Wine and Food Pairing
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Wine and food pairing can be tricky
By V. S. W.
Wine and food pairing can be tricky, food modulates our taste profile, including the flavor and intensity of a wine. Not the other way round. Food, in fact, can overpower even the most expensive wines in the world, if not carefully paired. The other challenging aspect of food and wine pairing is that we, humans, have different sensitivities to different flavors and components. What may seem a perfect pairing to some may seem ordinary to others. We are carefully examining every recipe to bring you some of the most delicious food combinations complimenting our wines. Enjoy!
Today's recipe:
Moravian Rose Blaufrankisch 2020 and Chicken Statler, sour cherry & blackberry pan sauce
Moravian wines paired with dishes locally sourced and prepared by Chef Andy hit the spot. Moravian Rose Blaufrankisch 2020 paired with Chicken Statler, sour cherry & blackberry pan sauce on a bed of whipped sweet potato topped with crispy onion and spinach will have your taste buds do the happy dance.
First things first: What is Blaufränkisch? Pronounced blahw-frahn-keesh, it is a prized black grape originating within what used to be the Austrian-Hungarian empire. Moravia, the wine-growing region of the Czech Republic, used to be a part of the Empire and thus this mysterious grape found its home in the local vineyards and on the Spevak Estate as well. In German, Blau means blue and the suffix –fränkisch describes a family of superior grapes. The name speaks for itself.
It was in 1862 that Blaufränkisch first appeared at an exhibition in Vienna, Austria. Since then, it became the signature black grape in Central Europe, and Moravia in particular, and it continues to impress wine connoisseurs around the world.
Blaufrankisch performs best in cool continental climates, where it makes beautiful, perfumed wines reminiscent of Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. It is a highly site-specific, late-ripening variety, the winemaker could watch the ripening of Blaufrankisch closely and harvest at a time when the grape is likely to produce slimmer fresher red wines.
2020 vintage provided the perfect conditions for exploring the option of making a Rose wine from Blaufränkisch and the final product is an effortless fit for any summer outing. It surprises with its freshness and bite, sour cherries on the nose, and allspice on the palate. This beautifully structured wine then adds finishing touches to a dish developed for us by Chef Andy from The Filling Station Food Truck: Chicken Statler, sour cherry & blackberry pan sauce, whipped sweet potato, crispy onion, and spinach. The pan sauce reflects the aroma profile of Blaufrankisch Rose, the sweet potato puree compliments the spicy chewiness of the wine while crispy onion adds the needed crunch. This inventive, yet familiar combination will impress you Rose wine lover.
Na zdravi a dobrou chut!
Chicken Statler, sour cherry & blackberry pan sauce, whipped sweet potato, crispy onion, spinach
Chicken Statler & Pan Sauce
2 ea Chicken Statler breasts (lightly pounded and seasoned with salt & pepper). Regular chicken breasts will work as well.
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Rosemary (minced)
1 tbsp Sage (minced)
ÂĽ cup Blackberries (halved)
ÂĽ cup Fresh Cherries (halved)
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 ½ cups Baby Spinach
Salt & Pepper to taste
Process
Preheat your oven to 400 F. With a paper towel pat the chicken dry and season with salt & pepper.
In a pan heat 3 tbsp oil. Once it is hot add 3 tbsp of butter and let the butter brown. Add the chicken skin-side down, and allow it to brown.
Flip your chicken over and add your chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and sage.
Re-season with salt and pepper, then put the pan in the oven.
Pull the pan out after about 12 min and place it back on the range.
Add your spinach, cherries, and blackberries, and finish the sauce with 2 tbsp of butter.
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Process
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Once your sweet potatoes are rinsed, place them in a bowl and toss with oil, salt & pepper, then arrange them on a baking tray with parchment paper.
Bake them until they are soft all the way through.
Once they are done peel the skin off of them and add the potatoes to a bowl with the remaining ingredients.
Smash the potatoes with a fork and serve.
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Whipped Sweet Potato
3 ea Sweet Potatoes (rinsed)
Oil
Salt & Pepper
3 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Sour Cream
2 tbsp Milk
Crispy Onions
1 ea White Onion (sliced thin)
½ cup Buttermilk
Salt & Pepper
1 cup Flour
Oil
Process
After you slice the onion then place it in a container and add buttermilk. Allow the onion to soak for at least 10 min.
In a separate container place your flour and season it with salt & pepper.
In a pan add oil until it is about an inch deep. Heat the oil to about 350 F.
You can test your oil by adding a small piece of your floured onion to it. If it starts to bubble when you drop it in then you are ready.
Remove the onion from the milk and toss it in the flour. Shake the onion free of extra flour and place in hot oil.
Once the onion is light brown and crispy remove it from the oil and place it on paper towels to dry, season with salt & Pepper.
"What a delicious recipe, it taste so well together with the Moravian Blaufrankisch wine!"
"Delicious, delicious, delicious!!!"
"I made this recipe for my best friend's birthday party and the whole group loved it, especially this beautifully structured Moravian Blaufrankisch!"
"This Moravian Blaufrankisch gives my Chicken Statler a new meaning!"
Wine and food pairing
Wine and food matching is the process of pairing food dishes with wine to enhance the dining experience. In many cultures, wine has had a long history of being a staple at the dinner table and in some ways both the winemaking and culinary traditions of a region will have evolved together over the years. Rather than following a set of rules, local cuisines were paired simply with local wines. The modern "art" of food pairings is a relatively recent phenomenon, fostering an industry of books and media with guidelines for pairings of particular foods and wine. In the restaurant industry, sommeliers are often present to make food pairing recommendations for the guest. The main concept behind pairings is that certain elements (such as texture and flavor) in both food and wine interact with each other, and thus finding the right combination of these elements will make the entire dining experience more enjoyable. However, taste and enjoyment are very subjective and what may be a "textbook perfect" pairing for one taster could be less enjoyable to another.
While there are many books, magazines and websites with detailed guidelines on how to pair food and wine, most food and wine experts believe that the most basic element of food and wine pairing is understanding the balance between the "weight" of the food and the weight (or body) of the wine. Heavy, robust wines like Cabernet Sauvignon can overwhelm a light, delicate dish like a quiche, while light-bodied wines like Pinot Grigio would be similarly overwhelmed by a hearty stew. Beyond weight, flavors and textures can either be contrasted or complemented. From there a food and wine pairing can also take into consideration the sugar, acid, alcohol and tannins of the wine and how they can be accentuated or minimized when paired with certain types of food.
Do you have your own story, article, or recipe about pairing our Czech wines with your delicious food recipe? Share it with us and our readers.
