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The past decade gave us one of the best books ever on food and wine pairing: What to Drink with What You Eat (Bulfinch Press, 2006), by award-winning authors Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, the team behind another of my all-time favorite culinary books, The Flavor Bible.
Split into two sections, the first half of What to Drink lists food by type and/or category (green beans, say, or stir-fried dishes), then suggests a variety of wines, spirits and nonalcoholic beverages (espresso, tea, even cola) that complement each one. The book’s second half reverses the equation, listing common beverages and wine varietals and suggesting food to serve alongside them.
Practical, educational and easy to navigate, this book is useful for those confident in their pairing abilities, and essential for those who are clueless on this front.
To accompany tonight's bubbly, the authors suggest the following:
Caviar, egg-based dishes, fried food, oysters, popcorn, smoked salmon, lobster and sushi top the list, followed by asparagus, creamy dishes, foie gras, gravlax, ham, mushrooms, scallops, shellfish, sole, turbot and turkey.
Wishing you all a festive and joyous new year!
Cheryl Sternman Rule is a widely published food writer and the voice behind the blog 5 Second Rule.
