Match of the week
Sopa Azteca with pale ale
One of the things Mexicans seem to be particularly good at is soup and there’s a special one that is served around Day of the Dead called Soap Azteca which I tried in a restaurant called La Casa del Gigante in Patzcuaro.
Mature gruyère and white port
I don’t drink a lot of white port, I must confess. More often in summer with tonic rather than at this time of year.
Aubergine (eggplant) tart and Chianti Classico
It’s more common to think of pasta, roasts and grills as natural accompaniments to Chianti Classico than vegetarian dishes but I had a tart at Terra di Seta that turned out to be a perfect match.
Guacamole and dry riesling
Alsace riesling isn’t the first drink I’d have reached for with guacamole but it makes perfect sense.
Baklava and Moroccan mint tea
Although sweet wines like Samos muscat pair well with baklava sometimes you might not have a bottle or have decided you don’t want a further glass of wine and Moroccan mint tea is just as good.
Gambas pil pil and albariño
Albariño is a well-established pairing for seafood but in fact it was the seasoning rather than the prawns that made this combination sing.
Eccles cakes and medium-sweet sherry
It’s a bit early to be thinking about mince pies though I’m sure there are some in the shops somewhere but Booths showed off their very tasty festive eccles cakes with a mince pie filling at their autumn tasting the other day.
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Apricot sorbet and moscato di Pantelleria
There were lots of interesting food and wine matches during my trip to Pantelleria and Etna last week with the Sicilian winery Donnafugata but the most surprising one to me was this pairing of an apricot sorbet and a light moscato, the 2022 Kabir.
Slow roasted seatrout and ‘pet nat’ perry
I’ve been on a cider weekend in Herefordshire this past couple of days so obviously trying lots of different ciders and perries. They included a new one from one of my favourite producers Tom Oliver called Almost a Pet Nat but Still a Tangy Perry (all his perries and ciders have quirky names)
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Roast chicken and Rioja (but not all riojas!)
Another great chicken pairing following last week’s ‘cos you can never have too many of them.
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Tongdak (rice-stuffed chicken) and orange wine
Continuing in the spicy food vein of last week, this time I was eating at a Korean restaurant called Bokman in Bristol.
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Satay and aromatic whites
What do you drink at those restaurants that have multiple small plates - I.e. most restaurants these days?
Monkfish with chorizo and godello
I finally got to The Sportsman at Seasalter in Kent this week - a restaurant I’ve been wanting to go to for years. It more than lived up to expectations - which isn’t always the case with a famous restaurant is it? - in terms of service as well as food but there was a standout wine pairing from the meal I was particularly impressed by.
Lobster roll and Franciacorta
When it comes to pairing wine with a lobster roll I reckon it’s as important to think about the roll as the lobster. I.e. that despite including a luxury ingredient it’s basically a sandwich, a snack, a fun meal.
Lamb, artichoke and Gevrey-Chambertin
Since lamb goes with practically every type of red wine you can think of you might wonder why I’m singling it out as this week’s match of the week.
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White peach and blanc de noirs mousse with rosé champagne
There were a lot of great pairings at the G.H. Mumm dinner I went to in Paris the other night but the most intriguing was the dessert which was served with their RSRV Rosé Foujita
Langoustine and chickpea velouté with ‘fine’ rosé
I went to a really interesting tasting and lunch in London last week to celebrate the new Fine Rosé Day - an attempt to get the world to take rosé more seriously as a gastronomic wine.
Sauerkraut and orange wine
I could of course have written about wine pairings with schnitzel this week having spent four days at Austria’s major wine fair VieVinum in Vienna but it merely confirmed my view that grüner veltliner is a pretty unbeatable match. (Along with beer!)
Indian-spiced soft-shell crab and English sparkling rosé
You might have thought English sparkling wine and in fact English wine in general was a bit delicate for Indian food but this pairing at Trishna last week was spot on.
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Steak tartare and Provence rosé
It’s back to the usual drizzly grey grot this Monday morning but the past week has been glorious.
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