Pair Up with La Sommelierre - August 2011
Summer Celebration
Sparkling wine makes any event a celebration. In fact, I start almost all my parties with something bubbly. This menu takes it one step further and makes the sparkling wine the star of the evening. Choose sparkling wines from cooler regions where the grapes maintain a fresh quality. And remember, even if it is grown in France, it isn’t Champagne unless it comes from the Champagne region of France.
Sparkling wine is great with the salad course because it is naturally high in acid and will pair well with salad dressing. Choose a dry Brut style sparkling wine for this course because it will have very little residual sugar. A sparkling wine vinaigrette will echo the flavors found in the wine and can be used to dress a salad of mixed greens, green onion, dried cherry, and edamame topped with crumbled blue cheese. It will be the perfect blend of sweet, bitter, savory and salty.
Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are made exclusively from chardonnay grapes and would be an excellent choice for an entrée of barbequed Dungeness crab. The sweet, buttery flavor of the crab along with melted butter for dipping will complement the butter, apple and pear flavors commonly found in chardonnay grapes. To barbeque Dungeness crab, break each cooked, cleaned crab down the middle, leaving ½ the body and five “legs” attached. Coat each half in olive oil and sprinkle with chopped garlic and lots of kosher salt. Wrap each half individually in foil, place on a hot grill for 10 minutes and serve with crusty bread.
End the evening with some good quality pound cake from your favorite bakery and make it your own with the delicious tropical fruit compote you can find on my website. Because the dessert is a little sweet, choose a sparkling wine that has sugar added back in at bottling. Look for the words “Extra-Dry, Demi-Sec or Doux” on the label.
So, go on. Pair Up!
Find recipes online at www.lasommelierre.com
