Match of the week

English sparkling wine and fresh crab sandwiches

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on May 26 2008 at 07:32

Looking out of the window this wet bank holiday morning it’s hard to credit that we produce wine successfully in this country but we most certainly do. Especially sparkling wine which many pundits reckon is beginning to rival Champagne in quality.

This week - English Wine Week - is a good opportunity to get up to speed on what England has to offer. Many vineyards are holding tastings and other events - I particularly like the sound of the ‘Fizz and Fish’ evening which will be held in conjunction with Rick Stein’s Fish and Chip Café at Camel Valley Vineyard near Bodmin in Cornwall this Thursday. And Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking in Surrey is holding a fascinating Cheese and Wine Making Event the same evening.

However I’m going for another very British treat - fresh crab sandwiches, made with lightly buttered fresh brown bread and stuffed with sweet, flaky crabmeat simply seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Truly if the crab is fresh you don’t need anything else. Bread always picks up beautifully on the yeastiness of sparkling wine and shellfish is a sure-fire match with fizz. Sometimes the simplest things are the best.

Image © stockcreations - Fotolia

If you’d like be able to check out all the food and wine pairings on the site you can buy a bundle of credits here to access my premium content.

And/or for regular updates on what and where I’ve been eating, drinking and travelling sign up for my weekly newsletter Eat This, Drink That, Live Well.