wine pairing: sauvignon blanc with roasted peppers

Today I whipped up a bit of wasabi arugula pesto to serve with a couple roasted Italian peppers topped with gruyere and cheddar. It was a light and flavorful lunch that I paired with two Sauvignon Blancs. Both 2010 vintage from California. The Teira Woods Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is from the Dry Creek Valley and the Longboard Vineyards wine is from the Russian River Valley.

Starting with the food; this dish was incredibly easy to prepare. I made the pesto in the morning to allow time for the flavors to blend, but you could also prepare it right before serving. I simply blended wasabi arugula, pine nuts, walnuts (for the omega-3's and because I was low on pine nuts), garlic cloves, shredded parmesean cheese and salt. I then added enough olive oil in order for the mixture to blend nicely. The Italian peppers were first browned lightly using direct heat from the stove burners, then sliced lengthwise and gently filled with grated cheese. I mixed a raw gruyere and raw cheddar, but you could be more creative. I then roasted the peppers in the oven at 375 until the cheese melted, broiling afterward until the cheese browned just a touch. Once the peppers are done, let them sit for a minute or two and top with the pesto. Easy Peasy, right!!

2010 Longboard Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, $19.99 and 2010 Teira Woods Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, $14.99

Now for the wine tasting! Both bottles are from California Wine Merchants. The Longboard Sauvignon Blanc is fresh, light, and more acidic that the Teira, which is softer but still a bright wine. Although I liked both wines, I recommend the Teira for a dish like this one. The peppers and pesto have a ton of flavors, but many of these flavors are delicate and some subtle. The Teira really compliments the dish, while the zesty Longboard seemed to wash those flavors away, and even clash with the spicy wasabi arugula. I throughly enjoyed the Teira with the wasabi flavor! And this wine has enough acid to cut through the oils of the cheese and pesto without overpowering the dish.

Cheers All!

wine pairing: rhubarb chutney

This past July 4th weekend just happened to turn into a super-great super-girly mini staycation. I embraced floral pants, drank sparkling rose and Prosecco, and brought out my crafty, DIY side and made a chandelier. I also decided to cook with a food that I have yet to use; Rhubarb. Intrigued by the vegetable which looks like celery but commonly associated with pie, I decided to give it a go. I wanted to do something creative, but was not in to mood for pie. I found a recipe on Martha's website (of course, I love Martha!) for a rhubarb chutney to pair with a sharp cheese.

This recipe was easy to make and tasted wonderful with the strong, sharp cheese. I selected a raw cow cheese from Stinky Bklyn. Although the appetizer probably would have been delightful with a baguette, my flour phobia kicked in and I decided to bake squares of my good ol' sprouted bread with a drizzle of olive oil. 

I paired three wines with this recipe. 1. A dry sparkling rose, 2. Prosecco, and 3. the same Sauvignon Blanc which I used to make the chutney. My bias lied toward the rose, hence I dressed up the champagne glass with a cute bow, but it was actually my least favorite with the chutney and cheese. The sweetness of the chutney brought out the subtle sweet flavors of the rose, which I was not looking for. The Prosecco was nice, cut through the chutney and complimented the sharp cheese. This elegant wine was crisp with slight apple flavors, complimenting the rhubarb and the dash of cinnamon I threw into the mixture. Even though the Sauvignon Blanc also paired nicely, as I suspected since I used this wine the make the chutney, the Procescco just seemed to be meant for this dish. And who doesn't love some bubbly with their fireworks!

From left to right: Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose, $16.99; Carpene Malvolti Prosecco, $11.99; 2010 Pierre Duret Quincy Sauvignon Blanc, $12.99.

And just in case you're interested, here is my DIY chandelier!

wine pairing: tilapia with escarole and lemon-pepper oil

The heat has finally broke in New York City but it's still warm and a great evening for preparing a light fish and drinking a cool white wine. Today I used a recipe from foodnetwork.com; Tilapia with Escarole and Lemon-Pepper Oil. The recipe was accurately placed under Dinner Rush Recipes on the front page of the website. I typically do not steam fish, although I don't know why; it's healthier than sautéing, easy and delicious! I tasted 3 wines with the dish; a 2010 Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, a 2010 Chardonnay from South Africa, and a 2009 Dry Riesling from Germany.

Wine Tasting #1: 2010 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Rapel Valley (right)
Although I like the wine, I cannot recommend it for this dish. The flavors clashed; I found the mineral and grapefruit notes of the wine were not pleasant with the tilapia.
$12.00

Wine Tasting #2: 2010 Excelsior Chardonnay from South Africa (middle)
This Chardonnay pairs nicely with the tilapia dish. It's a bright and fresh Chardonnay, very enjoyable especially for the upcoming hotter summer days.
$7.99

Wine Tasting #3: 2009 Selbach Dry Riesling from Germany (left)
Tonight's winner! This Riesling complimented all flavors of this meal. Everything tasted better with this wine; the escarole, tilapia, potatoes, and lemon. This wine took a good dinner and made it great. After the tasting, I filled my glass full of wine#3.
$13.99