Changing temperatures inspire new flavors
Tammy Algood
Special to Nashville Tennessean
USA TODAY NETWORK - TENNESSEE
Changing temperatures are reminders that time is passing and with those subtle differences come shifts in our menu planning. Gone are the times when I embrace only cold foods to stave off the sweltering heat. Now I want something that matches my surroundings.
And it’s not just food. We are creatures of habit even when shopping for beverages to pair with those autumn delights. Automatically, we reach for the merlot, the Sangiovese or even the cider without so much as a thought.
When my friend brought me a bottle of Beachaven Sparkling Apple Wine, I was quickly snapped out of my rut. I plopped it into the fridge immediately and began dreaming of the foods I would like to enjoy with it. That bottle made in Clarksville, Tennessee, gave me the change I have been looking for and I had to have more.
I now have an inspired fall attitude. Why? Because the apple flavors of that sparkling wine mimic my shifting pace and the foods I am now craving. It literally sings with an oven roasted chicken. It elevates brioche French toast to something in the line of royalty. Crab cakes are now even more divine and a simple Brie warmed with a smear of homemade fig jam suddenly is a delicacy.
Tonight, I am making eggs Benedict and I know these two will pull out the best in each other. That’s what a perfectly paired food and wine will do … it will make you want more of both! Later in the week, I will try it with a smoked turkey breast because Thanksgiving is around the corner and I have big plans!
I hope you are inspired to venture out of your norm and pull some fall flavors into your fall. Thanks to the magic made by Wilson Cooke at Beachaven Winery, I have. (www.beachavenwinery.com)
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at www.hauteflavor. com
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