All this week, we’re taking a look at 10 food trends identified by writer John Mariani in Celebrated Living magazine, and considering the impact they have on wine.
7. Cheese Service
“It is rare that a new restaurant does not have a selection of fine, perfectly-ripened cheeses, many of them from local dairies.”
Wine and cheese have always been pairing partners, but only in recent years have restaurant owners paid close attention to the pairings. As more restaurants offer cheese courses, it’s becoming more common to see specific wine recommendations on menus. A cheese-centric menu is greatly enhanced by a well-selected wine-by-the-glass list. Even better: cheese flights accompanied by wine flights.
8. Raw Food
“The real trend right now is how chefs of different food cultures have adapted raw fish and, to an extent, raw meats on their menus…Crudi—Italian chefs’ version of sushi—has become all the rage, from Nice to Naples.”
This trend is fundamentally changing how we think about wine pairing in ethnic restaurants of all kinds. Just about any red wine on the list formerly was a pretty safe choice at Italian restaurants. No more. Today, with any dish—raw or cooked—ordered in any type of restaurant, it’s important to know the dominant flavor in order to be able to select the most complementary wine.
Tomorrow: upscale comfort food and desserts.
