Chic Cuisine: 5 Unexpected Food and Wine Pairings

The traditional way of pairing food and wine consists of choosing the recipe first and then the wine. In the new culinary book by renowned chef Dominic Orsini, the order is reversed as he places wine at the center of attention and proposes a new formula that elevates every dish to the level of the chosen wine.

- When the cuisine plays a supporting role, wines complement it by emphasizing the flavors of the food. The success of the pairing lies in 5 basic techniques, Orsini believes, thereby refuting the old rule that only white wine is permissible with seafood, and that steak can only handle Cabernet.

1. Include a protein in every dish

The weight of each dish should correspond to the relative weight of the wine. In most recipes, the protein is what gives the dish its weight, but it doesn't have to come from meat, poultry, or fish. Protein is also found in grains, beans, and lentils, some vegetables, milk and dairy products, and certain types of mushrooms. Try pairing light proteins and vegetables with light white wines, or heavy proteins like red meat with heavier red wines.

2. Balance every dish with salt and acidity

Just a little lemon juice can enhance the taste of your dish in seconds, and it will soften the wine, allowing the fruity flavors to hit the palate. Ensure that the acidity level of the food is proportional to the acidity level of the wine so that they don't clash or one doesn't overshadow the other. Your palate becomes dulled after just a few sips of wine, and salt helps to accentuate the flavors of the food.  

3. Balance flavors, textures, and acidity

Fats, starches, and gelatin are responsible for flavors that serve as a basic coating in the mouth. The amount and type of fat in a dish are determined by the acidity or tannins in the wine. A high-acidity wine like Sauvignon Blanc will pair well with fats of an acidic base, such as lemon butter sauce, fresh goat cheese, or avocado-lime salsa. Red wine with a higher tannin content, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, will go better with fats of a protein base, such as butter or a thickened broth sauce.

4. Be cautious with sweet, bitter, and spicy

Sweet, bitter, and spicy ingredients inspire both positive and negative reactions. Sweet ingredients can help high-alcohol wines to "shine," but at the same time, they will make dry wines taste bitter. Bitter ingredients like radicchio and broccoli can make sweet wines taste dry to you, and dry wines taste bitter.  

Sweet-bitter combinations pair well with sweet or highly acidic wines, but are disastrous in combination with dry wines. Spicy and heavily seasoned dishes can be "calmed" by sweet wines, but destroyed by dry wines. Ingredients that are difficult to pair with any wine include asparagus, peanuts, tomatoes, and artichokes.

5. Keep things – interesting

Contrasting food and wine during pairing can make things more interesting. Why not try white fish with a heavy Cabernet Sauvignon? In doing so, balance the lighter fish with a heavier side dish, such as braised mushrooms. Or, serve steak with Sauvignon Blanc. Since the weight of this protein is too much for this type of wine, serve the steak in Mexican taco shells. Add cabbage and guacamole (avocado, onion, and lime sauce) as a topping. This simple approach is a liberating way to think about wine and food, Orsini believes.