Merryvale Wine Dinner

I wanted to touch on the thought process behind pairing food with wines and how to compliment the flavors of the wine. I've chosen a couple examples below based on quite frankly, my rather limited photography skills. I'm still working on that.

Merryvale Vineyards is a picture of true Napa valley wines, a snapshot of rolling hills framed by trellises bursting with fruit. It's picturesque setting is matched only by the quality of their crafted wines. You can visit their web address here.

Scallop & Endive I find that portion size makes a difference in what is an appropriate pairing. The flavors of blue cheese and braised endive or the residual quality of a sticky fig may seem a bit heavy for a chardonnay, however, when used in moderation they will actually serve to enhance the clean fruit flavors. The savory red endive and creamy blue cheese flavors will match well with the pear and melon taste of the wine, while the crisp saltyness of the scallop will compliment the mineral toasty notes. A side by side presentation allows for the diner to pick and choose as they sip giving them control over their experience. I don't want this to sound inflated or imposing, after all it's all about enjoying the moment. My advice when thinking about what you should serve with any wine is this, consider the whole picture, starting with who you are serving and what their likes may be (including yourself). If you are serving multiple courses, be careful of portion size.

Trio Dessert.

Grilled Venison loin.

Guacamole and Chips, Simple, Fresh, very Tasty!!

One of my favorite recipes is this very simple and easy crowd pleaser. This recipe will serve 4. Add a couple of beers and your off to a good start.

A good test for an avocados' ripeness is that it should feel like a new tennis ball. Firm with a little give. If it's not quite ripe, put it in a paper bag on your counter top overnight. That will help it ripen faster.

5 Ripe Avocados (seeded, scooped & coated in fresh lime juice then diced small)

1/4 Cup finely diced yellow onion

1/2 Cup finely diced tomato (use outer flesh of tomato only, see pic below)

1 Tbl. washed chopped Cilantro

3 Jalapeno peppers (seeds & white flesh inside contain the heat, you can control the spice by including more or less as you like)

3 fresh limes Squeezed (tip.."rolling" the lime on the counter before you slice it helps soften it making it easier to squeeze)

Kosher Salt to taste.

<---Tomato skins "outer flesh"

This is what your sliced tomato should look like.

Pics

Smoked Beef Tenderloin, Poached pear & blue cheese relish - Cioppino

Seared Duck breast, tomato chili broth & chocolate mole - Pickled beets & mustard vinaigrette

DESSERTS, RED MEAT & ALCOHOL!

Did I capture your attention?
I figured I should name a few key points of interest. This will be the first of what I would like to be many interesting posts about the world of food & restaurant life, as if there aren't enough blogs about that already. I will be providing useful information about local produce and it's seasonal availability, insight into the workings of a professional kitchen, recipe advice and ideas for everything from dinner parties to quick family meals, as cooking from the fridge every night can be a daunting task when you are not only hungry, but tired. I'll be covering such topics as proper knife skills, "how to's" for meats and fish as well as pairings for wines. I'll also be talking about advanced meal planning that will include tips on understanding flavors, textures and colors for eye appeal and complex eating experiences. Let's get to it.