5 in 5: Day Three

Today we debunk a classic myth. Red wine goes with red meat. White wine goes with white meat and pasta. Wrong! Pairing wine is not that simple, but also not too complex. There is one basic tenet I recommend you follow: Don't let the wine overpower the food, and don't let the food overpower the wine. You need to try and attain a sense of balance with your wine and food. They need to compliment each other without hurting each other's effect on your palate. While the classic red with red and white with white is suitable, you're not breaking a commandment when you go against it. I was discussing the idea of food and wine over lunch with my sister. The dish that we focused on was Salmon. I asked her what she would have with it and she quickly retorted with white wine. When I said I would pair it with a Pinot Noir, she seemed surprised. That's because wine still has that old country ideal to some people. But as creeps into the mainstream (US is poised to become the world's largest wine consumer by 2010) it's become kosher to flirt with the traditions. Salmon is a hearty fish. So while a strong bodied white would do fine, a light red like Pinot may fit the bill better. Another example is pasta. If I am having a spicy Seafood Fra Diablo, I want a Zinfandel in my hand. Zin is one of the few wines that can hold its own against a heavy and flavorful pasta dish. Zin typically will be referred to as peppery and zesty. Hmmm...what does spicy pasta sometimes taste like? They seem to be a match made in Heaven's kitchen. The simple point, is that there are no rules! Try what you want and see what works! Burgers and Cabernet, Meatloaf and Merlot, Mac and Cheese with Chardonnay. Take a dish and see what you think will work well with it. And a final note, sometimes it makes more sense to pick the wine and then build the dish around it. Decide what wine you want to try, take a sip, and see what in your pantry might make the wine dance on your tongue a little more. Till next time..."Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach."--Spanish saying