deVine Table

Skiing Date Props

Remember the Mystery Date game? The premise was for the player to collect enough cards in order to be ready for the date that will appear when she opens the door. The cards identify different components of an outfit. Naturally, each outfit corresponds to one of four dating scenarios including the formal dance date, bowling date, skiing date, and the beach date.

Keeping those scenarios in mind, what would happen if you replace collecting the right outfit with procuring corresponding wine and food? For example, say you’re going to the beach. What wine would you want to drink? Then consider what food you’d want to take on a beach date. Doesn’t that make food and wine pairing sound a lot easier than navigating a lot of rules about tannin and acidity in wine?

(more…)

There is no doubt about it, Chardonnay is definitely one of the hubby’s favorite wine varieties. So as a Christmas gift to him, I organized a special wine dinner at home featuring Chardonnay along with some of his favorite food pairings.

Sure, a lot of people have moved to the ABC camp (Anything But Chardonnay).  A big oaky Chardonnay isn’t for everyone, after all. Plus, the oakier the wine, the harder it can be to pair it with food. Pick the right foods, however, and you get some nice butter on butter action going between the food and the wine. That’s right, you had me at butter. (more…)

Tulalip House Cured Lox

Looking for something to do this weekend? Then head to the Taste of Tulalip for the Grand Taste on Saturday, November 10th. When it comes to great food and wine, this event seriously has it going on. And I know I’ve said it before, but who would’ve thought a casino could do food so well? Yet, they do.

Last month I had the luxury of being a special guest at the Taste of Tulalip Preview Tweet Up – the kind of event that dreams are made of, filled with amazing food and creative chefs who push the envelope. Not to mention a bevy of beverages. As I savored each dish, I imagined what kind of wine I’d want to enjoy with it at the Grand Taste. Here are my suggestions.

The House Cured Sockeye Lox with shaved shallots, cucumber, Chevre, taro root crisp was delightful paired with Louis Roederer ’02 ‘Cristal.’ I would go for a do over!

Lemongrass Coconut Soup

The Lemongrass Coconut Soup wowed us with its aromatics which were amped up a notch by a ribbon of lemon zest tied around each diner’s spoon. I’d be tempted to seek out a Sauvignon Blanc with some citrus notes to pair with this comforting dish. I can just imagine the acidity of the wine cutting through the creaminess off the soup while the citrus characteristics play off one another. (more…)

Cheers to new friends!

As we hustle down the hallway of the hotel a warning is shouted at the masses, “Get on a bus NOW! THE BUSES ARE ABOUT TO LEAVE!!” The sense of urgency makes me feel like we are on a ship that just ran into an iceberg and we’ll be doomed if we don’t save ourselves by finding a way out.

(more…)

Photo by the author of "Chasing Jen"

I recently became acquainted with the author of the blog Chasing Jen. Documented on the blog is a delightful approach to pairing wine with fried chicken. One wine – the Coenobium Bianco – paired with six different flavor profiles of fried chicken, that is!

Consider me intrigued. After all, we often conduct experiments for deVine Table by serving a number of different wines alongside a variety of dishes to see what pairings work best. For example, one time we spent the better part of a day exploring wines to pair with Indian food. Mind you, tasting 6 Indian dishes and roughly a dozen wines was great fun! (more…)

At The Capital Grille

It’s always a pleasure to dine at a restaurant with a nice wine list. However, if that wine list features 5,000 bottles, how do you go about picking just one for dinner? Maybe it’s time to try something new and adventurous. Or you might prefer to stick with the tried and true.  I suggest you stop worrying about all that and head to The Capital Grille to experience five different world class wines with your meal for just $25. It’s called The Generous Pour Wine Event.

The Generous Pour Wine Event offers guests an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy generous pours of as many of the featured wines as they choose and the event exemplifies the expert, personalized service that The Capital Grille is known for.  Guests will be guided through the experience, with suggested pairings and wine tasting notes for each course ordered. (more…)

Savory Sweet Potato Empanadas

When you’re looking for an easy yet elegant appetizer, this is one to consider. After all, we all love buttery flaky puff pastry don’t we? If you’re planning on serving these at a party, you can assemble them in advance as they freeze well. Or if you don’t need such a long term plan, you can refrigerate them over night.

The original recipe came from Chef Bryce Lamb, and I’ve made a few tweaks to help it pair with wine.

Makes 18

(more…)

Sips and Bites at Canlis Seminar

The food and wine pairing seminars at Taste Washington offer more than just a lecture on what to pair with chicken or steak. They offer guidance from a well-qualified and engaging panel, questions from an inquisitive audience, and the opportunity to actually taste several pairings. The Canlis Food and Wine Pairing seminar offered last Saturday was no exception.

With custom food creations by executive chef Jason Franey, and wines hand selected by wine director Nelson Daquip, the Canlis team offered up captivating pairings. Jordan Mackay from San Francisco Magazine joined Chef and Somm on the panel (I like a guy who says that he and his wife treat wine pairing like a team sport at home). Sara Schneider of Sunset Magazine moderated.

The seminar was peppered with useful comments and suggestions regarding food and wine pairing: (more…)

For those of you heading out to Taste Washington today, here is a quick rundown on some of my favorite food and wine pairings from yesterday. Note that my wine picks aren’t always at the table right next to where the food is being served. However, I’m a believer that if you take the time to find the right wine, you’ll enjoy your food so much more!

Ray’s Boathouse Bay Shrimp Cocktail with Treveri Cellars Extra Brut.

Act 3 Catering Smoked Salmon Mac + Cheese Poppers with Tranche Cellars Pink Pape Rose.

Tulalip Bay Fine Dining Dungeness Crab Cakes with Karma Vineyards Methode Champenoise Brut de Brut.

Last but not least, don’t forget dessert. Just be sure to have it last because you don’t want to drink dry wines right after consuming so much sweetness.

The Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co. Pancakes and Bacon (uh huh a cupcake that tasted like, well…) with Tieton Cider Works Tieton Frost (actually a cider, not a wine, but every bit as wonderful).

Giardiniera Salad

This recipe came about while I was preparing material for an Italian wines class. Inspiration came from the latest issue of Food Network Magazine. I’ve simplified the recipe  because I needed to easily feed a crowd. In fact, quantities can be doubled or quadrupled to do just that! So next time you’re hosting a casual spaghetti night or pizza night dinner, consider including this in the mix. It’s not expensive, and it takes just minutes to put together. (more…)