Cookies
and milk; a classic pairing. The mild and creamy drink cleanses
the palate and balances the sweet, tasty treat. Cookies and
coffee; another fine pairing. But, cookies and say, grapefruit
juice? Doesn’t seem to fit the bill. Just as when pairing food
with wine, there are certain flavors that work well together,
and if you keep in mind just a few basics, you can break the old
rules of “white with fish” and “red with meat” and make
selections you’ll enjoy that bring out the best in each. Here
are a few guidelines to keep in mind as you experiment with your
own rules.
Ultimately
the best food and wine pairings are the ones you enjoy.
But, important keys are to balance tastes and intensity of
flavors and match the wine not necessarily just to the fish,
poultry, meat, or main dish, but to the way in which it is
prepared. The seasonings or cooking method can alter a
pairing selection. For example, salmon may normally pair
well with a subtle white such as Pinot Gris if it is
poached, but grill it, and red wine can be a better match.
Light white such as Sauvignon Blanc or red such as
Beaujolais are nice complements to turkey, but if strongly
flavored side dishes accompany the meal, Gewürztraminer or a
rich, fruity red such as Syrah or Zinfandel would be a
better choice.
It is important
to balance tastes.
The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and
umami
(a new word under some debate which describes a fifth taste,
a savory flavor, found in foods such as mushrooms, tomatoes,
soy sauce, and aged cheeses and meats). Salty, sour or
bitter foods will make a wine seem sweeter and less tannic
(astringent or puckering). Sweet or savory foods will make a
wine seem less sweet and more tannic and acidic.
A sweet taste
like Italian tomato sauce, teriyaki, or a honey-mustard
glaze makes wine seem drier, so an off-dry (slightly sweet)
wine such as Chenin Blanc, Riesling, or White Zinfandel will
balance the flavor. Slightly bitter or astringent foods such
as mixed green salad, kalamata olives, and charbroiled meat
may alter your flavor perception of the wine, so
full-flavored fruit-forward wine like Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, or Merlot will be a nice complement. To cut the
saltiness in foods, select an acidic, unoaky wine. If
you combine the flavors in the food with similar flavors in
the wine, that can also be a tasty pairing. A peppery
Zinfandel matches nicely with grilled steak in pepper sauce.
On the other hand, if you have a strong, spicy dish, a
strong, spicy red wine could overpower the taste buds.
Instead try a fruity wine like Gewürztraminer or Riesling.
And what about a little something with those cookies?
Perhaps a late harvest Riesling or Port.
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