The following article was written by Andrew Dunbar, the Executive Chef at Ryan’s on York in Manitowoc.
Wine and food is one of the most fascinating realms you can find yourself in. Wine is believed to have originated in China around the year 7000 BC. Which means that we, as humans, have had 9000 years to learn to pair our delicious food with the perfect wine. So, come join us as Eric (Mueller) and I teach you 9000 years of work in about 90 minutes during this episode of “At Home with Andrew,” livestreaming on Manitowoc Public Library’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) and YouTube channel this Thursday, October 5, at 6 PM.
Okay. That might be a bit of an exaggeration. But, in 90 minutes, we will walk you through how to use that nice bottle of wine you won in a Christmas party raffle—or maybe your wine snob uncle passed and left you a collection of bottles that you can’t even read. While every bottle of wine has its own little identity, the food that they go with can often be figured out by the type of grape (or grapes), the country and region the grapes were grown in, and the style of wine (i.e. red vs white, big vs small, oaked or unoaked). We will show you how 3 bottles from 3 different parts of the world with 3 very different styles can be used in dishes.
This “At Home with Andrew” will have a different feel than before. This is a wine-forward “At Home.” One where we will still enjoy some delicious food, but spend more time talking about wine. If you have that specific bottle of wine that you’ve been holding onto, grab it and ask about it. Eric and I would love to know what wine everybody has laying around! And having a 90-minute open chat about wine with a Certified Sommelier isn’t a chance you get often, so take advantage.
As for the food. Most of the preparation will be done off-camera as we are focusing on the wine, but we will definitely have some delicious food there. We will be preparing Coq au Vin, Game Day Food (sliders, wings, and other tailgate foods), as well as a Patatas Bravas. These three dishes will show the high points to focus on when pairing foods, but will also help to break you of some food and wine myths.
Andrew Dunbar
So, please come join Eric and I as we pair some great wine with some great eats. Learn a little about food and learn a lot about great wine. Most importantly though, join us for some laughs, conversation, and a night we will not forget. Because food without memories attached is just something you eat. But, when it’s a night filled with laughs, friends, great wine, and great food, well, that’s a meal worth remembering.
In case you were planning on playing along at home this Thursday, there’s still time to pick up everything you’ll need in advance.
In terms of wine, here’s what we’ll be focusing on:
- 2021 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py
- 2022 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett trocken ‘Egon’
- 2011 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
Should you not have that on-hand, Waterford Wine in Green Bay can hook you up (or with an acceptable substitute if they don’t have those exact bottles in stock).
And now for the food:
Patatas Bravas
Potatoes
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in bite size chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Some parsley or green onion to top
Coq au Vin
- 2 pieces sliced bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 chicken thighs, with skin and bone
- 4 ounces button mushrooms, halved
- 2 or 3garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
- 2-4 ounces dry or off-dry Riesling wine
See you Thursday! Bon Appétit!
