Here is a book that we would put in the hands of all those who, at the table, let out loud cries when they have chosen a red wine from Burgundy to accompany a back of cod. Because this mixture, certainly unorthodox, is perfectly approved by wine professionals – and above all, delicious in the mouth.
This is what we learn in particular in the very instructive book signed by wine expert Laurie Matheson and wine broker Luc Dabadie. Ultra educational, this book reveals the mechanisms at work in “food and wine pairings” and the physiological functioning of associations between flavors. Between tasty anecdotes, sharp historical references and a lot – a lot – of humor, this fascinating book manages to be both very erudite and perfectly uninhibited.
Along the way, the authors – and it’s an understatement to say that they are knowledgeable about it – sweep away some received ideas and offer other combinations, simpler or more original. Here are some examples.
1: With a cheese platter, we drink powerful red wine
This is the most widespread dogma on the subject and yet it is inaccurate. Yes, our ancestors drank red wine with cheese, but back then the wines – often home-made – were much lighter than they are today. And even often cut with water to mask the taste… Nothing to do, therefore, with these powerful and tannic wines that we are used to serving to accompany a cheese platter. The association can even be disastrous: milk proteins, ferments and the bitterness of the rind, make the tannins dry and acerbic, leaving an unpleasant sensation in the mouth write the authors, evoking an aftertaste of metal, even ammonia. Not terrible.
It is therefore ” urgent to change your point of view “, they assure, and to serve a white wine instead – dry or sweet, it doesn’t matter. With the exception of camembert, which goes even more ideally with… cider. It may come as a surprise, but the authors assure us: you will never go back! »
2: For dessert, we serve champagne
Cas always pulls out the cups when it’s time for the birthday cake. But it’s absurd: “the sugar content in desserts does not match the high acidity of champagne”, warn the authors. It is better to turn to sweet or semi-dry white wines, which, ” by their balance between sugar and acidity go much better with pastries.
As for chocolate-based desserts, it’s even worse: ” the discrepancy with champagne will be at its height. Powerful chocolate flavors totally mask all wines “. Last resort: a sweet wine such as Porto or Banyuls, since the ” alcoholic power of the wine will marry the aromatic richness of the chocolate “.
3: Fish only goes well with white wines
Let’s be clear: it is obvious that white wines are the best companions of fish. But they are not the only ones who know how to sublimate the particular flesh of sea animals. A red wine can go well with it – provided you choose a light wine, like a Burgundy, because the tannins “ come in unpleasant opposition with iodized flavors “, explain the authors. Wines of a certain age, even from Bordeaux, are particularly recommended because ” their powerful tannins round out ” with the years. The barrier here will be primarily psychological: many people will refuse to take an old bottle of Bordeaux out of the cellar to accompany anything other than a piece of red meat. But they will be wrong.
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4: orange wine is for the aperitif
For about ten years, this wine resulting from vinification in vats of white grapes at room temperature, has appeared in bars. Dry, soft or sparkling, it works wonders at aperitif time but we don’t dare serve it with meals yet. Error ! Its very refreshing bitterness, the primary characteristic of orange wine, goes very well with grilled pork or lamb, since it comes from in contrast to meat juices vsaramalized “. And it goes perfectly with high-salt dishes such as beef udon or raw fish. It will change sushi evenings at Kirin.
READ ALSO : Why you will succumb to orange wine
5: Foie gras only supports Sauternes
In theory, that’s true. ” The texture of foie gras, both melting and oily, seems particularly suited to this mellow and acidic wine. “, recall the authors. But the problem is that it is often served as a starter. But Sauternes, because of its high sugar content, will saturate our taste buds and prevent us from enjoying the wines that will be served next. It would be stupid. The alternatives are therefore powerful red wines (and yes!) – provided that they have a few years on the clock for the tannins to have diminished. Or a very dry white wine. Another solution, suggest the authors, would be to move the foie gras towards the end of the meal, but there, “ we are entering another dimension “.
Food and wine pairings within everyone’s reach, Laurie Matheson and Jean-Luc Dabadie, Apogée editions, 156 p., 12 euros.
