1/29/09 Root Veggies

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Today is food and wine pairing day. I am really excited about all of the root vegetables available in the market right now. Today I thought I would make a few recommendations for things to do with them and of course the wines to serve with them. Yes, there are all sorts of beautiful root vegetables in the market now and of course I love trying new recipes and pairing wines with them. If you like sweet potatoes and yams then think about using them to make French fries. Yes, that matchstick style of French fry is delicious made from a combination of yams and sweet potatoes. Serve them salted, or not, with a dry champagne. Speaking of yams, baked them and whip them with carrots, another fabulous root veggie and a touch of butter and curry powder. They are very good with any entrée with which you might serve a very light red wine or a dry Riesling. Next a great salad or side dish is roasted golden beets, peeled and sliced, served on mixed greens or alone, and topped with toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese - delicious with a nice dry white such as Pinot Gris. Another preparation I enjoy is slicing assorted root veggies spraying them with olive oil and sprinkling them with your favorite seasonings. Bake them in the oven until tender and serve alongside fish or poultry. In this case pick the wine you feel best suits your entrée. Remember to send your wine questions to linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.