Matching Wine with Food
It is too bad that so much mystery is made of the matter of matching Wine with Food. The only really important rule is to remember that “a wine is good when it tastes good.” The suggestions given here are from people who have used wines with respect and restraint over a period of years.
Don’t think it is necessary to serve a variety of wines with a dinner. Serving a different wine with each course is too pretentious an undertaking for most homes and most occasions and is rarely done except at official functions and at weddings. A light wine with the meal and a heavier, sweet wine with dessert is a good rule to follow for practically all occasions,. Pairing wines with food should not be hard task.
Boiled down to essentials, here is a good chart to follow for serving wine appropriately with a meal:
BEFORE DINNER
Sherry
DURING DINNER
(all courses up to dessert)
A light red wine, if dark meat is served.
Any light white wine, if fish or chicken or other whitemeatis the piece de resistance.
WITH DESSERT
Tokay, Muscatel, Angelica, or Port Or, if a slightly more complicated service may safely be attempted (that is, ?if there is sufficient table help to look after the serving), the following plan may be carried out:
WITH OYSTERS OR CLAMS
Sherry
WITH THE Soup
Sherry
WITH THE FISH
Sauterne, Riesling, Chablis, or Dry Champagne
WITH THE MEAT
Claret, Burgundy, Sparkling Burgundy or Champagne
WITH THE DESSERT
Tokay, Muscatel, Angelica, Port, or Extra Dry Champagne
When more than one wine is to be served, the empty wineglasses are arranged in attractive formation (triangle, semi-circle, or otherwise if several glasses are needed) at the right of the water goblet, which stands at the tip of the dinner knife. The wine appropriate to the course is poured into its proper glass immediately after the course is served. The glass, empty or not, is removed when the china and silver that have been used with that course are taken away; the next course is then served and its accompanying wine poured and so on. Be sure the man or maid who is to serve ?the wine is thoroughly familiar with the order in which both wines and glasses are to be used! Also be sure he folds a napkin neatly around the bottle to avoid dripping.
At an informal dinner in the maidless home the host takes charge of serving the wine.
When opening a bottle, the cork should be removed carefully in order not to stir up any little sediment that may have formed in the bottle. The first “neckful” (about a tablespoonful) of wine from the bottle is poured into the host’s glass, then the other glasses are filled, or rather, little more than half filled, after which the host’s glass is poured. The wine is, of course, poured from the right of each guest at table.
Use clear, thin glasses, not too small, and fill them only half full. Following these simple rules permits one to enjoy both the color and the bouquet to the fullest extent. While it is very nice to have the various sizes and shapes that are traditional, it is not at all necessary. (As a matter of fact, the shape is largely a matter of personal taste; it is the cubic contents of the glass that is iplporlant.) With 2 or 3 well-chosen glasses, all possible needs so far as wine service for ordinary home occasions is concerned will be met.
For serving an aperitif (appetizer), such as dry sherry, Dubonnet, or vermouth, a small (2 1/2 to 3 ounce) stem glass is appropriate; or a cone-shaped flat-bottomed one, similar to an Old Fashioned glass but not so heavy.
For either white or red still wines, served with the dinner course, provide a deep-bowled tulip-shaped stem glass holding about 4 ounces.
For champagne, sparkling Burgundy, Moselle, and other sparkling wines, select a stem glass with a flat or saucershaped bowl holding 4 to 5 ounces. The hollow stem champagne glass has lost ?favor because it is practically impossible to clean and dry the tube of the stem after using.
Easy Rules to Remember and to Practice:
Serve dry wines before sweet wines.
Serve white wines before red wines.
Serve light (natural) wines before heavier (fortified) wines.
Serve white wines with fish and light meats.
Serve red wines with dark meats (sparkling Burgundy with game if possible).
Serve white wines chilled slightly but not iced.
Serve red wines at room temperature.
“Dry,” when applied to wine, means not sweet. Dry wines are served with courses preceding dessert, sweet wines with dessert.
Always store bottles of wine lying on their sides. Keep them in the cellar if possible or at any rate in a place where the temperature will be fairly uniform throughout the year. Don’t store wines in the refrigerator- If a wine is to be served chilled, put it into the refrigerator, still lying on its side, a few hours before serving time. Never put ice in a glass of wine.
A “wineglass” (frequently used as a measure in old-time recipes) is equivalent to 2 ounces, or 4 tablespoons, or 1/4 cup.
A “pony,” used in measuring hard Liquors, is equal to 3/4 ounce or 1 1/2 tablespoons. (A liqueur glass measures approximately the same.)
A “jigger” is equal to 1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons. (In other words, 2 ponies equal a jigger.)
A “highball glass” may vary all the way from 6 ounces to 12 ounces. The larger size is a better choice for home use, allowing space for ice cubes.
Tags: food and wine pairing, matching wine with food, Port, sherry, sweet wine, what wine goes with food, white wine, wine with food
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