Basics of food and beverage pairing

Question 1

what are the 1st steps for basic food and wine pairing ?

Answer 1

1. reference your understanding of viticulture and vinification
2. create connections between how grapes are grown and made into wine and how wines have arisen historically from different regions with different culinary traditions around the world
3. recall your knowledge of how to taste wine + asses structural elements
4. apply some basic principles ( discussed later )
5. Ask why does a particular pairing work and how can its success be explained to a guest

Question 2

what are the 4 basic principles of wine and food pairing ?

Answer 2

1. evaluate the wine
2. evaluate the dish
3. match the intensity
4. understand important interactions

Question 3

when evaluating the wine, what are the wine’s structural elements

Answer 3

1. alcohol
2. acidity
3. sweetness
4. tannins
5. texture

Question 4

when evaluating the wine, what are the wine’s flavor elements

Answer 4

1. earthiness
2. fruit and fruit condition
3. non fruit
4. oak influence and flavors
5. service temperature

Question 5

when evaluating the wine, what are the wine’s taste elements

Answer 5

1. bitter
2. sweet
3. sour
4. salty
5. umami

Question 6

when we evaluate a dish what 6 points are we considering

Answer 6

1. main ingredients
2. cooking method
3. sauces
4. condiments
5. sides
6. textures

Question 7

what are we considering with the main ingredient

Answer 7

how might different protein call for different wine
1. steak : lean fillet mignon vs richer rib eye
2. poultry: flavorful birds vs subtle chicken breast
3. fish and seafood:
delicate dover sole , fattier salmon, meatier tuna
simple fresh oysters vs rich, dense lobster tail

Question 8

what are different criteria for the cooking method

Answer 8

how was the dish cooked ?\
1. raw
2. poached
3. grilled
4. sautéed
5. braised
6. roasted / baked

Question 9

what to consider regarding the sauces

Answer 9

often the sauce is the most important element on the plate, dictating the pairing even more decisively than the main ingredient

Question 10

what to consider regarding condiments

Answer 10

how can condiments affect the choice of an optimal wine, name some condiments
1. butter
2. ketchup
3. mayonnaise
4. soy sauce
5. hot sauce

Question 11

what is important regarding textures and wine/food pairing

Answer 11

how foods interact texturally with your palate is an important element in the pairing
1. fats
2. butter
3. oil

Question 12

elaborate on guiding principle # 3 ( match intensity

Answer 12

food and beverage must roughly match one another in intensity. delicate foods pair well with light , delicate beverage that don’t overwhelm them. just as rich, intense foods call for comparably robust beverage

Question 13

how does salt interact with wines

Answer 13

salt in food
1. reduces perception of acidity
2. makes tannins in wine more astringent

Question 14

how do animal fats interact with wines

Answer 14

these fats found in rich, fatty meats like
bee and lamb
or in dairy products like cheese
reduce the perception of tannins in wine

conversely tannins in wine make meats and cheeses feel less rich and fatty

remember the pairing tip
fat loves tannin and tannin loves fat