I Love Italian Regional Cooking - Pairing Veneto Cuisine With Red Wine
Great Veneto food, fine Venetian or other red wine...Veneto in northeastern Italy is home to Venice, one of the world’s top tourist destinations. You really shouldn’t miss many of the region’s many other attractions. Even though this is mostly white wine country, we have lots of local specialties to try with red wine.
Harry's Bar, Venice home of Carpaccio and the Bellini cocktail.
You might want to start with Carpaccio (Dressed Raw Beef Slices) said to be created at Harry’s Bar in Venice. Wine pairings include Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Chiani Classico DOCG from Tuscany, Dolcetto from Piedmont, and the local Valpolicella DOC. If you are choosing the latter wine, make sure to get a good one as the quality varies considerably.
Sopa Coada (Squab Soup) is made with white wine and grated Parmesan cheese. It takes a fairly long time to prepare, but for many people it’s a meal. You might substitute chicken for the pigeons but the recommended wine pairings will change. Suggested wine pairings for the squab include Boca DOC if you can find it, the pricey Fara DOC, and Nebbiolo d’Alba, all from Piedmont.
Another pigeon specialty of Veneto is Torresani all Perverada (Spit-roasted Pigeons in a Sausage, Liver, and Herb Sauce) Try this with Polenta and serve with a local fine wine, Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone DOC.
Residents of Veneto prefer rice to pasta. Risi e Bisi (Rice and Peas) is a classic dish. Add some Ham and Parmesan Cheese and pair with the local Bardolino DOC or Bardolino Superiore DOCG or a Valpolicella.
A really cosy Veneto kitchen.
Another fine rice dish is Risotto Primavera (Spring Vegetable Risotto) made with veggies, chicken broth, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy this dish with a Valpolicella or a Soave Classico, also from Veneto.
Our final dish is the well-known Fegato alla Veneziana (Calf’s Liver with Onions) that’s fairly easy and rapid to make. Enjoy this classic with a Bardolino (I’d go for the Superiore) or even better, a Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from Tuscany.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his global wine website at www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines. Check out his Italian wine website at www.theitalianwineconnection.com.
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