Food, Fun & Freudian Sips!
November 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under Features, Food for Thought, Main Content, People, Your Neighbors
Image Credit: Chud Tsankov Illustrations on flickr.com
This month in the "Food for Thought" column, we’ve invited Larry Arnold, (Product Consultant at Spinnaker’s Wine & Beer Merchants and Sips Artisan Bistro at 425 Simcoe Street in James Bay Square) to say a few words about what’s in their larder besides those lovely little libations that complement our loafing about lifestyle that characterizes the neighborhood.
Sips Artisan Bistro is featuring some fine food, fun and Freudian Sips courtesy of Therapy Vineyards from B.C.’s Naramata Bench. So if you’re pressed for time and can’t enjoy a "grape escape", then drop by for a tasting, or pick up a bottle of your favorite "Therapy" and a tapas to go!
Freudian Sip 2008/Salt Spring Island Chevre, Spinnakers Apple Smoked Trout & Strawberry Compote
This pairing is all about acidity! The goat cheese has it, so does the strawberry compote. With a crunch of mouthwatering acidity and heady citrust-mango flavours, the wine hangs in there perfectly, gaining weight and intensity with every sip. As the acid softens, the wine brings out the lovely smoky flavours of the trout and the sweetness of the srawberry. Delicious!
Therapy Vineyards Chardonnay 2008/Smokehouse Cheddar, Verjus Cured Salmon, Pear Butter
Yow, this dish is intense, but so is the wine! Smoke, acidity and sweet fruit, all in perfect balance requires more of the same and the crisp, juicy Okanagan chard more than meets the challenge. Peaches and cream with lovely toasty nuances, plenty of weight and a finish that wraps itself around your palate and just keeps going!
Therapy Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2008/Caraway Cheese, Smoked Sooke Oyster & Apple Chutney
This pairing is all or nothig! the ingredients in the dish are full flavoured, sweet and spicy. The perfect complement to a wine not known for its coquettish nature! Very floral with a slightly oily texture, a heady potpourri of tropical fruit and exotic spice flavours and a long, long soft finish!
Therapy Vineyards Pinot Noir 2007/Tipsy Jill, proscuitto Salami, Strawberry Compote
Good pinot is hard to find But after several thousand samples we think we have found one here! The dish is richly flavoured with a salty, slightly sweet and tart structure that begs another bite. The wine is all about perfectly rip fruit with cherry and spice flavours, a soft wilky texture and enough acidity to stand up to the compote and cut through the richness of the cheese. Superb!
Freud’s Ego 2007/Hot Jill Cheese, Hot Cacciatore Salami, Caramelized Onions
This dish is not for the timid or those with an aversion to heat and spice. It is a full-flavoured take no prisoners assault on your palate that is very, very hot, but absolutely delicious! On the other hand, this richly textured Boreau blend is lush and powerful with layers of sweet fruit and spice flavours, plenty of body and a soft blush of fine grained tannins.
