Normal food with your wine?

[culinart]

It's pretty obvious that many ppl enjoy their wine with great food but has anyone ever had wine with "normal" everday food or snack?
Examples are, nacho chips with homememade salsa , guacomole with whole wheat toast, or chinese takeout, or brushetta, or pizza...get the idea? Or better yet, put any food you want...but you better include the recipe with it! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

The Banrock Station chardonnay that was recommended by InnKeeper, well, as sad as this may sound I had one leftover glass the next day and I had it with a 1/2 lb Wendys burger with fries and ketchup. I know, i know, shame on me but I couldnt help myself.

[img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Kcwhippet]

Hey, what's wrong with you! That burger screams for a Zinfandel! Try the Cline California Zinfandel next time - about $10. Good with Domino's, too. Really.

[Georgie]

I don't know where you got the idea that wine has to go with fancy food. That's just not true! If you enjoy wine, enjoy it with everything!

[dananne]

My choices for the following everyday-type food items:

Chips, salsa, and guac: beer (Red Stripe, latest vintage for me)

Pizza: I like A Mano's Primitivo with pizza

Chinese takeout: I usually have spicy dishes, so I'd pick a gewurtztraminer or a fruity riesling -- I like Bonny Doon's inexpensive Pacific Rim riesling, for example.

Burger (for me, being a vegetarian, it would be a veggie burger): Zin, as suggested, though I also like a relatively inexpensive Rhone or Aussie shiraz with burgers, too.

[winoweenie]

C-Baby you musta' missed the 20 posts I've made over the last few years stating my perfect companion with ANY good to GREAT bottle is air-popped Popcorn. My favorite snack in the evening is a nice cab with Orvilles' Lite buttered and shaved Parmagiano/Reggiano added when piping hot. TO DIE FER!!!!WW

[winedope1]

absolutely, WW. However, I prefer mine either just popped the old fashioned way or with a little Tabasco on it. Also do zin w/ hamburgers and Atlas Peak Sangiovese w/ a local housemade pizza. (the local Italian influence, you know.)

[This message has been edited by winedope1 (edited 04-18-2003).]

[This message has been edited by winedope1 (edited 04-18-2003).]

[winoweenie]

Rite on WD. On the Tabasco,(which I even put on corn flakes [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]) I like to get the un-buttered, melt a tad of land-o-lakes in the microwave, then add the tabasco. Gives great, even coverage. Killer with a Zin or Syrah. WW

[winedope1]

so true, WW. The butter mixes w/ the Tsabasco to spread around better. What can't you improve with a little Tabasco!

[wondersofwine]

I like chianti with Italian dishes with a tomato-based sauce such as ravioli or even pizza. Will try the A Mano Primitivo with pizza if I come across it. Most red wines with tannin in check seem to work with burgers--Beaujolais, zinfandel, blended reds. I probably wouldn't open an expensive California cabernet sauvignon reserve with a burger (actually I rarely even buy the c.s. reserve, settling for the regular bottlings), but would save that for filet mignon or strip steak or such. I'm open to suggestions for what red wines go best with tacos--I don't drink beer that much. How does zinfandel do with mildly seasoned taco?

[Thomas]

I learned a long time ago that air-popped popcorn is a fine pairing for many wines--red or white. The Tabasco, however, is to be considered with great care...

[dananne]

wonders -- Tacos with wine . . . when I have skipped a cold beer and have had wine with my tacos, I've had some pretty decent luck with fruity Rioja crianzas. My tacos lean to the spicy side, though, and I always try to avoid tannic wines with spicy foods. I, however, am certainly no expert in my food-wine pairings -- I drink what tastes good to me!

[winoweenie]

Living in one of the Taco capitls I've learned that a nice simple Zinfandel such as the Cline or Dancing Bull does the trick with most any Mexican dish.A perfect match for Carne Asada dishes. WW

[stevebody]

I made tamales the other night and had leftover tacos with picadillo as a side. I didn't have anything open but a bottle of Zenato Valpolicella so I winged it. Surprisingly, it was great. I really thought the taco seasoning would overwhelm the Valpo but the flavors marched right over it. I don't think it would work with one of the old-style, wimpy Valops but the Zenato, Allegrini, Bussola, Masi Serego Allegheri or one of the "international style" ones have enough muscle and spice to work the same way.

Have to think one of the Spanish Grenaches would work, too. Maybe the Vina Alarba, Alma, Vina Borgia, or like that.

[BEEBEEP]

I like a cab or cab blend with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[wondersofwine]

Thanks for the replies on my taco question.
Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup! That's one of those childhood staples that I still love from time to time. Think I might go against the acid with acid on this one and try a Beaujolais. Will let you know how the combo fares next time I try it.

[P'colaPeppa]

Hmm, lets see what has worked for me in recent months.
Merlot has worked well with hamburgers. I really liked the Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot in particular.
For pizza and spaghetti I like a tasty not too big Zin such as Rancho Zabaco Heritage Vines over say a chianti. It's just my personal taste I guess. It works well, try it out. I find the acid just right for those dishes.
For Chinese takeout food, I really like a Kabinett level MSR riesling. The slightest touch of sweetness really matches well with items such as General's Chicken and the alcohol level is not too hot where it would interfere with the food. I am sure a Gwertz would work well too, but I don't have too much experience with that wine.

[culinart]

thx kcw, next time i'll try that cline california zin when i make lamb burgers, top it with roasted red peppers, grilled zucchini, romaine lettuce and guacomole..and maybe a lil smoked chipotle peppers too =)
I'll pass on the dominoes though, i just hate pizza...*bl;agh*

WW>>>I'll try some shaved parmesean on the popcorn but how about suggesting a SW with it =P
Tobasco in popcorn???? Hummmm,.....how about adding some garlic and onion powder and some chili powder and maybe ancho powder instead. Sounds quite odd adding tobasco when you can mix your own spices and herbs, grounded up of course to use as flavorings. But i'll definitely try the tobasc one day!@

P'cola>>>>is that the actual name of the wine bottle "Kabinett level MSR riesling"
Sometimes we order out chinese but have no idea which wines to go well with them.

I've seen grilled cheeses, tacos,popcorn, chinese, mexican, any other combos out there? How about pub wings, souvlakis, subway sandwiches, maybe some jerk chicken, sausage hot dogs, peanut butter (or almond butter) bagels, ice cream sundaes..I better stop because I'm getting hungry from all this talk lol

=)

[wondersofwine]

culinart,
The German wine mentioned is from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer district (MSR) and at Kabinett level (meaning regular grapes were used, not late picked or specially selected riper clusters). The village name and often a particular vineyard also appear on the label but were not specified in this instance. You might try wines from Wehlener Sonnenuhr (a famous vineyard), Urzinger Wurzgarten, Piesporter Goldtropfchen (means golden drops), etc. I like Riesling or Gewurztraminer with many Chinese dishes but in a Chinese restaurant I will usually order black tea and plum wine.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 04-28-2003).]

[Innkeeper]

One's everyday food is not everyone's everyday food. Of the foods mentioned above the only thing falling into our everyday category is burgers. We make these in many variations including on the spot inspirations. The are hundreds of inexpensive wines including many mentioned here that match spledidly with burgers. Try "Burgers" on the search function, and a whole world will open up to you.

[culinart]

WOW>>>
"You might try wines from Wehlener Sonnenuhr (a famous vineyard), Urzinger Wurzgarten, Piesporter Goldtropfchen (means golden drops), etc"

-Are these German Rieslings or german gewurtz???

And why do you like riesling or gewurtz with many chinese dishes....would a chardonnay or an italian white grape go well with them?

IK>>>I typed in burgers in the search forum and only got 11 matches . I did see someone recommending a Cline California Zin but not too many other suggestions. I wanted to see what others here eat as "normal everday food" and what wine they matched with it. This may be getting off topic but I wonder how many wine drinkers here, in this forum, actually cook at home?

=)

[This message has been edited by culinart (edited 04-29-2003).]