| story and food styling by Beth Maya | photography by Alex Lepe | props and fashion styling by Deborah Points |
It was a warm and sun-kissed day off the Mediterranean coast; I was in my late 20s, and sun tanning in the Spanish sand was my job when I wasn't catching trains or sleeping in hostels. As I soaked up the sun slathered in SPF nothing, an old man making his way down the beach approached my friend and me with a small cooler containing ice-cold wine. He offered to sell us two frosty plastic cups of the pale pink stuff. We were both beyond parched, so we gladly made the purchase. I expected the syrupy sweet white Zinfandel of my college days, but what I got was altogether different. This was only slightly sweet; I could taste the crispness of white wine and the body of red. I remember thinking I had never tasted anything like it. As I gushed its praises, my well-traveled friend just said, yeah, it's just a rosé, no big deal. Except, it was a big deal. I had never tasted anything like it; I wanted more, but our elderly salesman was off to the next sale. I will always remember my very first taste of rosé that embodied everything that was that summer.
Fast forward a few years later, and rosé is making a strong come back. Enter Jeffrey Gregory - a sommelier, wine educator and restaurateur with 15 years" experience in the beverage and hospitality industry. He has been in all aspects of the wine industry across North Texas and has even taught a wine pairing class or two at Central Market. He knows all the rosé facts and tips to get you started on the right bottle this summer.
- Buy rosé as fresh as possible; generally it should be no older than the previous calendar year.
- Learn a little about your wine regions; most rosé produced in the old world will tend to be a bit drier. New world wines can be dry and off-dry.
- Alcohol content can be a telling sign. Sometimes a lower content can equal a sweeter or less dry wine.
- Build a relationship with your wine retailer, ask questions and ask for recommendations.
- Experiment. Once you find one you really like, try other wines from that region. Keep track of which regions you are enjoying.
Items that pair well with rosé tend to be lighter in nature and often, but not always, served cold. Salmon, shellfish, beef tartare or carpaccio, summer salads, lightly spiced dishes, delicate sandwiches, crudité and, of course, a variety of cheese boards.
CRABBY DEVILED EGGS
dozen hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 small shallots, grated or finely minced
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon minced curly parsley
12 ounces lump crab meat, cleaned and sorted
1 teaspoon minced chives for garnish
Preparation
Cut eggs in half lengthwise, scoop out yolk into a mixing bowl, set whites of eggs on a tray. Add mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce and Old Bay seasoning to the yolks and mix well. Now add the shallot, parsley, and half of the crab meat and gently fold in. Once combined, taste mixture and add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Carefully spoon mixture into the center of each egg at equal amounts until all eggs are full. Top each egg with a few pieces of the remaining crab meat and then sprinkle with chives. Refrigerate at least 1 hour loosely covered with plastic wrap. Serve cold or cool.
FIESTA WATERMELON AND FETA SALAD
1/2 large watermelon
8-ounce package traditional chunk feta cheese
1-2 tablespoons Tajin Clasico Seasoning with Lime
4 limes cut into wedges
8-10 large mint leaves sliced into ribbons
Preparation
Cut watermelon into chunks discarding all the rind. This would look great using a melon baller as well. Place watermelon into serving bowl and squeeze the wedges of two whole limes all over watermelon and gently mix. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Tajin seasoning and mix again. Wipe edges of serving bowl and then break feta into large chunks with hands and scatter on top of watermelon. Don't mix. Make sure to use the whole chunk feta and not crumbles, as crumbles tend to get mushy. Top with a sprinkle of as much or as little as you like of Tajin seasoning (for me another tablespoon would be perfect). Top the salad with the mint ribbons and scatter remaining lime wedges. Serve immediately. The lime wedges can be used by each person in his or her portions. Do not make this salad too far in advance as the seasoning could make the watermelon mushy if not eaten right away.
Note: Tajin seasoning can be found in most grocery stores and almost always in the produce department next to the fruit. It is amazing on pineapple, avocado, or mixed in with your fresh pico de gallo, plus a million other uses.
CARPACcIO CROSTINI
1 French baguette
1 pound of beef tenderloin
1 bottle of good store bought vinaigrette
Preparation
Sprinkle tenderloin liberally with coarse black pepper and kosher salt. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, making sure to keep a very round shape. Freeze tenderloin about 2 hours, then remove plastic wrap. In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and make sure pan is coated. Sear tenderloin on very high heat using tongs to turn on all sides until evenly browned, about 1 minute on each side. Once evenly browned, pull and let rest on a plate until cool enough to handle. Once cool, rewrap in plastic wrap and freeze until slightly firm, about 45 minutes. While tenderloin is firming up, slice baguette on the bias into rounds and toast until golden brown. Once tenderloin is firm, unwrap and with a very sharp knife, slice very thin rounds all the way through tenderloin. Pile one slice of beef on each piece of toasted crostini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now you can really finish dressing the carpaccio however you like. I do a bit of roasted garlic vinaigrette, caper berries, sweet peppers and some fresh oregano. Other options that would be great are a tangy blue cheese vinaigrette and a scattering of fresh arugula or olive oil, balsamic vinegar, shaved parmesan and a sprinkle of pine nuts. You can really adjust this to your preference.
Four Rosés for Your Summer
