at home with James Martin - December 2012 - (Page 69)

TASTE OF CHRISTMAS Wine and dine Rosé wine PAIR WITH... A VEG STIR FRY Deﬁned by its pink colour, rosé is made from black grapes – but doesn’t turn fully red as the grape skins are removed from the juice shortly after initial contact. It’s not only the colour of the wine that is affected by the short contact between grape skins and juice: the amount of tannins (a compound naturally found on grape skins that gives an astringent taste) that enter the wine is reduced, and so rosé wines tend to be much sweeter in taste than other red wines. Prieuré de Montezargues, Tavel Rosé 2011 £14.50, Tanners Wines Lynne Maxwell: ‘A strong rosé that goes brilliantly with a stir-fry and spicy sauce. The pale pink colour re ects the berry avours that you get from every sip.’ Red wine PAIR WITH... SHOULDER OF LAMB ith 1.14 billion litres of it sold in the UK last year (2011), wine is one of Britain’s favourite tipples – but how much do you know about this fruity nectar of the gods? It’s likely that you’re familiar with the origins that lie in the small and sweet-ﬂavoured grape – but how does it go from vine to wine? Following harvest, the fruit is crushed and the natural yeasts that collect on its skin mix with the sugar in the grape juice. It then begins to ferment, and it is this process of fermentation that produces alcohol, which eventually – whether it be three days or three months later – becomes wine… W THIS BEGINNERS’ GUIDE TO WINE HELPS YOU GET TO GRIPS WITH YOUR FAVOURITE TIPPLE be made with black grapes, too, as their juices also run clear). White wines tend to be lighter and more refreshing than reds, and are often eaten with light meals, which makes the age-old recommendation of ‘white wine with white meat’ (chicken, ﬁsh etc) ring true – although the rules can sometimes be bent. White wine is best served in narrow glasses (for the best concentration of aroma), at an optimum temperature of between 7-10°C (roughly an hour in the fridge should achieve this). Olly Smith says... White wine PAIR WITH... SEAFOOD LINGUINE It may come as no surprise that, in most cases, white wine is made from white grapes (although it can El Guia Blanco 2011 Vino de Mesa Spain £3.99, Waitrose Georgina Maric: ‘This was a joy to drink; it was so silky smooth it slipped down like a fruity, winey dream. It tastes perfect with seafood and light pasta dishes. I’d de nitely drink this again.’ ‘Matching food with wine can take your palate to another level. The texture, avour and intensity can bring both the dish and the wine to life.’ Like rosé wines, reds are made from black grapes – however, in order to keep their deep red colour, the grape skins – full of anthocyanins (pigments) – remain intact with the juice for much of the fermentation process (the temperature of which is much higher when producing red wine compared to white, usually between 25-35°C). This process means that tannins are much more concentrated in red wine, which gives it its dry, puckery taste. Berries are sometimes added to the grapes, skins and seeds, too, when making red wine to intensify the fruity ﬂavour. Red wines are best served in glasses that have a wider, deeper bowl and a narrower mouth which allows more of the wine to be exposed to oxygen – releasing fuller ﬂavour and pleasant aromas. > Margaux 2006 £19.95, only at FromVineyardsDirect Filippa Woolf: ‘Boasting a lovely claret and a lingering heavenly taste, this wine is smooth, full-bodied and dry with a note of blackcurrant and spices. It complements the lamb brilliantly!’ DECEMBER 2012 | 069

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with James Martin - December 2012

DIARY DATES
YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN
UP THE ORANGE APPEEL
MEET MR MARTIN
THE CHEF DIARIES
FLAVOURS OF THE FUTURE
COOK LIKE A PRO
THE STAR EVENT
COOKING SOS
UNDER THE SEA
VEG OUT
JUST DESSERTS
WINE O’CLOCK
TASTEBUDS ON TEST
GUYS’ GIFT LIST
SANTA SPOILS FOR HER
FOR FOOD LOVERS
CHINESE, PLEASE?
THE ROAST WITH THE MOST
MARY CHRISTMAS
BAKE LIKE THE BEST
THE BIG CHEESE
FAT’S YOUR LOT
CLEAN UP
PINES AND NEEDLES
WINTER FOODIE BREAKS
ALL ABROAD
COFFEE BREAK
‘MY FOOD FANTASY TURNED INTO REALITY’
LAST WORD
EDITOR’S LETTER
FESTIVE WELCOME
NEWS AND VIEWS

at home with James Martin - December 2012