ASK JERRY: FOOD AND WINE PAIRING

Posted on: Tuesday, April 4th, 2014

Each month, Jerry Edwards CPCE hosts a wine tasting at his house with members of the Chef’s Expressions team, and a few personal guests to brainstorm for the upcoming month’s Wine Supper.

The team tastes upwards of 40 wines that match the upcoming theme and offers their input and inspiration for possible dishes.

At each tasting, Jerry is the ring leader making the executive decision and ultimately the most fabulous choices for food & wine pairings. In order to dig a little deeper into the thought process behind executing these fantastic pairings, we asked Jerry a few questions that will hopefully help you in your own pairing endeavors.

When you taste a flavor in the wine are you more interested in complementing or contrasting the flavor in the food?

There are two major ways to pair food and wine. You can either match the pair by similar tastes, as we like to say, compare the flavors. For example, if you taste fresh pears in a Moscato wine, serve a dish containing pears. A second way to match wine and food is to contrast them. Like people, sometimes opposites attract in wine and food. For example, when you have a very crisp and acidic wine, sometimes a rich and fatty food will go well together. The wine leads the pairing. So I always taste the wine and then create the dish or choose the food.

What is the biggest mistake people should avoid when pairing food and wine?

I think ordering wine in a restaurant is the most challenging thing to do. You really have no idea of what the dish tastes like and you also may have several different food selections from the other diners. I think it is always best to ask the sommelier for recommendations. Be sure to give them your favorite wine styles and a price range so that they can help you best.

What is the most versatile wine to pair with food?

The most versatile wine for whites is a Sauvignon Blanc and for reds, a Pinot Noir. The reason is that Sauvignon Blanc will work with citrus flavors and rich textures. Pinot Noir has the same acidic style, so they also work with a wide range of foods.

What course at the Journey with Jerry Wine Supper are you most excited to see how the wine and food pair together?

I am excited about this course the most because of a few reasons. Hospitality, the Pairing and introducing Poggio Teo to my guests.

Pan Roasted Pork Loin
Poggio Teo Bordelaise
Smoked and Roasted Carrots
2006 Valiano Poggio Teo, Chianti Classico, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy

22 of my best clients and friends toured Tuscany for 7 days. Castello Valiano stood out as a special place for us. First of all the hospitality we were shown by the Piccini family was unmatched on our tour. We arrived at the Estate around 11:00 in the morning. Many days of Tuscan wine tasting were in our rear view as we approached this beautiful estate. On the ride to Valiano, the sentiment on the bus from my fellow travelers was that we were in need of Beef for dinner, since we had been eating, Fish, Pasta and Vegetables for days. As we stepped off the bus the smell of Grilled Beef Steaks being grilled over Olive Branches filled the air and we immediately began our best impersonation of Pavlov’s Dogs.

The Flavor of the wine is another reason that I am excited about this pairing. Poggio Teo has long been a favorite wine of mine and the 2006 vintage is drinking perfectly. There are sweet plum and cherry notes, a touch of bitterness and a slightly smoky oak nuance that will serve the Pork Loin well, especially as we will be making the sauce with The Poggio Teo.

Lastly, I am excited about introducing a very affordable, excellent wine to my guests. This wine is not hard to come by and it is most likely new to many wine lovers. It stands up to most high quality Sangiovese wines available.

What do you think makes our Wine Suppers a unique experience?

The intimacy of the experience is what makes it so unique for our guests. We work hard to seat the right people together. Then each course is a great match between wine and food. I briefly introduce the wine, but then I go around and talk to everyone making sure they discover the match for themselves.

Join us at the Journey with Jerry Wine Supper on April 24th at the Gramercy Mansion to benefit Healthcare for the Homeless and experience the inspired wine & food pairings!
*Please note that all ticket purchases will be processed via PayPal through Healthcare for the Homeless*