Is there a food that most impacts your palate?

WINE TALK
61

The cilantro thing is genetic, so I assume that it spoils everything for people who have an aversion to it, not just wine.

62

I know what you mean with some red sauces. But I find that those that include “darker” flavors, such as tomato paste, meat or mushrooms, work fine with many red wines. But I agree that pure tomatoes not reduced much is probably better with white wine.

I take it you’re saying this regardless of whether there is garlic or not.

These sound more like matching preferences/dislikes than cases where the food actually messed up your palate, though.

(FYI, I’ve never had any garlic-dominated dishes on any of many trips to Italy over 25+ years, even in the South. The “throw as much garlic in as you can” seems to be an Italian-American thing.)

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63

That was my reference to “everything” re cilantro. I’d guess that my jamon/prosciutto thing is genetic, too.

64

Love coriander seed. Especially with fennel seed and brown pepper.

My Kryptonite is Cilantro. The devils weed. (And yes , like Kryptonite it’s green lol)

The issue of course, as with poisons, is the quantity. Tarragon in moderation is delightful and I use it a lot. In excess it’s gross. Now, whether that’s true of garlic, may be a matter of debate.
[stirthepothal.gif]

65

I don’t know if this is a factor, but in the US, it’s hard to find really fresh garlic except in farmers’ markets in season. (As I recall, it’s better in California.) Most of what you find at the supermarket is starting to sprout and is very strong and not that subtle.

66

You can actually buy white wines, that go very well with seafood. try googling it. :rofl:

I will take your word about seaweed salad, never had it.

67

Also not great are

  • tomatoes
  • pastry
  • peanuts
  • seafood ‘cocktail sauce’
  • asparagus
  • Epoisse
68

Yeah, I’m wary of blue cheese with wine, as most type don’t go well and some clash very badly. But, I’ve had a few that are fine (mellow, rich, creamy). One of the good ones was magical with one of the two Sauternes we had open one night,…and meh with the other.

69

Blue cheese with Sauternes is magical.

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70

Blue cheese and cilantro can taste soapy. Not always but frequently. I don’t get scallops with red wine, why on earth would anyone think that’s a possible match. I also don’t get red wine with shellfish or most fin fish. I’ll take white wine with cheese.
I’ve begrudgingly begun to accept mayonnaise as ok, still restricted to French speaking locales. Celery was always off limits and then I tried celery in one of Bittman’s duck dishes, it’s good sautéed.
Having said that, I don’t get metallic tastes but rather meh matches.

71

Yeah, some red sauces for me can be “fine” with red wines, but I cannot recall anytime when the pairing has been “good” or better. Throw a bunch of garlic in there and it becomes a complete waste of the wine. The red sauce/red wine thing is - yes - a palate preference. The garlic/red wine thing is a food messing with my palate thing.

Agreed re: Italian v. Italian-American cuisine. Of course, I’m almost always actively looking to avoid garlic-laden dishes, so much of my exposure (or lack thereof) is self-inflicted.

72

If you have a mind to, try the following pairings, which I find phenomenal:
Epoisses and sweet Riesling (as in, Auslese level sweet)
peanuts and Sauternes
peanuts (or most “snacking nuts”) and dry Sherry

73

Capers. Never found a pairing that works for me. A lot depends on the amount of the food ingrediant, but one caper in any dish kills my palate.

74

Well gee, everybody’s palate is different! Who woulda thunk it?

For me, the ultimate wine (and palate killer) is Heat, as in Scoville units. I can go as high 2000 (espelette, medium paprika) and then my palate is dead.

I understand the generally accepted difficulty in matching certain foods with wines… you often hear artichokes, asparagus, bell peppers and away from the greenies ham, onion and garlic (the latter two especially when raw). But I look on them as a challenge, and love to find wines that match them. At this time of year, Rose seems to be the answer to almost anything (although even in the summer I drink less of it than either red or white).

Watercress is one of my favorite foods, although not always easy to find here both fresh and good. BWT (bacon, watercress, tomato) sandwiches are a staple in this house, either alone or when I have guests, especially as I get my bacon from Smith’s Log Smokehouse (the deep smoked stuff). I find it wine friendly in general, although easier to match with white and rose than red.

I also am far more into matching wine with weather than with food. I recently had to arrange a friend’s cellar. She had 7 racks. The whites, roses and bubbles went on one rack. The other six were her reds, divided into warm and cool, then drink now (next few years), soon (2 - 5 years) and later (5+ years). I told her warm was 50 - 100°, cool 0 - 70°. Flexibility is important.

Dan Kravitz

75

When I pair blue cheese and Vintage Port, typically a Christmas season tradition here, I’ve learned to go with a Gorgonzola Dolce or the mildest of blues. I can’t say I’ve been satisfied with blue cheese with Sauternes even Roquefort. To me Sauternes commands something with subtlety, foie gras, fruit tart, or lobster.

76

That’s funny as my daughter said about capers, after trying them as a teenager, “I can’t believe there are so many horrible flavors in such a tiny thing”. Hates them still!

77

Too bad. Capers are one of my favorite foods. If they bother the wine–tough. pick something else.

78

Ant turds. Your daughter is correct.

79

Assuming it has actual Szechuan peppercorns, which not all Szechuan food does (much less all “Szechuan” food).

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80

yep and metallic. might as well drink vin jaune after cause that’s really the only ‘wine’ that can withstand anything.

asparagus also will end the enjoyment of wine for me.

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