Through learning more about wine and immersing myself in the vast wine world, I have developed a new passion. I have started cooking, I mean really cooking - beyond my locally renowned sandwiches and spaghetti soup. This past year I have had more time at home and more time to peruse Pinterest. I started out cooking things that I knew could not go disastrously wrong, like soup. I figured if I liked the food items separately, I would still like them smashed together in a new recipe. The risk was low.
I have naturally gotten more brave with the recipes I will attempt to make. I have developed my skills and built the confidence to tweak recipes in attempt to take them to the next level. I still do not know how to blanch something, apparently it is different than boiling - dumb. My asparagus is crap.
Becoming more confident in my cooking has allowed me to delve into wine pairings with my new dishes. I have had beautiful wine and food pairings at wine maker dinners and pick up parties, which has inspired me to attempt to bring the experience home.
Currently, I find myself enjoying recipes that pair well with gut warming fall red wines. Give me all of it! I want to be cozy and warm in my home, eating good food, while watching Netflix. Take a look at my current Five Favorite Fall recipes. If these do not have you running to the store for ingredients, you must not be reading this blog post.
This is a phenomenal recipe. It is an easy recipe that is perfect for upcoming holiday parties. It is a great appetizer full of yum! The lovely thing about this recipe is the base. You can add in your own flavors and tailor the dish to meet your preferred flavor profiles. We tried the honey, walnut, and dried cranberry option. My goodness was it delicious!
A medium body red like Pinot Noir pairs well with this dish, because it will not get lost with the umami flavors in the mushroom. It will also compliment the earthy notes of the goat cheese. Assuming those goats do not eat pineapple heads, strawberry plants, or cardboard. Damn it Dale! (Resident Compound Goat)
This is a new recipe to the Parrish household. I have loved Carbonara since my trip to France in high school. When I came accross this on Pinterest , I figured I would give it a whirl. I like basil and bacon, so how could it go wrong! Boy was it delicious. Blake told me it was the best dish I have ever made. Whawhawhat!? I have never heard that before. It wasn't even that hard to make.
I figured a Gamay would be a delightful pairing because it goes well with chicken and ham. Turns out, it was a lovely paring. The wine was bold when we initially opened it and mellowed into light cherry notes. Not to mention the price point on this wine is unbeatable. I will definitely be bringing this to the in-laws for Thanksgiving.
If it pairs with chicken, it should pair well with turkey!
Spaghetti Soup Casserole - Sangiovese (I.e. Noodle-less Lasagna)
I learned to make this recipe last year. I used to hate, I mean hate Lasagna. But after getting made fun of for my Spaghetti Soup recipe by my bother-in-law (did you catch that haha), I decided to improve my go to dish. It was a good decision. The parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta turn into a cap of cheesy bliss atop the tomato-meat sauce goodness. Bellisima!
This is best paired with a Sangiovese, our favorite Italian wine. As the Somm from Wine for Normal People often professes "what grows together, goes together." Thus, this pairing works. The tannins in the Sangiovese will hold up against the heavy tomato and cheese flavors, creating a party in your mouth you will certainly want to attend!
I got this recipe from a recommendation on Instagram. I was weary at first because I have only had pumpkin spice/pie type dishes. I was worried that that dish would end up oddly sweet. I was wrong and it was lovely. I recommend adding in Italian Sausage (ground or links) and sun dried tomatoes. It truly pushes the dish over the edge.
As you should in the month of October, pairing this dish with Merlot is more than appropriate. The bold wine will not get lost in the flavors of this unique pasta dish. If you end up forgoing the sausage/sun dried tomatoes, try the dish with a Prosecco. The dish at this point will be lighter and the flavors will not get lost behind the Merlot.
This may be one of my all time favorite pairings. This reminds me of Blake and I's relationship, perfect. (We will see who is actually reading). We make incredibly spicy chili, if it is not a challenge to eat - we don't make it. We have recently started putting in a fraction of a Carolina Reaper. Yeah! The spice is real folks!
Because of this we need a bold unique wine. The pepper notes of a Carmenere pull through the spice of the chili and compliments the flavors beautifully. You do not want something fruity when you are trying to wash down your Fritos and banging bean blend! It is a unique grape and Skylite Cellars makes a great wine with it. If you cannot find it or are not ready to try this varietal, Syrah would be a worthy substitute.
I am excited about this newly found passion and I have been thinking of incorporating it into my monthly blog posts. Once a month, I will write about 4-5 food and wine pairings. What do you think? Like always, I appreciate your feedback and recommendations. Happy pairing, cheers!