Our Colton’s Cabernet is special. It’s set apart from our other Cabs because it’s an old-world-style Cab and the grapes come from our Lucky 8 Vineyard. What’s unique about this property is a gargantuan eucalyptus tree on the adjacent property, which lends these grapes serious herbal characteristics. Though herbal notes were very strong in our first vintage of Colton’s Cab, each vintage following has been farmed more meticulously, reducing the amount of mint and eucalyptus we get from these grapes. Unlike our estate-grown Cabernets, it’s been aged for 18 months, rather than the 30 months our Cab Reserve, Patriot, Good Life, and James Vincent spend in oak, resulting in a wine that is less tannic and more approachable. Lastly, the clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, clone 30, is different from the clones 8 and 15 that are planted on our estate.
Still, the 2018 vintage of Colton’s Cabernet is unexpectedly big, but incredibly smooth, with muted herbal hints, making it perfect to pair with herb braised short ribs.
Herb Red Wine Braised Short Ribs and Creamy Polenta
Makes about 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
For the short ribs:
3 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Pepper to taste
1 large red onion
1 1/2 tbsp. garlic, minced
3 cups red wine
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh sagebrush
1 sprig fresh mint
2 bay laurel leaves
Optional: Extra sagebrush or rosemary sprigs to garnish
For the polenta:
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
For the short ribs:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove all racks from oven except for one and place it in the lower third of oven.
Brush short rubs with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add each short rib, leaving space between them. Sear each short rib, allowing them to really brown. Turn short ribs on each side, until all sides are browned, about fifteen minutes in total.
Once short ribs have been seared, turn the heat to medium, add onion and garlic around short ribs, and cook until soft, about five minutes.
Add red wine and bring to a simmer.
Add herbs, cover, and place in oven. Braise short ribs in oven until meat is tender and falling off the bone, about two to two and a half hours.
Allow meat to rest in covered pan for twenty minutes prior to serving.
Rest the meat. When the meat is done, rest in a covered pan for 20 minutes before serving. Serve by gently tugging the chunks of meat away from the bone and spooning the saucy onions over top.
Serve in a bowl or on plate with the creamy polenta, garnish with an extra herb sprig, and pair with our 2018 Colton’s Cabernet Sauvignon!
For the polenta:
In a medium saucepan, bring salt and 4 cups water to a boil. Slowly and steadily add polenta or cornmeal, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk 2 minutes after all polenta has been added. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat. Add butter, cheese, and one of the minced garlic cloves, then season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Serve in a bowl or on plate with the braised short ribs, garnish with an extra herb sprig, and pair with our 2018 Colton’s Cabernet Sauvignon!
I hope I’ve inspired you to grab your Dutch oven and make this tasty pairing at home! Please let us know if you do make these short ribs and if you have any feedback. We’d love to hear from you!
Merlot, which is our Winemaker Mark Clarin’s favorite varietal, is the Bordeaux brother of Cabernet Sauvignon, but is often forgotten about and inexplicably doesn’t seem to have as great of a reputation as Cab. Since it’s Mark’s favorite varietal, Mark has made our Merlot liked he would make any of our Cabernets–big and delicious! This Merlot drinks like a Cab, but still has the Merlot characteristics that you can’t get from a Cabernet. Having been aged in a combination of new and experienced French oak, our Merlot has those rich, silky smooth tannins you’d expect from a gorgeous French oak barrel and is still big enough to stand up to a steak dinner. This wine tastes like luxury to me, but is still humble enough to be enjoyed on spring day, in both its price point and its drinkability.
I love our Merlot with a lean, but flavorful tri tip that can easily be thrown on the grill. Using a savory rub, work some spice and umami into your meat so the mouthfeel matches that of our Merlot. Enjoy it with an easy tomato, avocado, and corn salad, soft, buttery potatoes, and our 2015 McGrail Merlot for a full-on tasty summertime meal!
Easy Grilled Tri Tip
Makes about 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. tri tip, silver skin removed
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
3 tbsp. meat rub of choice (I used Five Marys Spice Seasoning Rub)
DIRECTIONS:
Season tri tip with rub of choice and allow to sit for at least one hour. Work rub into meat.
Heat grill on high. Liberally season tri tip with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear tri tip on each side for 6-8 minutes. Lower heat to low and flip meat over. Cook for 8-10 minutes on each side. Meat will be ready when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat has reached 130 degrees F. Allow meat to rest for 10-20 minutes, then slice against the grain.
Store remaining tri tip in an airtight container for up to one week after preparing.
Grazing boards (a fancy name for large charcuterie boards) are one of the easiest culinary trends at the moment. Not only can anyone make them, they are gorgeous and delicious, and also all the rage on Instagram. They’re perfect in almost any setting–lounging around the pool, avoiding small talk at a party, or at home, just because you want a snack. Since I’ve been in charge of overseeing several McGrail winery events, I’ve also been the creator of nearly every cheeseboard or crudité platter our winery events have seen. That’s a lot of charcuterie for one girl to make! With this experience, I’d say I have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to make a respectable grazing board. I’ve come up with some easy-to-follow steps, which are listed below, to make your own Insta-worthy grazing board at home.
Find a pretty plate, platter, board, or tray to use. It can be old or it can be new, but it should be pretty. Make sure it’s the right size. How many people will be enjoying your masterpiece? Make sure it’s clean. Wash it if you need to.
Consider your main components–cheese, meat, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, nuts, crackers, olives, dried fruits, dips, jams, herbs, etc. Try to choose ingredients that are colorful. Rainbow carrots, mini heirloom tomatoes, sweet peppers, and various colorful fruits are some of my favorite munchies to use. When you choose ingredients that are naturally colorful, your board will be both more visually appealing and more nutritious.
Also think about how your guests will be eating each component–with their hands, with a toothpick, etc. Will they need mini tongs to pick up each piece? Will they need somewhere to dispose of toothpicks or rinds? Will you be providing snack plates or napkins? Your guests will likely need something to cut the cheese wedges with. Make sure you have one knife available for each type of cheese that needs to be cut.
Start by placing your larger pieces on the board first. Larger, stickier items, like cheese wedges should be placed around the outer edges of the board. This is helpful for keeping smaller snacks, like nuts or berries, from falling off the sides of your board. Dips, jams, and sauces in small bowls or saucers should also be placed on the board first, but should go in the center of the board to reduce risk of falling off. Hummus is always great to have with veggies.
Separate similar colors and similar ingredients. Separating your colors will up the “wow” factor of your board, because it makes it appear more colorful. If you have red cherries and strawberries, put one on one side of the board and one on the opposite side of the board. Although certain components should be separated, do not just simply put a handful of each thing on the board. The placement should look organic, not careless. Some placements should be triangular, some should be long and skinny, and some should be funky.
Make the board as full as possible. The more you have on the board, the prettier it will be! It will need to be fuller in the center and more sparse on the edges. You can use other fixings as support for smaller ingredients. Stack your blueberries as high as you can. It’s okay if they’re overflowing onto a cheese wedge.
Get creative with your components. Each part doesn’t just have to be one ingredient. One thing I like to do is chop up apples, squeeze lemon over them, drizzle honey on top, and sprinkle a bit of blue cheese over the honey. Or, cut some mozzarella into small pieces, add a dollop of pesto or a basil leaf and a mini tomato, and stick a toothpick through it for a mini caprese salad.
Cut up fruits or veggies that have seeds or pits or that would be cumbersome to eat whole. Bell peppers should be seeded and sliced into sticks, because just straight up eating a whole bell pepper would feel ridiculous and messy. Watermelons and oranges should be sliced, with the skins left on to make eating them easier. Don’t forget some fruits, like apples and pears should be squeezed with lemon once sliced and seeded to keep them from turning brown!
Create patterns or artwork by manipulating certain ingredients. Salami can be folded into quarters and bunched together for a unique look. The tips of strawberries can be cut and worked to look like roses. Make it interesting to look at and to eat.
Lastly, add some fun herbs or edible flowers as a garnish. This can contribute some serious pop to the board. A few sprigs of rosemary is a lovely and easy way to class up the board.
Though nearly every wine can be enjoyed with a grazing board, not every grazing board should be enjoyed with every wine. It’s a rule in the wine world that most food can be enjoyed with sparkling wine due to its versatility, which is why I have chosen to pair our Gracie Brut with an equally stunning grazing board.
Based on my experience, here are foods I recommend using on a grazing board to enjoy alongside Gracie:
Jarlsberg cheese
Asiago cheese
Mozarella, tomato, and pesto bites
Pita crackers
Bruschetta
Herb focaccia bread
Balsamic basil Triscuit crackers
Pistachios
Almonds
Cashews
Blackberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Honeycrisp apple
Granny smith apple
Dried apricots
I hope I’ve inspired you to create your own fun, summertime grazing boards at home! Please let us know if you do. We’d love to hear from you!
Rub the pork tenderloin with the herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Coat seasoned pork with mustard.
Turn broiler on high. Place tenderloin on wire rack, about 5 inches from broiler, with a baking pan below it to catch any drippings. Broil the tenderloin for about 5 minutes on all 4 sides, or until tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Once cooked through, remove tenderloin from oven, place in a pan, and cover with foil. Tenderloin will continue cooking, so leave it covered for about 10 minutes.
Remove foil and thinly slice pork.
Make the garlic balsamic sauce while the pork is cooking.
Heat a medium sauce pan on medium. Brown minced garlic in hot oil. Add chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and red wine. Stirring occasionally, allow sauce to come to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Allow sauce to simmer until it has boiled down into almost less than half and has thickened.
Once pork has been cooked and sliced and sauce has been prepared pour the sauce over the pork and allow to sit for at least ten minutes before enjoying. Save some sauce to enjoy over potatoes or rice.
3 tbsp. meat rub of choice (I used Five Marys Spice Seasoning Rub)
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
2 corn cobs, husks and silks removed, kernels cut from cob
1 large haas avocado, pitted and cubed
1 oz. parmesan crisp croutons
8 oz. mini heirloom tomatoes, quartered
6 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 oz. Sonomic balsamic red wine reduction
2 oz. balsamic vinegar
2 oz. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. herbs de Provence
DIRECTIONS:
Season tri tip with rub of choice and allow to sit for at least one hour. Work rub into meat.
Heat grill on high. Liberally season tri tip with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear tri tip on each side for 6-8 minutes. Lower heat to low and flip meat over. Cook for 8-10 minutes on each side. Meat will be ready when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat has reached 130 degrees F. Allow meat to rest for 10-20 minutes, then slice against the grain.
On four salad plates, evenly divide romaine lettuce, corn kernels, avocado, croutons, tomatoes, and blue cheese. Add about 4 ounces tri tip on top of each salad.
In a small bowl, combine shallot, Sonomic balsamic red wine reduction, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Stir well, then drizzle over each salad.
Store remaining tri tip in an airtight container for up to one week after preparing.
One thing the McGrail team has always discussed tasting great with our Sláinte Red Blend is pork sausage. Since I usually don’t really care for pork sausage, it has been a challenge for me to find the energy to actually take the time to make the pairing. Having grown up in a Portuguese family, linguica has always been a staple in my family’s breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Maybe I forgot that linguica is pork sausage, but it is certainly one of the more palatable foods of the Portuguese cuisine, which I think is why I’ve taken a liking to it. If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying fresh-off-the grill linguica, it’s greasy, meaty, and a little sweet and spicy. I chose it as the main star of this dish, because while I think it’s great on its own, it’s also delicious with other acidic foods, like tomatoes or onions. I added cheese to balance out the acidity and an herb focaccia to complement the slight herbal notes in the nose of our Sláinte Red Blend. To further the Portuguese theme of this pairing, I think it’s important to mention this wine is composed of two Portuguese varietals and Cabernet Sauvignon. This really is a most excellent pairing!
Herb Focaccia & Linguica Flatbread
Makes about 16 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. fresh herb focaccia bread
6 tbsp. olive oil, divided
22 oz. linguica sausage (I recommend Silva’s or Lockeford sausages, both are founded in Northern California), sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
12 garlic cloves, quartered
6 oz. white mushrooms, sliced thinly
10 oz. mini heirloom tomatoes, quartered
6 oz. fresh ciliegine whole milk fresh mozzarella balls, quartered
4 oz. freshly grated parmesan cheese
6 sprigs fresh thyme
DIRECTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Take your focaccia bread and rub 2 tablespoons olive oil all over it.
Place in the oven for about 5 minutes or until bread becomes slightly brown.
In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium and cook linguica slices until just heated through.
In a small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium-low and cook shallots, garlic, and mushrooms until they become soft.
Evenly disperse the tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan, linguica, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and thyme sprigs over the top of the focaccia bread.
Cook the focaccia flatbread in the oven at 450 degrees F for 10 to 20 minutes, or until desired crispiness is achieved.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make this perfectly balanced pairing at home! Please let us know if you do make any of these plates and if you have any feedback. We’d love to hear from you!
One of my favorite types of food, that is surprisingly difficult to find in the Bay Area, is Puerto Rican food. I know of a few great places in Santa Rosa, San Rafael, and San Francisco, but there’s nothing I know of within an hour’s drive that is worth the effort. I have found myself craving my favorite Puerto Rican steak, bean, and rice dishes a lot lately and with the SIP still in effect, I decided I would try making these delicious plates at home. Armed with a lengthy list of ingredients, I set out to the local supermarket in search of what could make or break one of my all-time favorite meals. Though this pairing was certainly more complicated and time consuming than many others, this was well worth the work, as it was one of the most balanced pairings and flavorful meals I’ve made yet! I seriously could not stop praising myself while I enjoying this dinner. I hope you will consider enjoying this pairing at home, too!
Bistec Encebollado
Makes about 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain in 4-5″ squares
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup organic beef stock
2 large white onions, sliced into rings
1 tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped
1 (0.18 oz.) packet Sazón seasoning
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. Ádobo
1 1/2 tsp. dry oregano
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. Kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
In a Ziploc bag, combine steak slices, olive oil, vinegar, beef stock, onions, cilantro, Sazón, garlic, dry oregano, cumin, and salt. Shake the sealed bag to evenly distribute the seasonings over the steak. Put bag in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours.
Heat a large pan on medium-low. Remove onions from bag and sautée them until they become soft, not browned. Remove steak slices from bag and cook with onions, until they are cooked through.
Frijoles Cubanos
Makes about 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed in a strainer
4 cups water
1/2 cup sofrito (recipe below, in case you can’t find it at the store)
2 smoked pork hocks
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 (0.18 oz.) packet Sazón seasoning
3 1/2 cups organic beef stock
1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
I had the misfortune of not being able to find sofrito at the store, but luckily I was able to quickly use some ingredients I had on hand to make this flavorful addition to the beans.
SOFRITO INGREDIENTS:
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 medium tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 1/2 tbsp. cilantro leaves, packed
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
SOFRITO DIRECTIONS:
Slowly add each sofrito ingredient to a food processor and blend together until smooth.
Sofrito can be used in other foods or eaten as a salsa. Store in an air-right container for up to two weeks.
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, add your cleaned and rinsed dry beans. Cover the beans with water and turn burner on medium heat. Bring to a boil and allow the beans to boil for about 2 minutes.
Remove the beans from heat and allow them to soak for about an hour. Stir occasionally to make sure most beans are still soaking in the water.
Return the beans to medium heat, but do not drain them.
Add sofrito, pork hocks, cumin, oregano, Sazón, beef stock, vinegar, cilantro, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir.
Once the beans have reached a boil, lower heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for up to two hours, or until most liquid has disappeared, stirring occasionally. Beans will be ready when they are tender.
Heat oil in a medium, deep saucepan on high. Using a candy thermometer, get the temperature of the oil to 400°F. This is the ideal temperature for frying plantains, but 375°F will work too.
Peel plantains and slice them thinly and at a slant. About 1/8” is the best slice thickness to get them crispy.
Slowly add each plantain slice to the hot oil and allow each to brown around the edges. It should take about 20 seconds per slice. Using tongs, remove each plantain slice from the oil when they are ready and place on a paper-towel-covered plate to drain excess oil from plantains.
Sprinkle hot plantains with salt and garlic powder (optional).
Plate and enjoy on their own, with guacamole, or use your remaining sofrito to dip them in. Serve with bistec encebollado, frijoles Cubanos, white rice, and our 2015 McGrail Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
I hope I’ve inspired you to make some of these incredibly flavorful dishes at home! This is one of my personal favorite pairings so far. Please let us know if you make any of these dishes. We’d love to hear from you!
Summertime is swiftly approaching and though I’m not totally sure what that means for us in the middle of a pandemic, one thing that is for sure is we can still enjoy our favorite summertime food and wine, just not really with each other!
I used to worship my Crockpot in college, but over the past couple of years I’ve forgotten how magical slow cookers can be. Since I’ve been making and eating most of my meals at home during the shelter-in-place, I’ve become very friendly with my slow cooker again. What I love most about slow cookers is the work in using them is minimal. You literally just throw a bunch of stuff in the pot and forget about it until you’re ready to eat. It’s amazing.
With summer on its way, I’m looking forward to enjoying all the foods that are beginning to come into season. I love delicious barbecue food–grilled corn, fresh watermelon, tasty salads, hamburgers, yummy squash, and everything in between. Combining my adoration for my Crockpot and my appreciation for summertime foods, I came up with a recipe for a sweet and savory slow-cooked pulled pork sandwich that pairs perfectly with our easy-drinking, summertime favorite, Shamus Patrick Red Blend.
1 1/2 cup sweet Vidalia onion barbecue sauce, divided
1 cup orange juice, divided
1/2 cup mango juice
1 (0.7 oz.) packet dry Italian dressing seasoning
2 yellow onions, cut into rings
1/4 cup apricot jam
3 tbsp. honey, divided
1 cup mayonnaise (I used avocado oil mayonnaise)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 orange, peeled and cubed
4 apricots, pitted and minced
2 large haas avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed
1 small red onion, minced
3 stems green onions, thinly sliced
16 brioche buns
Salted butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the pork:
Remove your pork shoulder or pork butt from packaging and liberally season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Put your pork meat in a large slow cooker and top with 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1/2 cup orange juice, mango juice, Italian dressing seasoning, and yellow onions. Cook in slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours. Add or subtract cooking time depending on weight of pork shoulder or pork butt.
Once the pork has been cooked through, use two forks (one in each hand) to shred the meat. Add remaining barbecue sauce, apricot jam, 1 tablespoon honey, and mix well into meat.
For the slaw:
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, and salt and pepper to taste, to create the slaw dressing.
In a large bowl, combine red cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, oranges, mango, avocado, minced red onion, apricots, and green onion. Stir well. Pour slaw dressing over cabbage mixture and stir well. Put prepared slaw in the refrigerator and allow to sit for at least an hour.
For the sandwich:
Cut your brioche buns in half and butter the inside portion of each half. Broil on high with buttered portion facing broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until desired toasty-ness is achieved.
Fill each bun with cooked pork, onions, and slaw.
Enjoy with a side of fresh-cut watermelon or potato salad and a glass (or two) of our Shamus Patrick Red Blend!
I hope I’ve inspired you to dust off your slow cooker and make this yummy pairing at home! Please let us know if you do make these sandwiches and if you have any feedback. We’d love to hear from you!
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
For the polenta:
In a medium saucepan, bring salt and 4 cups water to a boil. Slowly and steadily add polenta or cornmeal, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk 2 minutes after all polenta has been added. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat. Add butter, cheese, and one of the minced garlic cloves, then season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
For the shrimp:
Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat and add oil. Add garlic, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and half of the green onion slices. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
Add heirloom tomatoes. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.
Add shrimp and thyme. Cook until shrimp are entirely pink, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 2 more minutes.
Serve shrimp over polenta. Garnish with remaining green onions and red pepper flakes.
If there’s anything American people and Mexican people both love, it’s a celebration that involves good food, drinks, and fun party festivities. Unfortunately, a party isn’t really in the cards for us at the moment, so we’ll mainly focus on the food and drinks. But since we’re on the topic of parties and celebrations, let me tell you a little bit about why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo. What I find most fascinating about Cinco de Mayo is that it is more widely celebrated in the United States than it is in Mexico. At a glance, it is a celebration of Zaragoza’s victory over Napoleon III’s French forces on May 5th, 1862 in Puebla, Mexico. There is only one state in Mexico that observes Cinco de Mayo as a federal holiday, and that’s Puebla. Contrary to what a lot of Americans think to be true, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16th, not on Cinco de Mayo. The battle of Puebla, which occurred on the 5th of May in 1862, is not even considered to be that monumental of a victory, according to much of Mexico. Cinco de Mayo has come to be so widely celebrated in the United States, because it is and has been a way for Mexican Americans to celebrate their heritage. In 1862 when Napoleon was defeated, the people of Puebla and the people of California shared many ties and Mexican Americans in California celebrated Puebla’s victory. 158 years later, we carry on the tradition of celebrating one Mexican city’s defeat of the French. Now that you know the reason we celebrate Cinco de Mayo and why it’s such a big deal in America, we’ll move onto the good stuff–food and drinks!
Like Cinco de Mayo, tacos were believed to have originated around the 1800’s and were also eventually adopted by and are now widely celebrated by Americans. For a food that isn’t actually that old, tacos are certainly popular! Seriously though, what’s not to like about a taco? In their traditional form, tacos almost exclusively contain the most delicious ingredients known to man and aways come nicely wrapped in a cute little tortilla vessel. What I love most about tacos is that you can now find a recipe in which any sort of food has been made into a taco. Grilled carrots? Yep. Cheeseburgers? You know it. Chocolate and ice cream? You bet. Though I will always love traditional Mexican street tacos, I appreciate the culinary innovation in creating any type of taco. One of America’s most beloved food gurus, Guy Fieri, is also an enthusiast of culinary modification.
Guy Fieri, who is a Bay Area native, is known for his fusion dishes and restaurants. When trying to brainstorm wine pairings for Cinco de Mayo, Guy Fieri’s cultural culinary fusion style immediately came to mind, due to the fact Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that celebrates a Mexican city’s victory over French forces and is primarily celebrated in the United States. When I think of Guy Fieri, I am reminded of my time living in Sonoma County, when I almost literally, physically bumped into him at Costco in Santa Rosa once and would dine at his restaurants regularly. Tex Wasabi’s, which was one of Fieri’s restaurants in Santa Rosa, served some of the most amazing Asian and Barbecue fusion plates imaginable and some of the best food I’ve ever had.
In addition to tying the taco and wine pairings to Fieri’s fusion style, I had also been trying to come up with a new, fun video idea for our Assistant Winemaker Cris to star in and Guy Fieri just really fit the bill for both myself and Cris. Soon, I found myself ordering a $6 Fierian wig and flame-covered bowling shirt off Amazon and pulling faux tattoo sleeves out of my Halloween costume boxes. Cris did a magnificent job emulating the Mayor of Flavortown in our video, which was posted on Sunday. I encourage you to take a watch if you haven’t yet!
In order to incorporate the food pairings with the video, I had to come up with some interesting taco recipes to keep it fresh and all tied together. While I cooked most of the food, Cris assisted me with frying the fish for the fish tacos and heating the tortillas. Together, we created tequila lime fish tacos that Cris’s character Surfer Steve would show Guy how to make, a saucy cheeseburger taco to pair with our Patriot Cabernet at “Patriot Pat’s,” and some sweet, slowcooked BBQ chicken and mango-apple tacos, enjoyed by Cris’s elderly Gertrude, who said they brought her as much pleasure as her late husband Winston did before he died in 1985. Admittedly, the characters and storyline are absolutely wacky, but our main goal was to entertain, which we definitely accomplished.
I hope you enjoy these taco and wine pairings and are able to get a chuckle out of our silly video. Cheers and feliz Cinco de Mayo!
In a shallow bowl or a Ziploc bag, combine the cumin, salt , pepper lime juice, and tequila. Stir thoroughly. Place the cod in the bowl or bag and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator, allowing the fish to marinate for up to an hour.
In a deep frying pan or skillet, heat the canola oil to 350-375 degrees F.
In a shallow dish, combine the dry fish fry and panko bread crumbs. Mix well.
Remove the cod from the marinade and dredge each piece entirely in fish fry and panko mixture.
Slowly, begin adding each piece of cod to the oil, ensuring the pieces stay separated from one another. Fry each piece of cod for 4-5 minutes, or until light golden brown. Using tongs, remove the fish from the oil and place on a paper-towel-covered plate to remove any excess oil.
Warm corn tortillas in a pan, on low heat. Cover warm tortillas with a towel to keep warm.
Stack two tortillas and place 1-2 pieces of the cod on top of each. Top with dry slaw, pico de gallo, and tequila lime aioli.
Serve immediately.
For the dry slaw:
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
For the pico de gallo:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
For the tequila lime aioli:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
1 medium-sized red tomato, cut into 1/4″ thick slices
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, cleaned and cut into 6″ around pieces
3 mini Kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced
3 tsp. sesame seeds
Optional: 1 1/2 haas avocado
DIRECTIONS:
Warm corn tortillas on a pan, on low heat. Cover warm tortillas with a towel to keep warm. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine thousand island dressing and ketchup. Mix well. Set aside.
In a medium frying pan, heat oil on medium-low. Add minced onions and grill until lightly browned.
In a medium bowl, combine hamburger meat, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape into 6 small-to-medium-sized patties.
Heat a large, non-stick frying pan on medium. Add patties. Grill each patty halfway to desired doneness and add a slice of cheese on top. Once patties have reached desired doneness, remove from heat.
Stack two warm tortillas together and top with 1-2 pieces iceberg lettuce, a cooked cheeseburger patty, 1-2 tomato slices, a spoonful of grilled onions, several dill pickle slices, thousand-island-ketchup mixture, 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds, and 1/2 haas avocado (optional).
1 lb. organic chicken breast, boneless and skinless
12 oz. sweet BBQ sauce (I used Sauced’s Pig Candy BBQ Sauce)
1 red onion, diced
6 whole garlic cloves
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
For the mango-apple slaw:
3 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. lime juice
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup mango juice
2 tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped
1 mango, cubed into 1/4″ pieces
1 granny smith apple, cubed into 1/4″ pieces
1 honeycrisp apple, cubed into 1/4″ pieces
1 cup napa cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
For the chicken:
In a medium slowcooker, add raw chicken breast, BBQ sauce, diced onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Place lid on slowcooker, and ensure no or minimal air is escaping.
If chicken breasts are frozen, turn slowcooker on high and allow to cook for 2-3 hours. If chicken breasts are refrigerator temperature, turn slowcooker on low and allow to cook for 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours. Chicken is cooked when breasts have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Chicken should be easy to shred. Shred chicken into 1″ chunks using two forks.
For the mango-apple slaw:
In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, lime juice, mango juice, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, and olive oil. Whisk together.
In the same bowl, add mango, apple, cilantro, cabbage, and carrots. Stir well. Allow to sit in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
For the tacos:
Warm corn tortillas on a pan, on low heat. Cover warm tortillas with a towel to keep warm.
Once the chicken has been cooked thoroughly and you have made the slaw, stack two warm tortillas together on a plate. On top of tortillas, place 2-3 chicken chunks, a spoonful of corn, a heaping tablespoon of shredded cheese, a large spoonful of mango-apple slaw, and one teaspoon chives.
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