Some more fun with wine.

[cape chef]

Ok, Heres the deal.

I'll throw out a dish that you must prepare, Your job if your willing to except it is to find an appropriate wine to serve with the disk, Ok? Good

First dish

Nutmeg Scented sorrel salad with roasted shallots and monkfish. This will be dressed with with a mustard based, raspberry vinaigrette.

Think first about the different possible flavors. One flavor that emerges will requier special attention in regards to your choice.
Have fun and don't be afraid to ask questions
cc

[Anneke]

Ouch! That's a really hard one CC!

It's almost impossible to find anything that matches with salads... The monkfish on it's own wouldn't be so bad...

Looking forward to the responses!

[cape chef]

Anneke, take it one step at a time. I mean, think of the componets in the dish and think about the four senses on your pallette.
Sweet, salty, sour and bitter. How do these senses employ themselfes in the dish? and which one would really stand out?

This will give you your guidelines
cc

[Athenaeus]

I am still searching for this Chateux in Bordeux that was a castle and a British fortress...
This is a very difficult question...

[cape chef]

My Dear Athenaeus. The key to that little quiz is the river.

That should help you
cc

[Anneke]

Ok.

Sour: raspberry vinegar
Sweet: roasted shallots
bitter: sorrel
Salty: monkfish

CC, would you come over and make this for me so I can figure out which is the predominant flavour?



...I'm thinking the sorrel/vinaigrette are going the be the predominant ones. Am I on the right track here?

A fat, buttery white?

(don't laugh, I'm clueless when it comes to wines!)

[cape chef]

Anneke, You are on the right track in regards to your senses.
The sorrel and the vinaigrette would both be sour. think of the flavor of sorrel, It is not bitter lets say like chicory or frisse, instead it is sour.

I big white would be problematic with these flavors.

Great job so far..don't give up.

PS..I don't have enough gas in my car for a long trip
cc

[Anneke]

I haven't had much sorrel, not enough to recall the flavour right now...

Anyone else?

[cape chef]

If i don't get a few more responses soon I will explain the dilema.
cc

[Anneke]

CC, when you get the answer you're looking for, do you think you could explain how to use the 4 dimensions of taste to match wines? (a little essay, 1000 words or less? )

In my studies at school and in my own readings and menu planning, I've been trying to work with the concept of these four dimensions. I am aware of them, I try to achieve a balance, but then what? I find it's something that I don't yet grasp how to implement it. Especially with wine matching. Feel free to start a new thread about the fabulous four and how to use them.

Thanks!

[Flash]

Good thread!

I am pretty much wine-ignorant (to make matters worse, I am a cook that lives practically on top of some of the worlds finest vineyards in CA), but I'll give it a shot.

Nutmeg Scented sorrel salad with roasted shallots and monkfish. This will be dressed with with a mustard based, raspberry vinaigrette.

While it only makes a small difference, I want to pay attention to the temp. I'll assume the salad is cool/monkfish warm.

The nutmeg is the tricky ingredient here, and requires (i think) a wine tat will "cool/tame" the spice and match its slight bitterness with a little sweetness.


my first guess is a nice rose or syrah.

some chefs REALLY lilke the nutmeg so this may be more of a prominent flavor than i think and so my second guess would be along the lines of a zinfindel or pinot noir.


how'd i do?

thanks for the practice,
flash

[cape chef]

Flash, Actually you did quite well, Although this dish has enough flavor profiles to work with a number of wines, it's the sourness of the sorrel and vinaigrette that need attention.

The wine that would work best with this a sancere rouge..two years old. This wine is in fact made with pinot noir grapes and the acidty in the wine will become fast friends with the salad.What happens is the acid from the wine and the salad actaully cancel eachother out. So this allowed the fruit of the wine to rise up through your dish, and the wine taste richer because of the masked acid.

Great job you guys.
I'll come up with something else
cc

[Anneke]

CC, two acids cancel eachother out? Is that specific to your menu selection here or a general thing?

[cape chef]

Anneke, The acids can not be the only componet for obvious reasons, But when acid meets acid in conjuction with other flavor profiles like sweet,sour, bitter ETC they cancel eachother out yes.

[Anneke]

Wow, I never knew that.

I have to squeeze the arithmetic out of my brain. The rules of math obviously don't apply to the kitchen!

Does this work only for acids or it apply for the other three?

Maybe you should give us some examples..

(sorry, I'm really making you work today! )