FANDANGO Catering Offers Food & Wine Pairing Tips

At FANDANGO Catering one of the questions we're asked most is: How do I know what wines go with which food?

In 2009 we attended wine seminars to better advise clients of wine and food pairings. This is a subject about which tomes can be and have been written, but we'd like to share some basics on food and wine pairings to help you choose wines for your event.

Hors d'oeuvres: Generally a white, such as a Chardonnay or a Spanish Albariño, or a rosé wine will go well with most hors d'oeuvres, though many of our Spanish and Italian clients like a milder red (from Spain or Italy) with their hors d'oeuvres because in these countries red wines are often consumed with meals and food of all types.

Beef-based dishes and big, flavorful foods (such as beef)--Red wines such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon

Cream-based sauces--White wines such as Chardonnay, Semillon Chardonnay, or unoaked Chablis

Dishes with strong acidic content, such as a lemon-based sauce or a tomato-based sauce--An acidic wine such as Sauvignon Blanc will hold up to these acidic flavors

Spicy foods--Beer actually goes better with these but if you want wine the best choices are off-dry Gewurtztraminer or Riesling

Next time: Choosing wines for desserts

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras
Partner, FANDANGO Catering
Houston, Texas
281-796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Adds Spanish Food to Its Dinner Menus

FANDANGO Catering has added Spanish dishes to its 2010 Dinner and Business Catering Menus.

A recent birthday gift from friends, Anya von Bremzen's The New Spanish Table has inspired our Executive Chef, Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo, a native of Madrid with family roots in Granada, Andalucía, Spain, to create his own interpretations of his favorite dishes from the book.

Here are the Spanish dishes we added to our Dinner and Business Catering Menus:

• Catalán Guacamole
• Cabrales-Stuffed Piquillo Peppers
• Roasted Pepper Salad
• Gazpacho Panzanella
• Tortilla with Spanish Chorizo and Alioli (Bites)
• Triple-Seafood Canapés
• Manchego Crisps with Almonds
• Tenderloin with Seared Strawberries
• Roast Chicken Breasts with Apple and Quince Compote
• Lemon Chicken with Honey and Saffron
• Chicken in Almond and Saffron Sauce
• Roast Chicken with Piquillo Gazpacho Sauce
• Osuna-Style Chicken Flamenquines (chicken and ham rolls)
• Chicken with Apples Braised in Cider
• Potatoes and Red Peppers with Roasted Tomato Sauce
• Potato and Onion Gratin with Alioli
• Creamy Basque Risotto
• Roasted Artichoke Hearts with Cognac
• Baked Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Saffron Glaze
• Cheesecake with Pine Nut-Sherry Glaze
• Chocolate Custards in a Citrus Cloud
• Alfredo's Toledo Chocolate Soufflé Cakes

These additions to our menus reflect the traditional flavors of Spain with contemporary flair and are perfect for dinner events.

We recommend Anya's book to anyone interested in Spanish food.

I first learned of Anya several years ago when she wrote a hilarious article for Saveur on her mother's recreation of Russian period dinners for their friends. My immediate connection to this was my minor in Russian as an undergrad. Anya lives mostly in Spain now and her book has many excellent recipes.

Here's to the pleasure of Spanish food!

Kristina

Partner, Director of Sales

FANDANGO Catering

www.fandango-catering.com

kristina@fandango-catering.com

FANDANGO Catering Adds 2010 Hors d'Oeuvres to Its Webpage

FANDANGO Catering has added sample hors d'oeuvres and mini desserts from its just-completed 2010 Hors d'Oeuvres Menu to its Receptions page on its website.

To view the page, visit:
www.fandango-catering.com

We've also updated our Services page--we now offer Event Consulting, Valet Parking, and other event support services to make your event planning as effortless as possible with one-stop shopping.

Coming soon to our blog: Info on 2010 additions to our Dinner and Business Catering menus.

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras
Partner, Director of Sales
FANDANGO Catering
kristina@fandango-catering.com