Thirsty Thursday: Simple Herb-Roasted Tilapia + Wine Pairing

This week we’re celebrating Thirsty Thursday with vino & Tamara from Bottle Rush! (If you’re detoxing check out this one or this one.)

When I asked Tamara to suggest a wine to pair with this Simple Herb-Roasted Talapia (get the recipe here) here answer was too good not to share verbatim, so here it is:

“I love the Mediterranean flavors you paired with the fish so I selected a wine that I would drink if I was eating it in a sleepy seaside town on the coast of Italy (A girl can dream). Gavi di Gavi.

Aside from Gavi being one of the best kept secrets of Italian white wines it's crisp acidity, almond & minerality notes make it the perfect pairing for oysters or white flaky fish.  

The wine I selected is La Scolca Gavi Di Gavi White label - it's excellent but might be hard to find.  A back up option is the Vigne di San Martino Gavi.”

Are you interested in seeing a specific dish you’ve seen here (or elsewhere) paired with the perfect wine? If so let us know by leaving a comment below.

Cheers!

Thirsty Thursday: Tomato Wine Pairing

For this week's Thirsty Thursday post I asked Tamara at Bottle Rush for the perfect pairing for one of my favorite ways to eat salmon, Salmon & Melting Cherry Tomatoes.  Tamara was quick to respond, “As soon as I saw this recipe I knew the perfect pairing for this dish - A Pinot Noir from New Zealand. This light red wine is bursting with cherry and strawberry fruit notes to complement the tomato topping but is light enough so it won't overpower the delicate salmon. The other great news about this pairing is over on the other side of the world (NZ) they haven't heard that Pinot Noir should cost an arm and a leg so you can still get great value (this wine costs under $20).”

Are you interested in seeing a specific dish you’ve seen here (or elsewhere) paired with the perfect wine? If so let me know by leaving a comment below.

Thirsty Thursday: Vegetarian Wine Pairing

I love veggies, as you’ve probably picked up from reading any of the posts here.  When Tamara from Bottle Rush offered a wine pairing for one of my favorite veggie comfort foods I took notes.  This week we’re sticking with another light red to embrace the warm weather: Barbera d’Alba. Tamara says it’s a great match for one of her (& my!!) favorite comfort foods - eggplant rollatini. Why is it so great? Because “the acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese but at the same time beautifully complements the tomato sauce.”

Cheers to another Thirsty Thursday!

Remember, if you are interested in seeing a specific dish you’ve seen here (or elsewhere) paired with the perfect wine, let us know by leaving a comment below.

Thirsty Thursday: Grilled Steak Wine Pairing

The weather lately has been picture perfect (for grilling)! I’ve been loving it. More grilling means less dishes to clean.  If you’re barbecuing this weekend & meat is on the menu (try this recipe!) serve up Bottle Rush’s favorite bbq go-to red, Zweigelt.

"When the sun is shinning you want something to drink that is refreshing but don't want want to be handcuffed to white or rose wines. Zweigelt is our go-to BBQ red. While it is difficult to say (pronounced Tsvye-gelt)this fruity, spicy red from Austria is the perfect compliment to meat on the grill. With most good Zweigelts costing under $20 this is a wine that you can keep flowing at your summer BBQ without breaking the bank.”
-Tamara, Bottle Rush founder

Are you interested in seeing a specific dish you’ve seen here (or elsewhere) paired with the perfect wine? If so let us know by leaving a comment below.

Happy Thirsty Thursday! Cheers!

PS: Happy Anniversary Marie & Greg! I feel like we were just dancing at your wedding :) Enjoy your day!

PPS: I can't believe this little guy is two today! Happy Birthday Douggie! xx

Thirsty Thursday: Summer (Detox) Mojito

This week’s Thirsty Thursday installment is at the other end of the spectrum from last week’s boozy brunch post - we’re talking detoxing today. My cousin - who is really more of a little sister to me, Irena Lambrou, is embarking on a new endeavor in juicing, keep an eye out for Zen Blendz Juice (!!!).  Irena desires to help others be the healthiest they can be through movement & nutrition.  This passion stems from her life as a yoga teacher (practice with her here if you're in Bellingham, Washington) & her grad school studies in Anthropology. 

One of Irena’s favorite juicing recipes comes from Choosing Raw. Since Irena knows I love a good mojito she thought this one would be right up my alley & it was. I will definitely make it again & maybe if I’m feeling less detox-y I’ll spike it with some rum! Plus, it's really pretty! Just look at that green frothy juice. Yum!

Thirsty Thursday: Brunch Menu + Wine Pairings

It’s really amazing how the right wine/food pairing can make a whole meal taste better. I’ll admit most of the time I stick with wines I like, like Sauvingon Blanc & mild red table wine. I like what I like but I also really like learning about new wines & why they pair well with different foods. 

This is the first (of hopefully many) Thirsty Thursday posts here on Heather O Made that I'll be teaming up with Bottle Rush* to bring you a menu (of recipes) you can make at home & wines you can serve.  Tamara Lover of Bottle Rush will provide the brain power behind knowing which wines will work best.  Tamara is a sommelier (read: she went to grad school for wine & yes you can do that!). She knows her stuff.

This week I chose a brunch menu because I think it’s such a fun meal to invite friends over to have & if the weather permits to sit outside & soak up the sun in the meantime.

Thirsty Thursday: Sweet Heat Juice

Back to detoxing with Irena from Zen Blendz for this Thirsty Thursday post. Irena says this sweet treat is a good way to ease into juicing, without feeling like you're drinking a salad! (Sign me up!)

The sweet pineapple (please use a ripe one) is cut with tart apple. The lemon (or in my case lime - because I ran out of lemons!) balances these flavors. Romaine lettuce is hardly noticeable in juicing but has lots of benefits & makes your juice last longer with added water! (This is true this recipe makes a bunch of juice).

The cayenne pepper rounds out this juice by giving your tastebuds some heat, a great sweet treat for the summer an equally as warming for winter months when juicing may be difficult.

Give it a try & let us know what you think! I really enjoyed it.