What should I make for dinner? How often do you ask yourself that question? Do you base your answer on what’s in your refrigerator or freezer? On who’s coming over for dinner? Or, on what wine you want to enjoy with your meal?
Cruising the internet offers plenty of ideas, but not so much when you’re looking for a wine and food pairings. Did you know the Wine Road has a stellar database compiled from years of Wine & Food Affair recipes with wine pairings? And, more recipes with pairings are added each year.
Wine & Food Pairing Recipes
This online database is a gold mine for any cook looking for new recipes, and is a godsend if you’re looking for recipes to pair with a specific wine varietal. This is one of my go-to stops when entertaining guest, or when I’m looking for the perfect match with a particular wine.
My favorite part about the Wine & Food Affair Recipes webpage is how many ways you can search for recipes. By:
- Winery or Lodging names
- Category — appetizers, breakfast, dessert, lunch, main dish, salad, side dish, or soups
- Main Ingredients – 15 categories
- Wine Pairing – 40 different options!
- Vegetarian or Gluten Free
- Year — 2013 through 2018
Appetizer Recipes
Coming up with new wine-friendly appetizers often stumped me, so I would default to the old standby of an artisan cheese and charcuterie platter. With the Wine & Food Affair recipes, I’ve discovered so many new options. Here are just a few:
Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Chorizo and Balsamic Glaze
Fig Compote & Goat Cheese Crostini
Ham Hock & Carmody Quesadillas with Roasted Pumpkin
Gorgonzola, Pancetta & Onion Cheesecake
Wild Mushroom Arancini with Truffle Aioli
Heartwarming Soups
With winter upon us, soup is always a hearty one-pot meal, and it offers leftovers for a day or two, as well. The available soup recipes range from delicious and simple—Creamy Leek and Corn Soup—to a bit more complex, like Crab Bisque with Sweet Red Bell Peppers or Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo.
Breakfast of Champions
Breakfast is the only category that doesn’t list wine pairings with each recipe, but a glass of sparkling wine is always a welcome addition to the first meal of the day. As for the breakfast recipes, I’ve discovered some new favorites. Check out Eggs in a Frame of Romaine Salad and Bacon Vinaigrette from the Farmhouse Inn, or Savory Ham, Artichoke and Cheese Strata contributed by the Highlands Resort.
Here are a few other breakfast recipes that might pique your interest:
Baked Brie, Tomato & Zucchini Strata
Dutch Baby with Apples & Honey
One Stop Meal Planning
With the ability to search by categories, you can plan an entire meal around these recipes, and have the wine pairings as well. Here’s a sample menu I put together in a matter of minutes.
Appetizer – Crushed Avocado & Grapefruit Bruschetta paired with Chardonnay
Salad – Warm Goat Cheese & Heirloom Beet Terrine paired with Pinot Noir
Main Course – Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cabernet Reduction and Caramelized Onions paired with Cabernet Sauvignon
Side Dish – Risotto Milanese
Dessert – Pot de Crème with Smoked Sea Salt paired with Zinfandel
Inspiration by Ingredients
If you are seeking inspiration for some new seafood recipes, Fish & Seafood is an option under “Search by Main Ingredients.” Here are just a few of the 28 recipes you can choose from:
Smoked Oyster & Mushroom Mini Puff Pastries
Finding That Elusive Favorite Food
If you attended Wine & Food Affair, and recall you loved the food pairing at Kelley & Young in 2016, but don’t remember the name of the recipe, no problem. You can search by the winery’s name and pull up a full list of all the recipes they’ve served since 2013. In 2016, Kelley & Young served Mac & Cheese – Loire-Inspired paired with their Sauvignon Blanc. You can also search by the year, so if you want you can see all the recipes from 2016. It is so simple.
One of my favorite features of the Wine & Food Affair recipe database is the ease with which I can find all the gluten-free or vegetarian recipes. It was during a gluten-free search that I came across Smoked Duroc Pork Tenderloin with Porcini Flan. This dish pairs beautifully with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
Pinterest Option
The Wine Road recently added a recipe board on Pinterest called Recipes for DELICIOUS Wine Pairings. The visuals will have your mouth watering. Each pin is linked back to the corresponding recipe, making it so easy to find the perfect pairing.
Upcoming Wine & Food Affair
Wine & Food Affair 2019 takes place the weekend of November 2 & 3, and then another 100+ recipes will be added to the database. Until then, tap into your next wine and food adventure along the Wine Road by exploring the Wine & Food Affair recipe database.
Happy Cooking & Sipping!
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