Wine, beer or any other alcoholic drink is more often associated with merriment. A time for celebration, relaxation and bonding with buddies. For others, it is to be shunned when religious beliefs are suspect to it for being of a different spirit. An evil temptress that takes away the guards of inner inhibitions. But then that is the perception of many a fundamentalist. And it was mine for several years, until my views have been altered by a more knowledgeable approach.
There are many stories in the biblical text that mentions of wine with meals. Even the first miracle of Jesus conerning the wedding in Canaan, was about wine. John Wesley, founder of the methodist church, said that "wine is one of the noblest cordials in creation", and Martin Luther even mentioned that, "Beer is made by men, wine by God." But how come, many associate it with drunkeness? The real problem is best explained by the chinese proverb:" it is not the wine's fault, but the man's".
When I offer an alcoholic beverage to a serious fundamentalist christian (especially pastors...hahahaha!), it is more often rejected. Why? because of the bad publicity alcoholic/fermented beverages has had, and the amplification of man's weakness/sinfulness. Until we understand what it is really to take in beverages with alcohol content and our goal of why we do so, it then become a totally different experience. In previous years, where drinking was an excuse to loosen inhibitions, it is my quest to be able to marry the solids with the liquids that play around my palate. It is an integral relationship that is personal, intrinsic and satisfying.
Combining food with drinks are often best when we know how to pair them. Fish with white wine, or red wine with meats are often the safe choice. But that was the norm years ago, mainly because fish or seafood meals were lighter and should have a lighter beverage such as whites. And thus vice versa the red. But a few years back, that has already changed. Many white wines have been grown in different regions globally that can produce a full bodied heavy texture similar to the reds.
One thing I have learned to food pairing is that if it grows together, then it goes together. Simply put, if you have pasta on your table it is a wise choice to order italian wine, or that tapas are great with Spanish wines. It would be exotic to drink Austalian chiraz with an emu meat, or that French wines with sock stinking blue cheeses with worms sticking out.
In the travel chanel, Andrew Zimmern's show "Bizaare Foods", he was eating among other Filipino delicacies, the famous "balut". The pinkish beak and the tiny fleshy hair coming out of the bird makes me cringe. Although he particularly liked the taste of its meat, he wasn't keen on the juices, which to us Filipinos consider it so tastily delicious. Yet as I pondered on the way he said it, I came to the conclusion that the taste of the juice is actually the excrements of the bird itself. You probably would do the same thing being stuck in a shell for 16 days, having poo and pee all over and getting boiled along with it. Best pair for this salty balut, is the sweetness of the tuba!..hmmm..that one Zimmern has to try.
Last year, I went to a tequila tasting in Chelsea Market, home of the Food Network. As i recalled, we had different dishes that went with the 3 kinds of tequila. We had a sort of ceviche for the blanco, a black bean concoction with the reposado and the churros for the anejo. It was a totally satisfying and educational experience.
Two weeks ago, Mike and I purchased a few ounces of foie gras. I have heard so much about it being paired with a sauternes, that I went to the wine shop and asked to see a bottle . Behind the cash register and on a shelf was an 8 oz of yellowish liquid, that had an engraved gold plated sign "cheap wine". The sommelier picked the bottle and presented it to me as the only sauterne he had. When he told me the price, my jaw dropped with amazement. The small sweet tasting 8 oz. alcoholic beverage known as a sauterne cost about $499.00 per bottle. No way, Jose! am I going to buy such an extravagant liquid. Instead, he suggested a cheaper beverage such as a muscat. Why do most expensive stuff be so grossly extracted--cheese with worms, roes from 20 year old beluga fishes, and sauternes made from noble rot...
I was priviledged one time to dine at a fine dining resto somewhere in Manhattan. Where once I get intimidated by well dressed waiters who ask for your first order of a drink, i then got to know the importance of wine stewards or sommeliers. They are the buddies of the chef, the matchmakers of the food served, the friends of vintners. They are the ones who make a living out of drinking wine and telling you which goes best with what. In as much as I did want to order several drinks for several courses he suggested, it was just over my budget to try them all. Later on, I bought a bottle I liked which cost a little above than what I would have spent over just a glass in a fancy restaurant.
Last December, Mike and I had lunch at Morimoto's restaurant. I had a Morimotini while Mike had a saporo beer, Japanese food with Japanese beverage. Coming home, this gave me an idea of coming up with my own drink to eat with my own namesake, Silvana (actually it was sans rival but similar in recipe). I called my drink Silvanatini which is a combination of tequila, exotic fruit juice and several cuts of strawberries, cucumber and cherries. Yummmm.!
Thinking about this blog, made me want to picture my friends!
Red wine with cheese, chocolates, crackers and fruit:
tequilla and tomatoes is tempting:
white wine with chocolates
fruit flavored water:
the gang's all here:
the gang and the ladies:
No comments:
Post a Comment