Here are some of my favourite recipes with wine pairings. Enjoy!

FRENCH ONION SOUP

SOURCE: BBC Good Food

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:
It's simple to make, it suitable for vegetarians, and has tons of flavour. The parmigiano crisps and croutons put this dish over the edge. For me, this is the quintessential comfort food as the weather gets cooler.

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT:
Because of the earthiness and robust nature of the soup (although it is light by French onion soup standards), my favourite wine to pair with it has been local Ontario Pinot Noir. The earthiness of the Pinot complements the soup and the Pinot's lively acidity is tamed by the saltiness of the soup and toppings. A local Gamay or nice Beaujolais would also be delicious. 

White Cheddar and Truffle Quiche

SOURCE: www.foodnetwork.com

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:
Our family would typically have quiche for holiday brunches (i.e. xmas morning, Easter), so quiche feels like a bit of a treat and reminds me of lazy, happy mornings with family. Truffles in this recipe definitely make this dish a treat, although I have to admit I have tried making it with mixed forest mushrooms and lots of extra truffle oil when truffles aren't handy. My advice is to always put in a little more cheese than the recipe calls for (you can never have too much cheese!)

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT:
I love to pair a Alsatian Riesling with this dish, as the wine generally has great concentration and richness that can compete with the richness of the cheese and truffle. Yum!

Squash Gratin


SOURCE: www.foodnetwork.com

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:
This is another great fall recipe. This is not too time consuming to make and has lots of flavour

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT:
This dish calls for a fuller, richer white. A local Chardonnay with well integrated oak notes would match beautifully - the toasty, nutty notes would nicely complement the sweet flavours of the squash, and the cheese and salt in the dish would make the wine seem creamier and rounder. My mouth is already watering thinking about this combination. 

Seafood Ceviche

SOURCE: www.epicurious.com

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:
Ceviche is light and fresh and wonderful as a starter. This is a great base recipe that you can adapt easily to your preferences; using whatever seafood you'd like and if you wish adding in additional ingredients like avocado or cucumber. 

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT:
With the high acid of this dish, you need a wine that is equally zesty. A Riesling (either a local example from Niagara, or one from Clare/Eden Valley would work nicely) has the focused acidity and elegance to complement this dish (and not over power it). You could also go in a different direction, especially if you're hosting a fancier dinner, by pairing it with a nice sparkling wine. I would go for a crémant (read other sparkling from France that is not Champagne) from Burgundy or the Loire Valley. Sparkling wines would work for similar reasons as for Riesling: crisp acidity and subtle citrus aromatics that would show off your ceviche.
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