With the return of ‘Celebrity Masterchef’ and the ongoing success of the extremely addictive ‘Come Dine with me’ there is no doubt that the long summer evenings are rekindling our love of alfresco dining – capturing both our imaginations and taste buds! Today The Telegraph’s Susy Atkin’s gave just one top tip for summer alfresco dinning ‘It’s quite simple: sweet foods need sweet wines’. Dry Rosé or Brut Champagnes simply don’t cut it when it comes to the dessert! The talk of fresh berried afters with fabulous sweet tasting wines, got us here at DatingAgency.com thinking about the general rules that apply to wine and food mixes; rules that if are to be followed, will make for the most fantastic alfresco experience, whether it be for that special someone, or for a group of friends.
Rule 1 – Match the weight and texture of the food to the weight and texture of the wine
A light bodied fish – deserves a light bodied Pinot.
A fuller salmon – deserves a heavier Chardonnay.
Rule 2 – Balance the intensity of flavours in food and wine
Mildly flavoured food, such as a roast works best with light bodied wines such as Sauvignon Blanc.
Stronger dishes work best with richer, fruiter wines.
Rule 3 – Balance tastes
The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salt, bitter and umami (a recently discovered fifth taste found in mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce etc).
Salty and sour tastes make red wines taste milder, whilst sweet and savoury makes white wine taste stronger.
Rule 4 – Match flavours & Counterpoint
The relationship between food and wine is not unlike the relationship between lovers…match common factors to create success…on the other hand opposites also attract.
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Maybe it’s the flowers blooming, the birds singing, or just that vaguely familiar yellow circle reappearing in the sky(!), but whatever the reason, spring time just seems to bring out the best in people.