Eating well in New Orleans is a birthright. The bounty of ingredients and dishes makes choosing what to eat a daily chore. But what goes best with boudin? What to serve with the seafood platter? Is it a cold beer a glass of champagne? In order to find out, a crack duo of adult beverage stars was assembled and issued this challenge: For each month of the year, we provide the dish and you recommend the best beverage to pair with it. Jon Smith of Cork & Bottle (wine) and Dan Stein of Stein’s Deli (beer) accepted the challenge and here are their suggestions. You be the judge.
January: Duck and Andouille Gumbo.
Smith: 2006 Zichichi Family Vineyards Estate Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley. A good spicy gumbo in the winter loves a good soft, spicy red.
Stein: Chimay Red Label. The mild smokiness and saltiness of the duck and the sausage goes well with the caramelized sugar flavors of the beer.
February: King Cake.
Smith: N/V Ceretto Moscato d’Asti. Enough sweetness in the wine to pair with the sweetness and cinnamon of the king cake, enough effervescence to liven your palate. And since Moscato is often a little lower in alcohol, you can drink plenty of it as the parades roll by.
Stein: Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar. Who does not like hazelnuts, coffee and chocolate with their cake?
March: Raw Oysters.
Smith: 2008 Domaine de Quilla Muscadet Sur Lie, Sevre et Maine. A good Muscadet literally adds the lemon and salt oysters need.
Stein: Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale. The residual iodine and brine of the oysters work well with the citrusy hop flavors of the beer. Also, you can’t go wrong with a properly poured Guinness.
April: Boiled Crawfish.
Smith: 2007 Donnhoff Riesling Estate Kabinett. Spice loves sweet. Enough said.
Stein: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It’s all about quantity, baby! You want to drink a ton of refreshing, thirst-quenching, palate-cleansing beer that will not knock you on your ass.
May: Roast Beef Po-Boy.
Smith: 2006 Duck Pond Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley. A po-boy loves a big, soft, lush red to go with your messy sandwich, and the white pepper and dark fruit of the syrah matches nicely with that roasted meat flavor.
Stein: NOLA Brown. Roasted malt flavors match well with the rich meat and gravy, while the dry finish helps to cleanse the palate.
June: Shrimp Remoulade over Creole Tomatoes.
Smith: 2008 Casamaro Blanco Rueda. A crisp, dry, clean yet fruity Spanish white counters the spice and texture of the remoulade.
Stein: Hoegaarden. The acidity of the dish makes this a tough match for any alcohol. Refreshing Belgian Wits contain coriander and orange peel, giving the beer a touch of acidity to keep all the taste buds in check.
July: Fried Soft-shell Crabs.
Smith: 2006 Hendry Family Chardonnay Unoaked, Napa. This is a textbook Chardonnay with apple, spice and pear flavors and zero oak getting in the way. The acidity and texture of the wine take care of the oiliness of the crab.
Stein: Weihenstephaner Original. Keep it simple; the mild taste and subtle sweetness of German lagers complements the delicate deliciousness of the crabs.
August: Trout Amandine.
Smith: 2006 Domaine Matrot Meursault AOC. Any fish cooked in any kind of butter sauce wants a big, rich white Burgundy.
Stein: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. This effervescent, high alcohol, dry finishing beer cuts through the rich butter while the soft, bready malt flavors match the fish without blowing it away.
September: Barbecue Shrimp.
Smith: N/V Pierre Gimonnet Brut 1er Cru, Cuis. Crisp, dry finish wipes clean that peppery, spicy, buttery flavor of this dish. Plus, with a stem to hold on to, you’re not treating a wine glass like a house of ill repute by drinking with a messy, buttery hand.
Stein: Paulaner Oktoberfest. A malty lager will match the rich, sweet barbecue shrimp while not overwhelming the taste buds.
October: Turtle Soup.
Smith: 2006 Benoit-Germain Savigny Les Beaune. A rich, fruity yet light and earthy red Burgundy with enough acid to provide an extra zing to the soup.
Stein: Gouden Carolus Grand Cru of the Emperor. This decadent dish deserves an equally decadent beer to pair with it.
November: Red Beans and Rice.
Smith: 2007 BenMarco Malbec, Mendoza. A big, comfortable bowl of saucy red beans wants a big, jammy, fruity wine.
Stein: Fuller’s Vintage Ale. It’s getting cold; time to switch to heavier, more flavorful, saltier dishes and heavier, more malted, sweeter, and higher alcohol beers.
December: Oysters Rockefeller.
Smith: 2006 Chateau Carbonnieux, Graves. A gorgeous, velvety textured Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux that has just enough zing to do the oysters right but enough grip and grassiness to pair with parsley or whatever green used to make the Rock.
Stein: Deus. The true champagne of beers will help you toast in the New Year.
