Food and Wine

I hope you all got a chance to read the two Newsletters that discussed pairing food and wine. Specifically, I tossed out a story about Trefethen Cabernet and my suggested pairing with Lamb Chops. While the story started out a discussion of fats and tannins, it ended up with a fun twist about professional Butchers.
Tanya Cauthen runs the newest butcher shop (Belmont Butchery) in town next to One North Belmont, in the Carytown area. She opined that my sending an admittedly neophyte meat purchaser to Ukrop's to buy good lamb was tantamount to treason. As we bantered back and forth, I have to admit coming to the realization that a good butcher, good grocer or good sommelier should all have the ability to "cross compare" wine and food pairings. We think nothing of asking the tuxedo in a restaurant what we should pair with our '96 Chateau de Arrogance, but how often have we asked our fish monger what style of wine might work with a new fish that he is getting us to try. (Yellow Umbrella Seafood by the way has a quality guy named David who can do just that). Tanya's store is packed full of inventive meats, cheeses, sausages and sundries. She has thrown down the gauntlet, and we should accept. Where we find excellent service grocers, allow them the chance to help you with the wine pairing. You know who these people are in your life. Trust them, and then share them with us!

Goodness It's Been Too Long

So many of you read the Newsletter, that I must admit I slack off on the blog occasionally and it shows recently. Between my new career doing taxes and writing the newsletter, I seem to have let the blog go a bit. Anyway I want you to keep checking in here, as I intend this to be the place which has MORE data, and more experiences. Most of all, the next experience is at AZZURRO, an Italian Wine Dinner with host Chuck Vaughan of National Distributors showing us pairings and nuances of great wines and the food they do so well. (March 19, call 804 282 1509 for reservations) Food and wine are synergistic organics which compliment and counter point each other. As we discover those nuances, we only slightly uncover the mysteries which create them. Micro-climate, local delicacy, passion of the grower/maker...all these go into the symbiotic relationship of wine and food. Cheeses with reds, fresh local fishes with crisp whites, nuanced old world wines with peasant stews and braised meats...these are the trips that we take and explore as foodies. What a ride. Cmon!!!