Pairing: A Burgundian Ham Flan Paired with a 2013 Spring Vale Pinot Noir from the Freycinet Coast, Tasmania

Food: Our recipe for Burgundian Ham Flan comes Anne Willan’s first book on French Regional Cooking. Although we have a number of cookbooks on French cooking, this was our first and remains our favorite. For two people, the recipe calls for 2 and 1/2 oz of ham (diced), 1/2 oz prosciutto, 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2 T flour, a pinch or 2 of ground allspice, 1 tsp fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Brush lightly with olive oil an 8 inch baking dish. Distribute the ham over the bottom of the dish. Add the allspice to the milk, and bring it slowly to a boil. Whisk the eggs with the flour until it is smooth. Take the milk off the heat. While you whisk, add the egg/flour to the milk, then stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour over the ham in the baking dish and place some parsley leaves on the surface of the eggs. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, until the eggs are set and golden brown. Serve cool or at room temperature along with a simple green salad. Delicious!

Wine: So, let’s be honest, when was the first time you heard the word “Tasmania”? I was six or seven years, old watching a Loony Tunes cartoon on TV. Racing across the screen, chasing our intrepid hero Bugs Bunny was a whirling dervish called … the Tasmanian Devil. Some years later I learned this was a real animal (a marsupial) from a real place … Tasmania. Located 150 miles off the southeast coast of Australia, the island has been gaining well-deserved accolades for its wines. Particularly noteworthy is their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both still wines and sparkling wines. The Freycinet Coast is not only an ideal locale for vineyards (like the Spring Vale winery), but is also breathtakingly beautiful.

Note: Yes, the classic pairing for this Burgundian dish would be a red burgundy or white burgundy wine. But, as readers of this blog have come to know, Peter’s Picks is all about expanding possibilities when pairing food and wine.

Tasting Notes: Color is dark purple with a very light brownish orange tint. Repeated sniffs of the wine reveals a bouquet of raspberry, blueberry, wild cherry, and black plum. Amazingly, the wine combines the taste of both fresh fruits and fruit jam of the same fruits that describe the bouquet. You could sip this wine all evening … enjoyable with or without the food, but … Pinot Noir and ham is a classic pairing you don’t want to miss.

Other Wines That Pair Well with Ham Flan: Sancerre (Loire Valley, France), Beaujolais (France), Chardonnay (Oregon), Pinot Blanc (Alsace)

Other Food That Pairs Well with Pinot Noir:  White Fish in a Cream and Mushroom Sauce, Pan-Seared Salmon, Prosciutto, Quiche Lorraine

Views of the Tasmania Wine Region:  Tasmania Vineyards

A Source:  www.wine.com