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: 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: 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.

Mussels with Leeks & Cream

Every few months I rediscover mussels while I'm grocery shopping.  Two reasons to pick up a bag the next time you're at the super market they're (1) cheap & (2) quick to make. I think they're best served with a big glass of wine & some fresh crusty bread to sop up the sauce at the bottom of your bowl.

Click through for my super easy way to prepare mussels for your next quick dinner.