Page 7 - Leisure Living Magazine: Autumn 2020 Edition

Restaurant Consultant Offers Wine
Picks For Romantic Dates At Home
By Richard Vayda, Institute of Culinary Education, New York City
Busy couples don’t have to let hectic schedules and budget concerns interfere with a great date night. Dinner at home can transform into a romantic evening by elevating a delicious meal with the right wine pairings. To help you bring a slice of romance to your next dinner date, consider these simple dishes and wine pairings:
Appetizers
Traditional Melon and Prosciutto—ripe pieces of melon wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto go well with a fresh and fruity Prosecco—a perfect start to a meal. A frizzante brut style has elements of white peach that highlight the melon fruit, and hints of sweetness countering the prosciutto’s salt.
Traditional Caesar Salad—with garlic croutons can be paired with a Beaujolais. Salads are typically difficult to pair with wines because of the acidic dressings, and Caesar salads additionally need a wine that goes with multiple, complex flavors while still matching the freshness of the greens. Beaujolais, with its bright acidity, light tannins and young fruit tinge, does a nice job. If white wine is preferred, try a crisp, full Sauvignon Blanc.
Entrées
Restaurant-quality fresh-from the-freezer pizza makes a romantic date night a snap. Italy’s top-selling frozen pizza, Ristorante by Dr. Oetker is available in the U.S., and includes delicious varieties, such as:
Pizza Mozzarella—combines mozzarella cheese with tomatoes, Edam cheese and a delightful mixture of herbs. The cherry-plum flavor of a Chianti Classico has food-friendly acidity and tannins, which love cheese, tomato and herb pizzas. For an extra treat, try a Chianti Classico Riserva or a sparkling red Lambrusco, for vibrant, young berry fruit along with the fizz.
Pizza Spinaci—layered with savory leaf spinach, Edam and mozzarella cheese, with a hearty garlic sauce, this goes well with a Côtes du Rhone Rouge. It has a good balance of red plum fruits, tannin and spice but doesn’t overwhelm.
Dessert
Mixed Berries—with vanilla whipped cream go splendidly with Moscato d’Asti. This light sparkling wine packs a lot of fresh apricot flavor,
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excellent both to end a meal and to marry with a fruit dessert. Look for current vintages for the freshest fruit flavors. For more sparkle, try a traditional Asti (formerly Asti Spumante).
Mr. Vayda is Director of Wine & Beverage Studies at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, and a restaurant consultant.
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