Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner! America’s most popular organized fight, the Super Bowl brings friends together for camaraderie, good food and drinks! Think football and wine don’t mix? Think again! Wine is the ultimate social drink, and it pairs well with buffalo wings, nachos, tacos, chili, pizza, and other game day snacks. Perfect for your Super Bowl party! Just be sure to pick a fruity wine with a relatively low alcohol content (13.5 % or less) and smooth tannins – like #Merlot, #PinotNoir, #Grenache, #Zinfandel or #Gamay. #Chardonnay, #PinotGris or #CheninBlanc for white wine lovers. A fruity sparkling rose’ like the LVE French Sparkling Rosé or a sparkling red wine like the French Kiss Sparkling Gamay would also be a fun and refreshing pairing.
According to The Tasting Panel Magazine magazine, #Grenache is making a comeback! We offer several wonderful Grenache-based wine in the Boisset Collection — the Louis Bernard 2020 Côtes du Rhône , 2020 Gigondas and the 2018 Vacqueyras. Click on the colored links to learn more and contact me if you want to order some so we can secure the best price for you.
Now for the food.
How about Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa, a fresh healthy option for non-meat eaters. You can save time on this recipe by skipping the homemade avocado salsa and just picking up some spicy pre-made guacamole from the produce section of Whole Foods. I like the Whole Foods fresh guacamole when I’m in a hurry and don’t have time to make homemade, because it’s freshly made with no chemical additives or preservatives. If you want to make your own guacamole though, here’s a quick and easy recipe adapted from Dos Caminos, a popular Mexican restaurant in NYC.
DOS CAMINOS GUACAMOLE
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp cilantro leaves finely chopped
2 tsp yellow onion finely chopped
2 tsp Jalepeno or Serrano Chile minced
2 lg ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
2 tsp plum tomatoes cored and finely chopped
2 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
pinch of coarse salt
PREPARATION:
Place cilantro, onion, chiles, and salt in a medium sized bowl and mash with back of kitchen spoon. Add avacodo, tomatoes, and lime juice and mash all ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serves 2-4
Homemade Buffalo wings are easier than you might think!
CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN WINGS
Be sure the wings are as dry as possible before cooking them to get a really crispy skin. You can also toss them with a little bit of baking powder (about 1 tsp per lb of chicken) mixed in with your other seasonings (salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika) before putting them in the oven. I like to bake mine at 450 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes until they’re crispy, because it’s not as messy or labor intensive as deep frying. Also baking is a little healthier, although buffalo wings are an indulgence, so health is not the ultimate goal here. Be sure to adequately oil your pan to keep the wings from sticking. The real secret is in the sauce though! Here’s the traditional Buffalo Wings sauce which is super easy!
BUFFALO WINGS SAUCE
2 parts Frank’s Red Hot sauce to 1 part melted unsalted butter (add a little white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and garlic powder to taste). That’s it! Don’t forget your celery sticks (and blue cheese dip if you wish) as a healthy side to offset some of the cholesterol in this dish.
Which team are you rooting for this Sunday?! Chiefs or Eagles? Tell us in the comments!