Last article I gave a basic overview on why food and wine pairing really isn't as complicated as some make it seem, it simply is about matching flavors.  Just like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  We know that the biggest challenge is recognizing those particular flavors in wine that will pair well with your favorite meals.  I think this is what most people find intimidating.  You may hear someone talk about berry flavors in a particular wine but when you taste that same wine the only thing you get is sour grape, recognizing the different flavors in wine does take practice and the more you drink different types and become familiar with wine as a whole, the more you will understand what works well with it.  How many types of beer did you drink before you found the one that worked for you, dark, light, lager, well it really is the same with wine.  

As I said before, when choosing a wine to pair with food always go with what's most familiar to you, learn everything you possibly can about the wine that you enjoy.  Memorize the color, the smell, and the taste. Believe it or not over time this will help you "Train your palate" as to figuring out what goes with what and it will give you the confidence to try something new.  However, most people are looking for a shortcut, who has time to pour over articles, and hefty tomes discussing color and vintage.  To help you, I'm going to put together a cheat sheet that I hope will take some of the pressure off when it comes to pairing food and wine. But remember practice makes perfect; try as many as you can when you can. And don't forget that the idea is to pair flavors that complement one another not over power each other.

Let's start with Chardonnay. 

Chardonnay is by far the most popular white wine; these wines are known to be complex which basically means that they have strong flavor. Chardonnays are primarily dry wines, which means they are not sweet. They are generally described as rich, buttery, and fruity.  Chardonnays have a very distinct fragrance and you will be surprised at how easily you can recognize it.  The most common aromas in a Chardonnay are green apple, citrus, peach or even tropical fruit.  The most common flavors when tasting are the same as the aromas: apple, citrus, and tropical fruit.  Because the flavors of Chardonnay don't vary too much it isn't the most versatile wine.  Now that I have armed you with a little bit of information, which of the following dishes do you think would pair well with a Chardonnay?

a.    Grilled Shrimp with Papaya glaze
b.    Pork Chops with apple compote
c.    Chicken Cordon Bleu
d.    All of the above

The answer is d -  all of the above. Why?  A chardonnay with a slight tropical fruit aroma and flavor will only enhance the papaya glaze in the shrimp, and one with a green apple nose will do the same with the Pork chops.  I'm sure you may have been a little thrown by the Chicken dish.  Chicken is a lighter protein and you don't necessarily want a heavier wine.  Even though Chardonnay is considered a heavier white wine compared to other white varieties it's not a red wine and therefore is still considered to be a light wine.  Also, this particular chicken dish is stuffed with ham which has a sweet, salty flavor to it that can be enhanced by a Chardonnay.  This is particularly true if you pick a Chardonnay that is described as buttery because it can bring out the creamy flavor of the cheese in the Chicken Cordon Blue.  Remember, complement the flavors in your food with the flavors in your wine.  

Next time we will tackle Riesling.

About Chef Heather

Chef Heather (aka Foodie Princess) is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City (formerly Peter Kumps New York Cooking School). She has worked for Gourmet Magazine, TV Personality Katie Brown, and the New York based Indian-fusion restaurant Tabla. Chef Foodie Princess resides in New Jersey with her husband and daughter and is in the process of launching her own Personal Chef Service "The Princess & The Pea".

• High heat. A standard oven set at 450, or a convection at 400-provides an environment in which dry heat is applied around the pieces of vegetable, or whatever is being cooked. This causes sugars to caramelize, which results in browning and richer flavor. Also, dry heat dehydrates vegetables somewhat, which intensifies their natural flavor (think of roasted beets as opposed to boiled ones).
• Browning and deeper flavors are also due to Maillard reactions (named after the Frenchman who discovered them). They occur in foods with little or no sugars, such as meat, nuts, chocolate beans, and bread.

Winter is the perfect time to roast foods, and enjoy the rich flavors that this technique produces. The method I use is simple, but does vary slightly depending on the food product. Factors to consider are the water content of the food item, and the relative toughness of the food to be cooked. For example, mushrooms are full of water, and soft, and therefore roast quickly, whereas cauliflower is hard and requires blanching before roasting. Also consider the anatomy of the food: asparagus and cauliflower work well, but broccoli does not. Why? Asparagus and cauliflower are tight and compact and roast well, whereas broccoli is delicate and almost leafy, so it burns around the edges. Winter squash is a classic "roaster," peeled and cubed or just cut in half and seeded. When you start experimenting with roasting, I'm sure you'll quickly discover your favorites!

Hints and tips for roasting

• Convection ovens roast better than standard ovens.
• Roast foods on low sided pans, such as bun pans, which allow moisture to evaporate better than high sided ones.
• Avoid crowding food items on pans: food needs room to roast properly and "let off steam."
• Experiment with oven placement: which shelf works best in your oven?
• Keep a pizza stone on the bottom shelf of your oven. They store and radiate heat, while providing an evenly heated surface to place pans on
• Blanch vegetables (especially green beans, cauliflower, and carrots) two or three minutes in salted water, drain well, then toss lightly with good olive oil and salt and pepper before roasting. This prevents the vegetable from getting too dry before cooking through, and helps maintain bright colors

Here are a couple of recipes that are guaranteed to please you and your holiday guests.

Roasted green beans                

Serves 6 as appetizer, 4 as side dish

Serve these as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, or as a side dish. Chop up leftovers and add to salads or noodle dishes.  

• 1 pound Blue Lake green beans
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 400º.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt well (2 tablespoons salt for 3 quarts water works well; you should be able to taste some salt).

3. Place beans in water, and cook on high heat for 2 minutes. Empty water and beans into colander in the sink, and chill beans with cold running water. Drain well.

4. Place beans in large mixing bowl and sprinkle salt, pepper, granulated garlic and olive oil over, then toss to coat well.

5. Spread out on baking pan and roast in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

6. Serve with My Romesco sauce or a store bought hummus for an appetizer, or leave on sheetpan and rewarm briefly to serve as a side dish for meat, fish, or poultry entrees.

Roasted prawns with lemon, garlic, parsley, and red chile flakes

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes. The prawns are a bit messy to eat, but worth it. Look for "peel and eat" prawns; they are cut open and de-veined, but have the shell still on, which adds so much flavor when roasting-and eating!

• 1 pound prawns, 16-20 (per pound) size
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 400º.

2. Run cold water over prawns to thaw, drain well. Toss prawns with salt and pepper, and spread out onto a baking pan. Roast prawns for 4 minutes, then turn all prawns over, roast for 2 minutes more, remove from oven and cool.

3. Place prawns in mixing bowl and add all other ingredients, toss well to coat. Serve in a pretty bowl with a small bowl on the side for shells, and paper napkins or hot wet towels for your guests to clean up with.

Note: Cooking time may vary slightly. Prawns should be slightly opaque in center when done. Undercook slightly if in doubt--if overcooked they will be dry. If you think they're almost done, they're probably ready!

Check out these additional recipes by Chef John Littlewood:

• Roasted Halibut with Romesco Sauce and Olive Relish
• Pineapple-Jalapeno Coleslaw
• Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet with Orange-Scented Berries
• Roasted pork loin with fennel-pepper crust and salsa

About Chef John Littlewood

Chef John Littlewood has been working in kitchens for 30 years. Educated at the California Culinary Academy, John has worked in Michelin starred restaurants in France, luxury hotels in the Caribbean, on sailboats and in private homes, and has also taught cooking in the California Gold Country. Chef John's work has been featured in Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, and he has demonstrated his recipes at wineries and special events such as the Chefs' holidays at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. His first book, Celebrating the Seasons at Westerbeke Ranch, was published in 2006. John lives in Santa Rosa, Ca., and is the co-owner of Wine Country Chefs, a culinary service provider for wineries in Northern California.

In this year's Gallup poll, beer has once again out ranked wine as the number one beverage of choice among alcohol drinkers. But the divide between the two is fast closing with 40% favoring beer over the 34% favoring wine.  Wine is all the rage these days, as it should be considering the precious grape has been here far longer than that of the preferred yeast concoction.  But the biggest attraction with wine these days is that of food and wine pairing, not since high school chemistry has something been made to seem so complicated.  I am here to try and help demystify the whole process of pairing your favorite wines with you favorite food.  After all, no one gets worked up about what beer to serve with your favorite pizza.  Why should wine be any different?

The concept of food and wine pairing should be simple and logical.  Think about the foods that you eat - the spices that you use when cooking. Think about your favorite wine - the aromas and flavors.  You wouldn't drink a full bodied merlot that has a tobacco or chocolate nose with grilled shrimp with a papaya glaze.  That doesn't even sound remotely tempting!  There is this new school of thought that it doesn't matter what you pair with your wine, drink what you like. That sounds all fine and good but when you really get down to it there is a fine line and the wrong wine can hinder not enhance the flavor of a good meal.  

Here is an example of the basic process that I use when pairing foods with wine.  Consider a white bean chili with the following ingredients:

• Ground turkey - lean meat
• Cannellini beans
• Diced tomatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Ground fresh Chili paste

To determine what wine to serve with the white bean chili, think about the strongest flavors in this meal. You'll need something that will stand up to the heat of the chili paste and the earthiness of the cumin.  Traditionally, a crisp white wine might work to counteract the heat of the chili paste but because of the earthiness of the cumin you could also go with a red wine. But remember, nothing too heavy. After all, you are using ground turkey which is a lean white meat not ground sirloin.  

Next think about your own personal tastes.

If you like white wine, a Pinot Gris with a slightly fruity nose would do well in cutting the heat in the chili yet allowing the other flavors to come through.

If you prefer a red wine to play up the earthiness of the cumin, you may want to go with a Pinot Noir whose subtle berry flavors would be a great contrast against the cumin, while playing up the flavor of the onion and tomato.  

It really is that simple, it really is just palate sense.

Next article, we'll explore the most common flavor components of your more popular white wines and why they can work with almost any weeknight meal.  

About Chef Heather

Chef Heather (aka Foodie Princess) is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City (formerly Peter Kumps New York Cooking School). She has worked for Gourmet Magazine, TV Personality Katie Brown, and the New York based Indian-fusion restaurant Tabla. Chef Foodie Princess resides in New Jersey with her husband and daughter and is in the process of launching her own Personal Chef Service "The Princess & The Pea".

Baking with kids is not only fun but it can also provide the perfect opportunity for some incidental learning to occur (not to mention spending quality time with the little squirts).

The kitchen is a great vehicle to learn reading skills (reading the recipe); math skills (such as addition, subtraction, and fractions); science skills (such as how carbon dioxide, yeast, and air help baked goods to rise); and don't get me started on the organizational and sanitary skills it teaches.

Kids of all ages can learn to bake as long as the recipe and the skills involved to prepare it can be broken down into steps that the child can manage.  No one, not even you parents, should be overwhelmed by the experience.  Look at the kitchen as the ultimate science laboratory where you can create and eat your own experiments.  A great way to start would be to take a recipe that you would like to prepare and re-write it into clearly defined steps. I do this when I develop recipes for my kid's baking camp. And it need not be too easy.  My motto is never dummy down to kids!  I have successfully prepared some of the best breads, Danish pastry, and croissants (and it doesn't get much more complex than that, folks) that I have ever tasted with 10-14 year old kids!  Know what your kids are capable of before deciding how involved the recipe should be.

For a first time baking experience, start with something relatively easy -- pizza dough or bread dough from scratch.  Perhaps some muffins or cookies.  Watching the fermentation process of yeast can be very cool and can possibly fuel your child's interest in science.  When you prepare a yeast dough, did you know that proteins in wheat flour mixed with water form a network of proteins known as gluten?  Gluten is sort of the foundation and framework of a house.  It gives strength and structure to baked goods and prevents them from collapsing after baking.  When carbon dioxide gas bubbles form inside a batter or dough they get stuck inside the gluten network.  These trapped gas bubbles expand during the baking process forcing the dough to puff up and rise.  Take a peek through the oven window and see the baked good rising, but remember not to open the oven door or heat will escape lowering the temperature.

What is so wonderful about baking with your children is that without even thinking about it -- they will have learned so much.  And don't think that this is the end of it!  Your kids will see the same concepts they learned about while baking with you in school during science and math class.  However, these topics of science could never have been presented to them in a more delicious manner than you did, and with so much love!

Once the recipe has been read aloud, divvy out jobs according to age.  Remember each child's capabilities will vary with age, development, and maturity level.  I know a 10 year old who can chop carrots into brunoise (very small dice).  Not all 10-year-olds are as capable at such a young age! So know what your child can and cannot do.  Fine motor skills need to be developed to handle knives, peelers, or graters. In general, I do not recommend children using knives before the age of 10.  Children of any age should be monitored carefully in the kitchen.

A good way to start baking with very young children (under six or seven years of age) would be to pre-chop any ingredients that need it and allow the kids to sift the flour, crack the eggs, and mix ingredients.  Shaping a pizza and rolling out cookie dough can be great fun too.  When my daughter was little, she loved shaping pizza dough so much that after one hour of shaping (and re-shaping) I nicely had to demand that we bake it off (after all it was dinner)!

In my experience, never, ever crack an egg directly into an electric mixing bowl full of ingredients (good advice whether you are baking with kids or not, even if you are a professional chef).  Crack eggs into a liquid measuring cup or into a small bowl.  This way, if a piece of shell gets in, you can fish it out with little effort.

Right now, you are probably wondering if I am "two pancakes short of a stack" for advocating you to join your children in the kitchen.  All you probably see is the mess that they will make.  Okay, they will probably create some sort of mess.  But I am way ahead of you.  There is more to baking than just getting the baked good into the oven.  Teaching kids how to see tasks through and clean up after themselves is an invaluable lesson not to mention preventing foodborne illness.

Baking with kids can be one of the best experiences you will ever share with your children.  Creating lifelong memories of the luscious baked goods you have prepared as a "team" truly evokes the love that you share. 

Suggestions:

• Set aside one day a week to bake something with your child for a breakfast, brunch, or dessert treat to be enjoyed throughout the week.
• Bake something special for a friend or grandparent to say "I love you".
• Read the recipe together to see if you have all the necessary ingredients, tools, and equipment prior to assembling the recipe.
• Shop together with your child for the "special" ingredients you will need.
• Explain to your child the role of different mixing tools you may need such as a whisk, spoon, rubber spatula, etc.
• Give the youngest bakers a chance to do something like rolling small pieces of cookie dough into balls to be placed on a sheet pan.
• Always be sure you and your child wash your hands before and after baking.
• Be careful when handling raw eggs, which can carry the Salmonella bacteria.
• Halve or double the recipe's ingredients with your child.  This can be a great opportunity to learn multiplication or division.
• Make a fun, simple fruit sauce based on osmosis to serve with cake or pancakes.  Place 1-2 cups of mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries work well -- quarter or slice very large strawberries) and gently mix in one quarter cup of granulated sugar.  In about one hour the sugar will draw out moisture from the berries creating its own sauce!
• Be open-minded and above all else -- have fun.  If the recipes do not come out as expected, adjust each of your mistakes and try again!

Here is a great dessert pizza recipe to use when baking with your kids!

Pizza Dessert Tart with the Works

Recipe makes 1 12-in. pizza.

Step A.  Make one recipe of Pâte Brisée with Cream Cheese, see below

Step B.  Make one recipe of Mixed Berry Pizza Sauce, see below

Step C.  Gather the following Pizza Toppings

• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoons coarse sugar
• 1 cup diced fresh, or drained, canned pineapple
• ¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries
• ½ cup high-quality white chocolate warmed in a microwave for 20-30 seconds on low power and shredded using a vegetable peeler
• 1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted in a 400°F oven for five minutes
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut, toasted
• Approximately 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar put through a sieve for dusting over the top of the pizza
• Nonstick cooking spray

Step D. Assemble as follows:

1. Set the oven rack on the lowest position and preheat the oven to 4000F.  Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Roll out the pâte brisée dough onto a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, using the pizza pan as a guide, about ¼ inch thick. Fit the dough into the pizza pan. Roll the edges over like a cuff on a pant leg, if desired. With a pastry brush, brush the edges with milk and sprinkle them with coarse sugar.

3. Spread the mixed berry pizza sauce over the crust.

4. Scatter the crust with the pineapple and the dried cranberries or cherries. Bake for about 40 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

5. Remove the pizza tart from the oven and immediately sprinkle the shredded white chocolate "cheese", mini-chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut evenly over the top. Allow the pizza to cool. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and serve the pizza at room temperature cut into slices.

Pâte Brisée with Cream Cheese

• 1 ½ cups pastry flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3 ½ ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for 20-30 minutes
• 3 tablespoons ice cold orange juice
  

       
1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, the salt and the orange peel. Pulse the mixture to blend.

2. Add the cream cheese to the dry ingredients and pulse the mixture a few times to distribute it until the cream cheese resembles small pea sized pieces. Open the top and feel the pieces to make sure they are the right size.

3. Add the frozen butter and pulse the mixture 8 to 10 times to reduce the butter to pea-sized pieces.

4. Add half of the orange juice pulsing the machine only until the mixture is just combined. Pour the mixture into a bowl and with your hands gather the dough together to form a ball.  If the dough feels too dry, add the remaining orange juice.  Shape the dough into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Mixed Berry Pizza Sauce

• 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
• ½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced or frozen strawberries, thawed and drained (it is not necessary to slice them, if they were frozen)
• ¼ cup strawberry or raspberry jam or preserves
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

In a food processor, purée all of the ingredients and pour the mixture into a bowl.  Refrigerate the sauce until needed.

About Chef Gail Sokol

Gail D. Sokol is an award-winning professional in the culinary arts industry with demonstrated success in baking and pastry arts, supervision and training, and classical cuisine. Chef Sokol brings her expertise and unique teaching style to the serious home baker and professional in her book, About Professional Baking for which she was a Finalist for the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards for 2007. In addition, she has been featured on many weekly radio and television programs. Chef Sokol is currently an instructor of baking at Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) in Schenectady, New York. She is also creator and director of the Children's Baking Camp at SCCC 's Continuing Education Division.