Breaking all of the Rules



I can always see both sides of an argument and although I am interested in wine and food pairings it always amazes me how other factors such as the weather and the people you are with play just as big a part in successful combinations. One thing I can’t stand is mini-Hitler waiters in restaurants telling you what you must drink; I like listening to their advice but in the end decision must be mine. I remember one beautiful summers night in Paris when I was out dining with two friends and we had all decided that a bottle of Rosé would be just the thing; the waiter point-blank refused to serve it to us as we had all ordered a steak – ridiculous!

Last month I was on my usual monthly trip to Bourges in France, the weather was beautifully hot and the town was literally buzzing with the Fete de la Musique. With some difficulty I found a restaurant that wasn’t fully booked – the Louis XI which serves some of the best steaks in France. By this time I was feeling rather hot and after ordering my rare steak and chips, I ordered a bottle of Quincy to refresh me. The waitress politely asked if I knew that Quincy was a white wine and I replied in my best French that of course I knew that and it was what I wanted. At this point I hadn’t twigged that I had ordered a steak and white wine!

The wine came first and I began to enjoy one of my favourite white wines – a nice grapefruity Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley near Vierzon. Then the steak arrived and I realised what I had done. However, with a true adventurous spirit I decided to see if steak and white wine really are such a disastrous combination. Imagine my surprise when the two worked together perfectly. So how come I broke all the rules and still enjoyed a great wine and food pairing experience? Firstly, I was eating and drinking what I fancied on the night. Secondly, the weather was really warm and completely suited the drinking of white wine with almost anything. Finally, I had an unusual garnish to my steak – anchovy butter and olives – and this helped the steak and white wine combination no end.

Try breaking the food and wine rules sometime, you might be surprised!