Pairing Foods with Different Types of Port

[Melanie R.]

I found this list on the Sogevinus site that I thought might be useful to folks. Many of the suggestions won't be new to most, but there are a few that were new to me. (I wonder why "desserts made with eggs" go well with tawnies/Colheitas. Coincidentally, I tried out a Pao de Lo cake for Easter last month--which was delicious--and thought about trying it with a tawny but never got around to it. I figured that a Portuguese dessert would probably go well with Port. Guess I will have to make it again and try them together.)

http://www.sogevinus.com/en.asp#gourmet

[Peter W. Meek]

...I wonder why "desserts made with eggs" go well with tawnies/Colheitas....

Crème brûlée, flan, custards, savory crêpes, pound cake (1 pound each, eggs, sugar, flour)....

Something about the unctuousness (with some sweetness) of these desserts goes very nicely with tawnys. Thinking about it, I would say "desserts made with egg yolks" is closer. I doubt that a meringue (egg white only) would go as well.

[Glenn E.]

I doubt that a meringue (egg white only) would go as well.

My guess is that it would depend on the tawny.

Lighter tawnies would likely pair pretty well with a dessert that contains meringue, while aged tawnies would seem to go better with eggs or yolks. I would guess that white Ports would also go well with meringue... hmm... perhaps I'll need to try that soon. Having just typed that I have a sudden urge for lemon meringue pie.

[Melanie R.]

Yes, I think you are on the right track there. The Pao de Lo was similar to an angel food cake in texture, but it was made with the yolks as well as whites (and was therefore a little denser and eggy-tasting, but in a pleasing way, reminding me of a cross between angel food and chiffon or pound cake). I highly recommend it if anyone is looking to try making some Portuguese desserts. I baked it in a tube pan/angel food pan and it came out beautifully--I topped it with sugar-macerated strawberries and some lime whipped cream with great results.

Here's the recipe I used if anyone is interested: http://portuguesemenu.blogspot.com/2008 ... -de-l.html

My apologies if I have gone a little too far to the "baker geek" realm in this post and put anyone to sleep.

[Roy Hersh]

I just got off the phone with the owner of the US importer for Kopke/Rocha 10 minutes ago. Our discussion:

Port and food pairings.

He has been traveling around the USA and promoting pairing food and Port. He invited me to a dinner tasting at Daniel's Leschi tonight, where he has locked in to a promotion pairing his 10 year old Tawny Port with two dishes (ahi and a steak dish). In other markets, from TX, to Ohio and others around the USA (oh year, lots of success in New Mexico) in Port pairings.

He said one of the interesting things he's found is that pairing foods like ahi and wasabi, rare roast beef and horseradish sauce with the 10 year old Tawny they do beautifully and even Calamari has worked well.

Interesting thoughts.

[Glenn E.]

He said one of the interesting things he's found is that pairing foods like ... rare roast beef ... with the 10 year old Tawny they do beautifully

Doesn't surprise me a bit! I like tawnies with a grilled steak, too, because the char on the steak and the wood/nut notes of the tawny seem to compliment each other.