Recipes with Wine Pairings

Feb 292012
 

Cindy Cosco

Mr. B&B and I had breakfast with Cynthia Cosco of Passaggio Wines recently as we left Sonoma County for the Oakland airport.  Passaggio translates to passageway and is a tribute to her Italian ancestors who four generations ago, came to America.  Cindy shares her passion for winemaking with her grandfather who took great joy in sharing his wine with neighbors, friends and family. She spoke of growing up in an Italian home where there always wine and food; thus, she makes her wines to be enjoyed with food (a crisp style with zippy yet balanced acidity) and to bring wine, food and friends together.  The true testament to her winemaking passion is the fact she left a 14-year career in Virginia law enforcement  to pursue her winemaking dream, starting at the bottom.

I grew up with a Chinese mother who came to America when she was fourteen-years-old.  Wine in our home was rarely served, mainly at holidays, so when I did begin to drink wine it was as a stand-alone beverage.  While I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, I still choose my wines for their ability to stand-alone (usually robust with lower acidity) and those are not always the best food pairing wines. I like to have my glass(es) of wine before, during and after the preparation of the food.  To give Cindy’s Passaggio white wines their due, we decided to design our own food pairing meal. Continue reading »

Sep 122011
 
Wine Blog

Thai Larb

Wine Blog

Thai Larb Spices

Larb is a traditional lettuce wrapped meat salad regarded as the national dish of Laos.  It can be made with any kind of meat and occasionally fish, seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, chilies and fresh herbs.  This Thai inspired recipe was given to me by my BFF, Rhonda.  The Basil, Mint, Cilantro, Jalapeño and Chili Garlic Sauce give the ground turkey (keeping it healthy) a zippy flavor without being too spicy. Continue reading »