Wine and Food Pairing -Challenge #1

[Michael Greenberg]

..suggest the dish that goes best with a good Brunello Di Monatalcino..

I look forward to your suggestions because I still have lots of Brunello's in my cellar and if there is a dish that pairs better than any other with a good Brunello -then I would like to hopefully try it and second the opinion.. HOWEVER-i think i had last night the absolute perfect food compliment to a Brunello-I willnot reveal it till others have posted there best ideas.. THEN when i've tested those out (hopefully if i can cook the dish and it does not contain what i do not eat) I will report back whether they topped my recommendation or not.

Of course we are talking of a perfect pairing match not merely a match that is merely agreable with the wine..It must taste great enough together that one can't inagine any pairing better. So describe WHY you think the match workd so well.

[Daniel Rogov]

Moods and desires shift from time to time but at this moment, I would suggest steak Florentine, boeuf a la mode, boeuf bourguignon or a more American cut Porterhouse steak, the flavors and textures of the dishes blossoming on the palate together with those of the wine.

Best
Rogov

[Mike_F]

Well, many of the good people of Montalcino recommend wild boar with their Brunello. If wild boar is not available, a massive beef steak should do the job.

[Michael Greenberg]

Well so far the 2 replies suggest meats only-but I assure you what I had last night was not meat and so far off from what you would expect with a Brunello,that I myself was shocked how good the pairing was...I'll wait some more for perhaps closer or more creative suggestions before revealing what my pairing was...I should say that the Brunello I had was from my cellar and was a 1998 --so perhaps i understand the "usual" tendency to pair powerful reds that have not been so aged with steak or hearty beef stews --but as a Brunello starts hiiting the latter years of its drinking window maybe your suggestions would be perhaps different? Anyway I'll wait to see if anyone comes close to guessing what i found really was perfection before revealing it and the exact Brunello I had it with. But -think out of the box!

I'll give members who attemt to guess ths or come close or suggest something they tried wth an older Brunello that really worked well for them -I'll give them another day-and tomorrow afternoon I'll post my "reveal" of this fabulous pairing I had (hint: Somewhere in what i have posted in this thread and reply is a play on words that might suggest the answer).

[Daniel Rogov]

If one goes vegetarian with Brunello, a heavy bean-based and potato stew might do well. If seafood, grilled coquilles St Jacque, various lobster offerings.

Best
Rogov

[Ken Schechet]

game of any kind including game birds, mushroom stews or mushroom lasagna, grilled vegetables, bean dishes, Florentine steak, hard cheeses such as parmesan or pecorino.

[Michael Greenberg]

OK--I said I'd give it till this afternoon --so I'll give the big reveal now:

The perfect food pairing for Brunelo Di Montalcino wines (based on my trying it 2 nights ago and assuming other Brunello's will also work as well as the one I drank) is this:


THIN CRUST PIZZA with toppings of FIG PASTE,EDAM and GOUDA CHEESE,CARMELIZED ONIONS ,and PEARS ....

The Brunello I had was : CASANUOVA delle CERBAIE Brunello di Montalcino 1998 (this wine was #27 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2003 )....its married perfectly with the sweetness of that pizzza and the other offset that the edam and gouda cheese topings brought to the inter-play
with their distinct flavours (using blander cheeses like mozzarela probably would detract from the efffect ,as would using sharper cheeses--in fact this whole marriage was perfection as the sour (but just right) components of the brunello played off the sweet of the fig paste,carmelized onions and strong pare flavours then mixed with that slightly sour of the edam and nutty flavour of te gouda ....Take my word -it realy all married well.

In contrast -I had the remaindr of the Brunello with pan fried shoulder beef steak in a steak sandwhich last night. I found the Brunello did nothing to compliment the meat -in fact it ws distracting...I think a good grippy cab sauv probably goes better with that ..

Anyway-- Brunello with sweet pizza is not what usualy comes to mind as a pairing-but it is in fact the best marriage because of the contrasts of sweet and complex sour (not to sour but the right level of it). The brunello expressed a mature yet not overpowering aromas with some complex suggestions of violets and wild flowers and on the palate the raspberry,pomegranate and plum flavours exuded just the right fruit-tarty character of just the right sourness for offsetting that pizza sweetness....so it ws definitely a good and surprising match that i never would have guessed would work so well..but tere it is..

FYI: I hinted that there ws a play on words n my posts starting this thread that hinted at the dish that went so well with the Brunello--- you can easily see it now: "PAIRING" should have tiped you off to "PEARS" anbd that may have tipped you off to a pizza with pears combo ...

FYI: I used the FORELLE PEAR (thin shavings and skin off) --it has a harder texture than say a Bartlett Pear but also as a stronger "peary" taste and is a sharper hint of sweet AND tart ness that I think go best with the 2 cheeses I used..

When making the pizza,I used a store bought ready pizza crust --line a thin layer of the fig paste onthe pizza top--then added slices of the 2 cheeses,then added the onions i carmelized,then lastly the pear shavings...Bake on the mediun rack in your oven (pre-heat to 400 degrees F) for 6 minutes --then set to BROIL for 2 minutes ..THEN it is ready.


IMPORTANT OMISSION: oops,sorry i forgot i key ingredient--the last step before putting g that pizza in the oven is to sprinkle some good basalmic vinegar over it--adds some tartness to offset the sweetness of the fig paste and the pears..