6 replies to this topic

[Adam Lawrence]

My first post on Mouthfuls.

I have vegetarian guests visiting.

Now, I cook veggie quite frequently (because that's how the lady wife prefers to eat) but mostly it's simple stuff that I wouldn't serve to guests. I have only a couple of veggie dinner party recipes.

One, I'm not ashamed to admit, is a Delia creation. It's a spinach, pine nut and four cheese lasagne. Basically, you make a bechamel and grate a pile of cheese into it. Wilt some spinach, press out as much water as possible. Mix some ricotta into the spinach. Crumble some gorgonzola, mix into the spinach/ricotta. Moisten with some of the sauce. Toast some pine nuts. Assemble the lasagne; bake.

It's very good, if not especially virtuous (which was the point of us trying to eat vegetarian part of the time). But what wine should I serve with? I think white, with good acidity but also a fair amount of body; but I can't figure out exactly what. Help!

[Ron Johnson]

Gruner Veltliner
Alsatian Riesling (Trimbach or Leon Beyer)
Vermentino

[Wilfrid1]

In a different direction, I am finding fruitier reds go well with that kind of dish. A good Zinfandel, for example: I like Hendry as a Californian producer, but I don't know if you can find that in the UK.

[Ron Johnson]

In a different direction, I am finding fruitier reds go well with that kind of dish. A good Zinfandel, for example: I like Hendry as a Californian producer, but I don't know if you can find that in the UK.

I think a red would absolutely pair with that dish. I only limited to white because he asked for it. I'd go with a Morgon or Fluerie from Beaujolais, or perhaps a Cab Franc from Bourgueil or Chinon.

[Adam Lawrence]

Chinon might be good, the acidity would cut the cheese. Trouble is, of course, it's not that easy to find outside the specialist merchants. I brought a load back from the Loire with me a couple of years ago - but it's all gone now. Lovely town.

Actually California Zin is pretty much in the same boat - you can get industrial versions from the supermarkets (lots of Turning Leaf :blink: ) but it's hard to find anything better unless you have a tame wine merchant. Sainsburys has Ravenswood Lodi for about seven quid, which I've enjoyed in the right circumstances. Not all that comparable to Chinon though :)

Thanks both for the thoughts.

[SFJoe]

I like the suggestions that have been made. One more to think about would be Barbera. Good acid and earth. Find a traditionalist producer. G. Mascarello, for instance. Good nonindustrial Beaujolais is another thought.

[beachfan]

Any good Italian red, like a good chianti, rosso di montalcino, barbera, or even more upscale (brunello, a nice nebbiolo based wine).

As someone who eats little meat, I enjoy red wine with foods that meat eaters don't think goes. I expect your veggie friends would as well.

Otherwise, they'd never drink red wine with there meals.