. When consistency of a fairly smooth paste, mix in shrimp puree, green beans and egg. Roll into small balls. Heat oil in heavy pot or deep-fry balls over medium heat about 4 minutes or until golden.

Wine Suggestion: Semi Dry Vidal
When entertaining, begin with an easy drinking wine to pair with the appetizers. Let the quality of the wines served increase in weight, structure and flavour as the evening progresses. Semi Dry Vidal offers enough sweetness to counteract the Thai spiciness in this appetizer. It is also light body and so doesn’t overpower the delicate nature of shrimp.

"L" is for Little Penguin Chardonnay

2010-01-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

With the state of our economy, I’m in search of tasty and inexpensive wines. It’s rare to find big, fat chardonnays at a reasonable price. They tend to range from $17 to $30, as most are barrel fermented and/or aged and this adds to their final cost.

Warm climate whites can fall into the big, fat category if they possess high alcohol (13 to 14.5 per cent). Alcohol is one of a few elements in wine that can add viscosity. In layman terms, viscosity is thickness. The higher the alcohol, the heavier the weight of the wine.

As an experiment, place the same crisp, dry white wine with low alcohol (12 per cent) into 2 wine glasses. In one of the glasses add an ounce of vodka. Taste both wines. You’ll notice that the wine with the vodka has more viscosity than the one without it. It will be heavier and thicker in texture due to the increase of alcohol.

You’ll generally find big fat whites of quality in the Vintage section of LCBO stores. These are the only whites that have enough body and fattiness to match cheese, cream and butter based dishes.

It would not occur to me to hunt for such a fatty wine through the general list area of the LCBO. However, a client recently recommended I try Little Penguin chardonnay, Australia, (CSPC # 598904), $10.95. At this price I had little hope of the wine meeting the balance, weight and creaminess I demand in a big, fat white wine. But I tried it anyway.

This Aussie gem pleasantly surprised me. The wine has full body, creamy texture and flavours on the nose and palate of fresh tropical fruit like pineapple and melon. Well balanced. It’s truly a delightful, fatty chardonnay.

Little Penguin chardonnay reveals characteristics that can be partnered to an array of inexpensive dishes so you can entertain on a budget.

Party dips work well with this big white. Cream cheese is fatty and creamy and is often the base ingredient in dips. Crab, artichoke and parmesan, smoked salmon, spinach, and blue cheese dips all harmonize with the same fatty taste sensation in this white wine.

Due to its weight, Little Penguin chardonnay also complements fatty fish like salmon, tuna and swordfish. Try grilled salmon with a citrus butter sauce, salmon cannelloni with a lemon butter sauce or grilled swordfish with lime butter.

This is an acceptable partner for sushi highlighting salmon and tuna, as well.

Little Penguin chardonnay complements pasta dishes coated in fatty sauces, too. Mac and cheese has the weight, creaminess and fattiness to work with this white. If you want to add depth of flavour to this inexpensive comfort food, add a dash of white wine to the cheese sauce and drizzle the dish with truffle oil just before serving.

Casseroles are inexpensive and easy to make and taste great when served with a warmed loaf of crusty bread and a chilled glass of Little Penguin chardonnay. How about potato and bacon casserole served with toasted garlic bread and a bottle of this white?

Polenta is made from corn meal, which is inexpensive. Yet, when made right, polenta has gourmet appeal. A favourite in my house is creamed chicken with corn and bacon over polenta. Gorgonzola with polenta and fresh porcini mushrooms would also work well with Little Penguin chardonnay.

"K" is for Kidney Beans

2010-01-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Kidney Burger Recipe and Wine Pairing Below

If I had only one food and one beverage from which to choose, it would be a T-bone steak and a glass of red wine. In an effort to reduce my calorie, fat and frequent consumption of meat, make a few changes for the New Year, I’ve been studying the many benefits of beans, specifically kidneys. When combined with brown rice, this common bean provides an excellent source of protein – without the high calories and fat content of red meat! In fact, one cup of kidney beans provides 15.3 grams of protein, 30% of one’s daily requirement.

Like most beans, kidneys are also an excellent source of cholesterol lowering fiber. Hypoglycemic and diabetic friendly, these beans help to stabilize blood sugar levels after meals.

One of the best benefits of kidneys, I believe, is that they are high in ‘molybdenum.’ Molybdenum is a trace mineral and an important part of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites in the body.

One cup of cooked kidney beans supplies about 177.0% of our molybdenum daily requirement. I checked my multivitamin. It contains 8 mcg of this trace mineral. For the human being, 75 mcg of molybdenum is a daily requirement. So, kidney beans are now a part of my weekly repertoire.

Molybdenum is believed to help to protect the stomach and esophagus against cancers, aids in the absorption of iron and so helps to prevent anemia, as well as tooth decay. Molybdenum also aids in the metabolizing of fats and carbohydrates. (Other than kidney beans, other foods high in molybdenum are meats, whole brains, buckwheat, barley, wheat germ, lima beans, sunflower seeds and dark green leafy vegetables.)

Most importantly, kidney beans are high in soluable and insoluable fibre. Soluable fibre produces a gel-like substance that increases stool bulk and therefore helps to prevent constipation.

When buying kidney beans at bulk food stores, look closely to ensure they are not cracked, thus indicating too much moisture content.

To prepare dried kidneys quickly and for culinary greatness, rinse the beans under cool water. Place them in a pot on a burner with just enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and then let the beans simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the beans stand in their liquid for two hours. Remove the beans from this liquid. Discard the liquid. Rinse the beans again under cool water again. Put them into a clean pot. Add 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Let the kidneys cook for another 1.5 to 2 hours until soft and done.

Kidney Bean Burgers
Serves two
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1 cup cooked brown rice.
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa
1 tsp cumin
sea salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil (as needed)
2 whole-wheat hamburger buns
slices of cucumber as needed
sprouts of choice

Place beans and brown rice in a food processor. Puree until chunky. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in the onion, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the salsa, and cumin. Add more salsa if mixture is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Using moistened hands, shape bean mixture into two (3- to 4-inch-diameter) patties. Prepare the electric grill. Spray the grill with non stick cooking spray. Grill burgers until heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Grill cut sides of buns until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer burgers to bottom halves of buns. Spoon remaining salsa over each burger. Add slices of cucumber and favourite sprouts. Cover with tops of buns.

Wine Suggestion: The tangy salsa demands a crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, pinot gris or VinhoVerde.

If you choose to add a lot of cayenne heat to the burger, choose an off dry white wine with a hint of sweetness. The sweetness in the wine will offset the heat and spice.

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

2009-12-26T07:22:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-05T06:39:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-30T06:24:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-09T05:51:00.001-07:00

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

2009-10-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-09-04T04:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

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.

"Q" is for Quiche and Sparkling Wine

2009-08-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

Crustless Bacon and Tomato Quiche

Recipe Below

Wine has a few challenges, such as pickles. Traditionally, eggs are also considered a difficult ingredient to pair to wine. Eggs are alkaline in nature, which is believed to clash with the wine’s acidity. While this may be true, the Burgundians cook eggs in red wine. Some folks have no problem partnering an aged cheddar soufflé with red Bordeaux.

As far as this wino’s concerned, quiche works with wine. On first consideration, you may believe we should marry the most predominant flavours of a quiche with specific wines. So, for example, a quiche consisting of aged cheddar might work with a big, red wine, such as Bordeaux. While this combination no doubt works, who in their right mind, would spend hard earned money on a fine Bordeaux only to pair it with a simple egg dish? Not moi! If I served a red Bordeaux, my guests would also be chewing on a juicy mouthful of Filet Mignon! So, while this combination may work theoretically, it certainly lacks in common sense.

Most well made quiche is best to be harmonious in all its ingredients. This means that the cheese, meat and vegetables can be flavourful, yet not overpowering to the delicate nature of eggs.

While quiche -- made with heavy cream – works wonderfully with a creamy textured Chardonnay, I prefer a lighter styled, all-purpose white wine. Sparkling wine! Bubblies are multi-purposed and ideal for every occasion -- whether you’re serving quiche for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or as an appetizer.

Sparkling wine has a good backbone of acidity that contrasts nicely with the saltiness in all cheeses, while cleaning the palate and not overpowering the delicate taste of eggs. It’s also festive, transforming an average brunch into an afternoon celebration.

For some, the topic of sparkling wine can be a bit challenging. After all, sparkling wine is made in various countries, styles, sweetness levels and quality standards.

Champagne is the most famous of sparkling wines. It is also the most northerly wine region in France. So, Champagne is the name of both the French province and the name of its sparkling wine. The grapes grown and vinified to produce this wine are Pinot Noir (providing backbone and structure), Pinot Meunier (contributing freshness and aroma), and/or Chardonnay (offering Champagne’s finesse and elegance).

There are generally a few types of Champagne. Grande Marque is considered a top Champagne from a particular company, such as La Grande Dame from Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin. Grand Cru is made from vineyards rated at 100% in quality. Premier Cru is Champagne made from grapes from villages rated at 90 to 99%. Blanc de Noir is a white Champagne made from the black grapes, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier. Blanc de Blanc is a white Champagne made mostly from Chardonnay grapes. Rose has a tiny amount of red wine blended into its cuvee (blend).

Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world are made in various ways. Champagne and quality sparkling wines, such as some produced in Ontario, are made in a time consuming, traditional and most expensive method called “methode champenoise.” (You’ll see this term on the label if the bubbly was produced in this way.) The less expensive ways of making sparkling wine are the transfer method and the charmat method. These terms are not generally offered on the front label.

When purchasing sparkling wine, be aware of the level of dosage on the label. This represents the wine’s sweetness. Brut is the driest sparkling wine and the best match for quiche, at about one percent. Contrary to its name, extra dry is not quite as dry as Brut and offers more smoothness on the palate. It is about one to three percent. Sec has a hint of sweetness, from three to five percent. Demi-sec is semi-sweet, from five to eight percent. Doux is sweet, from eight to 15%.

Before serving Champagne or sparkling wine, be sure to chill it well, at least an hour in the refrigerator. When opening Champagne and sparkling wine, always keep a napkin over the cork and your hand on top of the napkin and over the cork as you turn. Turn the bottle away from your guests. (When you open the bottle, you have in your hands, about 165 pounds per square inch of pressure.) This is enough pressure to dent a wall or badly hurt someone. The long, flute glass is the best for sparkling wine as its small mouth opening helps to retain the bubbles for a longer time.

Sometimes I enjoy a white with quiche, but most often I choose sparkling wine. Just be sure that the wine or bubbly does not over power the subtle and delicate nature of this dish.

Crustless Bacon and Tomato Quiche
Serves 4
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
6 thin strips cooked peameal bacon
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tbsp baking powder
dash cayenne
1 2/3 cups milk

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Layer cheddar, then onions, then tomato slices in the pie plate. Drizzle with lemon juice. Lay peameal bacon strips over tomato slices. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, blend eggs, flour, butter, baking powder, cayenne. Slowly add milk, blending until ingredients are well incorporated. Pour mixture over bacon. Bake 30 minutes or until center of quiche springs back and is golden. Do not overbake. Let stand for 7 to 10 minutes before serving.

"P" is for Pizza and Matching Wines

2009-08-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

White Bean Whole Wheat Pizza with Spinach and Chevre Recipe Below

I love barbecues, and I crave pizza. So, I like to combine this cooking method and comfort food into one course. Barbecued pizza can be downright healthy, can aid you in keeping the kitchen cool on hot and humid evenings and can make for easy clean up.

The secret to a heart-smart barbecued pizza is to use a whole-wheat thin crust, fresh and local produce and whey-based cheeses. I use whole-wheat tortilla shells for my crusts.

Have you ever heard the term “curds and whey”? During the cheese making process an enzyme is added to the heated milk, starting the curdling process. The fat-soluble parts of the milk begin to clump together, floating in its watery whey. The whey is drained off the curds. The curds are made into a variety of fatty products, while the whey is used to produce fresh cheeses with generally lower fat, more moisture, and less sodium. Examples are whey cheeses are feta, Chevre, farmer’s cheese, and Boursin, to name a few.

Fresh cheeses can add loads of flavour to a barbecued pizza. How about an oregano pesto whole-wheat pizza with artichoke hearts, black olives, and Chevre? Or a basil pesto whole-wheat pizza with wild mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, topped with Boursin? A favourite of mine is White bean and garlic whole-wheat pizza with fresh tomatoes, onions, green olives, spinach, and Chevre. The list of healthy and harmonious combinations is endless.

There are three secrets to making a fabulous barbecued pizza. Be sure to coat the perforated pizza tray with heart smart margarine. This makes the bottom of the crust golden and crunchy and sturdy enough to hold a variety of heavier ingredients. Secondly, use low or indirect heat on the grill. And lastly, refrain from walking away from the barbecuing pizza! You must watch it carefully to keep the crust from burning.

Wine is certainly healthy, as well. All wine when consumed in moderation with food helps to reduce stress. Red wine is high in antioxidants.

The fabulous thing about pairing wine to pizza is that everything goes! Pizza is a casual dish, and therefore works well with a casual wine. In other words, it would be quite appropriate to serve an easy-drinking white or red in the $10 to $15.00 range. Appropriateness is really key. It would be silly to serve a $50 to $100 rare vintage with something as simple as barbecued pizza, unless your intent is that the wine takes center stage. But even so, pizza would not do justice to a wine of this caliber.

The simplest approach is to stick to pairing wine to the cheese topping. After all, it is often the most highly flavourful ingredient on the pizza, save for anchovies.

Pizza topped with goat, feta or Boursin is tangy and so complements a tangy and crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc.

Pizzas highlighting fresh fruit can also be healthy and flavourful. Chunks of fresh pineapple contrasts nicely with goat cheese on Hawaiian pizza. The sweetness of pineapple calls for a white wine with a hint of sweetness, such as semi sweet Riesling or Gewürztraminer or a rose with a hint of sweetness to match. Dry whites or reds would taste too tart alongside this pizza style.

Mexican pizza with a salsa base is often spicy and so also complements semi sweet whites and roses.

Traditional pizza with a roasted tomato base and partly skimmed mozzarella topping goes nicely with a full-bodied, barrel fermented Chardonnay. The wine’s primary building block of fattiness (big mouth feel and oily texture) works nicely with this creamy textured cheese, while it’s toasty notes complement the roasted tomato. The wine’s good acidity also balances the acidity in the tomatoes.

You can still create a healthy barbecued pizza using blue cheese, one that partners well with red wine. Use low fat blue cheese salad dressing as the base ingredient for your pizza. Add toppings, such as chicken, roasted garlic, and rosemary. Pizza featuring blue cheese requires a red wine with enough flavour to match. A medium-bodied red, such as Merlot partners well. Merlot has enough body and flavour to stand up to the soft flavour of the blue cheese dressing, but is not so full-bodied that it dominates the other flavours in this pizza.

Goat cheese also works well with the earthy character of quality Pinot Noir. Add to this a topping combination of rosemary, spinach and garlic, and you’ll have a barbecued pizza and wine marriage made in heaven.

What about pizza heavy in chorizo sausage, pepperoni, steak and Cheddar? In this case, pull out your cabs and plan to walk an extra mile the next day. Meat and cheese is both heavy and so requires a big red wine for balance. Try Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pizza can be so casual that almost any wine will do. And as I’ve always claimed, the only rule you need to follow is this …make sure you get the glass to your lips!

White Bean Whole-Wheat Pizza with Spinach and Chevre (picture)
Serves four

4 whole-wheat tortilla shells
1 cup cannelloni white beans, rinsed
3 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup heart smart oil of choice
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
4 cups baby spinach, steamed
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 to 6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
8 large stuffed green olives sliced

In a food processor or blender add beans, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.
Pulse until coarsely chopped. Season with sea salt and pepper. Butter bottom of tortilla shell and set on perforated pizza pan. Spread the tortilla shell with bean puree. Top with tomatoes, onion, and spinach. Sprinkle with rosemary and dot with goat cheese. Set pizza (in tray) on prepared grill (low heat or indirect heat). Close top and grill, watching carefully, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pizza with bottom is golden and cheese is melted. Repeat using remainder of ingredients for second tortilla pizza.

Wine Suggestion: Sauvignon Blanc
The saltiness of olives, bitterness of white beans and garlic and tanginess of fresh tomatoes and Chevre call for a white wine with crisp acidity. Sauvignon Blanc is ideal.

"O" is for Other Elements At Work in Wine

2009-07-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

There’s more to the culinary experience than meets the eye, the nose, and the palate. I often discuss the primary building blocks in wine and food and how they work together. And while this gives you the ability to look at the tangible elements in each, there are also more subtle aspects at work.

Let’s pretend, for a moment, that you decide to visit the Niagara Peninsula on a hot, summer day to tour wine country in celebration of your marriage anniversary. For lunch, you and your partner head to the Niagara Escarpment to dine at a winery. While there, you both sample fresh, Canadian cheeses and sip a wonderfully crisp, dry Riesling to refresh your palate. The sun warms your shoulders as you gaze at rolling vineyards that gradually fall to meet Lake Ontario’s shoreline with the Toronto skyline in the distance. Best of all, you are experiencing and sharing these precious moments with your partner on this special, intimate occasion. An experience such as this might very well serve as one of the most memorable anniversaries you and your partner have ever experienced with this particular dry Riesling now becoming your favorite white wine.

A year goes by and on your next anniversary; you decide to relive this incredible wine touring experience with your partner but at home. You head to the local wine and cheese shops to pick up a bottle of the same dry Riesling and a few varieties of Canadian artisan cheese. You arrange the cheese tray, light the candles and await the arrival of your partner from work.

Your partner arrives but has forgotten your anniversary and is less than pleasant due to Murphy’s Law and having had to endure a dreadful day. Empathetic, you listen intently. After an hour, you begin to ignore the negativity, intent on recreating that romantic, wine country magic. As you open and pour the wine, you remind your partner that it is your anniversary. Instead of sharing your feelings of romance, your partner bites back with a sarcastic remark and continues about the day from hell. You glare across the table and say nothing as disappointment sets in.

You sip the wine. In shock you look down at your wine glass. This can’t be the wine you enjoyed that winetouring weekend in Niagara! It tastes terribly tart and metallic. You check the label to make sure you didn’t make a mistake, and you wonder if you’ve purchased the wrong vintage or if the wine has spoiled. You even begin to entertain thoughts that this isn’t your REAL partner, but an evil twin.

The wine is no doubt fine. We often fail to realize that many other elements – besides the wine’s building blocks and flavours – directly affect our taste and culinary experience from moment to moment. These elements are:

Our Mood:
Our mood – good or bad, happy or sad – will colour our experience and most certainly our opinion of the wine. Celebratory occasions almost always make any wine taste fabulous. Stress and overwhelm can cause us to ineffectively judge a wine’s character. The reason is that when under stress, our gastrointestinal system becomes acidic. This causes our palate to be acidic, which interacts with the wine’s acid and can cause a metallic taste in our mouth. (Kind of like licking a brass lollypop!)

Climate:
The time of year – the weather -- can also influence our decisions with respect to wine with food. For example, we might enjoy pairing a chilled crisp Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese and fresh greens on a hot summer day. This wine would be less than delicious after spending a long day on the slopes, skiing. Instead, we might enjoy a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon while lounging by the fireplace to warm our chilly bones.

Environment and Temperature:
Our environment, such as sitting in a crowded, claustrophobic and loud restaurant might taint our experience with both the wine and food. The temperature of our body will also directly affect how we experience a specific wine and food combination.

Cold temperatures in both wine and food also affect flavor. Generally, cold dishes are often more highly spiced to enhance flavor. Wine loses its flavor if served too cold. The colder the wine the more flavor is decreased. By the same token, serving warm wine can give the perception that the wine is high in alcohol.

Personal Preferences:
What we like best is what we should drink and eat – despite what the critics might say. Some people mistakenly believe they will ruin their meal if they choose the "wrong" wine. They need not worry. There are so many variables involved that it is impossible to guarantee success every time. ALL wine and food pairings are gambles. The good news is that it's impossible to ruin a good meal if you select a wine that you enjoy.

"N" is for Noodles

2009-07-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

When pairing wine to one’s favorite noodle dish, the rule of thumb is to consider the sauce. The old rule states that we should pair white wines to white sauces, such as Alfredo and red wine to red sauces like tomato-based versions. While this rule certainly is a great starting point, also consider the noodle’s shape and consistency and match this to the sauce’s weight and texture. Said another way, marry the weight of the sauce to the density of the noodle to the weight of the wine. Otherwise, one element will dominate the others, causing the combination to be imbalanced in flavour and texture.

For example, thin, delicate noodles like angel hair or thin spaghetti are best served with light-style, thin sauces (broths) that partner well with delicate or lighter styled wines (non-oaked Chardonnay.)

Thicker noodles like fettuccine are an ideal partner for heavier sauces (meat-based), and therefore work well with heavier style wines (Cabernet Sauvignon.)

Noodles with holes or ridges -- mostaccioli (two-inch long macaroni tubes) or radiatore (about one inch long and half an inch in diameter chunks that resemble tiny radiators with rippled edges) – are great for chunkier sauces (seafood or meat) and work with big, bold wines – big, bold whites and/or big, bold reds.

Rotini (spirals) is a twisted noodle that holds bits of meat, vegetables and cheese, so it works well with heavy or chunky sauces. Capellini (angel hair) is delicate in texture and so is best suited to thinner, delicate sauces. Manicotti can be stuffed with a mixture of meat, cheese and vegetables, topped with your favorite sauce and bake.

With so many heavy and competing flavours, Manicotti is best matched to a big, full-bodied wine (Cabernet or Zinfandel.) Farfalle (bow ties) is thick enough for any sauce. Medium and wide egg noodles can be baked, tossed in soups or salads, or topped with cream, tomato, cheese or meat sauces.

Spaghetti and linguine are the perfect choice for nearly any sauce, while fettuccini is great for heavier sauces, like cheese, meat and tomato sauces. Rigatoni's ridges and holes are perfect with any sauce, from cream or cheese to the chunkiest meat sauces.

Here’s a few ideas for pairing ideas:

Tomato-based sauces with capellini noodles pair well with a light to medium red like Pinot Noir.

Spicy tomato-based sauces with farfalle, spaghetti or linguine pair well with light, fruity reds with good acidity, such as Pinot Noir.

Pesto with gnocci (potato dumpling pasta) pairs well with a big, fat Chardonnay.

Blue cheese sauces with gnocci, fettuccini or rigatoni pair well with Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.

White cheese sauces with fettuccini or rigatoni pair well with a big, fat Chardonnay.

Herb sauces with angel hair pair well with light, fruit reds, as well.

Cream-based sauces with gnocci or fettuccini pair well with a big fat Chardonnay.

Meat sauces with gnocci or fettuccini or rigatoni pair well with a big, bold Cabernet.

Oil-based sauces (olive oil and garlic) with spaghetti or linguini pair well with a big, fat Chardonnay.

"M" is for Moscato grapes

2009-07-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

I rarely drink sweet wines. However, I just discovered a sparkling one on the LCBO’s new general list that I plan on consuming quite regularly on hot days this summer, and I plan to serve it to my guests after barbecue entertaining.

Petalo Il Vino Dell’Amore Moscato Bottega (CSPC # 588780, $14.20, LCBO, Ontario), (SKU #580993, $17.99, B.C. Liquor Stores, B.C.) is a bubbly produced from Moscato grapes grown on the hills of Veneto, Italy. The area is renowned for rose growing, and so it is said that during flowering the bees transfer the delicate perfume from the roses to the wine, hence the name, ‘wine of love.’

Light-bodied and refreshing, Petalo possesses delicious, juicy tangerine and peach aromas and flavours. It’s like experiencing a liquid fruit salad in a flute glass. After all, it has a sugar code of 9! Best of all, this bubbles seems to sparkle forever, a nifty value –added element found in few inexpensive sparklers.

This wine attains its fresh and fruity character, not only from the Moscato grape, but through the winemaking practices. The juice undergoes a soft pressing and short fermentation, believed to release the fresh, fragrant character from the grapes. A secondary fermentation at low pressure allows the wine to retain its natural sweetness, while only reaching a minimal alcohol level of 6.5%. This fresh fruity character and low alcohol makes Petalo ideal for daytime sipping. Wines with higher alcohol often make us feel too sluggish in the sun.

Petalo is so delicious I would serve it throughout an entire evening. Hand a glass to your friends upon their arrival at your home. The appetizers served can harmonize with the wine, as well, such as warmed brie stuffed with fresh peaches, spicy coconut shrimp and melon wrapped in prosciutto. Pour your guests another glass for dinner to serve alongside a hot and spicy Thai or East Indian curry over rice or, instead, barbecued tuna or chicken topped with a peach and strawberry salsa. For those of you who don’t like to cook, order in Hawaiian pizza with pineapples. The meal could end with a glass of Petula accompanied by a bowl of tangerine wedges with a hefty dollop of frozen yogurt, poached peaches in sabayon, grilled apples with vanilla ice-cream or a hot slice of rhubarb-apple pie with a spoonful of clotted cream.

This wine of love is also the best gift to express your love for that romantic brunch, your next wedding celebration, a new baby arrival or for baptisms and birthdays.

"L" is for Lasagna

2009-07-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Lasagna is a flat noodle about two inches wide, often with ruffled edges. To create this delicious dish, boiled lasagna noodles are layered with cheese and sauce. The cheese variety and type of sauces used is strictly up to the cook. Most sauces, however, are some derivative of meat, tomato or Bechamel sauce. Bechamel, named after the inventor Louis de Bechamel XIV, is pronounced “bay-shah-MEHL”. This Italian word describes a basic French white sauce consisting of flour, butter and milk.

While the noodle style determines the foundation of this dish, there are thousands of other interesting and delicious variations. There’s meatless and cheeseless Vegan Lasagna, Polenta Lasagna, Tofu, Wild Mushroom, Veal, Chicken Florentine, Turkey and Vegetable, Balsamic Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Crab and Lobster, and even Passover Egglplant Lasagna. The list is endless.

What’s great about this particular dish, is that its creation is virtually “idiot-proof.” There are a few tips to keep in mind, however. For example, do not add oil to your boiling water. Simply stir the noodles consistently to keep them from sticking together. Adding oil keeps the noodles from absorbing the sauce while baking. Leave the noodles slightly undercooked. They should be flexible but firm. The reason is that the noodles will continue to cook while baking and absorb some of the sauce. Refrain from rinsing the noodles, as well, as this washes away flavour. The no-boil noodles work well, but are thinner than the traditional ones and so yield a thinner tasting dish. This dish is time consuming to create, so make a large batch and freeze the remainder. Butter the baking dish before you line it with sauce. This will keep your noodles from sticking and falling apart.

Marrying wine to your Lasagna follows the same rule as any other pasta dish. Consider the sauce and type of flesh added. White sauces call for white wines. White sauces with heavy cheese need big, oak aged whites with enough weight and texture to stand up to the fattiness in cheese. The ‘ol style oak fermented and/or aged Chardonnays are an excellent choice. Tomato based, vegetarian, veal or chicken versions work well with light to medium-bodied, fruity red wines offering good acidity, such as Chianti (not Reserva), Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Burgundy, etc. Lasagna with meat sauce and/or game requires full-bodied reds. “Super Tuscans” are an excellent choice. These reds came into vogue in the late 1980s and gained international attention. The wines were sold as table wines because their use of international varietals, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, made them ineligible for official wine categories. A super Tuscan can be produced from just about any grape variety, such as from a pure Sangiovese to a complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with a hint of Pinot Noir. They are often expensive, so serve them with Lasagna when you’re interested in impressing your guests. For everyday Lasagna, a full-bodied Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon will do the trick.

"K" is for Keeping Wine

2009-07-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

While teaching my course at Fleming College called ‘An Introduction to Wine’, one of my participants asked the question, “How long does wine keep in the bottle once opened?”

This is a frequently asked question. Many wine lovers open a bottle of wine to enjoy a glass or two. But what do you do with the wine that is left over? How do you keep it fresh once the bottle is opened?

A wine’s style helps to determine its life span in an opened bottle. Champagne and sparkling wine have the shortest life span. Inferior sparkling wines will lose their effervesce quickly, so drink them to the last drop once the bottle is opened. If produced in the traditional methode champenoise, sparkling wine and Champagne can last a couple of days in the refrigerator, if re-corked.

White table wines have a relatively short life span, as well. When re-corked and refrigerated, a white wine will stay fresh for a couple of days. They will still be drinkable, but may lose some of their wonderful aromas and flavours. Some white wines with excellent acidity, such as white Burgundy, can often retain its character over a few days. White dessert wines, because they are generally high in the preservatives called alcohol and sugar, will keep longer when re-corked and refrigerated, sometimes weeks.

Red wines have a love and hate relationship with oxygen. While older vintages are decanted to remove sediment, young reds are decanted so they are exposed to oxygen so they can breath. Decanting allows for the wine’s aromas and flavours to open up. However, if exposed to oxygen for a few days without being re-corked and refrigerated, the wine will soon oxidize and eventually turn to vinegar.

If you intend to store an opened bottle of white or red wine overnight to drink the remainder on the following day, then re-cork the bottle and put it into the refrigerator, standing upright. Chilling the wine helps to slow the oxidation process. I do this regularly, as a bottle of wine rarely lasts more than two days in my house. If I am refrigerating a half bottle of quality wine, I will add a splash of vegetable oil to the bottle. The oil film helps to keep the wine from air exposure left inside the bottle, even after it is re-corked.

If you want to prolong the life span of your wine for up to a week, consider investing in a vacuum pump. This gadget pumps out air, before you re-cork the bottle. You can purchase pumps, such as the VacuVin. To use this device, you attach the rubber stopper to the bottle’s rim. The vacuum is attached to the top of the rubber stopper and air is sucked from the bottle. Some wine aficionados believe this method also draws out the wine’s subtle characteristics.

Scott A. Farmer of California’s Private Reserve developed a spray product called Private Reserve made from a mixture of various gasses (nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon) to be used to lengthen a wine’s life span. This is a gas that is sprayed into the opened bottle before it is re-corked. A gas film covers the wine and slows the oxidation process. When using spray products to keep wine fresh, be sure to push the cork into the bottle until it is level with the rim.

"J" is for Johnnycake with Fresh Basil

2009-06-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

Johnnycake is fried flatbread originally made from cornmeal, salt and water. Today Johnnycake is made in a multitude of ways with added ingredients like fresh herbs and is an ideal partner to serve with wine.

Johnnycake was a staple in the pioneer American diet. Some people believe the name came from the word “Shawnee”, as in the Shawnee people, the American aboriginals who originally inhabited areas, such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They were driven west finally settling in Oklahoma.

Now considered a Rhode Island food, Johnnycake is also believed to be a derivative from the term “journey-cake” as the Rhode Island accent omits the sound of “r”.

I personally believe these fried flatbreads come from the Shawnee peoples. This bread is similar to our Canadian bannock.

After preparing the batter, spoonfulls are dropped onto a hot greased griddle or fried in butter in an iron skillet. Johnnycake is buttery, salty and delicious.

It’s the ideal bread to serve with a big, fat white, such as Toasted Head Chardonnay, (CSPC #594341) $16.95. This is a delicious Chardonnay with loads of ripe pear fruit on the nose and palate with creamy, buttery texture. This wine has 14.5 percent alcohol and so offers thick viscoscity, experienced on the palate as fattiness.

This is one of my all time favourite fatty whites. I served this wine on New Year’s Eve, partnered with my 5 cheese mac and cheese. My guests moaned in delight. This white also works with lobster and crap in butter sauce, and alfredo or olive oil over pasta. It also complements duck, salmon, and anything else with celebrated fat!

To give this fried bread a hint of gourmet appeal, add to the recipe finely chopped fresh basil. Fresh basil sings of summer. Basil and Chardonnay are also fabulous partners. If you want to serve Johnnycakes in style for entertaining friends, add some seared fois gras alongside.

Here’s a simple Basil Johnnycake Recipe, serving 4 to 6 people.

1/2 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup hot milk
1 tablespoon shortening
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt

Butter (as needed for frying)

Mix the dry ingredients, then stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the fresh basil. Fold the basil in last and separately. Melt butter in an iron skillet. Do not let brown. Drop batter (according to size of cake you want to make) into the skillet. Fry to golden brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Season with salt. Serve hot.

"I" is For Icewine, Icewine Martini In The Summer, That Is...

2009-06-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Icewine Martini Recipe Below

Icewine is certainly recognized as a winter beverage because it is produced from grapes left to freeze on the vine in the winter. The grapes are hand picked when the temperature drops below minus 8 degrees Celsius.

Traditionally, this dessert wine is served after a meal, only an ounce or so, and is often partnered with fruit based desserts.

While inferior icewine tends to be overly sweet and cloying on the palate, quality icewine is not cloying. It actually offers an equal balance of intense sweetness as it enters the palate, followed by crisp acidity that sneaks up from behind in the after taste. The VQA label on the bottleneck tells you the wine is of quality grapes. (To reduce the experience of the sweetness, be sure to serve Icewine extremely cold. Chill it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, but never in the freezer. )

Icewine need not only be served in winter. It’s an excellent wine for upscale, summer dining and entertaining. How about a cold melon and icewine gazpacho? Simply puree a ripe honeydew melon. Stir in 2 ounces of Icewine. Chill until ready to serve and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Serve this fruit gaspacho with an Icewine Martini. (Recipe below).

The Canadian Icewine martini has been making its début in trendy restaurants throughout North America, including Opus Restaurant in Yorkville, Red Square in South Beach, Miami, and at the Madison and L’Opera in Long Beach, California. At Opus Restaurant an icewine martini runs about $12.00 per glass.

When making an Icewine cocktail use quality liquors and fresh ingredients, such as juice from fresh lemons and limes. If you’re adding ice to the cocktail, refrain from over shaking. This dilutes the drink. Also aim for an Icewine cocktail balanced in its flavours. The cocktail should not be overly alcoholic and offer a balance of sweetness, sourness and if desired, pleasant bitterness.

The Icewine martini combines a delicate mix of half an ounce of vodka with an ounce of Vidal or Riesling Icewine and is stirred, not shaken, to create a crystal clear liquid with a hint of willow green. The perfect Icewine martini is garnished with a frozen icewine grape, lightly dipped in sugar and some fresh mint as a garnish. If you want to get fancy, garnish your martini with sugared mint. Place fresh mint leaves on waxed paper. Using a kitchen paint brush, paint both sides of the mint with egg white and sprinkle with fine white sugar. Leave the mint to dry for several hours, even days. The Canadian ritual is to first eat the grape or sugared mint before taking your first sip of the decadent martini. Some restaurants put frozen grapes on a skewer, served in the martini.

A kir Catherine is made from one ounce of Icewine with four to five ounces of brut sparkling wine. Don't waste good Champagne. Along with the Icewine martini, this cocktail serves as a refreshing aperitif that complement fresh fruits and soft cheeses. A kir Catherine can also be served with your cold melon and Icewine gazpacho.

How about Icewine sangria? This flavourful cocktail combines one and a half ounces of Icewine, half an ounce of brandy, two ounces of unsweetened cranberry juice, juice from half a lime, a splash of grenadine, two ounces of soda water, seedless grapes, and a slice of fresh mango for the garnish. I always add fresh mint. I luuuzzzz fresh mint! It adds colour and harmonizes extremely well with fruit flavours. Fill a Collins glass with ice, and then add the sangria.

A Niagara Orchard Cocktail combines an ounce of Icewine, a half ounce of vodka, juice from half a lemon, a splash of sparkling wine and, for the garnish, a few, ripe Niagara cherries. Place all the ingredients, except the cherries, in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir the mixture until chilled. Strain the liquid into martini glasses. Top each with a splash of Champagne and garnish with a cherry.

And remember, a simple, yet elegant ounce of chilled Icewine tastes fantastic when served with fresh wedges of cantaloupe after your summer barbecue.

"H" is for High Acid Whites

2009-06-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

Recipe for tomato salad below.

It's time to enjoy a chilled glass of white wine on a blistering hot afternoon or balmy evening. I often recommend chilled white wines with high acidity for the summertime. Crisp, dry white wines with good acidity often have flavours reminiscent of lemons, limes, grapefruit, and gooseberries. Still others can have more grassy and mineral tones. Despite the flavours, the predominant taste sensation of crisp, dry white wines is zestiness or sourness from the wine's backbone of acidity. Give me a glass of Vinho Verde from Portugal any day of the week.

When recommending crisp, dry white wines, I often suggest Sauvignon Blanc and dry Riesling. Ontario's wineries produce outstanding dry Rieslings with what is describe as 'steely acidity.' However, there are other white wines produced in wine regions around the world that fall into this wine style category, too.

Pinot Bianco is an Italian grape variety grown in the northeast part of the country, in the provinces of Alto-Adige, Veneto and Friuli. Wines from this grape are medium-bodied with a light fruitiness and crisp acidity. They are sometimes fermented and/or aged in oak. When oak is employed these varieties fall into a different wine style category called big, fat whites. So, make sure that your pinot bianco has not seen any oak if you’re looking for a crisp, dry white.

Some Chardonnay are produced in this crisp, dry white wine style, as well. Chablis is the most northerly region of Burgundy. The area’s wines that receive the Chablis AOC must be made from the chardonnay grape. The AOC stands for the Code de Legislation des Appellation d’Origine Controlee. The AOC has two main objectives. The first is to geographically define wine-producing areas so that the origin of a wine may be clearly and accurately stated. The second objective is to establish production standards for each defined wine area, thus guaranteeing the origin and quality of a wine. The AOC is complemented by other laws, such as Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure, Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. Generally speaking, an AOC wine is guaranteed to be of high quality, and to be produced in a way that preserves local traditions and emphasizes the uniqueness of the region or terroir. (Terroir is the combination of the geography, climate and soil of a particular wine region.)

Back to the crisp, dry white wine style. There are four classifications of Chablis AOC, each producing chardonnay with different character traits. All, however, falls into this crisp, white wine style. The classifications are: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. This region also produces crisp, white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Aligote grapes.

In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is also grown and made into a crisp white with good acidity. Bairrada is a wine region in Portugal that produces white wines in this style, as well, with crispness and lemony character.

Other white wines that celebrate this style category are Bacchus and Baden from Germany, and a Swiss grape variety called Chasselas. Frascati, Pinot Grigio and Orvieto are three more crisp, dry whites from Italy. It’s not surprising that many dry, crisp whites come from Italy. Wines produced in this style are considered food friendly as the high acidity cleans the palate. The Italians are renowned for drinking wine with almost every meal. So, it’s not surprising that they would produce crisp, dry whites that clean the palate between bites.

When pairing foods to crisp, dry white wines, consider the acidity first. This acidity complements the same taste sensation in foods and also nicely offsets saltiness. Make sure, however, that the acid in the wine is greater than the one in the food. Vinaigrettes can work or clash with crisp, dry whites, depending on the type of vinegar used. Cider and white vinegar clash. They are simply too acidic to pair with wine. White balsamic and rice vinegar harmonize extremely well with crisp, dry whites. Dark balsamic may or may not work, depending on its level of sweetness. Go for the more sour versions to work with this wine. A fresh tomato salad with sweet onions, fresh basil and fresh grapefruit mint drizzled in white balsamic is a favourite summer salad of mine that I partner to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The acidity in the wine and salad create harmony on the palate.

Pair the zesty quality in other foods, such as yoghurt, feta, goat cheese, and lemons with crisp, dry whites. Light bodied fish, such as filet of sole, drizzled in fresh lemon juice when partnered to a crisp, dry white will make even your finicky guests moan in delight. This style of wine also complements salty foods, such as caviar, smoked salmon, and oysters on the half shell. And, of course, cheese! Parmesan, due to its saltiness, has a natural affinity to crisp, dry whites. Try Portugal's Vinho Verde with asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and grilled on the barbie and a white bean dip with parmesan and roasted garlic as the starters to a summertime meal.

Crisp, dry whites sometimes have a pleasant bitterness on the finish that works with the bitterness in spinach, raddichio, and toasted walnuts, as well.

Another simple appetizer that pairs with this style of wine is baked feta. Place a chunk of fresh feta in the centre of a large piece of foil wrap. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with slices of black olives and finely chopped fresh oregano. Seal up the foil and place the feta in the oven at 350 F for 15 minutes. When heated the feta melts with a dip-like consistency. Transfer your feta dip to a bowl and serve with flat bread, accompanied by a bottle of Ontario dry Riesling. Heaven!

"G" is for Grilling Sauces

2009-06-04T11:34:00.001-07:00

Darling's Ribs, recipe below

Grilling ribs on the barbie is one of my favourite summer pastimes. Babyback pork and beef ribs offer a good layer of flesh and fat, making them ideal for sauces that caramelize nicely when grilled.

The old cheese cliche certainly works for ribs: No fat, no flavour. The endless array of sauce recipes that complement pork and beef ribs also makes them ideal for wine partnerships.

When it comes to barbecue dining, be sure to choose an inexpensive wine. Why invest in a costly vintage when you won't be able to appreciate the subtle aromas? The wine must compete with the strong smell of barbecue smoke, the wind and perhaps the smell of swimming pool chlorine. It's also beneficial to choose whites, roses and light, fruity red wines for barbecue dining. All can be chilled, and so are refreshing in the hot, summer sun.

Chilled and refreshing wines also contrast nicely with hot ribs off the barbie. Many people assume that a big red wine is the best match for heavy meats. But white wines, roses and light, fruity reds partner well with pork and beef ribs. The key is to consider the building blocks in the food and in the wine and how they work together.

Here are a few examples. If you are coating pork ribs in a sweet, fruit-based sauce such as a spicy peach sauce, choose a white wine with a hint of sweetness. Why? Because the primary building block in most fruit-based sauces is sweetness. While this sweetness would clash with the bitterness (tannin) in a big, full-bodied red wine, it is ideal to pair with the building block of sweetness in an off-dry white wine such as Gewürztraminer.

Let's look at a spicy horseradish sauce made of sour cream, prepared horseradish, mayonnaise, wine vinegar, and dried mustard for pork ribs. Sour cream and mayonnaise possess the building block of fattiness. Horseradish sauce is spicy. So this rib sauce recipe requires a big,luscious, full-bodied white wine to stand up to the fattiness of sour cream and mayonnaise, yet with a hint of sweetness to offset the spiciness of horseradish. An off-dry Gewürztraminer or off-dry Riesling would do the trick.

Korean sweet and sour soy sauce made of pineapple, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and pine nuts is a great sauce on pork ribs to pair with an off-dry rose. This wine will have enough acidity (sourness) to pair with the saltiness of soy sauce and to offset the sourness of vinegar. Yet, the wine's hint of sweetness balances the sweetness of pineapples. Both the sauce and wine have sweet and sour building blocks that balance each other.

What about traditional barbecue sauce? Ketchup is often the base ingredient of many barbecue sauce recipes. It is high in sugar and so works nicely with a rose possessing a hint of sweetness.

I discovered a fantastic rib sauce recipe at a London, Ontario Rib Festival about 15 years ago. Here is my version...

Darling's Rib Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 whole bulb of peeled and minced garlic

Half an onion, finely diced

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne.

On low heat, simmer the sauce for a half hour before applying to ribs to finish them on the grill. (Photo above)

Beef ribs can carry heavier sauces and go nicely with chilled, luscious,light, fruity red wines with good complexity, such as Pinot Noir. Pinot noir is big enough to stand up to the pronounced flavours of dark soy sauce. Yet this wine has a refreshing backbone of acidity to offset the saltiness of soy sauce. And even though it's a red wine, it is meant to be slightly chilled. Put your Pinot Noir in the refrigerator for a half hour before serving.

Here's a fabulous rib recipe from my latest cookbook entitled Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines. These ribs can be served as an appetizer or as an entree.

Lip-Smacking, Finger-Lickin’, Good and Messy Ribs
Serves 4 to 6

5 ½ lb baby back pork ribs*
1 bottle ale

Dry Rub:
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried mustard
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Japanese sauce
2 tbsp molasses
1 bulb garlic, roasted

*Have your butcher remove the membrane on the ribs.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Wash the ribs under cold water. Pat them dry. Pour the ale into the bottom of a roasting pan. Cut the ribs to fit onto the broiler rack of the roasting pan. Combine all the rub ingredients, except for the oil, in a bowl. Coat the ribs with the oil, then sprinkle them with the rub. Set aside.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small skillet and simmer the sauce on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Cover the ribs with foil, set on the pan and roast for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 275 F and roast them for another 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Coat the ribs with the sauce and grill them on the barbecue for another 30 minutes, until the sauce is caramelized. Remove the ribs from the oven. Serve hot.

Suggested Wine:
The predominant building block is sweetness, due to the brown sugar and molasses. An off dry rose has enough sweetness to match. Choose an off dry rose with lots of dark berry fruit flavours to match the depth of earthy flavour in molasses.

"F" is for Fruit Wines, How to Enjoy Them and the Foods They Work With

2009-05-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Even though I consider myself an advocate of classic table wines, I sometimes crave cold ale or a glass of chilled, refreshing fruit wine on a hot, summer day. In Ontario we have fruit wines made from locally grown fruits, such as apples, rhubarb, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. These wines are produced in a variety of styles, such as dry, sparkling, off dry, sweet and very sweet.

Fruit wines can be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, especially entrees containing fresh fruit as an ingredient, such as berry sauces or compotes. These wines are enjoyed in much the same way as classic table wines, that is by using your senses in smelling and tasting them.

The first step to enjoying fruit wine is to look at its colour and clarity. The wine should be bright. Swirl the glass to add air, which helps to carry the aromas to the surface of the glass and therefore up to your nose. Our nose has the ability to distinguish over 10,000 different smells whereas our mouth only has four taste sensations. So, most of the enjoyment of wine can be found in the art of swirling and smelling. Unlike table wines that can magically take on an endless array of aromas, fruit wines should smell like the fruit from which they are made. For example, a good Chardonnay may smell like apples to one person; pears, to another. Another person may insist this same wine smells and tastes of tropical fruit, such as melons. A quality fruit wine made from raspberries should smell like … well, raspberries. A blended fruit wine produced from apples and rhubarb should then smell like this same combination of fruit. By the same token, if a raspberry wine does not smell like the fruit of origin, then it is not, necessarily, considered a winner.

The same goes for tasting fruit wine. The wine should taste like the fruit from which it is made. Like classic table wines, fruit wines have building blocks, such as acidity, sweetness, bitterness and sometimes viscosity (weight of mouthfeel) often described as fattiness.

Many fruit wineries produce wines in four sweetness levels, such as dry, off dry, semi sweet and sweet. I personally believe all fruit wines should possess some sweetness to balance their natural acidity. I’m not fond of fruit wines that are vinified dry. Fruit wines are not supposed to compete with dry table wines produced from grapes. In fact, I think vinifying fruit wines to dry gives this genre a bad reputation. Fruit wines will never taste like table wines made from grapes or vice versa. And that’s a good thing. Fruit wines don’t have to compete with table wines, no more than action flicks need to compete with romance movies. There’s a place in our culinary world for both.

Wines fermented from fruits complement a wide array of appetizers, salads, soups, entrees and desserts. Barbecued ravioli with a dollop of raspberry and wasabi mayonnaise is a tasty appetizer to pair with chilled raspberry wine. A salad of fresh greens drizzled in a strawberry vinaigrette works nicely when partnered to strawberry wine. And there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a bowl of raspberry gazpacho decorated with fresh mint. Apple cranberry wine is a great match for pork chops with applesauce or pork ribs glazed with brown sugar and dried apples. East Indian and Thai curries taste outstanding when highlighted by a glass of fruit wine possessing balanced sweetness. Just make sure the wine is sweeter than the sweetness in your dish.

Like a chilled ounce of icewine, a sweet fruit wine can stand on its own. It is dessert!

Ontario is home to many awesome fruit wineries.

Kawartha Country Wines, located at 2275 County Road 36 in Buckhorn, is a lovely place to visit for the ambiance, gourmet fare and delicious wines. Here you can sample wines and pick up interesting and unique foods and food and wine related items in their gourmet shop. Owners John Rufa and Trish Dougherty recently won silver medals in the All Canadian Wine Championships for their 2008 Rhubarb, $13.80, and their 2007 Black Current, $14.80. My favourite is their Rasperry Port. It is outstanding. Kawartha Country Wines is hosting a strawberry festival at the winery on June 27, 2009. For more information call

Many other wineries from across the country took home medals in the All Canadian Wine Championships, as well. Double gold medals went to the following:

Soft Fruit Dry
Scotch Block Winery, ON 2008 Regal Black Currant $12.95
Soft Fruit Off-Dry
Muskoka Lakes Winery, ON 2007 Cranberry Blueberry $16.75
Soft Fruit Dessert
Scotch Block Winery, ON 2008 Black Currant Truffle $14.95
Tree Fruit Dry
Verge Belliveau Orchard, NB 2007 Poire $12.99
Tree Fruit Off-Dry
Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery, ON N/V Golden Plum $19.75
Tree Fruit Dessert
La Face Cachee de la Pomme, PQ 2007 Frimas Ice Cider $39.87
(Trophy, Best Fruit Wine)
**Sponsored by Ontario Viniculture Association
Fruit Fortifieds
Les Vergers de la Colline, PQ 2006 L'Ensorceleuse $23.70
Fruit Sparkling *NEW Category
Cidrerie du Minot, PQ N/V Cremant de Glace $23.90
Meades
Applewood Farm Winery, ON 2008 Mac Meade $12.45
Grape Fortifieds & Other Desserts
L'Acadie Vineyards, NS 2008 Soleil $29.38

"E" is for Etiquette -- Wine Etiquette, that is...

2009-05-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

The shape of a wine glass alters the aromas and flavours of a wine. Make sure the rim is more narrow than the bowl. The Riedel glass on the left is well shaped and will enhance the character of the wine. The glass on the right is inferior.

If you’re planning on entertaining clients, employees, family or friends this summer in a restaurant setting, it’s always handy to brush up on your etiquette, especially if you’re ordering wine.

I think it’s important to choose a restaurant that creates an experience rather than serves a meal, one with table cloths, linen napkins and well shaped wine glasses.

Nothing is more infuriating to me than paying top dollar to discover that my dinner plate is set directly on a naked table beside a wine glass purchased from the Dollar Store and an accompanying paper napkin that threatens to give me paper cut lips.

If you’re a wino like me, you may want to choose a restaurant with a particular theme, such as a steak house, one that also possesses a decent wine cellar and wine list to accompany its distinct menu.

I like to make sure that I can order a fabulous bottle of wine, one that all my guests can enjoy with their similar entrees. Chiado Restaurant in Toronto at 864 College Street Toronto, ON M6H 1A3, is case in point. This authentic Portuguese gem does not serve meals, but rather creates heightened culinary experiences. Their extensive fish selection is well suited to the Portugese only wine list. This restaurant gets 10 on the Moan Factor Scale!

To make a great impression, consider phoning the sommelier or restaurateur a head of time to make a reservation for a specific time. And if applicable, request a particular table within the restaurant, one with the best view. Also request a bottle of sparkling wine or Champagne be set on the table immediately upon your arrival.

After sitting down, place the napkin on your lap. As the host you are responsible for ordering the wine. Make sure the waitperson has handed you both the menu and wine list. Since you’ve already ordered Champagne for your guests, there’s no need to suggest aperitifs. If you have not requested a bubbly, ask your guests if they would enjoy an aperitif.

Remember, you want your guests to consume enough alcohol to enjoy themselves and to pair with their cuisine, but you must also ensure they are sober upon leaving the restaurant and getting into their vehicles.

Listen intently when your guests are ordering their main entrée. If you feel there are far too many cuisines being ordered, such as in weight and complexity of flavours, then suggest everyone enjoy individual glasses of wine. An entrée highlighting East Indian or Thai flavours offers a completely different taste profile than a steak stuffed with brie and wrapped in bacon. Both entrees demand specific styles of wines. Hot and spicy dishes require a wine with tropical flavours and sweetness, yet steak with cheese and bacon demands a big, fabulous red with good structure.

You will be the one expected to test the wine. The waitperson or sommelier will show you the label. Read the label. Be sure to read the name of the winery, the style (Bordeaux) and/or grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) and most definitely the vintage date. The same wine can vary in quality and price from year to year.

The sommelier or waitperson will open the wine in front of you. After opening the bottle, the server will then put the cork in front of you. You may have noticed some people smelling the cork. You do not need to do this. Just feel it instead. The level of moisture in the cork may be an indication of how the wine has been stored. If the cork is dried out, this may be a sign that the bottle has been stored upright, rather on its side, thereby allowing air inside the bottle and causing the wine to oxidize – aging before its time. Young wines, however, may have dry corks because they have just been bottled. If the cork is gummy, this may be a good indication that the wine has oxidized. Cork taint accounts for less than 3 percent of all wines. So, your chance of getting one is slim.

The server will then pour an ounce of wine into your glass. Your job is to swirl the wine, smell it and taste it. If you’re unsure as to what to smell, just concern yourself with the taste. If the wine tastes pleasant, nod and let the server then fill your guests’ glasses first; yours last. If the wine’s taste reminds you of cooked fruit – the kind you put into a pie – then the wine may very well be oxidized. If the cork is gummy and the wine taste liked cooked fruit, ask for another bottle of wine.

Don’t be shy to send it back and order a new bottle of wine. The restaurateur will place the cork back into the bottle and return it to its source for a replacement. (Remember that you cannot drink an entire glass before requesting the wine be removed from the table.)

If you agree with the wine, nod to the sommelier. He/she will then pour the wine, beginning with your guests sittingto your right. You will be serves last.

In a busy and crowded restaurant it may take a while for the wait person to return to top up the wine glasses. Take it upon yourself to fulfill this task. Pour wine into all your guests’ glasses before your own. Pour the same amount into each glass despite how slowly or quickly your guests are sipping.

A new bottle of wine deserves clean wine glasses. You are paying a premium price for this beverage and so deserve to have clean glasses for each product.

At the end of the meal offer dessert to your guests with tea or coffee. The additional fat will absorb alcohol. Sit and relax for a while before paying the bill. Your guests will feel obligated to stay seated. Additional alcohol-free time is the only remedy to reduce the alcohol levels in the blood.

"D" is For Dry Rubs

2009-05-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Rubbed Barbecued Baby Back Pork Ribs Recipe Below.

I love dry rubs. Like sauces, dry rubs on grilled vegetables and protein are perfect wine partners.
When barbecuing many people like to use a rub and then finish their protein with some sort of barbecue sauce.

I tend to like dry rubs all on their own. A difference exists between a 'seasoning' agent and a 'dry rub'. A seasoning agent is used sparingly and its purpose is to add flavour. The dry rub's primary purpose is to form a tasty crust on food, to act as a barrier, allowing the protein or ingredient to retain its moisture during frying, deep frying, roasting or barbecuing - all the while adding lots of flavour.

Be careful, however, as the seasonings within a dry rub alter in flavour when cooked. So, do not judge the rub by its raw flavours alone. Its wine pairing compatibility is based on its tastes, flavours and texture “once cooked.”

Most dry rubs are made from a base ingredient that tastes either salty or sweet. Saltiness and sweetness are both building blocks in food that must be considered when hunting for the ideal wine partner.

Saltiness works well with the acidity in wine. It is experienced on the palate as a sour or zesty taste. Just as salt and vinegar potato chips harmonize together, so too does salty dry rubs and zesty wines. Salty dry rubs are complemented by wine partners, such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, dry Vidal, Pinot Gris, and Vinho Verde. Salt tends to draw out moisture, so I would refrain from using a salt-based dry rub on fish.

Sweetness in savoury dishes cannot be ignored when you’re considering a compatible wine partner. You can pair your sweet-based dry rubs with wines offering sweetness, such as off-dry whites or off dry roses. Examples include semi sweet Riesling, semi sweet Gewurztraminer, semi sweet Vidal and sparkling wines with sweetness. Make sure the bubbly’s label says sec or demi-sec. Sweet dry rubs work nicely with fish, chicken, pork and beef.

Once you have determined the base ingredient or building block of your dry rub, and matched this with a primary building block in a wine – meaning you have chosen a particular wine style, you can then experiment and consider flavours. What wine flavours work with the flavouring agents of dry rubs?

A Texas style dry rub with a salt base, chili and garlic powders, dry mustard and pepper, partners with a white wine with good acidity to offset the salt and spice. Dry Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnays with no oak fermentation or aging are great matches.

Salt-based dry rubs with dried herbs, such as basil, thyme, marjoram and/or parsley work nicely with white wine that celebrate herbal notes, such as Sauvignon Blanc. This particular wine possesses grassy character on the nose and palate. This herbaceous character therefore harmonizes with the dried herbs in the rub.

Asian Barbecue Chicken Recipe Below

Sugar-based dry rubs with plenty of spiciness, such as cayenne or chilies, works with semi sweet white wines. The hotter the spice, the more sweetness is required in the wine. Go with semi sweet Riesling, semi sweet Gewurztraminer, semi sweet Vidal, sparkling wines with sweetness (sec or demi-sec) or a semi sweet rose.

Some dry rub recipes are based on seeds and nuts. Seeds and nuts have plenty of oil, and so pair well with a white wine that has fattiness as its primary building block -- barrel fermented and aged Chardonnay.

Cedar Planked Pine Nut Coated Tilapia Recipe Blow

A dry rub with a coffee and/or cocoa base is bitter, therefore requiring a wine with good tannin (bitterness), such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Meritage, etc. A bitter dry rub marries well with the heavier texture of beef and game meats and so naturally works with a big, full-bodied red wine, anyway.

Grilled Coffee Rubbed T-Bones Recipe Below

Here are a few dry rub recipes with matching wines from a new Canadian brand called "Simply" available in Wine Rack Stores throughout Ontario.

www.winerack.com

To save money, at a building supply store purchase one long cedar board and have it cut into 12-inch long planks. This is more inexpensive than purchasing pre-cut cedar planks.

Most supermarkets now have bulk sections carrying spices, dried herbs and seasonings. Bulk food stores all carry these items, which you can buy in small amounts and inexpensively.

Rubbed Barbecued Baby Back Pork Ribs
Serves Four to Six

2 tsp chile powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp turbinado sugar
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp coarse sea salt

Place all ingredients in a coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Transfer to a jar and seal tight. Store in a cool dark place.

2 racks baby back pork ribs, ask butcher to remove membrane
Olive oil as needed

Set ribs on a cookie sheet. Coat ribs in olive oil. Sprinkle a thick coat of dry rub over ribs. Let soak in about a half hour. Spray barbecue grill with non-stick cooking spray. Heat barbecue. Turn off one side of barbecue. Set other side of heat at medium low. Set ribs on the side of grill with no heat. Close lid and barbecue ribs (by indirect heat) for one hour. Watch closely to make sure the ribs do not catch on fire -- you can tell by the amount of smoke coming from the grill. Keep a spray bottle filled with water handy to put out flames if necessary.

Side Dish: Garlic, mashed potatoes

Wine Suggestion: Simply Bold + Rich, $11.95 (Available at Wine Rack shops in Ontario) This wine offers aromas and flavours of blackberries, leather and spice. It possesses good structure, evidence of the decent tannins. The tannin in this red, bringing harmony to the palate, nicely offsets the saltiness of the dry rub.
Or choose a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

Asian Barbecue Chicken
Serves 4

Turbinado sugar, found in bulk food stores and many local supermarkets, is not as sweet as brown sugar, making it an ideal base ingredient for dry rubs to be paired with red wine.

1 (5 lb) chicken
2 tbsp Simply Five Spice rub (recipe below)
2 tbsp olive oil

To butterfly the chicken, place breast down on a flat surface. Using
poultry sheers, cut along each side of the backbone. Remove and discard it. Flip bird over and press firmly on the center of the breastbone to break it. Put your hand between the flesh and skin and loosen the skin around the breasts, legs and wings, breaking the fat membranes inside.

In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons of five spice rub with 2 tablespoons of oil to make a thick paste. Massage 1 tablespoon of paste between the flesh and the skin, being sure legs, thighs and wings are covered with paste. Try not to split the skin. If you do, secure the pieces of skin together over the breasts, using a toothpick. Gently massage remaining paste over the outside of the whole chicken.

Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. Start barbecue to preheat. Turn off one side of the grill. Place the flattened chicken on the side of the grill without heat. Close lid and grill chicken (by indirect heat) until juices run clear and the thermometer in thigh registers 175 to 180 F (79 to 82 C), about 40. If the skin starts to blacken, cover with foil. Remove from the grill and let bird rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Five Spice Rub Recipe
¼ cup coarse sea salt
¼ cup turbinado sugar
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well mixed. Transfer to a jar and seal tight. Store in a cool, dark place.

Side Dish: grilled sweet potato

Wine Suggestion: Simply Big + Luscious, $11.95 (Available at Wine Rack Shops in Ontario) The aromas and flavours of this wine can be described as green apple and pink grapefruit. But the wine has creaminess and pleasant zest that nicely offsets the saltiness in this rub.

Or choose a California Chardonnay (barrel fermented and/or aged)

Cedar Planked Pine Nut Coated Tilapia
Serves 4

4 cedar planks (12 X 6 inches each)
½ cup milk
4 large tilapia filets

Pine Nut Dry Rub
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts*
2 tbsp season salt
2 tsp dried lemon rind
2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
2 tsp dill seed

1/2 cup flour
½ cup butter, melted
8 slices of prosciutto
4 limes

*To toast pine nuts place them in a dry fry pan over low heat and shake until golden. Watch closely so they do not burn.

Place cedar planks in the kitchen sink with enough water to cover. Use a vase filled with some water to weigh down the planks to keep them from surfacing. Soak the planks for 1 to 4 hours.

Place tilapia filets with milk in a bowl. Make sure they are all coated in milk. Cover and refrigerate until needed. The milk takes the fishy taste out of fish.

Place all rub ingredients except flour in a coffee grinder. Grind until you have created a crumble. Place crumble in a bowl and add flour. Mix until well blended.

Place melted butter in a large bowl. Place dry rub crumble in another large bowl.

Remove fish from milk. Pat dry on paper towel. Coat fish in butter and then dredge in dry rub mixture until well coated. Repeat for other 3 filets.

Place 2 prosciutto slices side by side on cedar plank. Place fish on prosciutto slices. Repeat for remaining 3 filets.

Prepare barbecue on low heat. Transfer planks with fish to barbecue grill. Close lid and grill fish for about 15 minutes until flaky and white inside. Watch closely. Lift cover if you see too much smoke. The cedar may be catching fire. Keep a water spray bottle handy in case you need to put out flames on cedar. When done, transfer cedar planks to cookie sheet. Transfer tilapia on cedar planks to serving platter or to individual platters.

Side Dish: Grilled asparagus

Wine Suggestion: Simply Crisp + Lively, $11.95 (Available at Wine Rack Stores in Ontario) Simply Crisp and Lively has wonderful tangy and bitter tones that complement the zest of lemon and offsets the saltiness of the dry rub and prosciutto.
Or choose a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Grill Coffee Rubbed T-Bones
Serves Four

2 tbsp instant coffee
2 tbsp turbinado sugar
2 tbsp sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice

4 steaks (favourite cut)

Let steaks warm to room temperature. Trim off excess fat. Coat steaks in oil. Season steaks with rub. Let sit for a half hour. Spray grill with non-stick cooking spray. Heat up barbecue. Place each steak on the grill for one minute. Turn and grill steaks on the second side for another minute. Rotate the steaks by 45 degrees and continue grilling. By turning the steaks you will get a nice diamond pattern on the steaks. To check for doneness, press steak with your finger.
A rare steak will feel soft. A medium steak will be firm but yielding. A well-done steak will be firm. Grill to desired doneness. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Side Dish: Garlic mashed potatoes

Wine Suggestion: Simply Smooth + Fruity, $11.95 (Available at Wine Rack Shops in Ontario) The wine’s aromas of cranberries and apples with hints of cinnamon complements similar flavours in this rub. The pleasant bitterness from the coffee and saltiness of the rub also works with the soft tannin in this red.

Or choose an Australian Shiraz

"C" is for Casseroles

2009-05-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Fried onions, bread and panko crumbs, chopped toasted nuts, crushed potato chips, crumpled bacon and shredded or grated cheese all serve as flavourful and textured toppings for your next casserole entree.

The casserole is one of North America’s favourite styles of cookery and is certainly an easy-to-prepare comfort food.

Being a comfort food, casseroles do not require expensive vintages as partners -- unless they contain expensive ingredients, such as venison or lobster. An easy drinking white or red wine under $15.00 will perform nicely.

First, let’s look at the word “casserole.” It is a French term that defines the dish used for baking. (This word was first printed in English in 1708.) In the 50’s, when lightweight metal and glass bake-ware were introduced, casserole cookery became popular in North America.

Today, the word casserole refers to both the “baking dish” and the “food inside the baking dish.” The dish itself is a deep, round, ovenproof container with handles and a tightly-fitting lid, made of glass, metal, ceramic or any heatproof material. You can serve a casserole for breakfast, as a side dish, or as a main entree.

Ingredients can include cooked meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and vegetables, usually "bound" together with some kind of sauce or soup. The dish is often topped with one of a variety of toppings, as suggested above. Garnishes include tomato wedges, shredded lettuce, pimiento-stuffed olives, fresh parsley or other herbs, sliced hard-boiled eggs, or sliced green onions.

The nifty thing about the casserole is that it can be frozen in its own dish, cooked or uncooked. (However, consume within two months.) If you’re freezing a cooked casserole, let cool to room temperature before freezing. Be sure to line the baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving enough overhanging foil to cover the top for freezing. Seal the casserole in a heavy-duty freezer bag. And don’t forget to label and date the bag. Before heating up, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight and heat at 350 F until hot.

Now for the casserole's best wine partners ...

You increase your chances of creating a harmonious partnership if you pair the wine with the casserole according to their similar and predominant taste sensations -- which I call “building blocks.”`
Tangy tasting casseroles using a base ingredient like yogurt or sour cream or salty ones with smoked salmon or capers work well with crisp, dry white wines. I love a Middle Eastern chicken casserole with garlic, lemon and yogurt called Fete. It tastes lovely with Sauvignon Blanc. Smoked salmon and dill casserole or crab and artichoke casserole works with Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, Vinho Verde, or Verdicchio.

Casseroles with sweetness (containing yams or fresh fruit) or hot and spiciness demand off-dry (semi-sweet) whites like Gewurztraminer or Riesling offering a hint of sweetness. (Make sure that the wine is sweeter than the yams or fruit in the casserole. Otherwise, the interaction of food with the wine will make the wine taste too tart.) Squash casserole and an off dry Riesling taste great together. Cajun shrimp casserole works well with an off dry Gewurztraminer. An off dry rose with a hint of sweetness harmonizes with either corn and green chili tamale or layered enchilada casserole.

Rich seafood casseroles need a big, fat wine match like a luscious barrel-fermented and/or aged Chardonnay or barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, referred to as “Fume Blanc.” Scallop and potato or lobster and potato casserole highlighted with lemon garlic butter is divine when served with a big fat white.

Choose a light, fruity red, such as Pinot Noir for fresh, wild salmon or tuna-based casseroles.

Casseroles containing highly textured red meats or bitter tasting ingredients, such as spinach and nuts, complement a red wine with some pleasant bitterness, such as a medium to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Meritage, both offering sufficient bitterness from the present tannins. Casseroles that work with big reds include lamb and pasta and potato with gouda and bacon.

So, the next time you think casserole, think wine!

"B" is For Bacon

2009-04-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

I even like the name Bacon. You can’t tell me the success of Kevin Bacon isn’t somehow tied to his name. You’re not going out to see a Kevin Hot Dog movie. “Who’s in this movie?” “Kevin Bacon.” “Sounds good.” -- Anonymous

Certain ingredients act as a bridge, bringing a dish into harmony with a particular wine. Bacon is one of them. Bacon is an excellent bridging ingredient to match to austere red wines. Austere reds include South African Pinotage, Italian Barolo or Barbaresco, Californian Cabernet Sauvignon, French Margaux and some Ontario Baco Noir. Bacon’s three wine friendly qualities are fattiness, smokiness and saltiness.

In hot climatic regions grapes attain high sugar levels. The higher the sugar level, the greater the alcohol content in the wine because sugar converts to alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation. The carbon dioxide dissipates, leaving the alcohol in the wine. The level of alcohol in a wine contributes to its viscosity (thickness). The more thickness, the greater the oily mouth feel to the wine. High alcohol gives red wine an oily mouth feel or fatty character.

Add to this that most austere reds undergo barrel fermentation and/or aging. The barrels are handcrafted from different species of oak, grown in forests in France, the US or Hungary. Each forest produces wood with distinctive characteristics involving tightness of the wood grain, ultimately affecting the amount of colour, flavour, taste and tannin (bitterness) imparted to the wine. New barrels also add more flavor and tannin. During barrel making, the partially assembled barrel is placed over a small wood fire and the inside is toasted. Barrels are generally light, medium or heavily toasted. The depth of toasting depends on the grape variety used and the style of wine to be made. The level of toasting affects the type and depth of flavor in the wine.

Red wines fermented and/or aged in heavily toasted oak barrels often possess a smoky, burned caramel flavour and some bitterness. These characteristics are a natural complement to the hickory or apple-wood smoked flavours of some bacon varieties.

Curing also makes bacon salty. The saltiness of bacon softens the bitterness in an austere red, leaving a creamy texture that blends with the fatty mouth feel. So, austere reds – ones barrel fermented and/or aged and high in alcohol -- possess fattiness, smokiness and bitterness that complement dishes containing bacon. Bacon is the bridge.

You can virtually add bacon to a variety of dishes, making them compatible for an austere red wine. Bacon wrapped beef or lamb tenderloin and austere red wine is a marriage made in heaven.
When bacon is teamed up with other red wine friendly ingredients, you can create classic combinations that harmonize with austere red wines. Bacon and roquefort, bacon with spinach, bacon with roasted onions or bacon and wild mushrooms are examples. Any one of these ingredient combinations can be added to a dish of pasta, risotto or polenta and be matched to an austere red.

Certain herbs harmonize with bacon, as well, ultimately complementing this same wine style. Thyme is an example. Nothing could be more enjoyable along side a class of South African Pinotage than a rack of lamb with sausage, bacon and thyme or pan-fried chicken with bacon and thyme gravy. Or better still, how about bacon wrapped quail with curly endive, toasted walnuts and balsamic thyme vinaigrette?

So, the next time you think austere red, consider adding bacon to bridge the relationship.

"A" is for Aphrodisiacs and Avocados

2009-04-24T05:24:00.000-07:00

When preparing avocados, to avoid the browning of avocado flesh when exposed to air, place the pit with the flesh until ready to use. If making guacamole, keep the pit in the guacamole.

Wine certainly tops the list as being a libido booster, especially on special occasions like romantic summer picnics, first dates, and honeymoons and on Valentine’s Day. Wine is also the perfect romantic partner to pair with aphrodisiacs.

Everyone knows that a glass of wine, when consumed in moderation and with food, allows us to slow down, relax, experience the wonders of our senses and live in the moment.

Bubblies, for example, can tease and tantalize the tongue and set your imagination afire! But all wines like sparkling wines, Champagnes, white and red table wines are produced in a variety of styles that make them ideal to marry to an array of aphrodisiacs.

When pairing aphrodisiacs with wine, keep the partnerships simple. No need to dress them up. Naked or scantily dressed is just fine. The focus should be on your romantic partner, not the food.

Cupid’s asparagus, due to its phallic shape, is considered an aphrodisiac. Steam the asparagus until tender, but leave slightly crisp. Sprinkle sea salt and toasted almonds over them. Or wrap asparagus in a thin slice of prosciutto and grill on the barbecue until crisp. Prosciutto is very salty. Pair salty asparagus with a brut sparkling wine, brut Champagne or crisp dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, dry Riesling from Canada, Soave from Italy or Vinho Verde from Portugal. The sourness from these wines (their acidity) offsets the saltiness from sea salt and prosciutto.

Folklore has it that Casanova ate over 50 raw oysters a day to boost his libido. Oysters, due to their texture, offer sensual, tactile pleasure. They are also believed to contain compounds that are effective in releasing sexual hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. Raw oysters on the half shell have a briny saltiness that complements the above-mentioned bubblies and crisp, dry white wines. Use a drizzle of fresh lemon juice on the raw oysters, as well. Oysters on the half shell paired with brut Champagne, are considered a classical partnership.

“A” is also for avocado! Fresh avacado is an aphrodisiac. The avocado flower is considered bisexual, in that it changes its sex while bloosoming. It was once believed that eating avacado flesh would make men more fertile and therefore more attractive to women. Avacado is a fatty fruit and therefore harmonizes with wines offering lots of fattiness. The higher the alcohol, the greater the wine’s viscosity. Viscosity is a technical term that refers to a wine’s level of thickness. The thickness is experienced as a wine’s texture or mouth feel. The higher the alcohol (13.5 to 14.5%), the thickeer or fattier the mouth feel of the wine. Remember the first building block principle – same with same. Pair the fattiness of a food with fattiness in wine. Nothing could be more romantic than feeding your lover a spoonful of crab and avacado soup with cilantro and a smidgen of lime juice, followed by a sip of warm climate Chardonnay, one produced in South Africa or Australia.

Fresh fig was traditionally thought of as a sexual stimulant. A man breaking open a fig and eating it in front of his lover was and no doubt still is a powerful erotic act – although my husband has never ventured to try this. Serve fresh figs in a cool bowl of water as it is done in Italy and be sure to eat with your fingers! The sweetness in fresh figs works well with a hint of sweetness in an off-dry white wine like Gewürztraminer or off-dry Riesling. This follows the first building block principle of same with same – the sweetness in food matching the sweetness in wine. You can dress up your figs by splitting them open, stuffing them with blue cheese and wrapping them with bacon. Pan fry or grill them until the bacon is crispy. These savoury figs work with a red wine with forward fruit character, such as a California Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz. The saltiness from bacon and blue cheese complements the soft tannin in these red wines.

The heat from chili peppers can ignite the heat of passion by increasing and improving blood circulation and increasing perspiration as our pores open up. Just remember that the greater the heat and spice in your food, the more sweetness will be required in the sparkling wine. Subtle heat and spice is complemented by a sparkling wine with a hint of sweetness. Hot and spicy foods – ones that make your brow perspire -- work best with late harvest white wines possessing plenty of sweetness, such as Vidal or Riesling. The contrast of chilled, dessert wine followed by hot chilies on the tongue is also considered an erotic sensation. Spicy Thai shrimp and off dry Riesling is certainly a combination that will make your romantic partner MOAN!

The Aztecs believed chocolate had aphrodisiac qualities. Chocolate contains substances called Phenylethylamine and Seratonin. Both are released into the nervous system by the brain and so lift our mood. When our mood is lifted we experience feelings of love, passion and lust. This can cause a rise in our blood pressure and an increase to our heart rate, thus inducing feelings of euphoria.

Dark chocolate high in cocoa (86% or higher) is suited to a red wine partner. The reason is that the higher the cocoa the more bitter the chocolate. This bitterness harmonizes with the bitterness levels in a variety of red wine styles. Chocolate made with 60% cocoa works best with light, fruity reds, such as Pinot Noir. Chocolate with 76% cocoa or higher works nicely with reds wines offering forward fruit character like Zinfandel and Shiraz. When the chocolate has 86% cocoa or higher go for Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc. Serve chucks of chocolate with toasted walnuts alongside a bottle of red wine.

Port and dark chocolate are about as romantic as one can get. The key is to make sure the Port is sweeter than the dark chocolate.

Icewine is rich, sweet and enticing, as well. Strawberries dipped in dark chocolate act as a delicious aphrodisiac to pair with an Icewine produced from red grape varieties, such as Cabernet Franc.