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Santa Rosa Press Democrat, October 12, 2011
Simply Pairing
Napa author, chef Jill Silverman Hough with main-dish ideas on what to eat and drink this fall
Last year, Napa food writer, recipe developer and culinary instructor Jill Silverman Hough came out with her first book on food-and-wine pairing, “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love.”
With the book, chock-a-block with recipes and menu ideas, her goal was to simplify the whole wine and food pairing process, trying to make home chefs feel as though they didn’t have to search for one perfect bottle every time they cooked, but instead could just hone in on a particular variety, experiment and learn as they go.
“I always start off by saying that food and wine pairing is not important,” Hough said. “Being healthy, that’s important, raising your kids well, that’s important. There are a lot of things in life that are important, but food and wine pairing isn’t one of them. Rather, it’s an enhancement. It’s a place to play and explore.”
And so she’s back with “100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love,” more practical pairing advice for bigger plates of food, organized, as was her first book, by wine variety — six white, six red — with deeply satisfying, detailed recipes that follow.
Through her books and frequent cooking classes, Hough has been heartened to give people a chance to relax.
“Thinking that you have to become a pairing expert in order to enjoy pairing is akin to thinking you have to know how your car engine works to enjoy driving,” Hough said. “You don’t need to know why Chanterelle and Gruyere Bread Pudding tastes good with chardonnay to enjoy the combination.”
Each chapter of her new book provides a detailed synopsis of each wine variety, what other names it might go under and some broad characteristics and general pairing advice. So in the sauvignon blanc chapter, for example, Hough tells the reader how sauvignon blanc is also known as Bordeaux or White Bordeaux, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume or fume blanc.
She then broadly characterizes it as dry, high in acidity, crisp and bright, low in tannins, light to medium in weight and of medium intensity and suggests that the dishes that will go best with sauvignon blanc tend not to be sweet but also high in acidity, light to medium in weight and of medium intensity. And so on.
“Telling people that food and wine pairing should be fun, that there’s nothing to learn to enjoy it, that’s a huge relief to people,” Hough said. “You can see them lighten up, see the light bulbs go on in their heads, see possibility grow where there wasn’t much before. It’s totally cool.”
The recipes throughout the book provide great detail and enough heft to challenge the most talented of home chefs. We picked out a few of her best for fall along with the variety she thinks will pair most successfully with each dish.
Sidebar:
COOKING WITH JILL
Upcoming Cooking Classes with Jill Silverman Hough
Oct. 14: One-Pot Wonders: Deliciously Warming Fall Meals
Oct. 28: Cooking with Wine
Nov. 5: Fast and Fabulous Dinner Party for Fall
Nov. 16: Harvest Celebration of Pumpkin
Dec. 1: Easy Edible Gifts
Dec. 18: Soup for the Soul
Classes to be held at Ramekins Culinary School, 450 West Spain St., Sonoma, 933-0450, www.ramekins.com
For more information visit www.jillhough.com.
Recipes from “100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love” accompanied this article – Chanterelle and Gruyere Bread Pudding, Seafood and Andouille Jambalaya, and Zinfandel Chicken Marbella.
