Knowing that saffron-flavored mille-feuille of red mullet and langoustine pairs perfectly with Dom Perignon, or that prime fillet of Kobe beef with braised oxtail and potato rosti will make Château Pétrus sing is useful if you have a fat trust fund and a kitchen staff of twenty. But when most of us are racing from work to soccer practice to ballet class and then home again, we’re far more apt to grab some take-out food or heat a frozen TV dinner than to prepare a multi-course dinner every night of the week. We’re more aware than ever of health issues […]
Pizza & Wine
My Roman Holiday: A Food and Wine Lover’s Paradise
Just back from a mouth-watering journey through the streets (strada) of Rome. Here are some pictures and videos to whet your appetite, from olive oil and bruschetta tastings to thin-crust pizza and fresh tomato sauce pasta. Click on each picture at the link above if you want to see the comments to the right about the food and wine. Have you been to Rome? I’d love to hear about your favourite food haunts and restaurants. Ciao! Natalia
Drinkin’ the Green: Matching Vegetables with Wine
Matching Green Food & Wine Green food and green wine go well together: vegetables dance with wines that have herbal, grassy aromas, such as New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, if there were an award for Veggie Wine of the Century, it would go to this one. Not only does it have complementary aromas of asparagus and canned peas, but it also has bright citrus notes that complement most vegetables. While white wines often work better than red wines with vegetables, light reds like Pinot Noir and Gamay also work because they have soft tannins, juicy berry flavors and good […]
Best Canadian Wine + Food Pairings: Contest Winners
This news story ran in the print and online editions of leading newspapers across the country, as well in more than 50 regional papers. The article was written by a reporter with the Canadian Press (CP), and so this was not our distributed press release. We’re thrilled that it warranted such wide news coverage. You can also read the first story that another Canadian Press reporter wrote about the launch of the wine competition. OTTAWA – Oenophiles from coast to coast have waged a little friendly rivalry over wine pairings and come up with half a dozen of their favourites. […]
Norm Hardie Wine + Pizza Pairings
After winning the Best Canadian Wine with Pizza for his County Pinot Noir in The Great Canadian Wine Match, Norm Hardie has shared with us his favourite wine and pizza pairings based on the pizzas made daily at his winery in an outdoor wood-burning oven from May to late fall. Like his wines, Norm says, there is no exact recipe for the pizzas, which vary based on seasonal ingredients as well as the daily heat and humidity. Here are Norm’s favourite pizzas with his County Pinot Noir: Margherita: tomato, fior di latte, basil Cochon: tomato, fior di latte, basil, salami […]
The Great Canadian Wine Match: Red, White and True North Food
In The Great Candian Wine Match, an annual battle of the bottles, you can vote for your favourite Canadian wines to pair with Canadian cheese, chicken, beef, seafood, pizza and dessert. As the people’s choice awards for Canadian wines, the competition takes a grassroots, “bottoms up” approach to get us rallying behind our favourite bottles from coast to coast. How do I nominate a wine? Go to the nomination wall for one of the six Canadian food categories: chicken, beef, pizza, cheese, seafood or dessert. Simply enter the name or product code of the wine. You can find product codes […]
Wine and Pizza Pairing Video
Are you planning a movie night soon with pizza? Here are tips on pairing your favourite pies with wines, whether you love Hawaiian, Margherita or Meat Lovers’ pizza. These are the four wines I tasted in this video, however several of them may not be in stock now so I have suggested some alternatives below. You can find more pizza pairings here or in the drinks matcher. Got a favourite pairing that you’d like to share? In related news, you’ll find a video on pairing cheese and wine. Urban Nik Weis Selection, Weingut St.Urbans-Hof Riesling 2009, Moselle, Germany Pure […]
Duck Pizza Recipe with Smoked Mozzarella, Roasted Butternut Squash and Sauteed Mushrooms Paired with Las Rocas Garnacha
A swanky pizza with smoky, sweet and savoury flavours. Choose a wine with the same bold flavours such as Las Rocas Garnacha 2009. The wine is full of ripe black cherry and raspberry notes supported by supple tannins and some very food friendly acidity. This incredible bargain should not be missed, until November 10th receive 20 Bonus Air Miles with each bottle purchased. Duck Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella, Roasted Butternut Squash and Sautéed Mushrooms Makes four 6-inch or one 12-inch pizza Pizza dough, purchased or homemade (recipe below) Ingredients: 1 whole head garlic 5 tbsp olive oil, divided 1½ cup […]
Pizza Bianca Recipe Paired with Illuminati Riparosso
Pizza Bianca Not every pizza needs tomato sauce. Briny green olives, dried chile flakes and rich cheese make this pizza a perfect match with a fruit forward Montepulciano d’Abruzzo like Illuminati Riparosso. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Ready in: 30 minutes Original recipe yield 4 to 6 servings 1 (10 inch) pre-baked pizza crust ½ cup coarsely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese 5 basil leaves, torn 10 green olives, pitted and cut in half pinch of dried chile flakes ½ clove garlic 3 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into ¼ inch thick discs Preheat oven to […]
Duck Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella, Roasted Butternut Squash and Sauteed Mushrooms Recipe – Paired with Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre 2008
A swanky pizza with smoky, sweet and savoury flavours. Choose a wine with the same bold flavours such as Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2008. The wine’s bright, concentrated fruit and hint of spice works well with this recipe. Leftover smoked duck or BBQ duck would be a great substitute. Makes four 6-inch or one 12-inch pizza pizza dough, purchased or homemade (recipe below) 1 whole head garlic 5 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 ½ cup butternut squash, peeled and diced 3 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cups mixed mushrooms (cremini and shiitake), sliced 1 duck breast […]
