I have always enjoyed a simple pasta of kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, some lemon pepper oil and pine nuts. Sauteed together, a beautiful combination.
Other than this, prime rib, osso bucco and occasionally some lamb.
Posts: 900 | Location: Plano, Texas | Registered: Nov 17, 2003
Depending on the style of the wines, I'd be a little cautious with the tangy pasta Escape suggests. It could be really good with some styles perhaps, but I'd be concerned that briny kalamatas, tangy sundried tomato, and sharp feta could make a softer, modern style seem thin, or exacerbate the acidity of some of the leaner, more old school versions.
When it comes to older wines and unknown wines, I tend to err on the side of savory subtlety with the foods.
A no brainer would be simple roasted meats, like pork loin, beef ribs, or veal shoulder roast. Just use some black pepper, rosemary, and salt, maybe a mushroom sautee on the side alongside some buttery, soft polenta. I'm willing to bet, this would work with any style, any vintage.
Posts: 525 | Location: ann arbor, MI | Registered: Mar 18, 2002
I second chaad's suggestion, leaning towards the veal, with a definite yes on the mushrooms. My mouth is watering. So much for the waistline thread. I'm off to find some skinny friends.
Actually, while both recipes are good, I would prefer Escape's recipe as it includes a little more character with old brunellos. If the feta is made from cow's milk, then it can be sharp but not if it is made from goat's milk(as it should be made.)
Furthermore, Brunellos are Italian wines made to go with Italian foods. Black olives and sun-dried tomatos are much more Italian than Chaads food suggestions, which even though they are appropriate, can be equally served with most red wines.
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3375 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Brunello needs 5 to 10 years of age to flesh out the fruit in my opinion. You could go as simple as steaks on the grill with a nice salad and some bread, that always works for me and not alot of prep time!
Posts: 5166 | Location: minneapolis minnesota usa | Registered: Dec 17, 2003
To throw in my two cents, Italian dishes go well, yes, however the meatier dishes seem to favor the BdM's. I favor Chaad's recommendations. He's pretty spot on with this, IMO.
A lot of things, but this threads goes best with the Dining and Cooking section.
___________________________________________________ It's good to try them young too and then let them age - James Suckling Infanticide can be very satisfying - Robert Parker I drink mine young to avoid disappointments - James Laube
Posts: 5058 | Location: Atlanta, GA | Registered: Jun 03, 2004
___________________________________________________ It's good to try them young too and then let them age - James Suckling Infanticide can be very satisfying - Robert Parker I drink mine young to avoid disappointments - James Laube
Posts: 5058 | Location: Atlanta, GA | Registered: Jun 03, 2004
Originally posted by GPCi: I'm planning a dinner with close friends (10 people in total) to share some nice Brunellos I have (81, 88, 91 and recent ones like 99 and 01).
any advice on what should be on the menu?
A nice spread of Rolaids, Tums and Pepcid complete
Cinghaile (wild boar) stew, grilled lamb, steaks, hearty porcini mushrooms dishes like risotto or ravioli, pinci pasta with some type of meat sauce (i.e. bolognese) and stuffed quail. Any of these dishes will make your brunelli sing.
Posts: 1018 | Location: Virginia | Registered: Aug 22, 2005
Longboarder Member Posted Jul 25, 2007 09:54 PM Hide Post Cinghaile (wild boar) stew, grilled lamb, steaks, hearty porcini mushrooms dishes like risotto or ravioli, pinci pasta with some type of meat sauce (i.e. bolognese) and stuffed quail. Any of these dishes will make your brunelli sing.
Now that would be nice with Brunello. Chad's suggestion is a good runner-up on my ballot also.
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www.VinoCritic.Com
Posts: 999 | Location: Southern California | Registered: Mar 01, 2006
It's prosciutto stuffed pork with mushrooms. Always done the mushrooms with polenta. The flavours ask for each other. You follow LCBO releases so I'm guessing you've got access to Ace bakery baguettes. Use those for the bread crumbs (crust in). Amazing.
Good luck
Posts: 18 | Location: T.O. | Registered: Nov 24, 2005
Originally posted by mimik: Black olives and sun-dried tomatos are much more Italian than Chaads food suggestions...
That's a pretty absurd assertion. I can't even imagine where one would begin to evaluate relative Italian-ness of black olives and tomatoes over mushrooms, polenta, and roasted meats, but, if we were to try, I'm willing to bet that domesticated animals and fire (which equal, btw, roast) predate tomatoes on the Italian peninsula by a order of magnitude of millenia, that porcini, cremini, and portobello are far more ubiquitous to all regional Italian cuisine than pomodori secchi, and that, if you check your map, you'll find the Veneto region, home of polenta, is actually in Italy, whereas the Kalamata black olive derives its name and origin from Greece. Do I even need to mention Feta??
So, whereas you are entitled to express your preference for Kalamata and sundried tomato pasta with Feta as a marvelous pairing with Brunello di Montalcino (which I concede it might be), you sound ferociously silly trying to defend your preference on the grounds it is more Italian.
I mean, really....
Posts: 525 | Location: ann arbor, MI | Registered: Mar 18, 2002
Originally posted by mimik: Black olives and sun-dried tomatos are much more Italian than Chaads food suggestions...
That's a pretty absurd assertion. I can't even imagine where one would begin to evaluate relative Italian-ness of black olives and tomatoes over mushrooms, polenta, and roasted meats, but, if we were to try, I'm willing to bet that domesticated animals and fire (which equal, btw, roast) predate tomatoes on the Italian peninsula by a order of magnitude of millenia, that porcini, cremini, and portobello are far more ubiquitous to all regional Italian cuisine than pomodori secchi, and that, if you check your map, you'll find the Veneto region, home of polenta, is actually in Italy, whereas the Kalamata black olive derives its name and origin from Greece. Do I even need to mention Feta??
So, whereas you are entitled to express your preference for Kalamata and sundried tomato pasta with Feta as a marvelous pairing with Brunello di Montalcino (which I concede it might be), you sound ferociously silly trying to defend your preference on the grounds it is more Italian.
I mean, really....
YOU are an absurd assertion. That and the fact that it is quite obvious you cannot read. I deliberately avoided Kalamata olives and replaced them with black olives in my post. These foods are more traditionally eaten in Italy and most of the Mediterranean basin. My main point being that the local cuisine suits the local wines better than " simple roasted meats, like pork loin, beef ribs, or veal shoulder roast" which is very generic and any red wine would match up with these wines. Fact is, the food you quoted probably matches other red wines such as Syrah or blends like Bordeaux and CDP better than older brunellos.
If you drink your aged bordeaux with Big Macs or KFC, then knock yourself out but don't parade around thinking this is a match made in heaven.
Oh and if you need proof, try this link. Read carefully what they say about Rice and Pasta(tomatoes and pesto) and the section on Matching by Provenance. Italian wine pairings
Oh and beware of them Mushrooms!
I mean, really....
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mimik,
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3375 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Seriously, man, I don't know what to say to you. If you really think a Greek cheese and sundried tomatoes are more more local to Montalcino than roasted meats and mushrooms, you've got a real problem.
I tried out your link, but I think this link to the Italian Trade Commission's "Italianmade" website, which lists wine and regional cuisine, is actually a credible source, rather than some unvetted e-absurdity ("avoid mushrooms with anything but moscato and "San Gimignano") you reference: http://www.italianmade.com/regions/cuisine9.cfm
Posts: 525 | Location: ann arbor, MI | Registered: Mar 18, 2002
Originally posted by mona lisa vito: pici with lamb ragu, or cacio e pepe (pici with grated pecorino and black pepper)... mmm...
MLV - You say pici, I say pinci. You say tow-may-toe, I say toe-ma-toe. Would love to open another BdM with you and Jcock with both these dishes. Soon, I hope.
Posts: 1018 | Location: Virginia | Registered: Aug 22, 2005
Seriously, man, I don't know what to say to you. If you really think a Greek cheese and sundried tomatoes are more more local to Montalcino than roasted meats and mushrooms, you've got a real problem.
I tried out your link, but I think this link to the Italian Trade Commission's "Italianmade" website, which lists wine and regional cuisine, is actually a credible source, rather than some unvetted e-absurdity ("avoid mushrooms with anything but moscato and "San Gimignano") you reference: http://www.italianmade.com/regions/cuisine9.cfm
You're stuck on the Feta cheese, my friend. All I am saying is that local cuisine suits local wines generally better than other kinds of foods. Of course, Feta is not Italian or Kalamata olives but black olives are and so is pasta.
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
Posts: 3375 | Location: montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
