Food and Wine Pairing: A Sensory Experience Book

Preface     XI
Acknowledgments     XIII
Mastering the Art and Science of Food and Wine Pairing     1
The Wine and Food Pyramid: A Hierarchy of Taste     3
Introduction     4
Objectives of Food and Wine Pairing     4
Aperitif: The Italian Wine and Food Perspective     5
Food-and-Wine Pairing Mechanics: Matching Traditions     8
Overview of Book Methods     11
Key Elements of Wine and Food: A Hierarchical Perspective     11
Summary: Where Do We Go from Here?     13
Classic Italian Wine and Food Examples     14
Taste Basics and the Basics of Wine Evaluation     19
Introduction     20
Aperitif: Elements of Wine Service     20
Sensory Evaluation     22
Basics of Wine Evaluation     23
Setting Up a Tasting Session     27
The Art and Science of Wine Evaluation     28
Palate Mapping     31
Tasting Instructions     31
Summary     32
Exercises     33
Gastronomic Identity: The Effect of the Environment and Culture on Prevailing Components, Texture, and Flavors in Wine and Food     45
Introduction     46
Aperitif: How Should Menus and Wine Lists Be Organized?     47
The Environment     50
Wine: The Impact of Geography and Climate     50
Culture     56
History and Ethnic Diversity     56
Trial and Error, Innovations, and Capabilities     57
Gastronomic Identity     58
Old World and New World     58
Summary     61
Optional Exercises     62
Gastronomic Identity II: Food and Cuisine: The Effect of the Environment and Culture on Gastronomy, Wine and Food Marriages, and Tourism     65
Introduction     66
Aperitif: Chef John Folse & Company     67
The Environment     78
Food: The Impact of Geography and Climate     79
Culture     80
History and Ethnic Diversity     81
Trial and Error, Innovations, and Capabilities     81
Gastronomic Identity     82
Old World and New World Wine and Food Marriages     83
Wine, Food, and Tourism     85
Summary     86
Exercises     87
The Foundation: Wine and Food Taste Components     97
The Impact of Sweetness and Acidity Levels in Wine and Food     101
Introduction      102
Aperitif: Which to Choose First, Wine or Food?     102
The Impact of Sweetness Levels in Wine and Food     103
Sweetness Levels in Wine     103
Sweetness Levels in Food     104
Types of Sweeteners     105
Perceived Sweetness Levels     105
Interaction Between Wine and Food Sweetness     106
Acidity: From Flat to Tart (and Beyond)     107
Acidity Levels in Wine     107
Acidity Level Descriptions     108
Acidity Levels in Food     108
Interaction Between Wine and Food Acidity     109
Summary     111
Exercises     112
Salt, Bitterness, and Bubbles     129
Introduction     130
Aperitif: Peller Estates Winery     130
Saltiness     131
Bitterness     132
Sparkling Wine and Pairing     133
Effervescence: The Great Equalizer?     136
Summary     137
Exercises     138
Wine and Food Texture Characteristics     145
Wine Texture Characteristics: Tannin, Oak, and Body     149
Introduction     150
Aperitif: The Exemplary Nature of a Symbiosis Between Food Dishes and Cognacs      151
Texture in Wine     154
Tannin     155
Mouthfeel Wheel     155
Alcohol Level     156
The Impact of Oak     157
Overall Wine Body     157
Maturity, Micro-oxygenation, and Other Factors     159
Summary     160
Exercises     161
Food Texture Characteristics: Fattiness, Cooking Method, Protein, and Body     167
Introduction     168
Aperitif: Canoe Restaurant and Bar     168
Fattiness in Food     169
Cooking Method and Protein Interactions     170
Overall Food Body     171
Interaction of Wine and Food Textures     172
Summary     172
Exercises     173
Flavors: Architectural Elements in the Wine and Food Pairing Process     187
The Impact of Spice     189
Introduction     190
Aperitif: Bayou La Seine-An American Restaurant in Paris     190
Wine Varietals and Styles     193
Food Types and Styles     194
How Spice Is Assessed: Identifying Hot, Savory, or Sweet     195
Impact on Pairing Possibilities     198
Summary      200
Exercises     201
Flavor Intensity and Flavor Persistency     207
Introduction     208
Aperitif: Release Weekend Wine and Food Menu from On the Twenty     209
Identifying Flavor Types in Wine and Food     211
Food Flavor Categories     212
Wine Flavor Categories     213
Assessing Flavor Intensity     214
The Interaction of Wine and Food Flavor Intensity     215
Assessing Flavor Persistency     216
The Interaction of Wine and Food Flavor Persistency     217
Summary     218
Exercises     219
The Whole Enchilada: Putting it All Together     229
Menu Planning: Horizontal and Vertical Pairing Decisions     233
Introduction     234
Aperitif: Food and Wine of the Pacific Northwest     234
General Menu Planning Suggestions     237
Basic Wine Sequencing Recommendations     237
Pacific Northwest Menu     240
Wine and Food Pairing Instrument     249
Wine and Food Match Decision Tree     253
A Profiling Approach to Match Level Assessment     253
Summary     263
Exercises     264
Wine and Cheese: A Natural Affinity?     269
Introduction     270
Aperitif: Cheese, an Inspiration and an Education     270
Wine and Cheese Pairing     271
Cheese Categories     273
Summary     280
Exercises     280
The Grand Finale: Dessert and Dessert Wines     287
Introduction     288
Aperitif: Niagara's Wine Region     288
Dessert Wine Categories     289
Dessert Selection and Wine Pairing     295
Dessert Categories     295
Summary     302
Exercises     303
The Customer Experience: Product, Service, and Training Issues     307
Introduction     308
Aperitif: Product-Service Considerations for a Food and Wine Program     308
The Total Experience: Creating Distinctive Food and Wine Capabilities     309
Wine and Food Training Process     310
Summary     311
Exercises     312
Glossary     313
Index     317