Bill Buitenhuys wrote:So I just made up a big pot of jambalaya with a chicken, andouille, and kidney bean base and pretty hefty spiciness of thyme, cilantro, basil, jalapeno, paprika, garlic, shallot, red pepper, onion, celery, carrot in a red (tomato paste/chicken stock) sauce, all over rice.
Any ideas on what wine might pair with this? I'm stuck.
Sparkling mineral water? Before I got a nasty amoeba which limited my intake of spicy food, I used to eat food that was "tough" for wines nearly every day. It depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to emphasise the heat, go for a young(ish) Nebbiolo based wine. The fruit in them will work with the heat, and the tannins will emphasise it - this is my perfect pairing for curry!
The sad truth is that alcohol emphasises heat, so with sort of food any alcohol (beers included) will just make it seem stronger. If you want a good pairing, I suggest making fresh juice. Get 100% unsweetened juice.
If you are adamant and want wine, remember these tips: low alcohol, low tannins, sweetness (but whether from residual sugar or ripe fruit is immaterial), moderate to high acidity (causes salivation, which lessens burn), perhaps a touch of carbonation (not full blown Champagne-style, but more pétillant). These guidelines made some of the least unsuccesful pairings for me!
Wine and and even only moderate spiciness just doesn't work IMO.
Ironically Fino sherry seems to go with anything, though it disobeys these "rules" of mine.
-O-