Viognier & Spicy Food? – Shrimp Tacos

Viognier pairs with a number of interesting foods: Indian cuisine, curries, pork, chicken, anything in a cream sauce, moderately spicy foods. Today we’re testing Viognier with spicy foods.  We’re also trying inexpensive examples from California and France.  Let’s go! Our spicy food test dish is shrimp tacos.  Our basic tacos are barbecue-rub spicy, which is … Continue reading

Oops!

Make Sure You Have Plenty of OOPS! OK, you spill an expensive bottle of wine, you break glasses.  Those “oops” moments are no fun at all.  The OOPS moments I’m talking about are failures, but they show you are still trying new things, experimenting, learning. FoodBeerClick Chili (original post here) I wanted to modify a … Continue reading

Kermit Lynch Wine Dinner at Pairings

Wine dinners at Pairings Food & Wine in Minnetonka are always a treat.  Tonight, we had the pleasure of an all Kermit Lynch wine selection paired with special dishes by Chef Mike.  Anissa, the manager at Pairings and Eric from New France Wine Company were our hosts to this special evening. (click on any photo … Continue reading

Steak & Vosne-Romanée

Working our way north, we have exited the Côte de Beaune and have entered the Côte de Nuits.  While the  Côte de Beaune produces both white (Chardonnay) and red (Pinot Noir) wines, the Côte de Nuits produces almost exclusively red wines. The top Grand Cru wines can cost >$500 per bottle, a little out of our price range!  … Continue reading

A Cautious “Yes” for Burgundy and Mussels

Today on our tour, we’re at the northern end of the Coté de Beaune, in the town of Chorey Lès Beaune.  On hearing of our virtual Burgundy tour, a friend suggested we try pairing the wine with clams or mussels.  What an interesting suggestion!  We have always chosen a white wine with shellfish.  I have … Continue reading

Nebbiolo Finale: Pio Cesare Barbaresco & Lasagna

The Christmas gift that keeps on giving…. A pasta making class For Christmas, our son Peter gave Julie a “Mom & Son” pasta making class at Kitchen Window.  They came home raving about the lasagna and we have quickly incorporated homemade pasta into our regular mealmaking.   Actually,  Peter didn’t know it but he gave both … Continue reading

What Goes with Goat? Barbaresco!

Goat Chops, Pasta with Vegetable Medley & Barbaresco You might be surprised that goat is the #1 meat consumed worldwide.  Julie and I had our first opportunities to taste goat on a trip to Ethiopia two years ago.  I liked it but Julie hasn’t been in a big hurry to have it again as goats … Continue reading

Who Would Pick Nebbiolo for a Chicken Dinner?

I never really understood the whole “chicken is a blank canvas” thing until today.  Sure, chicken pairs with different wines depending on whether it’s been baked vs. grilled.  I have made a variety of sauces to serve over chicken and they make the bridge to a lighter red like a Pinot Noir.  But Nebbiolo?  Powerful, … Continue reading

Which Wine with Roast Chicken?

With a houseful of guests over the holidays, I thought a nice roast chicken dinner would be easy, pretty, and a healthy choice in advance of all the rich foods ahead.  I picked out two very nice wines to serve with the chicken, I was curious to see if one would prove to be a … Continue reading

Wines for Spicy Fish Tacos

Spicy Goes with Sweet I had a recent experience with Moscato d’Asti and raw jalapeno slices – it was such a taste surprise!  I wanted to explore a little further, so I decided to try it with some spicy fish tacos.  I stopped at our corner wine shop on the way home and there was … Continue reading