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 […]

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Get Out of Your Wine Rut in 2014: Try These Wines

What are the best wines to try in 2014? Want get out of your wine rut? That’s our wine topic on the CTV News video clip above. We looked at great wines to try based on what you already like, similar to how Amazon recommends books: if you like this one, then you might like that one. Let me know about a new wine that you discovered this year in the comments below.   Get Out of Your Wine Rut in 2014: Try These Wines News Anchor: And now back to Leanne Cusack with a little more on the good […]

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Baccala Recipe: Holiday Wine Match

Baccala or bacalhau is the Portuguese dried and salted fish dish for Christmas dinner. “Bacalhau” is the Portuguese word for cod, although the dish now incorporates other types of fish due to the overfishing of cod. It is believed that there are more than a thousand recipes for baccala, though most include salted and dried fish, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and olives. try this recipe for baccala.   Ingredients   Preparation   Please share your tips on preparing this recipe or another baccala recipe in the comments below. Return to the Joy to the World Holiday Wine Match.

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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. […]

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Garlic-Ginger Shrimp With Quinoa Recipe Paired with Alpine Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Garlic-Ginger Shrimp With Quinoa By Liz Pearson Fresh tasting, totally delicious, fast and easy!  That is how I would describe this meal.  It’s fantastic.  It’s great for lunch or dinner and company will love it too.  Shrimp is a lean source of protein and rich in nutrients, including selenium, vitamin B12, choline, magnesium, zinc and copper. Although shrimp does contain cholesterol, for most people, in moderation, shrimp can easily fit into a healthy diet.  As for quinoa, it is considered a whole grain and is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, magnesium and folate. I hope you enjoy this meal as much […]

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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 […]

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Wine + Seafood Pairing Video: Food Network Star Michael Smith

In our second video chat below, Food Network star Michael Smith talks about his take on food and wine pairing, especially with seafood. Michael’s laid-back approach to all things wine and food is part of his success. You’ll note his conversational tone in this video … it’s as though we’re sitting at his kitchen table enjoying a good glass of wine. Find out why Michael is especially keen on wines from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley.     What’s your take on pairing food and wine? Which wines pair best with seafood? Which don’t? What’s one of your most memorable wine and […]

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Recipes from Wine Country: Prosciutto and Rosemary Wrapped Salmon Parcels with Reif Estate Riesling

Prosciutto and Rosemary Wrapped Salmon Parcels What better way to go local than matching your favourite Reif Estate VQA wine with a recipe from wine country? The summer heat has offered up sweet, ripe produce and now that wines from the remarkable 2010 vintage are hitting the shelves at your local LCBO the time is right to put Ontario on your table. Chef Robin Howe uses only the freshest ingredients in preparing his culinary creations, an expression of his passion for the bounty in Niagara. One of his favourite ingredients to use this time of year is tomatoes and of […]

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Recipe: Cedar Planked Salmon, Beet Quinoa Salad with Jackson Triggs Chardonnay

Cedar Planked Salmon With Beet & Quinoa Salad, Chardonnay Vinaigrette Salmon and Chardonnay are long-time comrades, and the use of chardonnay in this vinaigrette adds another dimension to the dish. Meet Chef Mackiddie at the i4c Kick-Off Party July 20th, featuring The Arkells at Jackson Triggs. Tickets on sale at www.coolchardonnay.org. Ingredients: 2 Cups Dry Quinoa 4 Cups Water 1 Tsp Salt 2 Medium Beets Cooked and Sliced 1 Tsp Chopped Thyme 1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley Method: Add Quinoa, Water & Salt into a saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until water is fully absorbed (about 15 minutes). […]

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Rainbow Trout Recipe with Brown Butter, Lemon Capers and Pine Nuts Paired with Foxglove Chardonnay, California

A simple but elegant way to prepare rainbow trout. Pair this dish with an un-oaked Chardonnay with citrus notes and a zesty acidity such as Foxglove Chardonnay 2009 from California Serves 2 12 oz. rainbow trout filet, pin bones removed flour for dredging 2 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp unsalted butter 2 lemons, segments cut away from skin and pith (This technique is called supremed – here’s a quick video on how to supreme a lemon) 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp capers, chopped 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp pine nuts salt and pepper In a large skillet, […]

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