GABRIELLA BIEDINGER - HER LIFE Magazine

herlife | wineFRENCH WINE AND CHEESESby sherry l. granaderNothing goes together better than French food and wine, acombination rooted in the tradition of savory flavors pairedwith the perfect wine for an incredible meal. The French arenotorious for enjoying a glass of wine with meals, somethingthat is often enjoyed on a daily basis for a little bit of luxury.The pleasure of sipping wine enhances the dining experience, whether inFrance or anywhere in the world.The rule of drinking red wine with meat or white wine with seafood orchicken dishes has gone by the wayside. Simply enjoy your favorite winewith French food for a special meal and forget the strict guidelines. Thesecret is to understand the basics of wine tasting for pairing a variety ofwine with food, especially French food. Here are some factors to considerwhen choosing wines.Aroma – the ‘bouquet’ of the wine is how it smells when poured intoa glass. It can be nutty, floral, earthy or fruity, to name a few. Sometimesthe bouquet can be a combination of aromas that create a wonderful wine.Acid – wine offers sharp and sour notes that determine the level ofacidity. Think of biting into a sour apple and how that feels on your tongue.Here are some suggestions to considerwhen creating French foods:• Sauternes with bleu cheese.• Chardonnay with chicken, scallops, lobster and brie.• Sauvignon Blanc with shrimp, acidic pork, oysters and whitefish.• Pinot Noir with salmon, fatty fish and duck.• Zinfandel or red/white Burgundy with turkey, pheasant and quail.• Red Bordeaux with lamb.• Beaujolais with traditional pork.• Cabernet Sauvignon with beef, venison and grilled meat.• Burgundy with braised meat and game.• Of course, champagne goes well with everything from appetizersto desserts.in Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering The Art Of French Cooking. It is truly adelightful movie.If you have the opportunity to visit France, it is impossible to avoidthe endless window displays of mouth-watering sweet delights and pastries.The French love to eat desserts after lunch, dinner or simply enjoyBody – can be light, heavy or creamy when you taste it and is reallya matter of personal taste and opinion.Flavor – aromas determine the flavor of the wine. For example,a nutty aroma in a wine often develops into a chocolate-coffee note offlavor. The aroma and flavor are closely related.Even though the rules of pairing wines with French food may soundcomplicated, it is much easier than you think. A good rule of thumb is topair a wine with food that matches its intensity and flavor. For example, aspicy white wine goes well with a flavorful chicken dish and a strong, fullbodiedred wine goes well with steak in a decadent sauce.Julia Child has shared the splendor of French food in this countrythrough her extensive cookbooks and cooking shows, bringing hardwork and delicious creativity and fun to every endeavor. The movie Julieand Julia documents her start in the cooking profession in France, withChild played by Meryl Streep. Child’s story is intertwined with thatof blogger Julie Powell, who decides to spice up her uneventfullife as she challenges herself to cook all 524 recipes34 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM