Marco Pasanella is the proprietor of Pasanella and Son, Vintners, which opened in the South Street Seaport area of Manhattan in 2005. The shop has been included in top-ten lists in New York magazine and The Village Voice, and has received praise in Food & Wine, Elle, and Blueprint. His first book, Uncorked: My Journey Through the Crazy World of Wine, will be published in May 2012 by Clarkson Potter.
TEN OF MY FAVORITE WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS:
by Marco Pasanella, author of Uncorked
Here’s my dream team of wine and food combinations. Some echo each other’s tastes; others are complementary, making both food and wine better than they would have been without each other.
1. MOSCATO AND LEMON RISOTTO: Dry, aromatic white meets zesty rice for a refreshing hookup.
2. RIESLING AND SEA SALT-CRUSTED MUSSELS: Sweet offsets salt, and you don’t have to be a wine geek to find yourself oohing.
3. LAMBRUSCO AND SALUMI: This tart and sparkling red is just the thing to cut the richness of prosciutto and Parmigiano. It’s a classic combination but one worth remembering in light of Lambrusco’s lingering and outdated reputation as gooey 1970s fizz. Good Lambrusco is also ideal with Mexican food and barbeque.
4. CHIANTI CLASSICO AND RIBOLITTA: A classic combination that’s a textbook case for figuring out how food can enhance wine. Chianti’s rich flavors are highlighted by this tomato-y white bean stew, which also drowns out its harsher tannins.
5. MEURSAULT AND MORELS: Pair smoky whites with blanquettes de veau, a French veal stew, smothered with creamy morels for love on a mossy forest floor.
6. CHINON AND SALMON: A chilled, light red (yes, red) tames this rich fish.
7. PINEAU DE CHARENTES AND ALMONDS: A slightly sweet brandy mixed with grape juice is not wine but is just the thing for almonds, especially with almond pound cake or tangy amaretti (almond cookies).
8. CHAMPAGNE AND POPCORN: Crisp bubbly meets hot buttered popcorn for the best high-low combination since Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.
9. BEAUJOLAIS AND ROAST CHICKEN: The secret to this simple combo is in the quality of both the food and the wine. Splurge on a cru Beaujolais, a graceful wine that won’t overwhelm the bird. And get the best Bresse chicken, roasted in a lemony sea salt crust.
10. BAROLO AND TRUFFLES: Food and wine from the same place, Piedmont’s Asti in this case, often make perfect pairings. Gamy aged Barolo is tailor-made for matching with a few shavings of these musky, earthy mushrooms over pasta fresco (freshly made egg noodles).
Please enjoy this excerpt from Marco’s book, Uncorked:
