A Bit Unrefined’s Friday Food and Wine Pairings
Do food and wine pairings always feel like a big deal to you? Do you feel the pressure to know exactly the ‘right’ pairing? Well, we’re not really about that at A Bit Unrefined. But we do love wine and food. Every Friday, find our favorite food and wine pairing from the past week. Let it inspire you as we head into the weekend. We’re sharing what we like, so pair what YOU like (or steal our ideas, that works too).
It’s World Pasta Day!
(10/25/2024)
Today is not national BUT World Pasta Day, and who doesn’t love pasta? For this week’s pairing, it’s a Basil Chicken Alfredo matched with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The bright acidity of the wine balances the creamy, rich sauce, making it a great combo for pasta night. Plus, this Sauvignon Blanc comes from a small winery here in the Rocks District, Los Rocosos. Pasta and wine —what more could you need?
Celebrating Mashed Potatoes
(10/18/2024)
Today is national mashed potato day, and this may be my new favorite day. I love them. I make 25 pounds at Thanksgiving. And 5 pounds for weeknight dinners.
So last week’s roasted chicken, Ina Garten’s brussels sprouts , and (of course) mashed potatoes with and without milk/cream was a clear winner.
We paired dinner with a full bodied mourvedre heavy red because it’s fall and we wanted red. A typical pairing for this is a lighter bodied red or a white, but we wanted a bigger wine. Do what you love.
Salmon and White Wine
This week, we’re going classic. Enjoy rich, flavorful salmon with a full-bodied white wine. The wine has just the right pop of acidity to keep things fresh. Toss in some cilantro lime rice and roasted asparagus, and you’ve got a killer combo. Luckily, I’ve got someone around who can whip up these delicious meals—I’ll just stick to finding the wine to pair.
Birria and Rose
Take birria and rose – it worked for us one hot day last week when friends had a birria cook-off. The pale, crisp, and citrusy wine hit the spot when paired with a chili pepper-rich recipe. It also complemented a recipe enhanced with baking spices. The winner? Everyone eating that night.
Follow along for more food and wine pairings
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Prepare to disagree with some of our pairings, and be delighted by others. It’s all about having fun with it. Food and wine pairings don’t have to follow the traditional rules – try something that appeals to you. Pairing rules exist to guide which flavors complement each other. However, they don’t always work with what you want. That’s OK. Even when you ask the experts there are a variety of opinions. Wine should be enjoyed, not overthought.
And if you have that special bottle, open it and drink it. With whatever sounds good to you for food. Find it, enjoy it. Rinse. Repeat. We feature wines that you can enjoy now – no rules on how long you have to store it first.
So, grab your glass, and be inspired.