food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Ingredients for Sauce<br />
28 oz (800 g) sugar<br />
3 cups (710 ml) red <strong>wine</strong><br />
3 cups (710 ml) water<br />
1 orange, sliced<br />
1 /2 vanilla pod, split<br />
3 star anise<br />
2 cinnamon sticks<br />
Pinch of Szechuan pepper<br />
6 pears, still firm to the touch<br />
12 dried figs<br />
Wine Varietals <strong>and</strong> Styles 193<br />
Poaching Preparation<br />
Dissolve the sugar in the red <strong>wine</strong> <strong>and</strong> water. Add the sliced<br />
orange, split vanilla pod, star anise, cinnamon, <strong>and</strong><br />
Szechuan pepper <strong>and</strong> bring to a boil. Peel the pears<br />
<strong>and</strong> poach them <strong>and</strong> the dried figs in this liquid until<br />
the pears are tender but still firm. Cool the pears <strong>and</strong><br />
figs in the liquid <strong>and</strong> reserve. (The pears <strong>and</strong> half the<br />
figs are not used in this recipe, but you will have a<br />
great dessert.)<br />
WINE VARIETALS AND STYLES<br />
In both <strong>food</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>wine</strong>, spice flavors can take on a variety of characteristics—for example,<br />
being sweet, savory, or hot. A number of white <strong>and</strong> red varietals are described as having<br />
spice characteristics. The classic spicy white varietal is Gewürztraminer. This <strong>wine</strong> tends to<br />
have exotic fruit flavors as well as flavors of many sweet spices, including nutmeg, cloves,<br />
ginger, or allspice. (The name of the <strong>wine</strong>, in fact, most likely means ‘‘aromatic Traminer,’’<br />
where Traminer is the name of the grape from which it is made. In Fruili, Italy, you can<br />
still find a <strong>wine</strong> called Traminer Aromatico, another regional<br />
name for Gewürztraminer.) 7 The exotic fruit flavors <strong>and</strong> sweet<br />
spices associated with Gewürztraminer make it the go-to <strong>wine</strong><br />
recommendation with Asian, Mexican, <strong>and</strong> Indian <strong>food</strong>. Spicy<br />
Gewürztraminers are available from the Alsace area of France,<br />
Germany, Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, <strong>and</strong> California.<br />
The classic spicy red varietal is Syrah or Shiraz (two different<br />
names for the same grape). Shiraz <strong>wine</strong>s provide flavors of<br />
both savory <strong>and</strong> sweet spices. A signature scent is black pepper,<br />
but you may also find spices such as cumin, dried chiles, or cinnamon.<br />
Red <strong>wine</strong>s made from the Syrah grape in the Rhône valley<br />
of France have this natural characteristic of spiciness. The Shiraz<br />
from Australia is a full-bodied red with peppery <strong>and</strong> spicy characteristics<br />
that match the full-bodied <strong>and</strong> peppery character of<br />
Aussie-style grilled steak.<br />
Examples of <strong>wine</strong>s that potentially contain spice <strong>and</strong> herbal<br />
elements are described in Table 9.1. Several white <strong>and</strong> red <strong>wine</strong>s<br />
echo sweet spices such as cinnamon, cloves, <strong>and</strong> ginger. Many of<br />
these same <strong>wine</strong>s will have notes of peppery <strong>and</strong> savory spice, such<br />
as black pepper, mustard seed, or a bite of horseradish. These<br />
flavors can be combined with similar <strong>food</strong>s as long as <strong>food</strong> tanginess<br />
(acidity) or hot spice (heat) are not too overpowering. In the<br />
case of sour <strong>food</strong>s, ensuring higher acidity in the <strong>wine</strong> is of greater<br />
importance. (What does this suggest for the possibility of using<br />
oaky Chardonnay with these <strong>food</strong>s?) Column 3 of Table 9.1 provides some suggestions for<br />
<strong>wine</strong>s that tame the hot <strong>and</strong> spicy impact of the <strong>food</strong> <strong>and</strong> prepare the palate for the next<br />
bite.<br />
White <strong>wine</strong>s that go well with hot, spicy <strong>food</strong>s are typically off-dry, have relatively<br />
low alcohol, <strong>and</strong> retain a good amount of acidity. Off-dry or semi-dry Rieslings are a particularly<br />
good choice in this regard. Rieslings are generally grown in cool climates, so they<br />
retain a substantial level of natural acidity. Many <strong>wine</strong> experts believe the Riesling grape is<br />
The spicy red grape Syrah<br />
(also known as Shiraz) in the<br />
Côtes du Rhône, France<br />
(courtesy of Carroll Falcon).