Hello, Kathey Raskin of Las Vegas back with another post here at Kathey Jo’s Kitchen. I like to pair a good wine with my meals from time to time. You’ve probably done the same. For the uninitiated, what is wine pairing? The Golden Rule of wine pairing is that red wine goes with meat; white goes with seafood, and poultry. As a corollary, the Fight Club rule is you do not speak of the Golden Rule, and drink what you want with your meal. You might have a different palate for the combinations of flavors you’ll get from an unusual pairing. Today, we’ll talk about a few pairings you wouldn’t think would go well together. Do you have a favorite nontraditional wine pairing? Share it with the Kathey Jo’s Kitchen audience below.
Sides, Starters, and Desserts
- Champagne: sushi
- Red wine: chocolate cake, French fries, vegetables and hummus
- White wine: vanilla cake, chocolate chip cookies, popcorn
The eventual joy of a great pairing is the experimentation. Experimentation with wines can be a hobby all on its own, but it doesn’t have to be. Try pairing different varieties of wine that you’re used to, and sample it with a meal. Then, you’ll slowly come to understand the basics of how to pair the wines that you have with your meals. The acidity, aromas, body, and flavors of a wine play a role in considering when searching for one to match a specific dish.
Main Dishes
- Red wine: Ahi tuna, antelope, Arctic char, eel, fish tacos, grilled cheese, guinea fowl, salmon, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, pizza, salad, seafood, steak au poivre, steak tartare
- Rosé: barbecue, chili
- Sémillon: lemongrass chicken
- White wines: Cantonese cuisine, roasted duck, pasta with red sauce, peekytoe crab, pulled pork sandwiches, steak, Thai cuisine
Matching food to wine is easier than it sounds. So, what is a good rule of thumb? If your meal is light, rich, spicy, or sweet, match it to your dish. Pair wine with food that equals its intensity. A flavorful chicken recipe will go well with a light, spicy-sweet white, a steak with a heavier sauce to a full-bodied, strong red.
What’s your favorite pairing? I’d love to know, so leave me, Kathey Raskin, a comment!
