Forget the oysters (there is nothing festive about wet food) and feast yourself on these yummy recipes taken from some of South Africa's fabulous foodies.
1) Ishay Govender-Ypma's Roasted Butternut, Crisp Apple & Labneh Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing (Food and the Fabulous)
The crisp acidity of the apples and the dry finish on the bubbles is a perfect match. This is a deliciously fresh and summery dish that you might struggle to share.
For the recipe, click here
Pair it with: Graham Beck Brut Zero 2006
2) Sam Linsell's very easy mussels steamed in wine with parsley pesto (Drizzle and Dip)
Oh I do like to be beside the sea...as well as consuming its bounty by the dozen. I have always loved how Sam's recipes are simple yet utterly flavourful. Make a batch and impress yourself.
For the recipe, click here
Pair it with: Villiera Starlight Brut NV
3)Sarah Graham's Roast Duck and Spiced Plum Salad (A Foodie Lives Here)
A bit of game never hurt anyone and with a festive spiced salad, this could easily replace the overdone turkeys that get churned out over Christmas
For the recipe, click here
Pair it with: Pongracz Rose NV which is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir so it offers deep berry flavours to complement the plums.
4) Jane-Anne Hob's Coriander & Coconut Satay Chicken with Creamy Peanut Sauce (Scrumptious)
Thai-style
dishes have a glorious affinity with dryer forms of bubbles as their
crispness allows the flavours to really sing in the dish.
For the Recipe, click here
Pair it with: Kumkani Infiniti MCC Sparkling Brut 2007 only R50 from Welmoed winery (a proper festive bargain)
5) Ilse van der Merwe's Peach Galette (The Food Fox)
She incorporates almond in her pastry which will go perfectly with a bubbly that has a creamier texture to it.
For the recipe, click here
Pair it with: L'Avenir Blanc de Blanc 2011 which has nutty and citrus notes
And for the final pairing:
Bubbly goes best with an empty glass
Merry Christmas ya'll and thanks for reading all my pairing articles.
If you have any suggestions or any particular wines you want paired, drop me a line editor @ wine.co.za