Happy 4th of July! Ok… so we still have a few days of anticipation left this week – or a few more days to get our marinades going and our wine shopping underway. This week we resume our food/wine pairing conversation with episode # 3 in our Supper Swap Series: gett’n giggy (jerky?) with chicken and Zinfandel!

It doesn’t get more American than Zinfandel. Yes, it’s widely thought Zin’s roots lie in Puglia, Italy where it is known as Primitivo. But the truth is this particular grape’s origins are still somewhat of a mystery. All we know for sure is it is America’s grape. It really doesn’t grow well outside of California. And so Zin has become our baby.

What’s even better about this grape is…. it is terrific when Jamaican Jerk Chicken is on the menu! My buddy John is The Man when it comes to marinades. Actually, he’s really the guy who got me on the bandwagon. Since I first met him he never missed an opportunity to bring by his  bags of meats. I’ve learned several things under his tutelage:

1. Ziplock is the key. The bag allows the marinade to coat every centimeter of meat and lock in the desired flavors. It also travels well and takes up no room in the fridge either when your own is full, or when landing at a BBQ and fridge-space is scarce.

2. It is a quick method to employ. I like to spend time in the kitchen preparing my dishes – but I usually have more than one thing going at a time. Marinades allow me to get the meat going first, and then spend the rest of my time preparing my sides. All the while my protein is getting some TLC in the fridge.

3. It isn’t messy and clean up is a snap! I love that you can just dump all of the ingredients into one bag and then mush it around. Once your meat is on the grill, the bag can be efficiently discarded without having to clean another bowl.

John did not let us down when we last swapped a few weeks ago, either.  Looking at the recipe later, I would have thought it would have packed more flame-throwing heat. But this particular marinade brings a different kind of heat as all of the flavors blended together and mellowed perfectly as the chicken was essentially slow-cooked on the grill; (we were pacing ourselves what with all of our culinary delights to enjoy throughout the evening).

We didn’t have any Zin on hand by the time the chicken rolled out, but it would be a terrific pairing. Zinfandel is perhaps best known for it’s juicy, red berry, fruit-forward character; this profile is a great match for any dish that packs a bit of a punch. But even the other style of Zin, the more tannic/structured style with a kick of spice on the finish, would be a good match for this particular recipe. The protein in the tannin would soften and sweeten once in contact with the chicken/meat protein (on your tongue) – and this dynamic marinade, with subtle flavors and nuances, would be enhanced by the slight kick of pepper on the wine’s finish.

(NOTE:  I would, however, caution anyone making a truly spicy dish and picking up a truly tannic wine – danger danger! That could cause a bit of a fire-y explosion in your mouth! You’d be better served by a wine with a little bit of residual sugar to put out the flames.)

Suffice to say, as you get your Marinade On this Fourth of July, feel free to grab a bottle of America’s beloved Zin to accompany your dish! Be mindful of your spice quotient and simply ask your local wine guru which style/bottle of the juice is your best bet.

Which CA Zinfandel do you enjoy most?

Gearing up for a terrific Fourth of July holiday? Already know which grill wines you’ll be pouring? Great! Because this year we’ve got something a little different for you to add to that case of wine you’re taking away with you….

Hop on over to Wicked Local today to find out how our Forefather’s toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence – and the wine you’ve likely been missing out on!

Have you ever tried Madeira? What about with each course of your meal??

With summer schedules coming into effect and the summer warmth finally landing on our New England shores, it’s time to bring wine news to you in a briefer package. Starting this week, we’ll be delivering wine news in ~ 200 words or less, offering something to whet your whistle as you daydream about weekend beach adventures ahead, but nothing to keep you from getting out by the early closing bell.  Here goes!

WalMart to resume wine/liquor sales: Tisk, tisk. Don’t you prefer to support fine wines shops who provide expertise, find boutique selections you don’t see everywhere, and offer these at the best price they can -  all without donning a horrifyingly bright-blue smock?

Gallstones less likely among wine drinkers: The latest in wine/health news suggests a glass of wine or two a day can prevent the formation of gallstones. Another good reason to toast to health!

LATE-BREAKING insider rumor: Gruner Veltliner and Godello are identical twins!

** Can anyone confirm these (verbal) reports? **

We started to revisit the topic of food and wine as a match made in heaven a few weeks ago… My family wine taste-off of sorts interrupted us for a week last week, but with the fourth of July grill fest soon to come, it seems prudent to re-tune the station to another of our Supper Swap success stories! So without further ado, here we have Episode #2 of our Supper Swap series: Black bean sliders!

The first time I tried my “Summer is Coming” black bean sliders recipe out on my fellow Swappers I discovered “it needed a little… tweaking”, in the words of Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail. Not to worry. I excel at taking a base recipe and fine-tuning it for future endeavors. I discovered Sandra Lee’s recipe lacked a bit of bite, sweetness and texture. The food processor process I employed the first time out of the gates ground everything to a paste;  the flavors of each individual component couldn’t possibly show through once “grilled”. (I also learned the grill is not the cooking tool of choice….) Here’s what I came up with as an alternative to this fast summer savior:

Ingredients – black beans (30 oz), 1/2 sweet onion, 1/2 cup of whole beets, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg (white)

Directions – Pulse the beans LIGHTLY and in batches in your food processor. Place in bowl. Then pulse 1/2 cup of beets in your processor. (This adds additional flare, color and sweetness to the burgers without being over the top for those who may shy away from beets.) Dice sweet onion into small pieces by hand. Combine, adding black pepper and salt to taste. Then combine with egg and crumbs. Form patties.

Use a skillet to cook each side (about 4 or 5 min/side), til done.

Makes 5 Servings for a large burger, or about 7 sliders.

Serve on a large English muffin and – the key – use Greek yogurt as the topping. Add mango salsa for additional panache!

So, what wine works?

I had a bottle of the Nuevo Mundo Cabernet/Malbec on hand the first time I tasted these re-vamped burgers – and have lived to tell the tale again and again (just ask my poor colleague…)!  But I’ve also given them a whirl with a Syrah-based Cote du Rhone as well as the Crios Syrah/Bonarda and been oh-so-satisfied. Basically, you want a lush and mouth-filling, deep, dark fruited red wine with a touch of herbaceousness and spice. Other blends that would work happily are the SNAFU (CA) and the Portteus Rattlesnake Red (WA). Or try a good old-fashioned, dark toned, (with chocolate subtones) Malbec!

The point is, these burgers aren’t shy, but also offer a touch of spice and sweetness. A wine with dark but lush and sweet fruit or undertones (e.g. the chocolate thing) makes for a great pairing.

What other wines would you pair with such an easy-to-make, satisfying, hearty meal?

You read correctly! There is one great, (arguably) new, spot in Cambridge, MA bringing the thunder when it comes to every important aspect of a nice meal out.  Curious what place has captured my attention and enthusiasm?

Click on over to WickedLocal today to get the inside scoop on Craigie on Main!

Where do you go out to eat to be utterly satisfied?