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Wine: A Worthy Teammate for Football |
by:
ARA |
(ARA) - Football
and beer go together like baseball and hotdogs, but what about
football and wine? Traditionally, wine has been benched on Sundays.
But if you prefer to serve your guests something a step up from
a can of suds, a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon on a chilly,
fall afternoon can score a touchdown with your friends.
Kim Caffrey, football fanatic and senior wine educator at Beringer
Vineyards, shares her winning strategy for scoring big with wine
on football Sunday:
Evaluate your Players
First, look at the wines available to you and what each one has
to offer. Some traditional favorites are Chardonnay, Merlot, and
Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is a versatile white wine that
combines both citrus and ripe pear flavors with a soft, rounded
body and hints of spice that make it a good match-up for a variety
of foods. Merlot, a popular pick, has a good fruit pop with silky
raspberry and black cherry flavors that make it a great all-purpose
player. Cabernet Sauvignon is the linebacker on this team, with
a big, bold taste that can stand up to the spicy, rich flavors
of football snacks. But don’t forget about “the ringer,” something
no one will expect but that is sure to win applause, like the
Shiraz-Cabernet from Stone Cellars by Beringer. This team-up of
Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon has the deep, black fruit flavors
of Cabernet combined with a kick of spice and red currant from
the Shiraz -- it’ll be a favorite for Sunday afternoons.
Select your lineup
Second, you need to look at the food you will be serving and select
wines that will support the team well. The flavors of the food
and the wine should interact together, not overpower each other.
Don’t worry if you have Buffalo wings and nachos on the menu,
there are wines that will still pair nicely. Wines with good fruit
flavors, soft tannins, and a medium-weight body are very versatile
and can pair with a variety foods. The rich sauce and spiciness
of the buffalo wings would play well with something like a Cabernet
Sauvignon or the Shiraz-Cabernet mentioned above. I also suggest
expanding the menu for a variety of different foods that complement
wine. For example, there are lots of fun dips that are delicious
and easy, such as a spinach and mushroom puff pastry footballs
with a Merlot or a cheesy crab dip with a Chardonnay.
Make the necessary plays
Once you have your wines and foods selected, the last step is
the seamless execution of the two for a crowd-pleasing victory.
When determining how much wine to buy, figure that there are five
glasses to a bottle. For football parties, I recommend easy magnum-sized
bottles, which are double the regular size (ten glasses per bottle).
Come on, it’s football -- a game where big always means better.
And a magnum-size wine bottle is made to last through the game.
Kim Caffrey’s Favorite Football Party Recipes
Spinach & Mushroom Puff Pastry Footballs Pair with Stone Cellars
Merlot
Makes 18 appetizers:
1/2 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
1 large shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 ounces fresh Chevre goat cheese
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
3 tablespoon olive oil
5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, chopped and drained
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
One package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
One egg, slightly beaten
In large skillet over medium heat, saute onions and shallots in
olive oil until slightly tender. Add mushrooms and garlic and
saute until very tender (approximately 10 minutes), stirring regularly.
Add spinach, crumbled goat cheese, tarragon, nutmeg and salt and
pepper to taste. Incorporate goat cheese and spinach well. Remove
from heat.
On lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry sheet into a 12 inch
by 12 inch square. Cut into nine 3 inch by 3 inch squares and
glaze edges with egg. Place a heaping teaspoon of the mushroom/spinach
mixture in center of each square. Fold each square in half diagonally
forming a "football" triangle shape. Place on parchment paper-lined
cookie sheet, seal edges with a fork and glaze tops with egg.
Cook for 12 to 15 minutes in 400 degree oven. Let cool for 5 minutes
and serve, or freeze and reheat at 350 F as needed.
Crab and Artichoke Dip Pair with Stone Cellars Chardonnay
1 onion, chopped
1 package of frozen artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons garlic
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup of parmesan
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound of crabmeat
Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil an 11-inch gratin or other
shallow baking dish.
Cook artichoke hearts according to package instructions, then
drain well and finely chop. In a heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon
butter and add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and golden.
Stir in artichokes and transfer mixture to bowl.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over moderately
low heat, then add flour to create a roux, stirring until a light
brown hue develops, approximately 3 minutes. Add half-and-half,
constantly whisking until it thickens and slightly boils. Reduce
heat and simmer, continuing to whisk for about 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in artichoke mixture, parmesan, lemon
juice, salt, and crabmeat. Place mixture in baking dish and bake
in the middle of the oven for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Dip can be prepared (but not baked) one day ahead and chilled,
covered.
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