Pear and Pinot (Grigio That Is)

Ginger Pear Chicken and 2008 3 Blind Moose Pinot Grigio: 5/5

Last night, overlooking a relaxed lake Michigan bathed in burnt yellows and oranges of the setting sun, I got a craving for something seasonal. So, perched on my orange couch, I thought of the flavors of the season I hadn’t had this year. I’ve tasted the crisp crunch of a fresh picked apple, the smooth creaminess of pumpkin soup, and turkey, stuffing, and cranberries are all just around the corner, what else was there?

Pears, juicy and ripe with pulp that seems to melt like butter in your mouth. So since I gorged myself trying nearly half of The Cheesecake Factory menu this past week, I wanted to make something that was lighter, yet seasonal. So I found this recipe for ginger pear chicken. http://busycooks.about.com/od/chickenbreastrecipes/r/gingerpearchick.htm

Although there were 4 1/2 stars, this recipe was only reviewed by two people, but I was willing to take a chance and doctor things accordingly. As I pondered over the recipe in my head, I decided fennel, with its slight anise flavor, and dried cranberries, with tartness and sweetness, would provide more complexity to the dish. A prior reviewer recommended topping the dish with a drizzling of balsamic vinegar, which I would suggest as well. The additional acidity, adds a mouth watering effect, and plays well with the the tart and sweet flavors already in the dish.

I’d like to take a minute and talk about ginger. Ginger, like potatoes, carrots, beets, and parsnips, is a root, and an ugly one at that. Where as carrots and potatoes tend to be cone shaped and oblong ovals, ginger is tuber, which basically means there is no rhyme or reason for the shape of this veggie. The first time I used ginger, I was intimidated to say the least. Here I am, holding this amorphous beige mass, that I have only ever seen picked and served with wasabi, and I am supposed to do what with it? Really the process is quite simple and just takes a peel and a chop, but for those less adventurous, it’s understandable that trying new things, especially food, is nerve racking. So my advice with any new food is to slice a little bit, smell it, taste it, and then cook it. Be careful, as some thing, like ginger, are very potent.

Since this meal was going to be lighter in nature I decided that a Pinot Grigio would be a great candidate to pair with the meal. Where Chardonnay tends to have a heavier body and a rich buttery flavor that pairs well with alfredo and light pastas, Pinot Grigio is silkier and a bit more delicate, lending itself nicely to the range of flavors in the dish at hand. As I scouted about the store, I wanted to find a bottle with notes of pear and citrus. Lo-and-behold, a bottle of 2008 3 Blind Moose had just that, and it was only $9.

To accompany the Chicken I prepared some rice with chopped green onion and seasoning. When everything hit the plate, the contrasting burgundy cranberries popped against the slivers of green onion. Without the two, the dish would have been beige and boring.

Moist and flavorful, the chicken breast, dredged in flour and browned before cooked throughout, had no thought of being dry, while the balsamic vinegar resonated on the palate giving off that mouth watering effect I was hoping for. Moist bits of onion and fennel provided a base for the sweet pears and cranberries, while the rice soaked in the excess juice from the chicken and pears.

With aromatics of sun ripened citrus, pear, and a hint of melon, the wine filled my nostrils with a scene of a perfect fall day, brisk enough for a coat, but just right with a cup of warm apple cider, or hot chocolate. Resting on my tongue, the wine’s light weight gave way to a stronger acidity and a lingering finish.

Together the meal was a perfect example of the power of pairing. Alone the Pinot Grigio was to acidic, making my lips pucker, and palate tense as it moved down my throat, but together, the wine’s acidity was cut down by the sweetness of pear and cranberry, only leaving the added flavors of the wine, which accompanied the dish perfectly. Alone the herby chicken and rice would have gotten monotonous by the end of the meal, but together the wine was able to bring out the subtleties of the dishe’s fennel, onion, and ginger flavors.

Usually it is the food that induces a coma after the meal, but this time it was the wine. Stimulated by good conversation, Michael and I had no problem finishing the bottle with the meal. With the boom of fireworks outside, as the lighting parade on Michigan Avenue came to a close, the only fireworks we were paying attention to were the ones inside our mouths from another perfect pair.

Simply Stupendous Spud Soup

Creamy Potato Soup with 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier Blend: 5/5

Certain weather calls for certain food. A brisk morning, with the sun just high enough to send slivers of light dancing about your bedroom, freshly fried bacon with a bright aromatic bubbly. A scorching hot July day, watermelon. A rainy late fall afternoon where the sun sets before five, potato soup.

With rain in the forecast and a few leaves left grasping their branches, Michael and I thought potato soup would be an excellent recipe to delve into. Now that I have started working, Michael mentioned to me that he had no problem helping out with dinners. So I left him to make this slow cooker potato soup. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Creamy-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx With 4.5 stars,167 reviews, and close to 9,000 ratings, this recipe was bound to be delicious.

My mom has a potato soup, that she makes either over the stove or in the crock pot, and it is good. Not great, just good. Now I have never made potato soup from scratch, but for some reason my mother’s gets a grainy consistency. Michael said that it was either because she used the wrong potatoes, or cooked the potatoes to long, but I was thinking that it might also be because she doesn’t use heavy cream or half and half. Although the soup does turn out thick, it’s not creamy, so I was hoping this soup was going to turn out smooth, rich, and delicious.

When the elevator doors opened yesterday at around 2:00, I was greeted with a flavor crescendo of onion, potatoes, and bacon, which only got stronger the closer I got to our apartment. Turning the handle and swinging the door open, I closed my eyes and took a long sniff. The rain outside, my tired body, and the day’s events seemed to leak out of me, only leaving the sweet smell of soup. The Crock Pot lid drummed lightly on the porcelain basin, each movement leaking more aroma into the room.

Placing the groceries on the table, I unwrapped the bottle of 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viognier blend I had purchased for 11 dollars at Dominick’s. With a description of bright pear, grapefruit, and tropical flavors, I thought the profile would match the light creaminess of the soup.

Michael decided to use cornstarch instead of flour for a thickening agent, when it came time to finish prepping the soup. This, he claimed, would help for the digestion of the soup, although I think when you have that much starch, a little flour is not going to have that much of an effect.

Finally after waiting until 6:00, it was time to eat. Michael sliced the green onion, and I took out the cheddar jalapeno bread I had picked up from the store. I could feel my the drips of saliva beginning to form in my mouth. I opened the bottle of wine as Michael topped the bowls with bacon, green onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. The bright colors against the creamy pale white soup reminded me of why fall isn’t that bad of a season after all.

The aromatics of the wine were loud and upfront. While Michael claimed to smell apricot, I was overtaken by grapefruit, with a lingering pear post aroma. I gave the wine a swirl noticing it’s light color, slight oakiness, and a light body. As the wine made contact with my tongue, I was over taken with a puckering sensation, that gave way to a medium sweetness. The finish was clean and smooth.

The soup sent tendrils of steam into the air, and with each glance, I noticed the shredded cheese start to take on an oozy consistency, just begging to be spooned into my mouth. I tried to get a perfect bite, a bit of bacon, a crisp green onion, a chunk of potato, and a shred of cheese. After blowing a bit, the soup was ready for take off. I closed my eyes and tried not to anticipate the flavors, instead just let them happen. Sending me to cloud nine, my body tensed, the smooth rich texture blanketed my palate, as the texture dissipated, bits of bacon seemed to rise, giving way to green onion, and a intense cheddar flavor all wrapped in a potato package.

Just when I thought it could not get any better, I took another sip of wine. Crisp fruity flavors seemed to bring out the brightness of the green onion, tamed the sharpness of the cheddar, and ran off with the potatoes to Vegas for a quick marriage before realizing that they were actually in love and made for each other. Each new bite layered upon the last, making for an intensifying dining experience that was only ended when I couldn’t take another bite.

Michael, usually a humble cook, was raving like he had just sculpted the next David. As well he should have. Defeated like the Nazis after WWII, we both collapsed onto the couch, struggling to stay awake for the latest episode of Glee. No longer did the rain matter, or the cold wind bother us, we were both warm and full inside. I don’t know about you, but I would definitely consider that another perfect pair.