What’s in this post:

→ The dipper: Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes
→ The almost wine pairing: Marsanne
→ The actual wine pairing: Trebbiano
→ More truffle parm/artichoke recipes

Jump to Recipe

This sauce is super simple, but to get the most flavour from your ingredients and that silky-smooth saucy texture, it really comes down to how you put it all together.

The Parm is the most important to get right. If you blend everything at once, it will taste pretty good and have a slightly grainy texture. The trick is to blend the Parm with some warm, melted butter before adding the other ingredients. The butter will both soften the Parm so that it blends seamlessly into the other ingredients, and extract more of its umami-laden flavour. This is such a key trick when blending any hard cheese into a sauce or dip! #themoreyouknow.

The Dipper

This stuff has infinite uses: Dip your pizza in it, use it as a pasta sauce, use it as a chip dip, or whip up these extra crispy smashed potatoes to dunk into it!! I have attempted to make crispy smashed potatoes on numerous occasions, but finally got them super extra perfectly crispy. And combined with this sauce - ohhh my goodness. Delish. You need to make it all asap.

The Wine (Almost)

Ok, this is a first.

The first time I made this sauce, I tried it with a bottle of wine and loved it. But the second time (when I filmed it), the pairing just wasn’t right! Same wine, but different bottles, so maybe that was the issue? Or maybe it had something to do with my cycle? Probably. 😂 Regardless of the reason, and even though I truly enjoyed the wine on its own, I can’t confidently recommend that original pairing!

This was my original pick: Domaine les Bruyères “L’Envie” Marsanne. I had bought it for two reasons: For one, I hadn’t come across a single-variety Marsanne yet, so I had to give it a try! Marsanne is a white grape variety that’s usually used in Northern Rhône white blends alongside Viognier, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc. The second reason, and why I spotted the wine in the first place, is the label! (see pic below). Seriously, what is even going on there?! Love me a weird label.

I still plan to make a recipe for this wine, but here’s a quick summary! It’s a full-bodied, dry white wine with bright golden-yellow colouring and flavours of lemon oil, ripe apricot, honey, and chamomile tea. It’s intensely aromatic, rich, absolutely lovely, and unfortunately just too rich for the delicate flavours in this sauce!

Trebbiano: The Actual Wine Pairing

I had a few bottles on hand that I assumed would work, but Trebbiano was the winner! Specifically, the I Lauri Lume Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. A light, crisp white wine from Italy’s Abruzzo wine region, made from 100% Trebbiano grapes - a white grape variety that’s also known as Ugni Blanc in France. It’s light-bodied with crisp acidity, fresh flavours of lemon, lime zest, tart green apple, and sweet white peach, with a clear, salty minerality. I find it kinda smells like a salted margarita, which makes me love it even more.

Why it works:

• It’s light enough so it doesn’t overpower the delicate white truffle and artichoke flavour in the sauce.

• It has super high acidity to cut through the creamy sauce.

• Those bright fruit flavours and that saltiness contrast the savoury artichokes and umami-rich parm and truffle.

I wish I could go back in time and feature this wine in the video and take cute pictures of it - or just be less lazy and take nicer pictures now - but this is what I’ve got for you!

More Truffle Parm / Artichoke Recipes:

→ Or peruse all recipes & pairings!

Truffle Parm Artichoke Sauce

Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Makes: 1 cup [240 ml]

Recipe + printable recipe card below!

Read more

I have attempted to make crispy smashed potatoes on numerous occasions, but finally got them super extra perfectly crispy. And combined with my Truffle Parm Artichoke sauce - ohhh my goodness. Delish. You need to make it all asap.

Jump to Recipe

On their own, classic salty, crispy potatoes like these might be the most wine-loving food of them all. Just like French fries! They have tons of salt and fat (two things that love wine more than anything else), and they’re pretty mild, so you don’t have to worry about them overpowering the wine. If I were to choose the ultimate wine pairing for these crispy cuties (on their own), it would be Champagne! But we like to dip things around here, and when a sauce or dip is involved, that’s usually the focus of the wine pairing.

These smashed potatoes were created to dip - something I like to call a dipper - and my beyond delicious Truffle Parm Artichoke Sauce was the dipping sauce in question. While Champagne would be fantastic with both, I went with Trebbiano. Specifically, the I Lauri Lume Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. A light, crisp white wine from Italy’s Abruzzo wine region, made from 100% Trebbiano grapes - a white grape variety that’s also known as Ugni Blanc in France. It’s light-bodied with crisp acidity, fresh flavours of lemon, lime zest, tart green apple, and sweet white peach, with a clear, salty minerality. I find it kinda smells like a salted margarita, which makes me love it even more.

→ Click here for more on this pairing + the sauce recipe!

Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Time: 60 minutes
Makes: 20 to 25 smashed potatoes (serves 4 to 5 people)

Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes

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• Medium saucepan

• Medium to large sheet pan, lined with tinfoil

*I didn’t list many amounts here, because it’s super liberal! Big pinches of salt, several glugs of oil, you know the drill. I added in the amount of potatoes I used, but you can make more or less as needed! Follow your gut and measure with your heart :)

• 20-25 yellow baby potatoes

• Table salt (for salting the water)

• Sunflower oil

• Flaky salt

• Fresh herbs (chives, Italian parsley), for garnishing

In a medium saucepan, add potatoes and cover with water. Generously salt the water - I use 2 to 3 big (5-finger) pinches - and bring the water to a boil. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until a fork easily slides through the potatoes, then strain the water and leave them to dry in the strainer for about 5 minutes.

With racks in the middle position, preheat the oven to 400°F (220°C) and turn on convection. Transfer the potatoes to a foil-lined baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels if needed. Drizzle with oil and use your hands to ensure they’re all nicely coated.

Use a heavy, flat-bottomed glass - I use a thick highball glass - to gently crush (or smash) the potatoes into flat little coins. Use a firm but gentle amount of pressure so they don’t break apart. When you lift the glass, the smashed potato should easily come off. If it doesn’t, use a flat tool (like a rubber spatula or butter knife) to gently wedge between them.

Once all the potatoes are smashed, drizzle with more oil and finish with flaky salt. I like flaky salt for the texture, but sea salt or another finishing salt would do the trick!

Bake for 40 minutes, flipping them after 20 minutes for even crisping. Top with fresh parsley or chives, and serve with my Truffle Parm Artichoke Sauce! They’ll get less crispy as they cool, so serve them hot out of the oven! If you need to reheat/re-crisp them once cool, just put them back in the oven - set to convection with the same temperature and rack placement - for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Sauce is everything. They say red meat pairs with bold red wine. But what if that red meat is smothered in a ridonkulously spicy chili sauce? Most bold reds are higher in alcohol. And high alcohol paired with chili spice is not it.

So yes, it is true that red meat pairs with bold red wine. But if there’s a sauce involved, it really is all about dat SAUCE. Which is what I originally wanted to call this series. But then I thought of “Awesome Sauce”, which eventually became “Awesome Sauce for Saucy Bitches”. A name I still love, buuut it got mixed reviews. I get we don’t all identify as saucy bitches, which is ok. I guess.

I ended up asking the masses for input, and by an overwhelming 85% majority, we landed on something equally saucy, but totally different.

Introducing: LET’S GET SAUCED! My new series where I’m sharing simple, unique sauce recipes you’ll never stop making and probably drink straight from the jar, with delicious dippers (think dippable single-serving appetizers or snacks), and, of course, the perfect wine pairings. Because that’s what we do around here.

Starting with a sauce so jaw-droppingly phenomenal, you should 1000% quadruple this recipe because it is chuggable!!! And don’t even get me started on the incredible dipper and wine - I’m actually obsessed with both.

Let’s get into it.

The Wine

This is actually a wine I’ve bought on multiple occasions but struggle to hang on to long enough to feature it. It’s that good.

Gilvesy Rajnai Rizling (Rhine Riesling) - A beautiful, aromatic, dry Hungarian Rajnai (meaning “Rhine”) Riesling that is just POPPIN’ with all the flavour/aromas and minerals!! It’s by an awesome producer (Gilvesy Winery) from the volcanic Badacsonyi Region. It’s so perfectly crisp, juicy, and refreshing, with such intense fruit and floral notes that you’d think it was sweet! Think fresh-squeezed lemon/lime, tart green apple, ripe white peach, honeysuckle, creamed honey - the list goes on!! It also has that classic Riesling petrol thing that I can’t ever get enough of, and then the MINERALS!! Salty, flinty - just freaking lovely.

Here’s why it works:

With the layers of Asian flavours in this sauce/dipper combo (ginger, garlic, fermented bean paste, chili oil), plus that swicy thing going on, we want a wine that is equally intense in flavour to hold up to it. With that, we want it to have enough acidity to contrast the creamy sauce and fried shrimp toasts. Riesling is perfect here. It has all the flavour to balance the savoury spice, matching honey notes, lovely crisp acidity, and, on top of all that, the salty minerality with the shrimp? SO GOOD.

The Dipper: Crispy Sesame Shrimp Toasts

I have eaten these every single day since making them, and I guarantee I shall continue to do so for the foreseeable future. They are SOOOO GOOOOOOD. I did not by any means make these up. Shrimp Toasts are a traditional Cantonese dim sum treat and a half, and I kept my recipe on the traditional side because why mess with a perfectly good thing!

→ Full Recipe

The Sauce: Honey Butter Chili Garlic Sauce

I blew myself away the first time I whipped this one up. And the second time and third time. And I’m completely serious when I say every single person who’s tried it has asked me for the recipe. Or they’ve asked, “WOAH, who makes this? Where can I buy it?” That one was my dad, and I think he was kidding, but it makes me happy regardless. Imagine if you could BUY MY SAUCES?! Anyways.

There’s one very key ingredient in this one. I randomly picked it from T&T Supermarket one day, and I’m so glad I did!! I’ve been calling it Chili Garlic Fermented Bean Paste, which I think is somewhat of an accurate description, but it’s actually called Qiao Niang Fang Chili Oil Bean Paste. It’s quite spicy and savoury, and when combined with silky sweet honey butter, it’s like a whole new world of swicy-ness!!! FYI - I recently discovered the term swicy and I really like it ok.

Honey Butter Chili Garlic Sauce

Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Makes: 1 cup

• Food processor

• 1/2 cup [120 ml] full-fat sour cream

• 1/4 cup [60 ml] mayonnaise

• 2 Tbsp [30 ml] room-temperature butter

• 2 Tbsp [30 ml] honey

• 2 Tbsp [30 ml] Qiao Niang Fang Chili Oil Bean Paste

• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (lemon juice works too!)

• 1 Tbsp water

• 1/2 tsp soy sauce

Blend all ingredients up in a food processor until smooth, and BAM. Sauce. And don’t forget the dipper!! Crispy Sesame Shrimp Toasts for the winnnn.

The dipper companion to my delish Honey Butter Chili Garlic Sauce!!! I have eaten these every single day since making them, and I guarantee I shall continue to do so for the foreseeable future. They are SOOOO GOOOOOOD. I did not by any means make these up. Shrimp Toasts are a traditional Cantonese dim sum treat and a half, and I kept my recipe on the traditional side because why mess with a perfectly good thing!

This is actually a wine I’ve bought on multiple occasions but struggle to hang on to long enough to feature it. It’s that good.

Gilvesy Rajnai Rizling (Rhine Riesling) - A beautiful, aromatic, dry Hungarian Rajnai (meaning “Rhine”) Riesling that is just POPPIN’ with all the flavour/aromas and minerals!! It’s by an awesome producer (Gilvesy Winery) from the volcanic Badacsonyi Region. It’s so perfectly crisp, juicy, and refreshing, with such intense fruit and floral notes that you’d think it was sweet! Think fresh-squeezed lemon/lime, tart green apple, ripe white peach, honeysuckle, creamed honey - the list goes on!! It also has that classic Riesling petrol thing that I can’t ever get enough of, and then the MINERALS!! Salty, flinty - just freaking lovely.

Here’s why it works:

With the layers of Asian flavours in this sauce/dipper combo (ginger, garlic, fermented bean paste, chili oil), plus that swicy thing going on, we want a wine that is equally intense in flavour to hold up to it. With that, we want it to have enough acidity to contrast the creamy sauce and fried shrimp toasts. Riesling is perfect here. It has all the flavour to balance the savoury spice, matching honey notes, lovely crisp acidity, and, on top of all that, the salty minerality with the shrimp? SO GOOD.

Crispy Sesame Shrimp Toasts

Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Makes: 8 Shrimp Toasts

Full recipe + printable PDF below!!

Read more

This post was created in partnership with Ethica Wines and Fattoria le Pupille.
All opinions are my own, and thank you for your support!

The Wine

Fattoria le Pupille Poggio Valente

An absolutely lovely, single-vineyard Sangiovese from Southern Tuscany’s Maremma region. It’s made by Elisabetta Geppetti, aka the badass owner and winemaker of Fattoria le Pupille who is known as “the Lady of Morellino.” Morellino = local name for Sangiovese in the Maremma Region. Soooo that’s pretty awesome.

It’s 100% Sangiovese grown in the warmer climate of southern Tuscany, so it’s a bit different than more common styles, like Chianti Classico. It’s bigger, bolder, and richer, yet still elegant and balanced with that Sangiovese freshness. Flavours range from dark fruit (blackberry) to red fruit (tart red cherry), with pronounced flavours of dried herbs (like rosemary) and warm spices. It’s truly a stunning wine with layers and layers of complexity, so it was an absolute blast to create a menu around it!!

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The Menu

Hot Bruschetta Dip with Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini

Tomato-based, herb-infused food = LOVES Sangiovese. This wine in particular is just dripping with those dried herb flavours, so my immediate thought was bruschetta! BUT, this Sangiovese is from Maremma (southern Tuscany), which means a warmer climate, which means a bolder, richer wine. It still has lovely acidity, but it would be a bit much with just classic bruschetta. Enter: HOT BRUSCHETTA DIP. All the flavour and ingredients of classic bruschetta, but jammier, richer, and covered with cheese. I took it a step further and made some crispy parm ciabatta crostini to dip in there, because salty Italian cheese (like Parm) is always my first pairing choice with bold Tuscan reds!!

Get the recipe here!

Truffle Parm & Sausage Pizza with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Dipping Sauce

If you skipped right to this one, scroll up and read the description for the Hot Bruschetta Dip! I couldn’t NOT go with pizza, both because this wine is perfect for it, but also because it’s probably my husband’s favourite food. And this was his birthday meal. Along with the rich tomato-ness and the parm (explained above) this one levels up with TRUFFLE. Specifically black truffle, which is just fantastic with earthy Tuscan reds like this one. And because Justin (the hubs) thinks all pizza requires meat, I added some “Tuscan” sausage (it was called Tuscan because of the flavours, but made in Alberta!). Annnnd because dip is always a requirement, I whipped up a sun-dried tomato basil dipping sauce. It was so creamy and full of those Tuscan-inspired flavours, and everything about it was spot on with this pizza and wine!

• Frying pan

• Pizza stone

For the pizza

• 1 ball of pizza dough (I went with pre-made raw dough, but you do you!)

• 1/2 cup [120 ml] classic tomato pizza sauce

• 1 1/2 cups shredded Truffle Monterey Jack (regular ol’ mozza works too!)

• 2 links Tuscan pork sausages, thinly sliced and pan-fried

• Fresh-grated Parmesan

• Fresh basil, for garnishing

• Truffle oil, for drizzling

For the sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

• 2 to 3 jarred roasted red pepper slices

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• A couple good glugs of extra virgin olive oil

• Salt & pepper

Place a pizza stone in the oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Stretch or roll out the pizza dough and top with sauce. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese, top with cooked sausage, followed by the last 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with freshly grated parm, fresh basil, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

To make the sauce, add all ingredients to an immersion blender cup (or a large glass measuring cup) and blend until smooth.

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Maremma-Style T-Bone Steak

And finally, la pièce de résistance: The juiciest, thickest, most delicious-est steak on the planet.

When I first started researching the Maremma region, I kept seeing references to Maremma steak. Good quality cuts of beef seem to be highly prized in this region, and since we know “what grows together, goes together”, it happens to be a beyond-perfect pairing for this Poggio Valente Sangiovese. It’s basically just a big ol’ cut of meat, cooked rare over a flame, then brushed with a herby, salty rosemary oil. The juicy, salty, fatty steak cuts through the wine’s tannins and amps up its flavours, and the matching rosemary/herb flavours in both the wine and the steak are almost too perfect!!

• Mortar & pestle

• Grill/barbecue

• Basting brush

• 1 to 1.5-inch T-Bone steak (about 1.5 lbs)

• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary sprigs

• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves

• 2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves

• Kosher salt

• 2 to 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Bring steak to room temperature before grilling (if refrigerated, let it sit out for about 30-45 minutes).

In a mortar & pestle, crush rosemary, oregano, and basil with a good pinch or two of salt to form a paste. Add a couple of glugs of olive oil and continue to crush until you have a bright green, herby, salty, delicious oil.

Salt both sides of your steak and grill over high heat until rare or medium-rare. I’m not going to give you clear instructions for this because, to be very honest, I winged it!! Yes, I nailed it. But it was by no means methodical. So if you’re new to the grilling game, I would suggest searching for clear instructions from a reputable grill master.

Once your steak is adequately cooked, remove it from the grill and generously brush it with your herby oil. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing into it! Once you do, brush it with even more of the oil until it’s nice and saturated, then eat it while hot!

And that’s it!!

Enjoy, cheers, love you all!

xx Steph

Last summer I claimed to have replicated the Tostitos Salsa con Queso. I lied.

Ok I didn’t lie per se.

I admitted it wasn’t exactly the same. But I named it Homemade Salsa con Queso Dip, which was a wee bit of a stretch. So I renamed it “Velveeta Salsa con Queso Dip.” A dip that I still stand by, since it iiiis similar to the real thing! And my husband straight-up told me, “I like this more than the Tostitos stuff”, which I took as high praise because that guy loves his queso. And he is very honest when tasting my creations. Sometimes to a fault (but I love him for it).

(PS. I updated the recipe a bit, mainly because I’ve learned a whole lot about recipe writing and development over the past year!! Same dip recipe, just a teeny bit better and easier to follow).

Well, this year I actually did it. I made an EASY copycat version of the Tostitos Salsa con Queso. I also learned that my husband was probably lying to me last year. Because this version objectively tastes A LOT like the Tostitos stuff, and when he tried it, he said (and I quote): “Ya, this is SO much better than your last one.”

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This post contains affiliate links! Thank you in advance for your support!

I used this massive cutting board I bought a couple of years ago (and rarely use because of how ginormous it is), and I’M SO PROUD OF IT.

Here are alllll the glorious details.

The Seafood & Their Dips

PS. All the fresh seafood was purchased from Boyd’s Lobster Shop in Calgary!

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Lobster + Herb & Garlic Butter

Fresh lobstaaaa (the actual best thing ever) dipped in melted herb n’ garlic butter. So simple, yet hands down my favourite thing on this board! I just mixed some fresh garlic, salted room-temp butter, and fresh herbs (chives and parsley), and microwaved it in a little ramekin right before devouring it!

Sashimi + Miso Chili Crisp

I sliced up some perfect tuna and salmon sashimi, and dipped them right into this amazing Spicy Miso Chili Crisp (which I’m currently obsessed with) - SO GOOD.

Shrimp + Creamy Shrimp Cocktail Dip

I truly didn’t have to do anything to this one, but I had fun with it!! I bought a little shrimp ring (that came with cocktail sauce), and just combined the cocktail sauce with some cream cheese (about a 1:1 ratio) and a squeeze of lemon juice!

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops + Creamy Cajun Dip

Nothing like a big ol’ skewer loaded with bacon-wrapped scallops!! I bought these pre-made, baked them as per the package directions, and whipped up a simple little Cajun dip for them: Mayo, fresh lemon juice, Cajun seasoning. Basically a shrimp-less version of my Creamy Cajun Shrimp Dip.

Caviar + Lemony Mascarpone & Chives

You can totally go all out for this one and make my Caviar Dip, but I just kept it simple! Served the caviar out of the jar (over ice), with a side of mascarpone mixed with fresh lemon juice (and topped with chives). This combo on a plain salted kettle chip? OHHH MAMA, too good.

Chili Miso Smoked Salmon Dip

I whipped up this delish little dip without much of a plan, and it inspired the Chili Miso Salmon Sashimi Dip recipe I posted last week!! Basically the same dip, but I mixed in some smoked salmon here instead. This was to DIE for with both salt & vinegar and creamy dill pickle chips!!

Oysters + Horseradish Mayo (and lemon, of course)

Of course I needed to throw some oysters on there!!! AND I shucked them myself, which only resulted in 3 small injuries. Good for me. I whipped up a quick little horseradish mayo for the oysters (80% horseradish with a little dollop of mayo), and it was lovely!! I will say though, nothing beats a simple squeeze of lemon juice on a freshly shucked oyster. Yummmms.

Annnnd TIN FISH!

No dip for these! I went with smoked mussels, smoked oysters, and this delicious swicy eel I randomly found at Walmart. All were perfect.

The Extras

Produce:

• Chives on everything

• Lemon slices all over

• Tiny grapes (because they’re the cutest)

• Watermelon radish + avocado slices (with the sashimi)

• Peach slices (because they’re in season)

Chips:

• Creamy Dill Pickle Ruffles

• Salt n’ Vinegar Miss Vickie’s

• Original Salted Kettle Brand

The Wine Pairing: CHAMPAGNE!!!

Because it goes with all, and how could you not pair something this fanciful with champers?!

I picked up the Louis Roederer Collection 246 as a special treat, but you can go with any Champagne OR Champagne alternative (Cremant, Franciacorta, Cava), of course! My next pick would be white wine, specifically Riesling! Extra points if it’s off-dry. There’s a lotttt of chili crisp on this board ;)

THAT’S IT!!!

If you love this as much as I do, check out my “I’m Not Pregnant” Board (which I funnily enough shared pretty much exactly one year ago! I guess I crave seafood this time of year lols), and have a wonderful weekend!!

xx Steph

Tuscan cooking is all about simplicity and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. I wanted to honour that with this simple yet de-li-cious Hot Bruschetta Dip!! Perfectly sweet tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, all the olive oil, and cheeeeeeese. So good, so easy.

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This dip was the appetizer for my husband's 40th birthday dinner, where I created an entire Tuscan-themed menu based on this wine: Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Valente - 100% Sangiovese from Tuscany’s Maremma region. Richer than Chianti Sangiovese, but still elegant and crisp! I’m sharing more on this wine with the full menu next week, so stay tuned for that!

→ All recipes + pairings!

Hot Bruschetta Dip with Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini

Serves: 2-4
Time: 15-20 minutes

Hot Bruschetta Dip With Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini

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• Cutting board & knife

• 6- to 8-inch cast-iron skillet (with lid or tin foil to cover)

• Baking sheet

Crispy Parm Ciabatta Crostini:

• Ciabatta, 0.5 to 1 inch slices

• Olive oil

• Fresh-grated Parm

• Fresh basil, finely chopped

• Fresh oregano, finely chopped

• Salt & pepper

Hot Bruschetta Dip

• 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing

• 2 cups of tomatoes, diced (I used a combination of Cherry and Heirloom)

• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

• ½ to ¾ cup fresh-grated Parm

• Kosher salt

• 1 ball (8oz or 227g) fresh mozzarella

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of each ciabatta slice with olive oil, then place them on a baking sheet. Top with fresh-grated Parm, basil, oregano, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. *Get the dip started before putting them in the oven.

• Heat a 6- to 8-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil (about 1 to 2 tablespoons), followed by tomatoes, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until cooked through and jammy.

• Once tomatoes are cooking, put the prepared crostini in the oven and bake at 400°F for 5 to 10 minutes (5 will be less crispy, 10 will be more cracker-like).

• Once tomatoes and garlic are nice and jammy, add basil, oregano, Parm, and another glug of olive oil. Stir to combine, then season with salt. Reduce heat to low, top with thinly sliced (or grated) fresh mozzarella, and cover to melt.

• Once cheese is melted, garnish with more fresh herbs and flaky salt. Serve immediately with your ciabatta crostini, and enjoy!

That’s it!!
Give this one a try and let me know what you think!
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

I found a new condiment. It’s my new favourite (times a billion): SPICY CHILI MISO. It’s hard to explain how awesome this stuff is. It’s a chili crisp/miso hybrid with the perfect balance of savoury umami and spice, and I’m in LOVE.

Naturally I’ve been putting it on everything. Popcorn, mac n’ cheese, and the massive sea-cuterie dip board I made yesterday!! More on all that later, but here’s where today’s dip comes in. I added some chili miso to a bowl as a dip for the sashimi (and holy moly was it ever incredible), and I used it to whip up a super spontaneous spicy miso smoked salmon dip, which was also obviously amazing. After a few too many bites of each, I realized the world’s most perfect dip was staring right at me, waiting to be assembled. And so, this ridiculously awesome Chili Miso Salmon Sashimi Dip was born.

You’ll find all the ingredients (+ substitutions) and ratios I used below, but these 3 truly make it what it is:

1. GOOOOD salmon sashimi. We’re landlocked here in Calgary, but I’ve been getting my fresh seafood from Lloyd’s Lobster Shop for years, and it’s never once disappointed me. They sell both tuna and salmon sashimi in frozen, vacuum-sealed packages, and the quality is unmatched! In Calgary, that is. If you’re by the ocean, fresh/caught-and-eaten-that-day sashimi is where it’s at!

2. Of course, you neeeed Spicy Chili Miso!! The one I found is called OKAZU, a Japanese Chili Crisp by the brand Abokichi. It’s a Canadian product and I will be stocking up FOR SURE. I found it at Blush Lane in Marda Loop (…please don’t buy it all).

3. And Shichimi Togarashi!! I wrote about this one in my Miso Shichimi Tzatziki post - it’s such an awesome spicy/umami topper and was perfect with this dip!!

   

   
   

This one was a no-brainer. I had JUST tried this wine (and posted about for yesterday’s episode of Snack Wines), and this dip is seriously the perfect example of what to pair with orange wine. Chili spice is not easy to pair with wine, and I usually go for an off-dry Riesling for chili crisp anything (as per Episode 3 of Snack Wines: The Chili Crisp Wine). But having just tried this awesome orange wine, I knew it would be perfect:

Parajes del Valle Maceración Macabeo Ecológico Orange

From Spain’s Manchuela DO in Castilla-La Mancha. This wine is made of 100% Macabeo (white grapes) with 1 week of skin contact. (If you want to learn more about what Orange Wine actually is, check out this post!)

It’s a stunningly vibrant orange colour with gorgeous flavours of freshly squeezed orange, orange oil, sweet peach, ginger, and jasmine. It’s fresh and light, with smooth tannins and bright acidity. And for an organic wine with minimal intervention in the winemaking process, it has very little to no uninvited funk!! I’m not always the biggest fan of orange wine (they can be pretty unpredictable), but this one is SOLID!!

Other Pairing Ideas:

• Off-dry Riesling (or another off-dry white, like Vouvray, Pinot Gris, or Gewurztraminer)

• Bold Rosé (like Tavel or Bordeaux Clairet)

• Pet Nat

Chili Miso Salmon Sashimi Dip

Time: Less than 10 minutes!!
Serves: Reasonable 4-6, but I ate it all myself.

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Any ideas for my next free series!?

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The Video

The Wine: Orange Wine

Featured Wine: Parajes del Valle Maceración Macabeo Ecológico Orange
Food Besties: Charcuterie | Orange | Asian flavours | Spice | Turmeric | Ginger

What is orange wine?

Orange wine is technically the first and oldest style of wine. It’s made from white grapes in a typically minimal-intervention (aka natural) style, and of course, has a lovely orange colour. This is because it’s made in the same way as red wine (following the crush → ferment → press described below), but with white grapes instead of red.

Why is orange wine such a great snack wine?

Because it’s honestly kinda miraculous. Along with its high acidity (which I’ve said over and over → acidity = good for snacks) and bright, refreshing white wine flavours (citrus being a BIG one), it also has the texture of red wine (from the tannins and often higher alcohol), PLUS layers of spice to amp up the complexity. Since it has so many similarities to whites and reds, the pairing potential is insane. It can work with anything from delicate fish to rich red meat, and it works wonders with foods that are often harder to pair with wine (like spicy curry!)

THE SNACK:

Boursin Caramelized Onion Dip + Salt & Vinegar Chips

How to make it: If you can find the premade dip from Costco then you’re good to go!! Just pick up some chips and dip away. If you can’t find it, just mix half and half caramelized onion dip and classic garlic and herb Boursin cheese! Full disclosure, I haven’t tried this yet. But how could it be bad?

→ All recipes + pairings!

THAT’S IT!!
I had a lot of fun with this series and would love to start another one in the fall! If you have any suggestions or requests, please let me know in the comments!
Love you all!

xx Steph

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Previously on Snack Wines:

GUYS I MADE BROWNIES!! And I am not a baker. So I’m very proud of myself.

When I was asked to support the launch of SKIPPY^® brand’s new product -SKIPPY^® Strawberry Stripe, aka delish creamy peanut butter and strawberry jelly in one jar - my immediate thought was YUM. My second thought was how in the world can I incorporate this into my typical savoury-driven wine-pairing content? Which was very quickly followed by “LAMBRUSCO!!!”. I loooooove Lambrusco and PB & J (check out my polarizing PB&J Baked Brie for proof 😂), so I knew I could make it work!

PS You can find this stuff exclusively at Costco Canada! Here’s a list of the stores that carry it!

I used my crazy little beautiful toddler for inspiration, since she’s legit always mad at me when she gets home from daycare if I don’t have a snack ready for her. It doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, HOLY, she can be scary.

SO I decided to put my wannabe Martha Stewart hat on and actually try to develop a PB&J brownie recipe.

Not gonna lie, it took me a few tries. And I might not be able to look at another jar of this stuff for a bit with how much I consumed. BUT I’m a little bit obsessed with what I created! They are SOOO chewy and amazing, and that little bit of saltiness is perfection.

Soooo basically I’m super proud of myself.

And if you’re wondering, Josie is also obsessed. She now asks for brownies every time she comes home, even if I’ve made something else for her. Sooo I’m taking that as a win!

Lambrusco babbyyyyyyy. Most often considered the charcuterie wine, today she’s the PB&J wine. You can read all about Lambrusco here and all about why it pairs with PB&J here!

Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12 brownies

PDF Recipe Card - Salted PB&J Brownies

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• Mixing bowl

• 9x13 in baking pan

• 2 cups (one full 500g jar) SKIPPY^® Strawberry Stripe

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp table salt

• Flaky salt (after baking)

• Cooking spray or butter, for greasing

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• To a medium mixing bowl, add the jar of SKIPPY^® Strawberry Stripe, leaving a small amount of the jelly aside if possible (you’ll drizzle it on after baking). Add the flour, brown sugar, eggs, baking soda, and table salt to the same bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until the batter comes together easily.

• Transfer batter to a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the batter to cover the entire pan.

• Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven to add the jelly drizzle: Microwave the jar with leftover jelly for 20-30 seconds to melt it, drizzle over the brownies, and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.

• Remove from the oven, top with flaky salt, and let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares.

That’s it! Enjoy and let me know what you think! xx

It’s like fish and chips, minus the fish and the chips, plus amazing cheese and amazing wine. In other words, this is the best thing ever.

Gooey brie wedges, wrapped in the crispiest tempura batter (that’s actually made with the wine pairing), dipped in a sweet, salty and spicy strawberry basil dipping sauce. The kind of appetizer people will never forget. That is, if you decide to share ;)

This recipe was fully inspired by the wine, so this is one of those must-try pairings!! You know the oh-so-loved and ridiculously beautiful Côtes des Roses Rosé? The one with the super pretty bottle (with the rose on the bottom) that you just can’t get yourself to recycle? Well, she has a new sister. She’s bubbly, beautiful in her own way, and she’s perfect.

Gérard Bertrand Esprit de Côtes des Roses Brut Rosé

→ Find it here on the Gérard Bertrand website, or send me a message and I can help you find it where you live!

As indicated by the word “esprit” in the name - which means spirit - they didn’t just take the OG rosé and add some bubbles to it. This beauty is entirely its own work of art. Different grapes, very different approach to winemaking, and a new gorgeous bottle that will live on your shelf as a vase for the foreseeable future.

It’s made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Grenache Noir, all from the south of France. The grapes are vinified into dry wine (some in stainless steel, some in oak barrels), then blended and put through a second fermentation in a sealed tank to create those beautiful bubbles. What makes this wine so unique is the extended lees contact (AKA longer time spent on the yeast cells leftover from fermentation), which gives it a creamier texture and some toasty, almost cheesy flavours (in a great way).

This is the kind of wine everyone will love. It’s dry (not sweet) with velvety bubbles, crisp acidity with a creamy mouthfeel, and all the gorgeous flavours - strawberry, raspberry, lemon, tangerine, flowers, fresh herbs, those toasty, cheesy, yeasty notes - SO GOOD.

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I wanted to play on every aspect of this wine to create a pairing that’s both perfect and unique (because playing it safe is no fun), and I’m pretty sure I nailed it. Here’s why it works so well:

Matching flavours:

• Strawberries and fresh herbs in the wine match the flavours in the strawberry basil dipping sauce.

• Cheesy/yeasty notes in the wine match the brie (a little too perfectly)

• The tempura batter was made with some of the wine! So while it wasn’t super perceptible, that’s gotta add to the flavour matching, right?

Contrasting textures:

• Fried food and gooey cheese LOVE themselves some bubbles!! The acidity and the bubbles cleanse the palate between bites, which is super necessary with these ultra-rich bites!

PDF Recipe Card - Tempura Battered Brie Wedges

68.3KB ∙ PDF file

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• Cutting board and knife

• Medium saucepan

• Small ramekin or glass jar (for dipping sauce)

• 2 medium mixing bowls (for batter)

• Large (5-6 quart) heavy-bottomed pot (e.g., Dutch oven)

• Tongs or spider strainer

• Paper towel-lined plate (to absorb oil after frying)

• Serving dish or basket

• Deli paper to line dish/basket

Hot Honey Basil Strawberries

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup hot honey

• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Salt

Tempura-Battered Brie Wedges
*adapted from this recipe by Simply Splendid Food

• 500g Brie wheel, cut into 8 wedges

• Vegetable oil for frying (enough to fill bottom 2 inches of your pot)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup cornstarch (+ 2 Tbsp for coating)

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 egg

• 1 cup ice-cold sparkling rosé

Garnish

• Hot honey

• Basil ribbons

Prepare and freeze Brie: Slice the Brie wheel into 8 even wedges. Separate the wedges and freeze for 30-45 minutes. You want them to be semi-frozen, not rock-solid.

Make Dipping Sauce: Add sliced strawberries to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to soften and release juices. Add hot honey, fresh basil, orange juice, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken. Transfer to a small ramekin to serve or a resealable glass jar to store.

Make Tempura-Battered Brie Wedges:

• Prepare oil: Fill a heavy-bottomed pot to a minimum of 2 inches from the bottom with vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium-high until the temperature reaches 350 F.

• Prepare batter: In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a second medium bowl, add the egg and whisk, then add the ice-cold sparkling rosé and whisk to combine. Transfer the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a fork until just combined (overmixing will result in a tougher, less crispy batter).

• VERY IMPORTANT!!! Pour yourself a glass of those delicious ice-cold bubbles.

• Coat the cheese: Place the remaining 2 tbsp of cornstarch in the empty dry ingredients bowl. Remove Brie from the freezer, add to the bowl with cornstarch, and toss to coat.

• Fry the cheese: One by one, use tongs to coat the wedges in the batter, then carefully lower them into the hot oil (either using tongs or a spider strainer). Fry for about 1 minute, or until the batter is golden brown and crispy, then remove with a spider strainer and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Plate and serve: Transfer fried brie to a serving dish or basket lined with deli paper to absorb the excess oil. Drizzle with hot honey and finish with fresh basil. Serve with the dipping sauce and a bottle of the wonderful Esprit de Côtes des Roses Brut Rosé!

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The Video

The Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Featured Wine: Maison Saint AIX Rosé (Coteaux d’Aix en Provence) classic, accessible, and delicious!!
Similar wines: Any lighter, dry rosé!
Food Besties: Olives, seafood, feta, ricotta, berries, watermelon, citrus, fresh herbs

Why is Rosé from Provence such a great snack wine?

Alllll the reasons we keep talking about! It has that high, mouthwatering acidity, all the bright fruit flavours to contrast the savoury snacks we love, PLUS some hints of herbaceousness and some saline minerality (aka saltiness) that make it so perfect with salty, briny snacks (like OLIVES!)

THE SNACK:
"Deconstructed Tapenade" with Macedonian Feta & Cherry Tomatoes!

Macedonian Feta + Castelvetrano Olives + Capers + Anchovy Paste +
Cherry Tomatoes + Lemon Slices + Tomato-flavoured Chips

How to make it:

This is so so easy and INCREDIBLE!!! Especially if you are a massive fan of briny savoury snacks!! Mix about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Macedonian feta (the super soft creamy stuff) with about 1/2 tsp anchovy paste, and a tiny splash (like 1/2 tsp) of caper brine and olive brine. Top with capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, and a few lemon wedges to squeeze onto each bite to cut through the salt a bit! Serve them with tomato-flavoured chips if you can find them, or go with plain salted kettle chips, pita, crackers - whatever you have or want!

Snack Swaps:

• Macedonian feta → Regular feta (blended/whipped in a food processor with a bit of ricotta or cream), or just straight up ricotta, goat cheese, or burrata!!

• Castelvetrano olives → any olives!

• Capers/Anchovy Paste → both add amazing flavour, but if you don’t like/have them, you can just leave them out! It’ll be salty enough, don’t worry ;)

→ More Rosé Recipe Pairings!
→ All recipes + pairings!

Check back in tomorrow (Thursday) for a lovely new appetizer recipe paired with some fantastic BUBBLES, and see you next week for THE FINAL EPISODE!!!!

Love you all!

xx Steph

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Previously on Snack Wines:

Below you’ll find:

• An editable template and printable PDF for the menu

• Recipe links and pairing alternatives

Join the Dip Club!

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HOW did it take me so long to combine pickles, parm, and prosciutto?!

Not only does the combination satisfy my desire for alliteration, but when they come together in dip form, it’s a magical thing. Salty, yes. But that’s why we have wine 😉

My mouth is actually watering thinking about this dip’s intensely savoury, umami saltiness. And combined with the textural contrast of the creamy dip base and crispy toppings? IT’S A NEED. And when the wine comes in as the perfect contrast to all that savoury flavour or creamy/crispiness, it’s a whole new kind of awesome.

Can you tell I’m excited about this one? 😂

I’ve always loved pickles with Sauvignon Blanc. I truly think the two are just meant to be, so much so that I featured the pairing in this week’s episode of Snack Wines! SO if you want to learn all about why I think Sauvignon Blanc and pickles are besties (and all the deets on this Ultimate Pickle Platter that features today’s Crispy Pickle Parm Dip), make sure you check it out!

PS. I send out a new episode of Snack Wines every Wednesday for all subscribers!

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I’m a bit in love with this wine, and I’m so excited to share it with you: Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand). You may be familiar with Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and while they are both Sauvy Bs from New Zealand, they have pretty key differences:

Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc tends to be riper and softer. This means you’ll find more tropical fruit, less grassy herbaceousness, and high acidity (but not immediately heartburn-inducing high).

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is more citrus-forward and intensely green/herbaceous, with very high acidity.

I’m used to the Marlborough style, so when I took my first sip of this wine, I was straight-up blown away. It’s wonderful. The flavours are profound and diverse; the intensity of those flavours really can’t be missed, and the perfectly high yet reasonably balanced acidity made my heart very happy. AND the quality you get for the price is a bit mind-boggling! I’m pretty sure I paid less than $30 CAD for this. Which means it’s probably about $20 USD. WILD.

My local friends, I grabbed this from Highlander Wine & Spirits in Marda Loop, but you can also find it at Vine Styles in Kensington!

→ More Pickle Recipes
→ All recipes + pairings!

Makes: 2-3 cups
Time: 10-15 minutes

Full recipe + printable PDF card below!

Read more

This post contains affiliate links! Thank you in advance for your support xx

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The Video

The Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Featured Wine: Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc: I cannot rave about this wine enough. It’s absolutely FANTASTIC and such great value. I paid under $30 CAD for this, and it blew me away!
Similar wines: Pecorino D’Abruzzo, Gruner Veltliner, Vermentino, Verdejo
Snack Besties: Pickles, goat cheese, peppers, tropical fruit, citrus, greens, herbs

Why is Sauvignon Blanc such a great snack wine?

• THAT ACIDITY BABY! It’s sooo high in acidity that sometimes it’s straight-up hard to have without snacks! When you pair it with salty and/or acidic snacks, the perception of acidity is reduced, and the beautiful flavours in both the wine and the snack are amplified.

• It’s so dang flavour-packed!! Sauvignon Blanc is considered an aromatic wine. As soon as you open that bottle or pour yourself a glass, those aromas JUMP out. All the fruit from citrus to green apple to pineapple, bell peppers, fresh-cut grass, spring flowers, salty minerality - there are SO many of them, meaning there’s so much potential when it comes to matching or complementing the flavours in your snack.

• PICKLES have the salt, the acidity, and that vegetal thing going on to match the wine’s herbaceousness and completely contrast/complement its fruitiness! And that is why I have deemed Sauvy B: The Pickle Wine.

THE SNACK:
The Ultimate Pickle Platter

Basically just a tray full of pickle things. Because we’re adults, we can eat a pickle platter for dinner if we want! Here’s what I included on mine, but make it your own based on what you have available to you!

• Crispy Pickle Parm Dip (recipe drops Thurs July 16th!)

• Non-dill pickle things: Pepperoncini, Prosciutto, Calabrese Salami

• All the pickle things:

  • Vlasic Pickle Balls

  • DJ&A Pickle-licious Cucumber Crisps

  • Spicy Dill Pickle Peanuts

  • Ruffles Creamy Dill Pickle Chips

  • Miss Vickie’s Spicy Dill Pickle Chips

  • Brine Co. Pickles

  • Spicy Dill Pickled Asparagus

→ More Pickle Recipes (to pair with your Sauvy B!)
→ All recipes + pairings!

Check back in tomorrow (Thursday) for the Crispy Pickle Parm Dip recipe, a sweet treat + pairing on Friday, and an AWESOME NEW MENU coming Saturday! And see you next week for episode 7, of course ;)

Love you all!

xx Steph

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Previously on Snack Wines:

I’m VERY proud of this one and need you to try it asap!! I’ve been planning to make an elote dip for a while now, but I really struggle with making dips that everyone makes. I wanted to make it unique, and when I had the idea of whipping the Cotija cheese (because you know I love me some whipped cheese), I knew I was onto something. I had no clue if it would actually work, but if it did? GENIUS. Spoiler: it worked!!!

The whipped cheese on its own is super salty, tangy, and creamy, so I balanced it out with sweetness, spice, and crunch. And holy guacamole, SHE GOOD!

I decided to go the cocktail route for this pairing for two reasons: One, it’s a Mexican-inspired dip, and with Mexican food I can’t help but want a margarita! And two, it’s July, which means it’s freaking hot out there, and I can’t seem to stop craving a good spritz. Soooo of course, I made a margarita-spritz hybrid! A Mango Mezcal Margarita Spritz. YUM

This dip is a wonderful combination of sweet, spicy, salty, smoky, and tangy, so I went with a sweet-salty-smoky-tangy pairing! I left out the spicy, since spicy food + spicy drinks can be a bit much. The sweetness comes from the mango juice, the saltiness from… the salt, the smokiness from the mezcal, and the tanginess from the lime.

RECIPE → Mango Mezcal Margarita Spritz

• COPYCAT Costco Queso Dip

• Homemade Tostitos Queso Dip & Classic Margarita

• Salted Lemonade Mezcalrita

• Cinco de Mayo Dip Dinner Party Recipes (Dip Club Exclusives):

  • Spicy Tomatillo Margarita

  • Tajin Coconut Mango Frozen Margarita

  • Queso-Birria Dip

  • Dip-Trio: Salsa Verde, Pico de Gallo, Cilantro Avocado Crema

  • Cheesy Baked Pinto Bean Dip

Whipped Cotija Elote Dip

Makes: 2 cups
Time: 15-20 minutes

Full recipe + printable PDF card below!

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Recipe Pairing → Whipped Cotija Elote Dip

This dip is a wonderful combination of sweet, spicy, salty, smoky, and tangy, so I went with a sweet-salty-smoky-tangy pairing! I left out the spicy, since spicy food + spicy drinks can be a bit much. The sweetness comes from the mango juice, the saltiness from… the salt, the smokiness from the Mezcal, and the tanginess from the lime.

• Cocktail shaker

• Jigger

• Citrus press

• Glass of choice (I went with a rounded wine glass that seemed perfect for a marg/spritz hybrid!)

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If you’re new here, welcome!! No need to start from the beginning of the series, but here’s the intro post + episodes 1-4 for more context and to catch up on what you missed so far! xx

This post contains affiliate links! Thank you in advance for your support xx

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The Video

TLDW; 0:04 - a bit about Lambrusco; 0:26 - why she’s the charcuterie wine; 0:42 - making the snack; 1:14 - Eating the snack; 1:18 - why the pairing works

The Wine: Lambrusco!

My Picks:

• Tomato Wheels Lambrusco (featured): My forever fave! This one is Canadian-owned (but still made in Italy) and the quality just keeps getting better year after year.

• Lini910 “Lambrusca” Lambrusco Rosso: More affordable and accessible and always a treat.

Similar wines: Sparkling Shiraz, sparkling rosé

Lambrusco’s Snack Besties:
Charcuterie | Tomatoes | Pizza | Fried Foods | Hard Italian Cheese | Gorgonzola | Italian Herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) | Blackberries | Cherries

Why is Lambrusco such a great snack wine?

It’s bubbly, fruity, and high-acid, which makes it ridiculously good with salty snacks and anything a bit greasy or fried! The bubbles and acidity cut through the grease to cleanse the palate between bites, and its intense fruit flavour is always the perfect contrast to those savoury snack flavours we love!

For all the reasons just listed, Lambrusco’s especially awesome with charcuterie meats! Salami, prosciutto, mortadella - all of it! And fun fact, Emilia-Romagna is considered the “salumi capital of Italy" or the “spiritual home of Italian cured meats”, so it just makes sense that the two are meant to be!

Lambrusco in a Nutshell

Lambrusco is the name of both a wine and a family of grapes from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy. As a wine, it’s always sparkling and high in acidity, but the rest varies!

• Colour: Light rosé → dark red

• Bubbles: Frizzante (lightly sparkling) → full-on bubbles

• Sweetness: Dry (not sweet) → medium-sweet (pretty darn sweet)

• Structure: Light-bodied with minimal tannins → medium-bodied with noticeable, almost gritty tannins

• Flavour: Full on fruit-bomb → fruity and floral → fruity and savoury/herbal

The style of Lambrusco is related to the grapes used to make it. There are tons of different Lambrusco grape varieties out there, but these are the 4 most common:

• Lambrusco di Sorbara → fragrant, floral, and lighter-colored (often rosé)

• Lambrusco Salamino → Nice balance of red colour, moderate tannin, and fruitiness.

• Lambrusco Grasparossa → Darker, full-bodied, higher tannins.

• Lambrusco Maestri: The biggest and boldest of the bunch! Usually blended with other varieties to add structure and colour.

THE SNACK:
Crispy Provolone & Salami Roll-Ups
(with Easy Herb & Garlic Dip)

Provolone Slices + Salami Slices + Herb & Garlic Dip (1/2 cup cottage cheese + 2 tbsp mayonnaise + 1 clove garlic + handful of fresh basil and oregano leaves + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + couple glugs of olive oil)

How to make it:

Spray a baking sheet with oil. Place Provolone slices on the sheet pan, then place a slice of salami on top of each. Bake at 425 F for about 10 minutes (but check after 5). When crispy, roll them up, stick a toothpick in them to hold them in place, then put them back in the oven for a few more minutes to crisp up some more. For the dip, add all ingredients to a food processor and blend, or just buy a premade dip! You do you, cutiepoo.

Snack swaps:

• Provolone → Mozzarella for the same texture and mild flavour, or Parm for a bit more flavour and saltiness!

• Salami → Any kind of salami, mortadella, Coppa di Parma, or Capicola

• Cottage cheese → sour cream

• Mayonnaise → more olive oil

• 1 garlic clove → 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• Basil/oregano → Italian parsley, dill

• Lemon juice → white wine vinegar

More Charcuterie Recipes (to pair with your Lambrusco!)

• 7-Layer Charcuterie Dip

• CharcuteBRIE

• Charcuterie Goat Cheese

• Grilled Halloumi & Charcuterie Skewers

• Mini Focaccia Italian Sandwiches

• Pepperoni Pizza Dip

→Wine & Dip RECIPE INDEX: All recipes + pairings

More to come Thursday and Saturday this week,
and see you next Wednesday for episode 6!

Love you all!

xx Steph

Previously on Snack Wines:

Holy MOLY, this one is a treat and a half. I whipped up a classic (delish) Baba Ghanoush and threw it in a gooey grilled cheese along with some black pepper kettle chips for texture and crunch, AND THEN I took the rest of the Baba Ghanoush and blended it with some Greek yogurt for the perrrrrfect dipping sauce for our grilled cheese. Because we always need a dip.

You are going to LOOOVE.

I was torn between a few options for this wine pairing: Bubbles, a bold Tavel Rosé, OR a smoky, bold red. All three are super different, but all would work in their own way! Since I had just picked up 3 different Kirkland Signature Bordeaux (Pauillac, Margaux, and Saint-Julien) and was itching to try one, the bold red won!!

I decided to open the Kirkland Signature Margaux ($19.99 USD or $32 CAD from Costco), and before I dive into the pairing notes,

What is Margaux?

Margaux is an appellation (designated wine-growing area) on the left bank of Bordeaux (France), known for Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red blends. Of the different left bank appellations, Margaux is known for its smooth, floral, less intense style. Pauillac is considered the boldest, and Saint-Julien the middle ground between the two.

Left Bank → West/South of the Garonne River and Gironde Estuary

• Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant reds (+ Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenère)

• Gravel soil → Retains more heat with high drainage → loves Cab Sauv

• Famous appellations for reds: Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Graves.

Right Bank → East/North of the Dordogne River and the Gironde Estuary

• Merlot-dominant reds (+ Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc)

• Clay + limestone soil (Cooler soil with less drainage → loves Merlot)

• Famous appellations: Pomerol and Saint-Émilion
  

I won’t go into detail about the complicated class system in Bordeaux, but basically, Margaux puts out some prestigious, PRICEY stuff. Which is why I was super excited to try this $20/30 Kirkland Signature one from Costco!

2023 Kirkland Signature Margaux

It’s not always easy to know the actual producer with Kirkland wines, but for this one we do know it’s produced by Henri Lurton from Margaux’s Château Brane-Cantenac (based on the cork and label). The blend is not clear, but we know it’s mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (because it’s from Margaux) and likely has some Merlot or Cab Franc mixed in there.

I enjoyed this wine for sure, BUT I found the flavours a bit dull, and it was pretty intense structurally (probs just needed to actually decant it, but your girl is lazzzyyyy). Might also be an expectation thing, so I will definitely try it again!!

Structure → High alcohol (14%), dry, medium-high acidity, high/smooth-ish tannins, full-bodied.

Flavours → blackberry, black plum, tarragon (weird but that is what I got lols), violets, black olives, wet cedar, peppery spice, and tobacco smoke.

Seriously not at all bad, but not my fave! Super curious to try the other two I picked up! And while this might not be my favourite red ever, the pairing was still AWESOME. Which is why food + wine = the best.

Here’s why it works:

• Both are a LOT. Big flavours and all that cheesy saucy oiliness from the grilled cheese/dip + the bold structure and layered flavours in the wine = a nice lil relationship! They don’t overpower each other, which is always good!

• Fat + salt from the cheese and oil soften the tannins and perception of alcohol in the wine

• Black olive, tarragon, and peppery spice flavours work so well with the Mediterranean Baba Ghanoush flavour profile!

Alternative Wine Pairings

Similar wine style: Syrah from the south of France would be awesome, and similar in a lot of ways to this Margaux!

Different styles:

• Bubbles!! Lambrusco (sparkling red) would be great, or Spanish Cava!

• Smoother, fruitier, smoky red like Zinfandel or Primitivo

• Bold Tavel Rosé!

Baba Ghanoush Grilled Cheese with
Creamy Baba Ghanoush Yogurt Dip

Time: 65-75 minutes

• Around 45 mins for roasting

• 20-30 mins for the other stuff

Makes:

• 2 cups Baba Ghanoush

• 1 cup Creamy Baba Ghanoush Yogurt Dip

• 1 grilled cheese sandwich

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