Category: Foods
If you like to follow the rules then here are two basic ones that should get you through the night:
Rule One: Drink red wine with meat, white wine with fish and poultry.
Rule Two: Disregard rule one and eat and drink what you like. You will hear this over and over again and it’s so true. Always go with your personal preference first!
Of course, there are some classic matches that satisfy again and again and bring out the best in both wine and food. Wine can often enhance the flavors of your food tantalizing your taste buds in ways you never knew possible and vice versa. A prime examplemy husband HATES white wine. When he tries it he makes a face like someone just gave him a spoonful of cough syrup. One day we went to a wine and cheese paring and he was given Blue Castello and Sauvignon Blanc. It was then that I heard words I never though would come out of his mouth, “This wine is not bad. I actually like it.” It was a breakthrough among breakthroughs! It was his first true experience of food enhancing wine and bringing out flavors in the wine he had never experienced before. Food can have that sort of magical effect on wine and when you find that magic you just can’t help but searching for more of it.
Here are some of our favorite and classic food and wine pairings. I also like to say if you don’t know what to serve, then serve champagne or sparkling wine. It’s fun and extremely food friendly.
APPETIZERS & STARTERS
ANTIPASTO – Pinot Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Malbec
ARTICHOKES – Usually a no no with wine, but I love them with Chardonnay
ASPARAGUS – Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
CARPACCIO (beef) – Pinotage, Shiraz, Shiraz/Pinotage blend, Malbec
CARPACCIO (tuna) – Sauvignon Blanc
CAVIAR – Chenin Blanc, Champagne!
COLD MEATS – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
NUTS AND/OR OLIVES – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
OYSTERS (raw) – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
PASTA SALAD – Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
PASTA WITH CREAM SAUCE – Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
PASTA WITH SHELLFISH – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz
PASTA WITH VEGETABLES – Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinotage, Malbec
PATS – Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
QUICHE – Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage Ros, Merlot
SCALLOPS – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
SMOKED FISH (Trout, Herring) – Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
SEAFOOD
CRAB – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
LOBSTER – Chardonnay, Chardonnay/Sauvignon blend, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc
MUSSELS – Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc
RED SNAPPER – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
SALMON – Pinotage Ros, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
SASHIMI, SUSHI – Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
SHRIMP – Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
STRIPED BASS – Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
SWORDFISH – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, Pinot Grigio
TUNA – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay
OTHER WHITE FISH – Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
MEAT & POULTRY
CHICKEN – Chardonnay, Merlot, Chenin Blanc, Pinotage
CHICKEN SALAD – Chenin Blanc, Pinotage Ros, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
CHICKEN (smoked) – Pinotage, Merlot, Malbec
DUCK – Pinotage, Merlot, Pinotage Ros, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec
HAM – Shiraz, Merlot, Pinotage, Malbec, Pinotage Ros
HAMBURGER – Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, Malbec
LAMB (grilled, broiled) – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage
PHEASANT – Pinotage, Shiraz, Malbec
QUAIL – Pinotage, Malbec
RABBIT – Pinotage, Merlot, Shiraz, Malbec
SAUSAGE – Chenin Blanc, Pinotage Ros, Shiraz, Merlot, Malbec
STEAK (grilled, broiled) – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Malbec
TURKEY – Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinotage Ros
VEAL – Chardonnay, Merlot
VENISON – Shiraz, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec
COUSCOUS – Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage Ros
CURRY, FISH or CHICKEN – Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage Ros
PIZZA – Merlot, Pinotage Ros, Pinotage, Chenin Blanc, Malbec
SPICY CHINESE – Savignon Blanc, Pino Grigio, Merlot, Pinotage Ros
SPICY MEXICAN – Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Malbec
THAI – Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
CHEESES
*GOAT – SOFT: Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage
– HARD: Pinotage, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
*COW & SHEEP – MEDIUM: Pinotage, Shiraz
– HARD: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc
If you are a true rule follower here are some more:
Generally, wines and foods belonging to the same culture are compatible; for example, think Italian wines with Italian food.
Good red wines tend to be dry and rich, sometimes with a tart or astringent quality. They will go better with hearty or highly seasoned foods such as beef, pork, game, duck, goose and pasta dishes. The ‘red with red’ rule works well because the astringency of the tannins cuts through the viscosity of the fat. Reach for a tannic Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Petite Syrah or Zinfandel, especially if the meat is served with a heavy sauce. Rare prime rib tastes almost sweet, so it’s perfect with a lighter bodied Merlot or Beaujolais.
White wines are usually lighter in body and flavor and can range from dry and crisp to sweet and fragrant. Serve these wines with foods such as chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, ham and veal. Pair a honey or brown sugar glazed ham with a white wine that’s not too dry – possibly a Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer or Riesling.
Ros wines are in fact pale red wines; their lighter color is due to the shorter time the skins are left with the juice during fermentation. Ros, or blush, wines can range from dry to sweet. These wines should compliment ham, fried chicken, shellfish, cold beef and picnic style foods.
Ahhh, holiday stress. In my opinion if you can’t decide what wine to serve, then serve Champagne. You can find a great budget friendly champagne that will really get the festivities kicked off in the right way. Gloria Ferrer has some really nice sparkling wines to try that won’t hurt your wallet. ORIf you serve turkey with sweet side dishes like glazed carrots or sweet potatoes, choose a white wine with a hint of sweetness, like Chenin Blanc, Riesling or Gewurztraminer. If some dishes have a more savory flavor, try Sauvignon Blanc or a lighter bodied Chardonnay. For a bird with spicy sausage stuffing, serve Pinotage or a try a Pinot Noir.
Don’t match strong to delicate. Pairing a big, powerful, high-alcohol or high-tannin wine with a light, delicate dish (and vice versa) is rarely a good idea.
Acidity is your friend. People tend to be wary of wines described as “high acid,” like Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet. But there’s no better quality in a wine for matching rich, creamy or cheesy sauces, deep-fried foods or fish dishes; also note, tart wines go better with tart foods.
Follow the don’t-upstage-the-star rule. If you have an amazing bottle of wine you want to show off, especially an older vintage (they tend to be more subtle, their flavors less flamboyant), don’t serve a wildly complex dish with it. A simple dish will allow the wine to be the center of attention.
Dessert, or fortified wines, are heavier and sweeter than table wines and frequently have a higher alcohol content. They are usually served alone or with cheese, nuts, fruit or sweets at the end of the meal.
If you don’t like rules, like me, then toss all of these out the door and start experimenting. I’d love to hear about combinations that have worked for you that you can’t get enough of. My rule-breaking favorite is steamed artichokes dipped in butter and a nice oaky California style Chardonnay. Send me your favs and I’ll post them here!
CHEERS!
Importance of Food Software
Food and beverage industry is considered to be a very competitive business. Many companies strive to provide best quality so that they can achieve success in this business. To be successful, these companies need integration system with full functionality. The companies have to update themselves with the new technology food service software to improve their food and beverage industry. The food software available for food industries come with many functionalities due to which many of their daily tasks get over with accuracy. The quality of food and service is easily maintained with the help of food software. Below mentioned are the products of the company providing food software, Justfooderp.
ERP Software for Food Industry
ERP software for food industry helps in handling variety of sales order processes including EDI, shadow orders, spot orders including DSD and POS systems integration. It plans material and its production and integrates recommendations for a purchase order system. This food software manages sales orders including discount structures, commissions, pricing, order rules etc. It records production output and consumption of raw materials. ERP business software for food industry is integrated to RF scanning devices and so it can provide inventory management as well as ware house management system. This food software also consists of food safety system which follows strict food safety requirements.
Food Safety Software
Food safety software follows a discipline which handles, prepares and storages food in such a way that it prevents illness caused from unhygienic food. The food safety software consist number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food can transmit diseases in individuals which serves as a medium of growth for bacteria that causes food poisoning. Food safety is of utmost importance to issues involving food products like meat, vegetables etc. The role of food safety and a safe food supply chain is a clear focus for Justfooderp. No other food software company takes food safety as seriously as we do.
Product Life Cycle Management Software
Product life cycle management software follows a set of business processes and supporting tools which help firms to improve the way they manage their product development. This software helps in documentation management, retain all records associated to the R&D process from concept to production ramp-up
Food Quality Reporting Software
Our food quality reporting software has latest advanced features which help you in taking daily decisions associated with your business. This food software has full dashboard capabilities based on Finance, Sales, Inventory, Production, and Quality views. It has integrated plug-in for MS Excel allowing your employees to create and run reports against the ERP system in real-time. The food quality reporting software provided by Justfooderp, links to SQL Server reporting services, allowing full reporting access via SharePoint.
CRM Software for Food Companies
Operational, collaborative and analytical, these are three aspects for which an organization needs Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. CRM software for food companies helps to improve the quality of sales and services by efficiently gathering customer information, capitalizing customer buying behavior, and leveraging technology investments.
Software for Food and Beverage Industry
For the food and beverage industry the fundamental challenge is to ensure customer satisfaction by providing a perfect customer experience. It is very important to understand the customer needs and deliver a positive customer experience. Through food software, food companies can develop long-term profitable customer relationships. As the food and beverage industry is very competitive, there is a constant pressure on the enterprises, to increase sales and achieve ultimate customer satisfaction. All these goals can be achieved through efficient software for food companies which can make your daily tasks relating to your business smooth and easier which in turn helps in achieving customer satisfaction and increase in sales
As you well know a good food warmer is beneficial and a dime a dozen, too. There are plenty of types of those out there such as stoves, ovens, microwaves, broilers, and toaster ovens. The benefits are widely known because you could get sick if you eat foods raw. However, there are finally strides that benefit the younger generations too. The electric baby food warmer is beneficial in a lot of ways.
You may use the baby food warmer to warm milk and actual baby food. For years we have been content to make the baby food warmer with the microwave or counter top stove, but that no longer is good enough. What about when you’re running around and the baby begins to cry for its bottle? Do you really want to give the baby cold milk within the winter? No! Naturally you don’t! Take out your baby food warmer and plug it into your car lighter’s outlet. You aren’t always in the know in regards to how well done the food or milk is warmed but with this apparatus you can tell the food is warm just by being alerted with sensors.
On top of that this new type of food warmer also has an ability to use batteries based on the design of that make and model. This is truly a fantastic invention, however there are actually downsides.
The downsides vary and may be annoying or even dangerous. Inferior products will melt baby bottles due to them getting too hot. Then there are the ones that don’t get hot enough. That means that the foods aren’t going to be warmed completely and as finicky as babies and small kids are we can’t even contemplate risking which will we? Our children deserve the absolute best and it is fantastic that we are becoming so technologically advanced (although I do feel we are a bit behind on that as it is so terribly basic) enough to be able to make sure that the kids will probably be enjoying warm foods. Buying the absolutely best and proven device will insure that the child will not deal with a burnt mouth or tongue and on top of that if something is warm on the outside and cold on the inside a child will scream up a storm.
Nothing is more soothing than heat during the times of teething and colic. It will sooth an upset belly and it will most of all sooth gums that are in some serious pain. Growing teeth doesn’t come easily, it is a level of pain that babies and young kids can’t handle. While teething rings tend to be cold, heat also helps as long as it isn’t too hot.
Make sure when you are going to buy a food warmer you do research first. Be sure that the reviews are positive, don’t skimp on the money, and remember the reality that you get what you pay for. We can all find fantastic deals via the internet, but always be careful to ensure you’re getting a food warmer from the most reputable dealers you might.
Everyone loves looking at pictures. Whether they are photos of nature or wildlife, photos of family and friends, cooking experiences, or even pictures of fun events, people take pleasure in living vicariously through other individuals via these photographs. This has come to include the interest of seeing a delicious meal that another food enthusiast was able to sit down and enjoy. Over the previous few months, I have really begun to see the affect that Instagram has had on the food industry, whether it is home cooking, eating out or trying new restaurants, people’s photographs have proven to be a unique promotional tool for anything food related. Often times, I have had to make a mad dash towards the kitchen cupboards in order to satisfy my cravings after seeing one of these mouth-watering photographs. Chefs that are cooking from home or individuals that have visited a certain restaurant are able to snap quick photos from their phone and post them to social media resources like Instagram for the world to see. As a result, it can spark another’s interest in trying that recipe, visiting that food establishment or it may just simply activate that person’s hunger for any food.
I have been on Instagram for about one year now and during this period I have really enjoyed seeing the lives of friends and family through pictures and short videos. However, during this time frame, one trend that has really stood out to me was how proud these cuisine fanatics were about their food orders they put in or the meals that they had prepared. Eating is one hobby or activity that is going to be a part of everyone’s life and why not share your favorite recipes or cooking experiences with the social world? Any individual with access to the internet can snap photos of their appetizers, main dishes, desserts or even fancy beverages that they were able to consume, upload it to Instagram and within seconds, that tasty photo will be potentially visible to thousands of followers on some of the largest social media resources around the world. In addition to that, there are numerous different apps that will enhance these photos or even dozens of filters that will make the food and beverage item look even more mouth-watering. Even the most unappealing of food items can be made appealing through some of these fancy advancements in technology.
Another fun perk of using Instagram for meals is that this photo app also works with another app called Foursquare, which allows the user to share their location on a map with their followers. Individuals can “check-in” at certain food venues, buildings or other locations to let their friends know what they are up to. From this partnership, I see Instagram as being a unique marketing tool not only because restaurant goers and food consumption specialist are able to take appealing photos of their food and drinks, but they can also attach a location with that photo so if other interested parties want to experience that same menu item then they know right where to find it. Even if Instagram is not considered one of the most effective forms of media right now, I would recommend the free application to any chef, group or small business owner that is looking to promote any product or service.
Over the past year, this unique photo-related application has at times, proved to be sort of a motivator for me by seeing others accomplishments, it has helped me better engage in people’s lives that I do not see on a regular basis and it has even brought some awareness to me on certain things like local events or charity information. For example, I have found myself saying things like “well I didn’t know they served that food there”, or “wow that healthy meal plan has really paid off for that person” or maybe even “dang, I did not know that bar had that fun promotional there last weekend!” and by seeing photos of individual’s experiences in this situations, it has lead me to want to try new things, get more involved or not miss another similar event. Now is this going to be the feeling that everyone has who sees these photos? Not likely, but for being a free tool that anyone can use, why would groups and businesses not want to use Instagram as a marketing method? It definitely would not hurt the business or group at all!
Instagram can be a fun tool to utilize for any small business or non-profit that may not be looking to spend tons of money on marketing. For example, I began a kitchen related retail business recently with a blog, Twitter and Facebook page and as a fun marketing method I created a separate Instagram account from my personal account that was strictly for this ecommerce business. It allowed me to upload unique photos to all my other web sites as a way of interacting with my followers and visitors and my website has seen an increase in activity and engagement because of it. Now showing fancy photos of recipes that I prepared or menu items that indulged in will not necessarily sell products or make me a ton of money, but it can promote user engagement on all my pages and that is something that I want for my business.
The promotional photo options are endless and that is why I would really recommend including this resource in one’s marketing plan. Business owners like myself can snap and upload pictures of basically anything associated with their business, such as people having a great time using their products, the reactions of individuals tasting new foods, specials or discounts that are being offered for a period of time, or just photos of all the different menu items or product lines that managers and owners want to promote more. In my opinion, Instagram has not become as utilized of a free marketing tool as Facebook and Twitter, but I do think it could eventually reach that point, especially with the ease at which these users can integrate their Instagram with these other major social media sites. From all of this, restaurants and bars can promote their menu options through their visitors at no cost as long as those hungry patrons enjoyed their meal.