Sicilian Dinner

Across the Strait of Messina, within eye shot of Calabria, lies the Italian island of Sicily. While it is part of Italy, it is a world apart. Having historical influences from the Greeks, Arabs and Normans, the food, culture and wines are unique to Italy. There is so much diversity in Sicilian food and wine, that is is sometimes referred to as "God's kitchen".

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that we have a small group that meets every few months to put together an authentic 5-course meal, paired with local wines (if possible). All the recipes are researched and made with authentic ingredients (even if wee have to import them) and made in the traditional style. In the past we have done Spain, Tuscany, Nicaragua, Chile, Norway, Burgundy, to name a few. This night we gathered for a full Sicilian Dinner.

The recipes and menu were organized by the hosts, and everything came together for the evening. Along with an appetizer (antipasto), I was also in charge of finding the wines to pair with each course. What follows is a recap of each course, and the wine that was paired.

We opened the evening with two antipasto course: 1) Caponata; and 2) Arancini di Riso. Caponata is a dish consisting of eggplant, vegetables, currants, and pine nuts, served on sliced baguette toast. We paired this with a dry Prosecco. I know....Prosecco isn't from Sicily. But, have you ever tried to find a sparkling wine from Sicily? They make them, but finding the is another story. We made up for this with all the remaining wines. By the way, the pairing worked nicely despite not being Sicilian. The second antipasto, Arancini di Riso, is basically a fried rice ball, made from day old risotto, stuffed with cheese. For this course, we paired a COS 2010 Pithos Grecanico Sicilia. This is the same grape (different name) that we see in Northern Italy, that make Soave (Garganega). There was some nice acidity that worked with the frying process.

For the first course (or Primo) of our sit down portion of the dinner, we opened with typical Italian dish (even in Sicily). Pasta Burro e Formaggio e Crema (or pasta with butter, cheese and cream). We paired this with a 2006 Vasari Mamertino Bianco. This course was very similar to a Fettucini Alfredo, so we paired with with a wine of more body, but some acidity to cut through the cream base.. The wine is a blend of Cataratto, Inzolia, and Grillo. The creaminess from MLF, and the fruit from stainless steel fermentation worked nicely with this dish. This was a 2006 vintage, which led to a bit of oxidation.

Our main course (Secondo) consisted of Chicken Marsala, along with a side (contorno) of Asparagi con Arance (Asparagus with Oranges) and a salad (insalata) of Finocchio Insalata (Fennel Orange Salad). This was a challenging pairing. There was the sweetness of the Chicken Marsala, and the taste changing affects of the asparagus, not to mention the licorice flavors of fennel. We had to pair this with a red, so I went with a lighter red, that had some spice, and a bit "funkiness" to work with the mushrooms. I chose the 2010 Terre Nere Etna Rosso "Calderara Sottana". Grown on the side of Mt Etna, this wine is made from Nerello Mascalese.  (a grape unfamiliar to most). I would suggest that this is the "pinot noir of Sicily". It is light, medium tannin, but smooth. We opened this bottle an hour earlier that the food course, and it probably could have handled another hour or so.

Our cheese course (Formaggi e Frutta) consisted of three cheeses: Pecorino, Caciocavallo, and Piacentinu along with red and green figs. I chose to pair with the most pronounced cheese, which was the Pecorino. But, the Piacentinu, with it's pepper corns and saffron, also had a pronounced flavor. I went heavy with the wine, and paired this course with a Gulfi 2008 Nerobaronj Nero D'Avola. This is a striking wine, made from the local Nero D'Avola grape. This is all dark fruit, heavy, and wonderful.

We ended the evening with  a dessert course (Dolce) of Savaoiardi Spagnolette (cream filled cookie). This was paired with a sweet Marsala, served in short glasses, allowing us to dip the cookie in the wine. It was a sweet end to an evening of Sicilian food, shared with friends. Next time, we'll have to do it actually in Sicily. but for now, it will have to do.

Bon Apetit!

Wine & Cheese Pairing

 

If ever there was a myth about wine, it is that it pairs great with cheese.

When was the last time you ever thought about adding a little wine to your milk? Doesn't sound too appetizing does it? So where did the idea of wine and cheese come from?  My guess is that local cheese producers wanted to take advantage of the regional wines that were being produced. I still believe that if you have a wine from an area that produces cheese, try that cheese with the wine (they come from similar terroir).

Wine and Cheese pairings are one of those "tricky" things to work with. Check my series of articles about wine pairing at Wine Pairing Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four.

There are so many cheeses, there is no way to cover them all, but let's consider the types of cheeses. There are fresh, soft, semi-soft, hard, and blue cheeses. On top of that, cheese can be made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk - each imparting different flavor profiles.

In general, when pairing cheese with wine, think the lighter/ fresher the cheese.. go with crisp, fruitier wine.

Semi soft cheeses move up in weight, as well as mouth coating creaminess, so think acid, but with weight and fruit (this can range from a fruity Sauvignon Blanc to a full bodied Pinot Noir, and everything in between).

Hard cheeses tend to be aged longer, and have more distinct flavors. A "rule" to follow here would be, "the stronger the flavor, the bigger the wine" (Merlot to Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon).

Among the cheeses often associated with red wine pairing are blues such as blue cheese and creamy cheeses such as Camembert. However, the creaminess of the cheese is drowned out by the dryness of the tannin in the reds.

Blue Cheese can range from mild to strong. Remember to match salt with sweet, so the salter the cheese, the sweeter the wine. Sweeter styles of white wine such as Sauternes pair best with blue cheese such as Roquefort, as the drink enhances its saltiness.

The acidity of German Riesling offers a nice contrast to the tangy nuttiness of a Parmigiano-reggiano, while the grassy, mineral flavors of French Sauvignon Blanc can also deliver beautiful flavors when paired with goats’ cheese. But the bolder, more tropical flavors of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand tend to be too strong for this effect.

Whites which have been “oaked”, left in oak barrels to absorb the wood’s flavor, should generally be avoided with cheese. Look for those fermented in stainless steel.

If you must pair a red wine with your cheese course, invest in an older wine, such as a traditional Rioja at least five years old, as time will have softened the tannins. But it will still need to be served with a strong cheese such as cheddar, or (my favorite) Manchego.

Port and Stilton are a classic pairing, but instead of the ruby ports, try a lighter tawny Port.

As mentioned, Sauterne with Roquefort is a classic wine and cheese pairing. You may want to even try a Brandy with cheese. We had experimented with Calvados (Apple Brandy) and found that it worked wonderfully with Camembert covered with sauteed onion and apple.

Remember that when you are pairing wine and cheese together, first taste the wine by itself. Next taste the cheese, and sip the wine with the cheese....wine, cheese, wine. Your cheeses should be arranged from mildest to strongest, to help keep your palate from being overloaded. Softer cheese before hard cheese, and cow's milk (the mildest) to Goat, then Sheep and finally Blue Cheeses. The cheese will influence the taste of the wine, more than the wine will influence the cheese. Don't "waste" your best bottle of wine with a cheese pairing.

Another little "trick" with your wine and cheese pairing, is to have some palate cleansers served with the cheese. Water crackers are a nice addition. I have also found that almond nugget and quince paste make a nice addition to a cheese plate.