Sherry and food

This isn't a recipe per se, more like an ode to one of the planet's finest wines, and a personal favorite: sherry from Spain. There are several types of sherry, but no need to delve into the subject here. There is a trove of in depth information, recipes and more on the region's official Web site: Sherry Wines.

Sherry is wonderful on its own, in food or on the table. Here are a few ideas to get things started:

Sherry in food

• Add a splash of fino or amontillado to soup/consomme before serving. It takes things to another level.
• Stews of any sort get an important flavor boost with sherry. Use a healthy glug of oloroso or amontillado with meat or game, fino or manzanilla with fish or shellfish.
• Deglaze the griddle after cooking a burger or steak with oloroso/amontillado, then pour a bit over the meat for a blast of extra flavor.
• Try a dose of amontillado or oloroso in your next marinara sauce or ragú. Use fino for lighter sauces.
• The list goes on...

Sherry with food

• If it swims: fino or manzanilla
• If it flies: amontillado
• If it walks: oloroso
• Nuts go beautifully with a glass of any sherry style, cold cuts as well.
• Sherry pairs very well with most cheeses. Softer/mild cheeses with fino, oloroso or amontillado with harder/stronger flavored cheese.
• Sherries also have the oomph to stand up to spicy fare. Try fino or amontillado with Indian, Mexican, Thai, Sichuan... You will be pleasantly surprised.
• For dessert: try a drizzle of sweet Pedro Ximénez (or Cream sherry) over ice cream or strawberries. Magic!

Links:
1. An article I wrote a while back for a Spanish wine blog: Jerez: pleasure & frustration
2. A short article on this Web site Sherry Highlights

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