Dishes to Pair with your Bubbly this New Year's Eve!

New Year's Eve is upon us and if you need any last minute dishes to pair with your bubbly, The Glamorous Gourmet is here to help! Champagne and sparkling wines pair remarkably well with a variety of cuisines and are often underestimated as "food wines". From grilled fish to spicy Thai dishes, a sparkler's versatility has you covered! Here are a few pairings that are sure to delight your palate as you ring in 2012.

As I mentioned in my last post, Champagne and sparkling wines done in a Brut style appeal to a variety of palates - it's actually hard not to like them! These sparklers make a fabulous aperitif and pair deliciously with a variety of hors d'oeuvres including one of my personal favorites, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Creme Fraiche and Caviar. The acidity of the sparkling wine complements the brininess of the caviar and is a nice foil for the creaminess of the creme fraiche - yum!

Sparkling Recommendations:

Biltmore Estate Méthode Champenoise Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

Taittinger Brut La Francaise NV

A Rosé Champagne or Sparkling wine brings a lovely pink color to the party as well as more pronounced berry and fruit flavors. Many Rosés can stand up nicely to "bigger" dishes including lobster, swordfish or even roasted duck. I really enjoy pairing a Rosé sparkler with this delicious Seafood Stew. Chock full of shrimp, mussels and fish in a tomato-based broth, this dish is a fabulous match for all the deliciousness a Rosé sparkler has to offer.

Sparkling Recommendations:

Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour NV

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé NV

For dessert, pair a sparkler with a little sweetness to it, like a Demi-Sec or Sec, with a Pear Clafouti for a guaranteed crowd pleaser! This lightly sweet, delicious dessert lights up when complemented by a sparkling wine with similar characteristics. Please don't shy away from the sweetness of the bubbly! Even with a bit of sugar, sparkling wine still retains its hallmark acidity that balances everything nicely. I am a big fan of offering a dessert wine to your guests in general, it's such a nice touch and such an underappreciated segment of the wine world. Your friends will surely think you're a Glamorous Gourmet when you utter, "Demi-Sec, Anyone?"

Sparkling Recommendations:

Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec Champagne 

Gruet Demi-Sec Sparkling Wine

I really hope you enjoy these pairings! These are some of my favorites and I'm very happy to share them with you. I hope you've enjoyed Champagne Week on The Glamorous Gourmet and I'd like to wish you all a wonderful and delicious New Year. Looking forward to lots more food and wine fun in 2012!

Cheers,

"Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes (and a few Champagne Recommendations!)

Valentine's Day is this Sunday and I'm sure everyone already has their cards bought, presents wrapped and flowers ordered - right? If not, don't fret! Why not dazzle your siginificant other in the kitchen this year? With your cooking skills, of course!

Here are The "Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes (according to me). I chose these recipes from those I have already made and blogged about (except for one, can you guess what it is?) - they are some of my favorites. Whether you're throwing a party or making a romantic dinner for two, these recipes will have your guest(s) lining up to kiss the cook!

The "Savor the Moment" Top 10 Valentine's Day Recipes:

1. Brie in Puff Pastry with Berry Sauce (pg. 58) (instead of a bow, make a puff pastry heart to put on top)

2. Roasted Sea Bass in Prosciutto (pg. 178)

3. Filet Mignon with Shallot Sauce (pg. 149)

4. Pork with Cherry Sauce (pg. 166)

5. Chicken Veronique with Fresh Peaches (pg. 172)

6. Tortellini alla Prosciutto (pg. 205)

7. Green Beans and (more than) Friends (pg. 216)

8. Champagne Truffles (pg. 36)

9. Praline Bananas Foster (pg. 137)

10. Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cakes (pg. 254) For this delicious and decadent recipe click here: http://tinyurl.com/ygh7egz

As far as wine goes, there are a few requirements: a sparkling wine must be involved at some point in the evening - actually, that's the ONLY requirement! Whether it's a Cava, Cremant, Champagne or Prosecco, here are a few fabulous recommendations to satisfy your Valentine's Day cravings. These bottles can all be found at your local Total Wine store:

1. NV Mionetto Prosecco Brut $15.99

2. NV Roederer Estate Brut Estate Anderson Valley $19.99

3. NV Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs $35.99

4. NV Laurent Perrier Brut Rose $79.99

5. 1998 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame $159.99

6. 2002 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose $399.99

I hope everyone has a very Happy Valentine's Day spent with the ones they love. Please don't forget to savor every moment - enjoy and cheers!