Pairing Food and Wine

 

The following information was found on Food and Wine Paring - Simple rules to get started pairing food and wine.

 

Don't forget to see us for the best options in storing your wines.

Drink what you like.What you like to drink always takes precedence over any recommendation that I might make.

Start by thinking about the dish or meal as a whole. What are its dominant characteristics?

Is it mild or flavorful?
Is it fatty or lean?
Is it rich or acidic?

With these characteristics in mind, select a wine that will:

Keep flavors in balance.

Match mild foods with mild wines. Match big, flavorful foods with big, flavorful wines.
(For example, pair a bold-flavored Pepper Steak with a spicy, bold red Zinfandel.)

Similarly you generally want to match the richness of the food and the richness of the wine.
(For example, pair a rich Chicken in Cream Sauce with a rich Chardonnay.)

You can refer to our Wine Board to see what different wines taste like.

Cleanse the palate with tanins or acids.

If you're eating a relatively rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking a red wine
(when you eat a beef steak, for example)
you probably want a wine with some good tannins^* in it to help cleanse the palate.

If you're eating a very rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking a white wine
(when you eat fried chicken, for example)
you probably want to contrast the meal with a refreshingly crisp acidic wine
such as a Sauvignon Blanc. You can ignore this rule for dishes that are just
relatively fatty - such as Chicken in Cream Sauce - which will probably
do better with a rich Chardonnay that can match their rich flavors.

Match Acids with Acids

If you're eating a dish with a strong acidic content
(such as Shrimp with Lemon or Pasta with Tomato Sauce)
pair it with an acidic wine that can keep up with the acids in the food.

Acidic Wines and Cream Don't Mix

Rich cream sauces will usually clash with an acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc.
Think about it this way...If you squeezed lemon juice into a cup of milk, would it taste good?

Wine and Strong Spices

Strong spices, such as hot chili peppers in some Chinese or Indian food,
can clash and destroy the flavors in a wine. In most cases, wine is not the ideal thing to drink.
However, if wine is what you must have, consider something spicy and sweet itself
such as an off-dry Gewurtztraminer or Riesling.

When In Doubt...

Remember that foods generally go best with the wines they grew up with.
So if you're eating Italian food, think about having an Italian wine.
This isn't a requirement, but often helps simplify the decision.

* More About Tannins

Tannins can come from many places, including the skins of the grapes used in winemaking
as well as the wood barrels a wine may have been aged in.

Tannin tastes similar to the flavor you would get if you sucked on a tea bag.
This astringent flavor is what helps strip the fats from your tongue and
thereby cleanse the palate of the rich fats from a meal and provide a refined, refreshing drink.

Some studies have also indicated that tanin might help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Specifically, tannin might suppress the creation of a peptide that causes arteries to harden.

What's in your cellar this season?

 

Red or white?

Do you know proper wine storage and serving techniques? At Midland, we are the experts.

IDEAL STORAGE TEMPERATURES
Keep red table wine temperature at a temperature of 62° F, but not above 70° F.  This cool room temperature range is what most people prefer. Red wines that are young, fruity and crisp, such as beaujolais, may be enjoyed more if stored and served a little cooler.

White table wines, rose wines, champagnes, and sparkling wines should be stored at 42 to 48° F, a temperature range that brings out the refreshing, fruity notes in the wine.

SERVING
A day before the wine is to be served, stand the bottle upright, allowing the sediment to settle to the bottom. Uncork and pour the wine gently into a clean decanter until you see the sediment begin to flow from the bottom of the bottle. Or decant the wine yourself by transferring the wine slowly to another container. Stop pouring the wine the moment the sediment begins to appear in the flow.

Uncork medium-bodied red table wine and allow the bottle to stand at least an hour before serving. This allows the wine to absorb oxygen from the air, an important oxidation process that activates development of the bouquet and aroma. Giving wine the time to breathe gives depth and smoothness to the wine.

For rich and full-bodied red wines, we suggest pouring the wine into a decanter.

White table and rose wines only need to be uncorked just prior to serving.  Exposing these types of wine to air for too long affects freshness and their delicate fruity fragrance.

ENVIRONMENT
Just like any living thing, environmental conditions play a critical role in wine’s development and maturation process. True wine cellars, not coolers, are designed to ensure optimal conditions for your special vintages.

 

HUMIDITY
Wine matures most gracefully between 50% and 80% relative humidity. Marvel wine cellars create a stable humidity level to provide wine, corks and labels optimum conditions.

LIGHT
Light can affect the tannins in the wine, degrading the color and nose of your wine. A dual-pane, tinted, UV-resistant glass door, such as that on a Marvel wine cellar, protects wine from light while allowing you to display your bottles with pride.

MOVEMENT
Wine does not like to be disturbed, as movement disrupts the sediment and unnaturally accelerates the aging process. Marvel wine cellars have a triple-layer Vibration Neutralization System (VNS) to protect your wines.

Win a $5000 KitchenAid Appliance Package

What do you have to do to win?

Watch Great Tastes of Manitoba on CTV each week starting Saturday, September 7, and remember the TEACHABLE MOMENT from the show.

Go over to the Midland Appliance Web site, our Facebook page, or come in to our of our two stores. Fill in the entry form and you are entered to win.

We are giving away weekly prizes of KitchenAid small appliances for twelve weeks, followed by a Grand Prize of one $5000.00 KitchenAid Major Appliance Package.

Be sure to check out the Official Rules & Regulations before entering.

Good Luck!

Half Price Dryer Promotion

From March 1st to March 31st, purchase any qualifying Whirlpool® or Maytag® high efficiency washer and get the matching dryer for half price.*

*Some conditions apply. See sales associate for details.



The Holiday Refrigerator – Yours to Conquer!

 Whether you're cooking the holiday meal or simply bringing home the leftovers, maximizing space in your refrigerator during this busy season can be a challenge. Filled to the brim with fresh produce, leftovers and desserts, you may find yourself wondering how you could possibly stuff any more in. Making sure that food doesn't get lost in the depths of your refrigerator is actually simpler than you might think. Here we share some easy tips to help you get the most out of your refrigerator during this hectic time of year.

• Begin by emptying the refrigerator and wiping it down with warm soapy water (be sure to unplug it first). This will give you a fresh start and a clean slate. A clean fridge is a happy fridge!
• Discard any food or condiments that are out of date. With those items gone, you'll discover much needed space. You'll probably be surprised by the amount of expired condiments you find. Check for any freezer burned items; you'll want to discard those as well.
• Keep your shelves clear of small, awkwardly shaped jars or squeeze bottles by placing condiments in the side doors of the refrigerator. Water bottles and pop cans can also be kept in the side compartments. Tip: If you're truly out of space come party time, use a cooler filled with ice for pop, beer and other cold drinks.
• Prepare ahead of time. Chop and prep any planned meals in advance. Seal them in airtight containers that can be stacked or clear sealable bags that can be labelled with a marker.
• Use those crisper drawers. Store any extra produce that does not fit in containers in the crisper drawers. This will free up some much needed shelf space and you'll be surprised by how much you can fit in there.
• Use mason jars for liquids and sauces. Appealing to the eye, these clear jars come in various sizes, are easily accessible and allow you to quickly identify their contents. They're also attractive enough to go straight from fridge to table.
• Keep commonly used items, such as eggs and bread, on the top shelf. Juice or milk containers with a twist off cap can go there as well by laying them on their sides. In the days leading up to your dinner, this will allow you to easily reach what you need most often.
• Freeze anything you may not eat right away. Bread and butter can both go in the freezer, and vegetables you don't expect to eat can be frozen and then used to make broth.
• Make an inventory list and hang it on your fridge, keeping track of what is in each container. Include each container's contents, date and any other information you may find relevant. You'll stay on top of knowing exactly what's in the refrigerator, what needs to be eaten or thrown out.
• Most refrigerators have adjustable shelving that can be changed for optimizing space. Once our refrigerator is in use, we often forget about this feature. Use this opportunity to raise or lower shelves depending on your storage needs.

Thanks to these simple tips, you'll now find yourself with a clean and organized refrigerator. With your new found optimized space, you're ready to fill the refrigerator with the delicious delights of the holiday season!

New Products, New Promotions

Midland Appliance carries over 40 top name brands. Many of these brands have new products and innovations you may not be aware of. 

For example, Aqualift technology is available in both Maytag and Whirlpool brands. This gives you a range with self-cleaning in less than hour, odor free and with temperatures below 200 degrees. More information can be found here.

There are many manufacturer rebates available through September and October. Save up to $1300.00 instantly on Maytag appliances or save up to $1200.00 on Frigidaire appliances through mail-in rebates. Check our Promotions page or Website for details.

QUIET PLEASE!! Bosch Dishwasher Special Purchase