SNAKSHOT
Red, white and green makes Il Tricolore, also known as the flag of Italy. (No disrespect to Mark Rothko but red, white and brown is not quite as appetizing a colour combination, though it does make for an attractive rectangle in its own right.)
I have no clue whether the culinary legacies of Italy contributed to the creation of their national colours. I'm not even sure I was attempting Italian cooking when I had these roasted red peppers spill over four-cheese pasta and grilled portabello mushrooms on parsley.
What I can say is that this meal is incredibly flexible. It seems adaptable to any of the three wines I talked about in yesterday's post: Red, white and pink. The hearty mushrooms take the place traditionally held by red meat, but don't demand a red wine to match. The pasta is rich enough to take on a red wine but nuanced enough to pair with white. If I added leftover chucks of cooked ham to the pasta like I did recently, it, whether served hot or cold, would be delightful with a rosé. The peppers -- which I have heard called difficult to match -- were very sweet and equally easy-going as the rest of the plate. So pick your favourite wine (...or should I just say give a colour a tri).
6 comments:
By the way, this week's Sauv. Blanc tasting featured a 2005 Pabiot Pouilly Fume ($25, best wine, but not by much), a 2006 Porcupine Ridge ($14), a 2005 Lake Sonoma Winery Fume Blanc ($20, skunked - I bet the whole lot is bad, do not buy) and the 2006 Babich ($19). The Pabiot was the best, but by very very little, so Babich seems a great alternative. The Porcupine Ridge was a great price, but very uncomplex - I think a reasonable choice if under budgetary constraints (or for a wedding, etc.), but with my $$ I would probably buy the Babich. South Africa next Tuesday - Cheers!
Joe,
Much obliged. I still haven't moved on from the 2005 Babich but I'm sure I'll start getting out there and buying more whites in earnest... the sun is gradually breaking through the deep freeze. I actually felt it today as I walked tuque-less along Mont Royal.
Speaking of Sauv Blanc and South Africa tastings, I should be blogging about my first South African wine soon and it's a Sauvignon. I have VERY limited experience on S. Africa. Hope you'll comment back on how Tuesday goes.
Marcus
Marcus,
I didn't realize it was the 2006, I think my last bottle was the 2005 as well. I look forward to hearing about your S. African Sauvignon, and I will let you know how Tuesday goes (assuming I can make it...) - I have VERY little experience with S. Africa as well.
Dok - sorry, missed the S. Africa today, but I did buy the 2003 Ramitello - very few bottles around, so you may want to rush out and find it..
Joe,
How do you typically monitor the new shipments like the Ramitello? I was wondering this while I was at the big Maisonneuve store to pick up some scarce Sauvignon (not from S. Africa -- too bad we missed that tasting).
Anyway I found these bottles because I query the SAQ site periodically. Earlier this week it indicated two new cases of Goisot Saint-Bris Sauvignon in stock. It's all trial and error. If you search for it next week, it likely won't be there. So it's hard to find. All the best bottles are.
Ch Meunier St-Louis A Capella Corbières is another winner under $20 that's depleting faster than I can post about it.
Basically, I just wander the stores on occasion. I usually eat lunch at my desk, but to stretch my legs I often step out to the 440 store, Metcalfe, or when it is really cold the Les Ailes store. While the Les Ailes store is either freakin' expensive or crap, right next to the fancy sliding door are two small vertical shelves filled with gems. I saw the Ramitello there, checked the site, and saw very few left in town so I flagged it for you.
The Meunier is gone, but the Goisot is around so I may stop by tomorrow - thanks for the heads up.
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