Drinking the Green: St. Patrick’s Day Wines

March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day … which begs the question: Is there any wine that pairs with corned beef and cabbage? This in turn begs the question: Can we skip the corned beef and cabbage and just have wine? No matter. Traditional matches for this Irish meal usually include Irish stout, like Guinness. But what about wine? Corned beef is salty and cabbage is skunky: is there a wine for that? Yes, as long as you avoid those wines with a strong sulphur smell or taste, as well as big red wines with heavy tannins and oak. Your best bet […]

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Wine and Food Pairing with Memories and Laughter

  As part of the CBC’s Food Fantasy fundraiser for the Food Bank, I raffled myself off to visit the home of the winner and pair wines with a three-course meal. You can listen to our group chat above and discover some surprising tips on pairing wine and food. The winners were Merle and Richard (far right in the picture below), a lovely couple who hosted a fun evening filled with wine, laughter and memories.   Wines Tasted and Food Pairings Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Marlborough, New Zealand Grassy and smoky and absolutely great! This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc […]

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Collard Greens Recipe: Holiday Wine Match

This African side dish that is part of the feast for Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration of culture, community and family from December 26 to January 1 that is observed in both West African nations as well as by those of African descent in Canada, the United States and other countries. “Kwanzaa” is derived from Swahili meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” The loose-leafed collard greens are simmered in chicken stock, then spiced with chili flakes and other seasonings.   Ingredients   Preparation   Please share your tips on preparing this recipe or another collard greens recipe in the comments below. […]

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