Wine With Lisa

Sommelier Heath Porter and Pit Master Chris Lilly put their skills together and treat us to surprising and uncommon pairings with WINE and BBQ.

Hey Guys! The 2nd Annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival 2012 was fabulous! This three-day event celebrated the South by showcasing the region’s award-winning chefs,mixologists,pitmasters and experts in wine. I spent three luxurious days and nights sampling some of the finest Southern cuisine around,hanging out with the chefs that created such authentic and unique food to define and honor Southern Cuisine as I sipped on cocktails and wine that paired perfectly with the South.
After a couple of days recovery and sensible eating, I am looking forward to sharing MY favorite wine and culinary adventures that I experienced during an amazing event that pays homage to the unmistakable flavors of the South!

Ever wonder what wine pairs best with BBQ?

Memorial Weekend officially kicks off grilling season and what better way to get the answer was taking a class by two rock stars of food and wine: Chris Lilly and Heath Porter.

Chef Chris Lilly is one of America’s best known BBQ Pitmasters. Not only is he the head chef and partner of world famous Big Bob Gibson BBQ restaurant in Alabama, he is also the head chef of the award-winning Big Bob Gibson BBQ Competition Cooking Team and the winner of 10 World BBQ Championships including three Memphis in May Grand Championships and eight state competitions throughout the Southeast. To top it off, he has been a guest chef for the James Beard Foundation,written several cookbooks and is the National Spokesperson for Kingsford Charcoal. On May 23nd, he will be a judge for the Kingsford Charcoal Steak Championship in New York and our own Chef Willie Thomas of Park Cafe will be competing to win the title. (Check out my previous post on this upcoming event!)

The ROCK STAR of Wine! There is just no other way to describe this country’s most knowledgable expert on wine, Heath Porter. What a dream job he has! He is the director of wine at the famous Greenbrier in West Virginia. His expertise comes from many years of hands on experience in the food/wine industry and is also an advanced level sommelier bestowed upon him by the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Both Chris and Heath made the class enjoyable and very entertaining by their wit and humor while we discovered great wines and how to pair them with BBQ.

From left to right, four different sauces prepared by Chris were paired with wines selected by Heath.
#1 Vinegar-based North Carolina-style sauce: a combination of apple cider vinegar,honey,brown sugar,cayenne and other spices.

#2 Mustard-based South Carolina-style sauce:mustard,honey,brown sugar and spices.

#3 Championship Sauce-a traditional tomato-based and smokey sauce and of course THIS is the sauce of all of the BBQ Championship competitions!

#4 Sweet Glaze-a combination of flavors such as blackberry,cherry and jalapeño that is great for a rib glaze at the end of the cooking to give a shiny an extra-flavorful dimension to the ribs.

We were served a plate of Chris’s award-winning slow-smoked pork shoulder to sample and compare with each of the sauces and the selected wines. This class was held at 10:30am. What a delicious way to start a day.I could used to this quickly!

Four Wines from different areas of the globe:France,California,Italy and Austrian wines were paired up with four styles of BBQ sauces from different areas of the South. At first,these may be uncommon pairings BUT these are pairings that work well. Think of the table talk at your next BBQ event!

Champagne and BBQ! Yes!

My favorite wine IS Champagne. Sparkling with acidity and berry-flavored bubbles,I think anytime is a good time to sip on champagne-especially the pink ones!
The French Champagne Besserat de Bellefon pale pink champagne is an intensely flavored sparkling wine with red berries and strawberries on the palate and mouthwatering acidity. Pairing up the acidities of the(#1) North Carolina vinegar-based sauce and of the champagne enhances the flavors of both the sauce and wine. Great combination!

Patz and Hall 2010 100% Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
This Pinot Noir is full of fresh cherry and raspberry with hints of spice such as cinnamon and vanilla and silky tannins along with bright acidity – the hallmark of cooler growing season of the Sonoma area. The notes of chocolate and earth further the intensity of this wine. The acidity and sweet flavors of (#2)mustard-based (and honey) South Carolina sauce combined the smokey pork shoulder paired with the Pinot Noir but did not overpower this well-structured wine.

Terradora Aglianico Campania, Italy IGT 2009
Ever thought about pairing an Southern Italian wine with a Southern American BBQ?
After all, Italian wines are considered food wines and this one is no exception to another sensational pairing. The Italian indigenous grape Aglianico produces a medium plus bodied ruby red wine that is soft and supple with black cherry,blackberry and plum fruit flavours with spicy, toasted overtones. The tannins,acidity and fruit stands up to complex and bold flavors of the Championship BBQ sauce and pork. Aglianico wines are yet another way to pair up with summer grilling. Terradora Aglianico would be a great pairing with a thick and juicy burger too!

Zantho 100 % Zweigelt Burgenland, Austria
The indigenous grape Zweigelt(a crossing of two Austrian grapes) is the popular red grape variety in Austria. Zweiglet wines are well-structured,spicy and juicy with fresh,ripe black cherry Warm spices such as vanilla,cinnamon and sassafras are the perfect complement to the the sweet,savory and spicy glaze; Paired up a juicy,dry rubbed steak with this wine would be Divine!

Heath’s discussion on wine pairings was fun and informative. I am glad this class was on my schedule!

WANT THE RECIPE?

READ MY NEXT POST:

Chris Lilly Shares his Championship Recipe for Smoked Pork Shoulder at the 2012 Atlanta Food and Wine Festival and you too can serve up some of the best smoked pork you will ever have!

Grab a bag of Kingsford Charcoal,Choice Premium Steaks from Walmart and Fire Up the Grill!
It’s GRILLING SEASON! Memorial Day is just around the corner. Kingsford Charcoal is kicking off the season with Grill Master Contest with local Chefs as well as chefs from Tampa,Miami,Houston,San Antonio,Dallas and Atlanta.

Chef Willie Thomas will take his winning steak recipe to New York May 22nd to compete with the other 7 Chef Finalists from around the country for the Best Seared Steak Honors to be judged in a contest by Champion Pit Master Chris Lilly and other food luminaries.

Coffee and Chili Rubbed Ribeyes with Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette is the Grill Master Winner!

Chefs Bob Waggoner from Watermark Restaurant and Willy Thomas from Park Cafe competed in the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by KINGSFORD Charcoal and Coca-Cola to determine who has the best grilled steak in town. Nashville was one of eight markets selected for this Grilling Challenge.

Grilling Season is here! Walmart’s Choice Premium Beef was front and center stage in today’s challenge.
The high quality steaks are just in time for grilling season and Walmart believes in this product so much that if for some reason you are not satisfied shoppers can return their steaks and receive a full refund on a gift card. Trust me, that won’t be happening. The steaks are awesome. These Perfectly marbled,juicy and savory steaks will be on my grill this summer!

Chef Willy Thomas and Chef Bob Waggoner

Chef Willy’s steaks on the grill

Chef Bob’s steaks on the grill

Chef Bob Waggoner’s recipe: Steaks grilled then placed on top of Rosemary and smothered in Maitre D Compound Butter

Chef Waggoner’s Maitre D Butter

Which one did I vote for?

I am not going to tell you because they were  different but equally outstanding recipes and expertly prepared by two amazing Chefs! I loved them both and would jump at the chance to sample them again!

The rich and buttery steaks with a hint of smoke and rosemary were perfectly seasoned and the flavors of the compound butter were outstanding.
Maitre D Butter is a compound butter that is filled with herbs such as parsley and chervil and mixed with garlic,shallots and lemon. Chef Wagoner then rolled the butter into cylinders and chilled them. Once his steaks were grilled,he then put them on top of rosemary. The melted compound butter was generously poured all other the steaks to let them bathe the flavors! Excellent!

Chef Thomas’Smokey Coffee-crusted steaks were topped with Caramelized onions and Blue Cheese-infused Balsamic Vinaigrette for a winning combination! Brilliant!

Customers were invited to sample the steaks and choose their favorite. Each sample had a different color toothpick (Red and Blue).Everyone was asked to choose their favorite steak by placing the color-coded toothpick in a container. At the end, the toothpicks were counted to see who had the most votes!
Refreshing Coke Zero was provided for everyone!

Everyone is enjoying the steaks!

Chef Waggoner grilling the steaks

Paul Wright,Executive Chef of Eastland Cafe was behind the scenes helping Chef Thomas prep the steak! His lovely wife showed up and won the door prize! Grilling Tools by Kingsford!

What an awesome day! Sampling fabulous steak AND having my picture taken with Nashville’s favorite Chefs!

Got a great photo of Chef Waggoner heading out on his bike!

Check out www.grilling.com for steak grilling tips and RECIPES from all of the participating chefs.

CHEERS!

Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart. ~Erma Bombeck

Lucky me!

An unexpected offer to travel to the Low Country and spend time with someone very dear to me
over the New Year’s Eve holiday turned out to be an unexpected culinary treat. This was a quick trip
so I understand that I have just touched the surface of the unique Low Country Cuisine by visiting just
a few restaurants in the area.

Red Velvet Bread Pudding. Who knew there was another way to eat Red Velvet Cake!

Blossom Restaurant has the most unique bread pudding I’ve tasted. Rich velvety squares of red velvet cake are baked in a warm and creamy custard and served warm topped with Strawberry Ice Cream.

Blossom Restaurant is located next door to her sister restaurant, Magnolia’s,both located in the heart
of Charleston’s Historic District within walking distance of many beautiful hotels with this area.
Both restaurants feature awarding-winning Low Country Cuisine and delicious fresh seafood.

This is one recipe I will be making at home. Watch for the my version soon!

Intensely Tart Lime, Extra-Thick and Creamy…..The Best Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie is one of the most refreshing desserts ever to end a rich meal of seafood and steak. Hank’s Seafood Restaurant probably has the absolute best Key Lime Pie I have ever eaten.
Mouth-puckering with an ample amount of fresh lime, this extra thick,cool and creamy pie is a refreshing slice of heaven! It’s fresh lime flavor
is complemented by the fresh Raspberry,Mango and Sour Cream Coulis pooled around the plate.

The crust was a real treat too. It was extra thick and had a great texture,moist but a little crunch and held together nicely.

Hank’s Seafood Restaurant also located in the heart of Charleston’s Historic District also has amazing
fresh seafood and among one of the best restaurants in the area.

I have tasted many Key Lime Pies,both made by friends and out at restaurants,but I have never had one this
fresh and delicious. The filling was DOUBLE THICK and extremely intense with lime. NOW, I know how to make the best Key Lime Pie ever!

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES MENU

Get your Sicilian-ON at MANGIA NASHVILLE every Friday & Saturday night during the Christmas Season. Even if you can’t trace your heritage back to the “old country”, you will become an honorary Italian that night at The Feast of The Seven Fishes hosted by Nick Pellegrino and his fabulous culinary staff.

For a year now,every Friday and Saturday night Cool Cafe in Franklin,Tn transforms into a BIG NIGHT of Italian feasting,singing and a nightly performance which has become hugely popular in the community-possibly becoming one of the best dining experiences around.

This Christmas Season, Nick has brought a traditional Italian celebration-FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES-to our community like never before. Nick’s rich Neapolitan and Calabrese heritage has given our community a unique way to celebrate!
As always,the food is plentiful,delicious,served family-style and it’s always a celebration of life and being Italian,of which I am truly proud to be a part. Even if you aren’t ,You will aways be an Honorary Italian at Mangia Nashville!

Dancing,singing,laughing and feasting family-style on Christmas Eve with at least seven courses of traditional Italian seafood dishes and desserts is a long time tradition that can be found in Southern Italy & Sicily during this time of the year dating back to ancient times.

Nick has shared his Italian family traditions with our community in a big way. During the
other months of the year,every Friday and Saturday night, you can be assured to have a
home-style Italian meal and celebration. It’s as if he has invited all of us into his
home for a truly authentic Italian experience.

(Festa Dei Sette-Pesci) Feast of the Seven Fishes-is a celebration that is deeply rooted in the Roman Catholic Church possibly representing the Seven Sacraments in anticipation of midnight and Christmas Day.

Crispy Calamari with warm Marinara sauce

Warm Penne Pasta tossed with the Pellegrino Christmas Sauce

We are all Italian tonight!

Bacon-wrapped Seared Scallops

Nick,hard at work, preparing the Feast!

Nick takes a moment to play the “drums” while everyone is dancing and singing to the music!

Frutti Di Mare: Fresh Calamari,Shrimp and Octopus in a delicious olive oil and lemon dressing

Crab Cakes with Italian Mayo

Baccala,a delightfully traditional dish consisting of salt cod,in tomatoes,mint and capers

Tim is preparing the Shrimp Scampi with the talented culinary staff

Succulent Shrimp Scampi

During the break between the appetizers and main courses,Nick and the staff enjoy singing and dancing to Italian songs with the dinner guests! MAMBO ITALIANO!

As the GODFATHER plays on the big screen TV…I swear I could hear him say,
“Leave the gun, Take the cannoli!”

Thanks! to my dear friend Vivian for the incredible wine selections.
She is the Sales Manager for 100% Italiano Wines located right here in Nashville.

Grab several bottles of 100% Italiano Wines! These wines were made for an Italian Feast!

Lobster Risotto: a creamy,warm Italian short-grain rice dish with succulent lobster and
one of my favorite spices Saffron

Roasted Whole Red Snapper stuffed with earthy,fresh fennel and sweet orange slices

Now for the desserts! STRUFFOLI! A huge plateful of little deep-fried balls of dough-crispy on the outside,drizzled with honey and sticky sweet on the outside-A traditional Italian holiday dessert

Expresso Chocolate Truffles

And…the Finale…Panettone-miniature loaves of the Holiday sweet yeast breads
chocked full of fruits and nuts. You will enjoy it with your morning coffee as you remember the fun times of the night before!

Mangia Nashville is located in The Cool Cafe Restaurant in Franklin,TN. For reservations contact Nick through the email: mangianashville@gmail.com

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is $75 per person.

To find out more about Mangia Nashville and the weekly menu be sure to find
Mangia Nashville on Facebook.

Get your Sicilian ON! EAT MANGIA NASHVILLE! Become an Honorary Italian for a night! CIAO!

GROCERY STORE WINE BAR IN TENNESSEE

A WINE BAR in Whole Foods in Tennessee? Yes. Really. Believe it! 1799 & Vine Wine Bar on McEwen in Franklin,TN JUST opened Friday for business.
The shelves are stocked with a perfectly selected variety of wines and you can order cheese and charcuterie plates, savory olives and a variety of crunchy, Spanish corn nuts, Marcona almonds and other mixed nuts.

Since our move back to Tennessee from Texas, I have witnessed the exponential growth in Nashville’s unique Foodie experience and availability of an abundance of unique wines and opportunities to try them FINALLY at in-store wine tastings, once taboo in the state of Tennessee.
Having lived in another area of the country in a town that is defined by its unique and local food scene and the availability of quality wines, I finally feel like we are on the edge of defining our own uniqueness that can be compared to other hip towns around the country.

HISTORY
1799 & Vine Wine Bar at Whole Foods. Wondering about the name? Franklin was established as a city in 1799, said Michael Martin, Marketing Team Leader of Whole Foods. The mission of the store is to keep that home town feeling and local ties to the community. Whole Foods has been planning this wine bar before the store even opened. It’s the first in Tennessee and is a test store of sorts.
Thinking back to my fun times in Texas, I would often meet my friends at Whole Foods for a glass of delicious wine and cheese at the food counters. I am happy to say I can finally do this in Tennessee!

BY THE BOTTLE OR BY THE GLASS
You can sit at the bar and choose from a nice variety of carefully selected luscious wines by the glass or you can buy a bottle of wine at the counter to share with your friends at the bar. Be sure to order a plate or two of the cheese and charcuterie plates to share!

CAVA. One of my all time favorite sparklings. It’s a great way to start off a meal or celebration. Codorniu Cava is a delightly crisp Spanish bubbly made from the Spanish grapes Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel-lo. The refreshing crispness pairs well with the ample cheese plate selections of the nutty Robusto Gouda from Holland,Double Cream Brie,Drunken Goat and fig jam.

Southern Rhone Wines are some of my all time favorites. Grenache-Syrah-Mouvedre (with a touch of Cincault) blends from this area of the world cannot be duplicated anywhere else although many have tried.

ERMITAGE DU PIC ST LOUP ROSE’ was my next selection and I was pleased! This luscious Kermit Lynch Southern Rhone Rose’ fills the glass with juicy raspberries and strawberries with a hint of floral notes. I enjoyed every drop with my charcuterie plate layered with a variety of salami,prosciutto and roasted tomatoes.

Stop by and say HI to Alison and Neil, the managers of 1799 & Vine. Let them assist you with your wine and noshing selections. Be sure ask Neil about the Manual Coffee Bar on Sundays featuring Chemex-style drip brewed coffee. This is sure to be a hit!

LADIES NIGHT OUT
Meeting out for a glass of wine and laughter, this fun group of ladies shared a bottle of wine and a cheese plate before heading over to BRICKTOPS for dinner.

HOURS OF OPERATION

They will be open at 11a daily and the last glass will be poured at 9:30pm since the store closes at 10pm.

In questions? Call Whole Foods in Franklin,TN: 615-550-5660

Thanks to Brent at Best Brands,INC for providing a lovely selection of wines for our enjoyment!