Wine and Food

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="14028661egerdp.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>www.headchefsupport.com</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.headchefsupport.com"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >back to  </FONT><A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Beverages"><B>Beverages</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=120 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="765781c2egerdp.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id196.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Australian Wine Style">Australian Wine Style</A></div> <div> <A HREF="wine_terms.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wine Terms">Wine Terms</A></div> <div> <B>Wine and Food </B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#CC66FF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>Wine and Food </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>SERVING WINE</B></I></div> <div> Wine is more enjoyable if it is served correctly and even the simplest meal can look elegant when glasses are the right size (even chain store cheap ones) and shape (even costly crystal), with the wine itself at the temperature at which it tastes best. Once you get to know something about wine you can be adventurous, but if in doubt, play the entertaining game in accordance with the established rules.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>WINE BETWEEN MEALS</B></I><B> </B></div> <div> It's chic these days to drink wine<I> </I>casually<I>, </I>between meals. Something white or pink, dry to medium-dry, is usually<I> </I>suitable and, of course, anything sparkling. There are literally hundreds of wines<I> </I>of this type to choose from. You can enjoy the lighter<I> </I>red wines<I> </I>in this<I> </I>way too, although something to nibble is often wise<I> </I>to partner <I>them </I>- they are not necessarily 'stronger' but some people just find red <I>wine </I>more agreeable with a cracker, piece of cheese, potato chips or nuts. Of the many appropriate French white<I> </I>wines I would mention any of the Sauvignons, less<I> </I>expensive white Burgundies and Bourgogne <I>A</I>ligote<I>, A</I>lsace<I> </I>Riesling<I>, </I>Sylvaner, Muscat, and the Chenin Blanc wines from the centre of the Loire, Touraine Blanc<I>, </I>any Vouvray, still or sparkling<I>, </I>that isn't definitely<I> </I>Sweet, Mont!ouis, white<I> </I>Saumur (and sparkling Saumur) - and the innumerable<I> </I>pleasant V.D.Q.S. and vins de pays now widely available<I>. </I>From the<I> </I>rose wines you might<I> </I>choose rose d'Anjou, Sancerre rose, the rose de Marsannay in the Cote de Nuits and the pink wines of Provence, also those of Bandol, plus those </div> <div> from both ends of the Pyrenees - Bearn on the west, Corbieres on the east - and the numerous roses from Corsica. Champagne, white and pink, and the many champagne method wines, such as those of Saumur, also the Cremants d' Alsace, Blanquette de Limoux, Clairette de Die and Seyssel, and the 'cuve close' wines, of which Veuve du Vernay is only one, are also possibilities. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>ORDER OF WINES</B></I></div> <div> This is very simple-but program in your aperitifs too:</div> <div> Dry before sweet </div> <div> Young before old </div> <div> Cheap before costly</div> <div> White before red - except for sweet white dessert wines at the end of the meal. </div> <div> One wine can easily go right through from aperitifs to the end of the meal - but if you opt for this, then it may be wise to select something white and fairly full-bodied, such as a white Burgundy, an estate white Graves, a Riesling d'Alsace or Gewurztraminer. Bear in mind that some people cannot easily take red wine in quantity, You can certainly serve Champagne or a sparkling wine all through a meal, but remember that the combination of fizz and food is not to everyone's taste. </div> <div> For a buffet or informal party, one wine will certainly doalthough it may be more enjoyable to have a choice, perhaps something red to go with the cheese, if any. Don't think of vin rose as the all-purpose 'when in doubt' choice - some pink wines can be drunk with salad dishes, mixtures of meat, fish and poultry and general casual fare, but very often they are too delicate in flavor. If you want to have a pink wine with this sort of food, opt for something from the Rhone or south of France. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>APERITIFS</B></I></div> <div> All these wines could be served before a meal. Remember that if you serve a medium dry wine before a meal, such as a medium sherry or perhaps a Bordeaux Sauvignon, then a really bone dry wine such as a Muscadet coming immediately afterwards, with the first course, will taste bitter. Either start with the drier wine or don't serve one with the first course. </div> <div> The French vermouths are very varied - the pale, fragrant Chambery is traditionally drunk, lightly chilled, by itself. There's a strawberry version too. Marseilles vermouths tend to be slightly more aromatic. You can serve them straight or with soda, plus a twist of lemon if you like. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>FIRST COURSES</B></I><B> </B></div> <div> Sometimes these are a bit piquant - anything with a lot of vinegar, a curry flavored dish, or smoked or salt fish with a strong sauce or mustard can swamp a light-bodied wine. Either have a truly 'ordinary' toughish white - Bourgogne Aligote, Muscadet of ordinary quality, Minervois, a cheapish white Rhone - or skip the wine. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Hors d'oeuvres </B>don't really need an accbmpanying wine but, if you wish, serve something in the carafe category - inexpensive, light and either white or rose. Any salad recipe with a vinegar dressing risks conflicting with the wine because  of the sharpness of the vinegar, but if you go easy with this,  then an ordinary wine will not be overcome. Soup is another  course that doesn't really need a wine. If you've put some  sherry or madeira in the soup, then a small glass of this alongside is possible, but not essential.</div> <div> <B>Pates </B>are so varied that much depends on the main ingredient and whether the pate has any accompanying sauce. Follow the suggestions for fish, poultry and meat - but as many pates tend to be somewhat rich and fatty, a crisp wine is probably a good idea. The very rich pates, such as pate de foie gras or anything with truffles, do deserve a fine wine and this would usually be white in France - a very good Riesling d' Alsace would be traditional in the region. The Dordogne whites are possible with many liver pates. </div> <div> Fish pates, quenelles de brochet and fish terrines are usually well partnered by a dry, lightish white wine, so don't be afraid of selecting a modest drink to start with. </div> <div> <B>Eggs </B>can be a bit of a problem; choose something assertive, white or red, nothing delicate. Asparagus (with hollandaise), fonds d'artichauts and anything with mayonnaise in any form do not need a wine that is too fine. This is where the V.D.Q.S. and vins de pays wines, white or rose, are so useful. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>MAIN COURSES</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> <B>Fish</B></div> <div> White wine is served with fish, the choice of wine depending on the sauce - if any. Shellfish and all crustaceans are traditionally partnered by dry white wine; the white butter sauce served with many river fish needn't be an enemy to the wine. Loup, and any of the Mediterranean fish grilled over fennel, need something aromatic and robust as well - a white Cotes du Rhone, white Chateauneuf-du-Pape, white Hermit- age, or the many southern whites. Chablis is traditional with oysters - but Muscadet is less costly. </div> <div> The fine white Burgundies, such as the Meursaults, Puligny - Montrachets, Aloxe - Cortons and the whites from the Cote de Beauneare in general superb with most fine sea or river fish, but don't forget the southern Burgundies - Macon, Montag- ny, Rully, the Chalonais wines, even if you can't manage the grossly inflated price of Pouilly-Fuisse, there's Pouilly-Vinzelies. From the Loire, there are the white Sancerres and Pouilly-Fume, from Alsace virtually all the white wines with trout and sandre (pike-perch); these last will also be good with char and salmon trout and the finer dishes based on sole, flounder or plaice. </div> <div> In the Gironde, they drink white dry Bordeaux with the local shellfish.. In general, though, it depends on the dish, the sauce (grilled lobster is obviously not the same as lobster mayonnaise or a I'americaine, or flambe au whiskey) or whatever wine can be found and afforded. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Meat and poultry </B></div> <div> The notion of white wine with white meat is somewhat silly. Turkey, guinea-fowl, many chicken dishes, veal and pork, are not particularly white by the time the sauces, gravies, stuffings are added. Lovers of red Bordeaux would say there is a wine to go with every single meat, poultry and even all but the most gamy of game, whereas partisans of red Burgundy will advocate the opposite...and lovers of the Rhone reds will state that the finer wines possess a delicacy as well as a power that makes them admirable choices. </div> <div> In very general terms, claret (red Bordeaux) is traditionally associated with Iamb and many grills, including steak, variety meats and game such as grouse, woodcock, partridge and pheasant, as well as the usual forms of poultry. But beef doesn't have to be partnered by red Burgundy, vepisondoesn't insist on red Rhone as an accompaniment and casseroles of hare, rabbit can be served with red wines according to the seasoning and the wine that may have been Included in the dish. </div> <div> The same applies to dishes of pork and ham: what about the sauce, any added flavorings, any vegetables that may have a pronounted flavor? Is there any fruit in the recipe - or lots of tomatoes, peppers, garlic, herbs, all or any of which can affect a very delicate wine, but go well with a full-bodied one. What about duck with orange sauce? In Alsace they'd drink something white, full and fruity; in Burgundy or the Rhone the choice might be white or red, in the Dordogne or near the Spanish frontier they might opt for the reds of Cahors, or the Roussillon-Languedoc reds. In the Loire the suggestion would probably include the crisp fruity Cabernet  reds from Saumur-Champigny or, as anyone might say, when in doubt, a Beaujolais - of the various categories of quality up to the commune and even the estate wines. The Bordelais would certainly have something red - but whether a full St. Emilion, refined Pomerol, subtle red Graves or complex Medoc is something that would <I>get </I>wine lovers arguing for a long time. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Cheese</B></I> </div> <div> This would come after the main course when the main wine can be finished. All wine, white as well as red, is extra good with cheese, because the acidity in the wine (which should be there, even in sweetish wines) complements the alkalinity of the cheese admirably. But don't serve a very strong matured cheese or one of the hard cheeses such as cantal or comte with a somewhat elegant red wine. It may be too much for the drink. Blue cheeses, including roquefort, bleu de bresse and stilton, may, unless in their creamier prime, be too ammoniac for a fine red wine. The gorgeous creamy French cheeses - look for the indication of fat content (matiere grasse) on the label - are very good or, if you can't get a brie or camembert as you think it should be, opt for matured edam, or a fresh cream cheese, or, for Loire wines, a fresh goat cheese. The small fresh cream cheeses, such as demi-sel or, if it's the real thing, gruyere, will probably be good with most wine. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The sweet course </B></I></div> <div> This can be tricky - anything enriched with liqueurs is really good by itself or with another liqueur alongside. Chocolate is death to a palate attuned to wine - serve a spirit. But the sweet wines  are not only the great ones of Sauternes and Barsac, so superb that maybe they deserve to be sipped by themselves at the end of the meal, with a dish of fresh fruit (not oranges or pineapple, which are too acid) as the dessert which they complement beautifully. </div> <div> There are also the lesser-known wines of Cerons, Loupiac, Sainte Croix du Mont, Monbazillac; in the Loire the slightly crisper wines of the Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quart de Chaume; the richer though not always very sweet wines of the Alsace vendanges tardives (late harvest); the rare sweet, but never cloying, Champagnes; and, in the south, the vins doux naturels, of which Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is the best known. Vouvray makes sweet wines too - but you must find those of the great makers to get anything more than a wine that is pleasantly gentle on the palate. </div> <div> The huge range of the spirits of France, whisked into whipped cream, flamed into the sauce for crepes, gently dripped over ices, endowing an otherwise routine sauce - or drink - with the 'something special' quality, should be known. But remember, in the kitchen, there are the brandies and the rums for flaming and 'de-greasing', for using as a means both to concentrate tne essences of a sauce or gravy and, if poured into a pate or preserve, as something to keep it from deteriorating. Then there are the spirits that flavor - orange is possibly the most useful and the drop of something orange (Cointreau is the world's best;'known orange spirit) is equiva- lent to the transforming squeeze of lemon in a recipe. But the other fruits, notably kirsch (cherries), can each contribute and merit experiment. Even a miniature of a liqueur can be valuable: a tiny bottle of, say, creme de menthe (peppermint), abricotine (apricot), cassis (blackcurrant) can transform even a shop-bought vanilla ice cream if dribbled over it before serving.</div> <div>  </div> <div> <I><B>WINE TEMPERATURE</B></I></div> <div> All varieties<I> </I>of white wine should be served cool<I> </I>- and this includes sherry, white port, vermouth and anything sparkling - all aperitifs, in fact. But 'cool' doesn't mean iced: over-chilling a wine takes away much of its aroma. Don't simply sling ice into wine either, unless you want a watered-down drink. And never put a bottle in the freezer. Even if you don't forget it and find an alcoholized ice lolly some days later, the shock of the experience won't help the wine at all. (If you're in that much of a hurry, put the glasses in the ordinary part of the refrigerator - they will help along the chilling process when the wine is poured in.) , </div> <div> Most white wines can be cooled for an hour in the middle of a domestic refrigerator. Or - and much quicker - you can put the bottle into a bucket of ice and water (not ice alone, which only cools patches of the bottles) so that the level of the ice and water is up to the level of the wine. This will take 12-15 minutes for most dry wines.  Sweet wines can be cooled to a very sfightly lower temperature. </div> <div> On a stuffy day, whether it's actually summer or winter, or if your home has central heating kept to a high level, you may find it pleasant to give the wines a little more cooling time. </div> <div> Certain red wines can be very pleasant if cool. Young Beaujolais, many of the young red Loire wines and wines such as the Gamay de I' Ardeche or the inexpensive South of France reds all have their fruitiness enhanced by being lightly chilled. </div> <div> All rose wine should be served cool, like white wines. All sparkling and petillant wines should also be served cool. Red wines<I> </I>are usually at their best when served at room temperature - but never warm them up. If you do have a deep, cold cellar and suddenly bring up a bottle to the dining-room for immediate service, then, on a really cold night, you'll be forgiven if you put the bottle in a bucket of just lukewarm (not hot) water after drawing the cork. But otherwise, draw the cork an hour or more before you plan to drink the wine and let it gradually take on the temperature of the room. Never put wine in front of the fire or over a stove - it may acquire a horrible 'scorched' flavor, and heat from below may set up currents in the bottle which can churn up any deposit lying in the bottom. </div> <div> You can always gently warm a wine by cupping your hand around the bowlofihe glass. But, if you heat it in any way, you can never cool it down again to the right temperature. Asking for a wine to be warmed marks you as someone who doesn't know anything about it. The same applies to brandy - even if somebody suggests warming the glass, you should know better; warm it only with your hand. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>KEEPING WINE ONCE THE BOTTLE IS OPENED </B></I>- All but the very finest and oldest wines - and</div> <div> even some of those - can be corked up and kept in a coolish place, for enjoyment at the next meal - or for the next day. If you've only got the equivalent of a glassful remaining, however, then exposure to the air in the</div> <div> bottle may cause it to deteriorate: either decant it into a smaller bottle and cork it up or, if it isn't too special,</div> <div> use it for cooking. Wine is perfectly all right for most culinary purposes even after it's ceased to be a very enjoyable drink.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>COOKING WITH WINE </B></I>- There are two main ways of using wine in the kitchen. One is to add it to gravies and sauces shortly before serving, when brisk cooking is involved. For this you should use a wine of at least</div> <div> fair quality. If something is to be simmered or cooked for a long time in wine, however, or if the wine is put into something such as pate or stuffing, prior to cooking, then a wine of ordinary quality will do. All the alcohol will be given off during the cooking, but if you simply add the wine to a recipe and don't cook it the alcohol remains. Don't, though, use the very cheapest wine for cooking something intended for a special occasion - ideally, use the same wine you'll be drinking. With anything to be cooked for a long time, such as a casserole, this doesn't matter too much but, with a sauce to be enriched with wine and cooked only for a short while, the better the wine the better the end result.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>STORING WINE</B></I></div> <div> Wine should be stored with the bottles lying down, so that the cork, in contact with the wine, remains swollen, thereby preventing any air from getting in. Spirits should be stored with the bottles upright. </div> <div> If possible, keep wine in a cool, darkish place, away from vibration. Wines can stand moderate warmth (though ideally not for long) but do not benefit from sharp rises and falls of temperature - so don't keep bottles where they can get very hot or very cold. If you keep them anywhere centrally heated, try to use them up within a few months. And if you're lucky enough to have a real cellar" don't let it get too dry - damp is beneficial to the long, slow maturing of wine. </div> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>