do sides make the difference

[dozer]

have/do people base pairings on the side dishes?
I'm looking for two separate meals.
The first is with a spicy broccoli and mango salad with an orange based dressing.
The second is a cornbread stuffing with sausage.
Grateful for any suggestions

[Innkeeper]

IMHO it would be rare to concentrate on matching with side dishes. I'm not talking about separate courses here as I'm sure you understand.

Some exceptions I can think of are steamed asparagus with Hollandaise sauce served with a simple entree, and things of that nature.

For your dishes:

1. Off dry Riesling.

2. Light to medium Zinfandel or Shiraz.

[Jackie]

The main dish is usually the most important consideration. But there are normally many compatible wines for a main course, so side dishes are also significant because they can tilt your choices one way or another.

What are the main courses for the two meals?

[This message has been edited by Jackie (edited 09-13-2007).]