How to pair food and wine

Although there are general and ‘objective’ rules to match wine and food, this remains largely a matter of personal taste. Once you will get familiar with the fundamental principles of wine pairing, do dare to make your own experiments and trust you own personal taste.

Generally speaking, there are several different ways to pair wine and food:
1) arbitrary personal taste: nothing bad with that, especially when refined by experience and sensory education)
2) tradition
3) seasonality
4) complement and contrast: this last one is an attempt to pair wine and food based on some kind of objective and scientific approach. It is probably the best place to start from in making your experiments.

1) Subjective or personal pairing doesn’t really require much of an explanation. It’s based on your personal preferences and taste and it will be more and more successful as your experience with food and wine will increase.




2) Tradition is a great place to look for suggestions. Especially when dealing with ethnic and local recipes, you may want to find out which wine historically that food has been paired to. In Emilia, for example, the Italian region lying in the big Po river plane, at the foot of the Apennines, Zampone is traditionally paired with Lambrusco, even if, according to the complement and contrast rules, this quite rich and fat dish (a fresh sausage made from pork, fatback, and pork rind, enveloped in a hollowed out pig's trotter) would require a more robust and structured red wine. The same can be said for the traditional and popular pairing of Champagne with oysters or caviar.





3) Seasonal pairing is strictly related to the traditional one and it is based on the contemporaneous availability of a certain food and a certain wine. In the Italian region of Romagna, for examples, roast chestnuts, a beloved fall dish, are traditionally paired with Cagnina (a DOC purple-red wine, fruit-scented, soft, slightly sweet, and low in alcohol and acidity) while in Umbria the very same dish ispaired with Vernaccia (totally unrelated with the white crisp Vernaccia di San Gimignano, this is a passito, a straw wine or raisin wine, made from grapes that have been dried on the plant to concentrate their juice. The result is a sweet wine). Same food, same season but quite different wines…





The area in red correspond to EMILIA while the area is green is ROMAGNA.

Next post: Complement and contrast

Tiramisu (pick me up)

Although it is considered a classic Italian dessert, this is a quite recent addition to the Italian families' cooking book. The first written mention of Tiramisu (tih-ruh-mee-SOO") is to be found in a 1971 cookbook from Treviso (Veneto). Most sources agree that this wonderful dessert has been created in the '60s at Restaurant “Alle Beccherie” in Treviso, by a cook who was influenced by his former working experience in Germany. This dessert has indeed a touch of Mitteleurope, that area in Central Europe corresponding to Austria, North Italy, South Germany, Hungary and Check republic, sharing historical, cultural and oenogastronomical roots.
The name means 'pick me up' or 'cheer me up', referring to the nutritious and tonic properties of eggs and coffee, the main ingredients (not to mention the shot of rum...).

Here goes the classical recipe: feel free to change ingredients according to your taste and necessities but please, if you do so... do not call it Tiramisu and do not quote me!

INGREDIENTS
200 gr Mascarpone (mas-kahr-POH-nay) cheese (about 8 ounces)
100 gr of white sugar (about 1 cup)
4 yolks and 4 whites
two packages of lady fingers (savoiardi)
two cups of expresso
one shot of rum or marsala (dry)

Please note that the dessert will contain uncooked eggs!

PREPARATION
It's pretty simple:
1) with the egg beater, beat the whites until they form stiff, firm peaks (see tips below);
2) prepare a coffee with a 2-3 cups espresso machine (mocha) or make two cups of strong, dark-roast coffee;
3) in a separate bowl beat the yolks with the sugar until the bright orange color of the yolks turn to a pale yellow. Add the mascarpone and keep beating until the mixture is uniform and smooth;
4) add the whites to the cheese mixture and fold in gently in with a spatula. If the whites have been properly whipped they will just slide out over the batter. With the spatula open a way to the whites into the butter and gently mix them with large rotatory movement from the bottom to the top: never use an electric tool or you will loose all the air that you have so carefully emulsified in the whites;
5) pick the smallest bowl in which a lady finger would fit and pour in it the coffee and the shot of rum;
6) with the lady fingers still dry and the container you have choose make an estimate of how many lady fingers you will need and which is the best way to lay them. In general you will start with a layer of cookies, alternate with the custard, and end with the custard;
7) quickly toss the lady fingers in the coffee mixture (do not soak them too much or they will became soggy) and lay the first layer. Made a second layer with the custard (as thick as the cookies) and keep alternating the two, to finish with the mascarpone cream;
8)sprinkle unsweetened cocoa on the top and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

TIPS:
Mascarpone: It is worth to look for the real thing. This is a soft creamy cheese. The taste is sweeter and more delicate than cream cheese. I buy mine at Trader Joe's.

Whipping whites:
- leave the eggs at room temperature for a while
- the fresher the eggs, the better
- use perfectly clean tools and bowls (that's why I suggest to beat the beat the whites first and the other ingredients for second)
- in the separation of the yolks avoid that even the smallest trace of them go with the whites
- while whipping move the whipper around the bowl to avoid to have less whipped whites at the edges

Container: it is traditionally a flat shallow container, like a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. It makes easier to cut portion (after refrigeration it will be quite firm). At our last family gathering I tried a trifle bowl and it looked great. although it was maybe less easy to cut!

Turkey leftovers

Here we go: Thanksgiving is gone and I found myself with a lot of left overs. Well, let's roll up the sleeves and try to find something creative to do with that!
FIrst of all...

TURKEY STOCK
Friday morning I patiently went through the turkey leftovers, separating all the nice meet for further use (risotto and quiche, as we will see) and ending up with a whole bunch of bones and skin. I was not too worry about cleaning completely the bones: you need some meat together with the bones to make a nice stock.
I put all the bones and the skin in a large pan, with two carrots, a celery, an onion with the skin (this will add a nice color to the stock), some parsley and only a tiny bit of salt (since the turkey was already salted). I let it simmer fro about one hour and a half. Once the stock was cold I filtered it and pour it in three 1 liter jars that I frooze. They will be just perfect to make a great risotto or a vegetable soup.
Next time:
Turkey risotto!

Farfalle con salmone affumicato e punte di asparagi

The food has to tantalize all your senses, sight included. I love how the green of the asparagus pairs with the pink of the salmon. It's a great combination that I want to explore further: I am working on a salmon/asparagus quiche that I will be posting soon...



Bow ties with smoked salmon e asparagus.

A box of farfalle (bow ties)
100 gr of smoked salmon
10 fresh asparagus
1/4 cup of Italian-style cream like Giglio brand, e.g. (panna da cucina). If you cannot find it, use heavy whipping cream, or plain yogurt)
one leak (ore a large scallion)
1/3 cup of dry vodka or brandy

Cook the pasta al dente in abundant salted water. While you are waiting for the water to boil, focus on the sauce.
Clean the asparagus under running water and cut away the hard ends. Cut away the tips and chopp the remaining stems in small pieces.
Cut and chop the white part of the leak and sauté in a large frying pan with a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. The leak has to become soft and golden, but not brown (they would taste bitter).
Add the asparagus (both tips and chopped stems), cover and cook for five minutes. Remove the lid and add the coarsely chopped salmon (you do no want too small pieces or they will stand out in the finished plate...). Add the vodka (the heat should be high) and simmer until evaporated (sfumare).
When the salmon will be homogeneously turned to a paler shade of pink turn down the heat, add the cream and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Let all the flavors merge for about one minute and then turn the heat off.
When the pasta will be cooked and drained pour it in the pan with the sauce and re-heat briefly while mixing. This procedure is called 'tirare' the pasta (to pull pasta) and it's critical to connect the pasta with the sauce flavors plus it will keep the pasta warm for a longer time.
Enjoy!

Wine: a white wine with some personality, like a Gewurztraminer from Trentino: a delicate wine would be whipped out but the strong taste of the smoked salmon. A dry sparkling wine (like a Champagne, a Prosecco from Veneto or a spumante Brut from Trentino) would also work well: the bubbling will 'clear up' the fat component of salmon. Try a sparkling Italian dry rosé, like Incanto, Raboso frizzante del Veneto (Trader Joes).
TIP: Champagne, Prosecco and Cava are perfect also for fried see food.

Salame di cioccolata (chocolate sausage)

Ingredients
2 large brown cage-free eggs
1/2 cup of chopped pecan nuts
1 package of coarsely chopped Graham crackers
200 gr of unsalted butter (1 stick and 3/4)
250 gr of unsweetened cocoa (good quality)
250 gr of sugar
aluminum foil (about 30 x 40 cm)
a shot of Rum

Melt the butter in the microwave in a large bowl. Beat the sugar with the two yolks and one of the whites until creamy and lighter in color. Add the eggs mixture to the butter. Add the rum. Finally, add the cocoa, the nuts and the crackers crumbs (they should not be too small). Mix everything until it appears homogeneous. Move the mixture at the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. With wet hands shape it in a cylinder (about 25 cm long, 5 large and 5 tall) and wrap it tight in the aluminum foil. Store in the fridge for 4 hours before serving.
To serve, remove the foil and cut in 1 cm thick slices.

Wine: Barolo chinato

Mediterranean pasta salad

Ingredients
1 box of farfalle (Barilla) (about 450 grams)
15 Kalamata black olives (pitted)
1/4 cup of capers
1 small jar of caper berries
chunk sheep or goat feta cheese
0.3 lb of sun dried tomatoes halves
juice of one lemon
3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
insalata valeriana (Valerianella locusta, Fr.: mâche, En.: corn salad). If you cannot find it substitute with arugola. Trader Joe's typically has it.

Directions
Cook the pasta al dente, drain it and wash it under running cold water.
Cut the feta cheese in small pieces and the olives in half. Cut the tomatoes in stripes, 3 or 4 for each half depending on their size. Add olives, tomatoes, cheese, and all other ingredients to the pasta. Emulsify the olive oil with the lemon juice and add the mix to the pasta. Add the green (mâche or arugola) and mix.

Delicious carrot soup (Zuppa deliziosa di carote)

This is a recipe that barely fits here: it is not Italian and it is not really in season. Nevertheless it's delicious and we had it for our simple wedding party.
Credits go to my dear friend Monica who in turn took it from a community recipe book. I slightly modified the original recipe...

Ingredients

3-4 Idaho (starchy) potatoes
0.5 Kg carrots (about 1 lb)
a bunch of green onions or a 1 leak (chopped)
olive oil
soy sauce
almond butter
salt and pepper
paprika
(some milk)

Preparation
Peel and cut in pieces the potatoes and the carrots. Cook them until they will be tender. Strain them but keep the water.

In a separate pot sautée the onions in 2 tbs of olive oil. Add 2tbs of soy sauce and 1/2 cup of almond butter.

Puree the drained potatoes with the carrots and transfer in the pot with the almond butter mix. Adjust the thickness of the soup at your taste by adding some of the water you saved when you drained the potatoes and the carrots. If this will not be enough, use some water and/or milk.

Some paprika will add a nice colored accent without making it too hot... Adjust salt and black pepper. You may also want to add some raw soy sauce, and/or some grounded nutmeg.

Garnish with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of parpika.

This will serve 8.

Tips:

While cooking the potatoes and the carrots I kept the water to the minimum amount necessary to boil the vegetables. After adding all the cooking water to the mixture it was still way more dense that I liked it. I decided to keep it like this and put half of this 'concentrate' in the freezer, saving some space. I diluted the other half with milk and water until I was content of its texture and taste and I adjusted the salt at the end.

I am thinking to substitute butternut squash for carrots: it should be an interesting alternative. I will try it and let you know...

Soups are an excellent alternative for a healthy dinner and are particularly enjoyable in a cold winter night. We made a point of having meat for dinner no more than twice a week, one of the two being white meat. The other days we try to have seefood (at least twice a week, although in Wisconsin we do not have the vast choice we were used to in Italy), pasta, salads, soups, eggs, pizza, and/or torta salata (vegetable pies), depending on the season. In summer we indulge with a bbq on the weekend but we try to add vegetables on the grill and to alternate meat with salmon or trout.