Asian Adventure On A Hot Plate
Our daughter Rachel returned jet-lagged, but safe and sound from her recent trip halfway around the globe. She not only had loads of stories and photos from her trip with her boyfriend Jason, but returned with a taste for the savory flavors of the region.
What Wine Goes With Fermented Soybeans?
Versatile Vegan Openers
he meal planning was orchestrated by Rachel and much of the work was done the evening before. As the appointed hour neared, the Green Dragon and her sister Janine were chopping, slicing, cleaning and providing support. Meanwhile, I was watching a very important basketball game… (NO, that’s a joke, I was assisting also.)
Our arrival wine was the 2016 Andreola Valdobbiadene
Prosecco Superiore Más de Fer. This is a “rive” wine, with the village name designated on the bottle. It paired with the Vietnamese Mushroom Pho which was garnished with peppers, bean sprouts and greens.
The crisp Prosecco had notes of honeysuckle and apple and provided the right contrast with the soup. This was a great pairing – to the extent that I soon needed to open a second bottle of Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, this one from Grandi Mori.
The next dish – a pair of spicy Asian salads – was a treat for the eyes and mouth. From Laos and Cambodia, the two salads offered a delightful mix of textures, color and flavors including mango, cucumber,peanuts and grape tomatoes. My pairing choice was the standout 2016 Russian River Sauvignon Blanc from Hanna. It had just the right blend of acidity and bright flavors of melon and lime.
Cambodian and Indonesian Eats
The grilling was done so well someone seeing a photo on Facebook thought that some meat sneaked in to the vegan-only happening. The Indonesian tempeh was skewered and served over absolutely delicious pineapple fried rice or, as I like to call it, Nasi Goreng Nanas.
This was the heartiest of the plant-based dishes on the program, so I dialed up a superlative red to go with it. The choice was the 2009 Lorenzi Estate Zinfandel Signature Series Reserve, from Temecula. When we visited Temecula a couple years ago, this was, hands-down, the best wine we tasted. It is an epic wine with majestic notes of raspberry and blackberry with waves of vanilla. This was decanted and enjoyed to the last drip.
Our group was loving the food and the vino. Tales of adventure from Southeast Asia were related by Rachel. The tapestry of varied foods, cultures and people were reflected well in beautifully prepared and presented dishes.
The Best Pisang Goreng Ever
I hadn’t realized this was a sweet wine when I purchased it online – but I was glad I had, because I had no other dessert type wines on hand. It turned out to be a blissful pairing. The bananas were incredibly delicious and the Petit Manseng had just the right sweetness level to work with the dessert.
Picking the wines for a plant-based meal is tricky, but very rewarding. Thanks to Rachel Nershi of Earth N Oven, her sous chefs, and all our guests for the event. The beauty, flavor and downright healthiness of the meal was amazing.
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