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| Tips to Cooking With Wine |
Experimentation and “tweeking” are the foundation to almost all great dishes. However,
your results will be closer to what you are expecting if your experimentation relies on some
underlying principles rather than total randomness. Below are some general guidelines to
direct you on your culinary journey.
1. Choose the type of wine best suited for the type of food.
Generally, a light-flavored wine goes best with delicately flavored foods. It would follow that
a bold-tasting wine might do well in a boldly flavored dish.
Experimentation can yield good results, however in general, light-colored meats like
chicken and fish are best paired with light-colored wines (white), while dark-colored meats,
like beef, are paired with dark-colored wines (red). An example of a good pairing is my
Braised Beef in Cabernet Sauvignon (similar to Beef Bourguignon). Red dinner wines go
well with hearty or highly-seasoned foods such as beef, pork, game, duck, goose, and
pasta dishes with heavy red sauces, while white dinner wines tend to work with dishes
containing chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, ham and veal.
2. Dry vs. Sweet
A very dry wine has very few natural sugars remaining and is usually higher in alcohol. In
contrast, the sweeter wines still contain a larger amount of natural sugar from the grapes.
So choose the type of wine depending on the flavor you want in the dish you're making.
3. Play off the subtle flavors in wine.
Here are some of the subtle food-like flavors that can come through in wine which you may
want to capitalize on by adding some to dishes containing these foods:
White wine: apple, pineapple, pear, citrus, vanilla, melon, caramel, olives and mushrooms
Red wine: berries, peaches, currants, plums, cherries, oranges, chocolate and coffee.
This does not mean the wine producers are adding flavors to their wines, it simply means
the esters in the wine will have these various flavors. If in doubt, read the back label. Most
quality wines will have a description of what supporting flavors are in the wine. If all else
fails, taste the wine and make the determination yourself.
4. Tannins and acid
"Acid" is a term used to describe both red and white wines, and it refers to the sharp bite in
the wine (much like you would experience with lemon juice or vinegar). Acids are very
important. They can help bring out the natural flavors in a mild food, such as fish (this is
why fish is often served with an acidic wedge of lemon).
Tannins are generally found in red wines; this word refers to the bitter element in the wine
(similar to the bitterness you find in a strong cup of tea). Tannins act like palate cleansers
when paired with foods high in protein, such as meat. The tannins in red wine pair well with
strongly flavored dishes and hearty foods, like a nice juicy steak.
5. Consider the preparation
It is important to consider not only the type of meat but the way the meat is prepared when
choosing a wine to use in cooking or serve at the table. For example, a dish heavy on the
spices usually needs a full-bodied wine to stand up to it. One with a light or creamy sauce
calls for a drier, light wine. Choosing a “bone-dry” Chianti to go with your spicy lasagna will
enhance the dining experience, as will a nice Chardonnay with your broiled tuna steak.
However, if you were to serve the tuna blackened with my spicy Cajun Dirt Seasoning, stick
with the dry red Chianti. You will need a full-flavored wine to stand up to the heavy spices,
even though white wine normally goes with fish.
6. Have fun!
Feel free to experiment while cooking or baking with wine. Get creative, and try to invent
new flavor combinations.
Remember, after you have created something spectacular, don't forget to write down how
you did it! One of the saddest experiences a chef or home cook will have is not being able
to successfully recreate a wonderful dish because we did not adequately document the
process. I recommend to all my students that they maintain a conveniently small journal
where they can make notes, recipes, wine tasting notes, etc. This will go a long way in the
recipe development process as well as wine buying (as there are literally thousands of
wines available for purchase).
Summer Fun
Summer is just around the corner. If you plan on having a “get-together” at pool-side and
want to actually enjoy your guests, call us and we will take care of all the details, shopping,
prep, cooking and clean-up! If you have a large gathering, we can bring our industrial-
sized grill and accommodate large parties. Burger and dogs or filet mignon, it does not
matter. We will tailor the menu to meet your requirements and your budget. Our schedule
fills quickly, so contact us at info@thymeforachef.com to book your date now.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
info@thymeforachef.com
www.thymeforachef.com
your results will be closer to what you are expecting if your experimentation relies on some
underlying principles rather than total randomness. Below are some general guidelines to
direct you on your culinary journey.
1. Choose the type of wine best suited for the type of food.
Generally, a light-flavored wine goes best with delicately flavored foods. It would follow that
a bold-tasting wine might do well in a boldly flavored dish.
Experimentation can yield good results, however in general, light-colored meats like
chicken and fish are best paired with light-colored wines (white), while dark-colored meats,
like beef, are paired with dark-colored wines (red). An example of a good pairing is my
Braised Beef in Cabernet Sauvignon (similar to Beef Bourguignon). Red dinner wines go
well with hearty or highly-seasoned foods such as beef, pork, game, duck, goose, and
pasta dishes with heavy red sauces, while white dinner wines tend to work with dishes
containing chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, ham and veal.
2. Dry vs. Sweet
A very dry wine has very few natural sugars remaining and is usually higher in alcohol. In
contrast, the sweeter wines still contain a larger amount of natural sugar from the grapes.
So choose the type of wine depending on the flavor you want in the dish you're making.
3. Play off the subtle flavors in wine.
Here are some of the subtle food-like flavors that can come through in wine which you may
want to capitalize on by adding some to dishes containing these foods:
White wine: apple, pineapple, pear, citrus, vanilla, melon, caramel, olives and mushrooms
Red wine: berries, peaches, currants, plums, cherries, oranges, chocolate and coffee.
This does not mean the wine producers are adding flavors to their wines, it simply means
the esters in the wine will have these various flavors. If in doubt, read the back label. Most
quality wines will have a description of what supporting flavors are in the wine. If all else
fails, taste the wine and make the determination yourself.
4. Tannins and acid
"Acid" is a term used to describe both red and white wines, and it refers to the sharp bite in
the wine (much like you would experience with lemon juice or vinegar). Acids are very
important. They can help bring out the natural flavors in a mild food, such as fish (this is
why fish is often served with an acidic wedge of lemon).
Tannins are generally found in red wines; this word refers to the bitter element in the wine
(similar to the bitterness you find in a strong cup of tea). Tannins act like palate cleansers
when paired with foods high in protein, such as meat. The tannins in red wine pair well with
strongly flavored dishes and hearty foods, like a nice juicy steak.
5. Consider the preparation
It is important to consider not only the type of meat but the way the meat is prepared when
choosing a wine to use in cooking or serve at the table. For example, a dish heavy on the
spices usually needs a full-bodied wine to stand up to it. One with a light or creamy sauce
calls for a drier, light wine. Choosing a “bone-dry” Chianti to go with your spicy lasagna will
enhance the dining experience, as will a nice Chardonnay with your broiled tuna steak.
However, if you were to serve the tuna blackened with my spicy Cajun Dirt Seasoning, stick
with the dry red Chianti. You will need a full-flavored wine to stand up to the heavy spices,
even though white wine normally goes with fish.
6. Have fun!
Feel free to experiment while cooking or baking with wine. Get creative, and try to invent
new flavor combinations.
Remember, after you have created something spectacular, don't forget to write down how
you did it! One of the saddest experiences a chef or home cook will have is not being able
to successfully recreate a wonderful dish because we did not adequately document the
process. I recommend to all my students that they maintain a conveniently small journal
where they can make notes, recipes, wine tasting notes, etc. This will go a long way in the
recipe development process as well as wine buying (as there are literally thousands of
wines available for purchase).
Summer Fun
Summer is just around the corner. If you plan on having a “get-together” at pool-side and
want to actually enjoy your guests, call us and we will take care of all the details, shopping,
prep, cooking and clean-up! If you have a large gathering, we can bring our industrial-
sized grill and accommodate large parties. Burger and dogs or filet mignon, it does not
matter. We will tailor the menu to meet your requirements and your budget. Our schedule
fills quickly, so contact us at info@thymeforachef.com to book your date now.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
info@thymeforachef.com
www.thymeforachef.com
Copyright 2011, Thyme for a Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.
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