Month: August 2020

Ham Florentine Galettes … Served with a White Crozes-Hermitage

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Pairing: Ham Florentine Galletes Paired with a 2015 Domaine des Remiziéres ‘Cuvée Christophe’ Crozes-Hermitage Blanc

Food:  Despite the fact that the picture below makes the galettes look like a pair of horribly disintegrated shoes dug up from some ancient archeological site, these galettes are positively heavenly and mimic well those we enjoyed in Brittany last year. Buckwheat flour adds a wonderful nutty flavor to the Breton galettes, but it may also contribute a slightly grayish shade to the color depending on the percentage and type of wheat flour combined to make the galette. Our galette recipe combines buckwheat flour, all purpose flour, eggs, water and salt. The filling consists of béchamel sauce, ham and cooked spinach seasoned lightly with salt and pepper.

Many folks use the terms “crêpes” and “galettes” interchangeably. Bretons distinguish them by referring to crêpes as sweet versions of a filled pancake (jelly, fruit, etc.) usually served as a dessert or, in our family, as a delicious Sunday breakfast spread with red currant or quince jelly. Galettes are the savory version of these filled pancakes, the filling could be cheese, mushrooms, various meats, and/or vegetables usually in a light sauce.

Ham Florentine Galettes

Wine:  Crozes-Hermitage is by far the largest appellation of the northern Rhone Valley wine region of France, accounting for more than all of the other seven appellations combined in that region. The vast majority of the wine made here is red, usually Syrah. But, lovers of white wines can find some real gems here. Among our personal favorites are the blends made from various combinations of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Interestingly, some of these white grapes, in small quantities, are used in the making of the region’s prestigious red wines, like Hermitage. Domain des Remizieres‘s Cuvée Christoph is a delicious blend of 85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, a truly excellent representative of the whites from this region.

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc

Tasting Notes: Color is 18 Karat Gold … beautiful! The nose reveals layers of mango, buttered toast, and a little fresh cut grass. The taste is a broader palette of mixed tropical fruits (mango, guava, lychee, jackfruit, etc.) along with fragrant toast. The tropical fruit perpetuates on the finish. These flavors really complement nicely the buckwheat galettes filled with the lightly creamed ham and spinach.

Other Wines That Pair Well with Ham Florentine Galletes: Beaujolais (France), Chardonnay (Australia), Soave (Italy), Pinot Noir (California)

Other Food That Pairs Well with Crozes-Hermitage: lobster, crab, smoked salmon, risotto, pork

Wines of the Northern Rhone: Wine Folly

A Source:  www.klwines.com

 

 

 

 

Pork with Peach Sauce …Partnered with a Spatlese Riesling Mosel

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Pairing: Pork Tenderloin with Peach Sauce Paired with a 2015 Max Ferdinand Richter Mulheimer Helenenkloster Spätlese Riesling Mosel

Food:  White peaches have started to appear in farm stands throughout New Hampshire. For a truly special gastronomic experience, cut open a white peach, stick your nose into the cut side … inhale deeply … ahhhh. The sweet perfume fragrance of the white peach sends your olfactory senses into … ecstasy. You don’t even have to eat it to enjoy it. But, of course, we will … in this delicious pork dish.

Season half inch medallions of pork tenderloin with salt, pepper and cinnamon, and sauté in a little butter. Keep warm. Meanwhile, make a sauce of a cup of peach slices, 3T of minced red or sweet onion, 2 tsp brown sugar, 2 T bourbon, 1/4 tsp ginger,  1/4 tsp corn starch, pinch of salt, and 2 T of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Serve with roasted potatoes and a medley of grilled summer squash, zucchini and red onion. Very easy!

Pork Tenderloin & Peach Sauce

Wine:  The estate of Max Ferdinand Richter has a long and distinguished history as a vineyard, winery, and wine exporter dating all the way back to 1643. The estate is currently managed and operated by Dr. Dirk Ferdinand Richter, the ninth generation of his family to do so. The 2015 vintage of this wine was overseen by Constance Ferdinand Richter, the tenth generation of this family of renowned winemakers. Riesling wines from the Mosel wine region are considered among the finest in the world. About $20.

Riesling Spatlese

Tasting Notes:  The color is a pale gold with a decidedly greenish tint. The aroma reminds one of the fragrance of a German Christmas cookie, fresh out of Oma’s oven … golden raisins, honey, and hazelnuts. On the palate one senses distinctive honey, apricot and toasted hazelnut. Apricot and honey linger on the finish. Goodness gracious!! The pairing couldn’t be better. The wine perfectly complements the peach sauce.

Other Wines That Pair Well with Pork in a Peach Sauce:  Chardonnay (California), Gewürztraminer (Alsace, France), Vouvray (Loire Valley, France), Viognier (Australia)

Other Food That Pairs Well with Spatlese Riesling:  Spicy Asian Cuisine, Scallops, Ham,   Roast Duck and Chicken.

Maps and Views of the Mosel Wine Region:  Mosel Wine Region

A Source:  klwines.com