• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Private tutors in Hong Kong
        • Image of Chinese characters for article on tips for learning Mandarin Chinese languageSix steps to a magical Mandarin Story
        • International Women’s Day: Nominate Someone Special
        • Helping our communities learn to swim
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • KidsFest 2023 Hong Kong - Tabby McTatTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Best playgrounds & parks for the kids
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Private tutors in Hong Kong
        • We chat with two GSIS families
        • A boarding school with wildlife on the doorstep!
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • A New Home in The New Territories
        • Transforming an old Hong Kong junk
        • Image of Altfield home furnishings showroomWhere to get designer home furnishings
        • Hong Kong People: Meet Laura Pezza
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Sequoia Lodge, AustraliaTravel Tips: Hot hotels for 2023
        • Mount KinabuluClimbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah
        • Son Doong CaveJourney into the world’s largest cave
        • Famous movie locations in Asia - Hong Kong - Gage Street8 Famous Movie Locations in Asia
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Thai food at Monsoon restaurant in Hong KongRestaurant Review: Monsoon
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Popcorn Shrimp with Spicy Honey Mayo
        • Indulgent chocolate cake - recipeRecipe: Indulgent Chocolate Cake
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Convertible clothing that can be mix-and-matched
        • where to get botox in hong kongBotox in Hong Kong – All you need to know
        • Where to buy (and sell!) watches
        • Face masks, spa products, body scrubsWe test body scrubs, creams, masks & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • dry eye disease - causes, symptoms and treatment for dry eyesDo you suffer from dry eyes?
        • family dental clinics and dentists in Hong KongFamily Dental Clinics and Dentists in HK
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
        • Safe & healthy eating during pregnancy
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

Italian Food and Wine Pairing

16 January, 2017 by Expat Living 2 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/italian-food-and-wine-pairing/

Now summer is over we are thinking about our next vacation destination already and have had Italy on our minds for some time now. So we talk to Eddie Mcdougall of The Flying Winemaker  who samples la bella vita in a series of winning wine and food combinations from Italy, and makes us want to hop on a plane more than ever.

Burrata Caprese Salad Anyone?
Burrata Caprese Salad Anyone?

I’ve been to Italy every year since 2008 to work the harvests in the vineyards of Barolo, and in that time I’ve been blessed by the magical hands of a nonna in the kitchen. My winemaking colleagues and I, following all the hard work we put in from sunrise to sundown, regularly gather to rest and to feast on classics like risottos, perfectly dressed salads, handmade pastas, cured meats, hearty stews and, of course, a healthy fix of Italian vino.

In most countries where food is a serious business, cuisine varies from region to region; the same applies to Italy, both in its food and its wine. The diversity of regional flavours makes the country one of the world’s greatest gastronomic destination, without the need for fancy Michelin stars to prove its worth. Italian food is gauged more by honesty and simplicity.

Italian wines, on the other hand, are a little more complex and difficult to understand; the country is home to over 3,000 varietals, all of which are produced in styles dictated by the specific characteristics of the land and by longstanding regulations. Having said that, Italians didn’t start producing wines only yesterday, and the long course of time has assisted with easing our understanding of the wines and the regions.

When it comes to the science of Italian food and wine pairing, it’s a dream experience. Italian food almost seems designed to fit wine perfectly – not so different from the fit of a tailored Armani suit to an Italian gentleman. Wine is often perfectly interwoven with many of the classic dishes in any case: whether it’s as part of a stock or a gravy, or the use of a type of vinegar, wine is in the bloodlines of all great Italian recipes.

As I look ahead to my next harvest trip this September, I really get excited about the chance to enjoy some of my favourite dishes – and, of course, wash them down with a scrumptious vino. Here are a few of my all-time favourite combinations that I’m sure will have you booking your next flight to Milan.

* Quattro formaggi pizza (four-cheese pizza: gorgonzola, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano and goat’s cheese)

pairs well with

Fratelli Grasso Langhe Chardonnay 2013, HK$150

* Burnt sage butter with pinenuts and gnocchi

pairs well with

La Mesma Gavi di Gavi, Etichetta Gialla, Italy HK$200

* Creamy porcini risotto

pairs well with

Chiara Boschis, E.Pira & Figli Barbera d’Alba, Italy, HK$190

* Salad of burrata (buffalo mozzarella), basil and fresh tomatoes dressed with aged balsamic vinegar

pairs well with

Eddie McDougall “Umami” Sangiovese, Alpine Valley, Australia 2008, HK$300

* Carne cruda (raw veal mince) served with shavings of white Alba truffles and olive oil

pairs well with

Bibi Graetz, Casamatta, IGT Toscana Rosso 2013, HK$173

Eddie and The Flying Winemaker
Eddie and The Flying Winemaker

All wines listed here are available at flyingwinemaker.asia. To sample the wines of these regions before you go, visit flyingwinemaker.asia or the store at 6/F, Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central. 

Need some restaurant inspirations in HK? Head over to our Wine and Dine page where you will find tons more restaurant reccomendations.

Categories: Wine & Dine Tags: Hong Kong Travel Hong Kong Wine

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Popcorn Shrimp with Spicy Honey Mayo

Indulgent chocolate cake - recipe

Recipe: Indulgent Chocolate Cake

6 super reasons to visit sky100

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.