dsm Dish - January 17, 2025

Looking to try some new wines this winter? I recently asked Oak Park’s wine director, Sam Tuttle, for some recommendations that will keep us warm through this weekend’s Arctic blast and the next few chilly months. As of this writing, all the wines he suggested were available at area wine shops. When temperatures are more hospitable, Tuttle gravitates toward light-bodied wines that are higher in acidity.

However, this time of year, he turns to powerhouses packed with higher tannins and alcohol, full-bodied options that offer ripeness and complexity.

Barolo and Barbaresco wines from northwest Italy’s Nebbiolo grapes are frequent favorites for their spice and for how well they pair with hearty winter meals. Some of his top picks include:
G.D. Vajra “Albe” Barolo, Piemonte, Italy, 2020 ($37)
Marchesi di Gresy “Martinenga” Barbaresco, Piemonte, Italy, 2020 ($65)
Michele Chiarlo “Tortoniano” Barolo, Piemonte, Italy, 2019 ($60)

Tuttle also gravitates to Syrah, particularly from the northern Rhone Valley of France and the cooler parts of Sonoma, California. “The endless aromatics of game, black pepper, liquid smoke and violet are all wrapped in this undeniable sanguine character,” he wrote in an email.

He enjoys this wine by itself, but he also shared one of his favorite local food pairings: “If you happen to end up with some Whatcha Smokin BBQ and one of the following bottles, you won’t be disappointed.” Who can argue with that?
E. Guigal, Crozes-Hermitage Syrah, Northern Rhone, France, 2021 ($32)
Domaine Durand “Lautaret” Syrah, Saint-Joseph, France, 2020 ($37)
Timo Mayer Syrah, Yarra Valley, Australia, 2022 ($80)

As I researched each of these wines, I started daydreaming about braised short ribs over polenta or perhaps a classic shepherd’s pie. Hmm … looks like it’s time to start planning another dinner party.

Tips for pairing food and wine
In addition to the specific seasonal recommendations above, Tuttle also explained some general factors to consider when pairing food and wine.

Intensity vs. Intensity. If you have a delicate dish like a salad, pair it with a wine that matches that delicacy, such as Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Alternatively, a steak or a rack of lamb with strong flavors of pepper or strong herbs requires a wine that can go toe-to-toe with such a big rich dish. Think about a Merlot, Cabernet-based blend or the fiercely tannic Nebbiolo from Northern Italy. Neither the dish nor the wine should overpower one another.

Weight vs. Weight. A simple but cardinal rule: Make sure the wine is a textural companion to the dish. Leaner dishes like steamed veggies, broth-based soups, and salads will all feel light on your palate, so if you introduce a rich wine with a heavy texture, the weight difference will be noticeable. Similarly, if you have a dish that’s rich and heavy, a light-bodied wine will be overpowered by the dish every time.

At the end of the day, Tuttle follows the cardinal rule: “Drink what you like.” He said one of the best tips he ever received came from an industry mentor: “If the wine is good and the food is good, there’s no such thing as a bad pairing.”

Quick Bites

The Rook Room Game Lounge & Cafe will open at 300 S.W. Fifth St. in the former St. Kilda Cafe space in March. Stop in to play board games, puzzles and tabletop role-playing games, and enjoy coffee, cocktails and creative game-themed food. The owners are planning the menu with Lachele’s owner Cory Wendel.

Jethro’s BBQ incited a food fight this week after customers called it out for adding an “inflation fee” to the final bills.

Secret Admirer released its new “cozy season” menu on Wednesday. Head to 110 S.W. Fifth St. to sip new drinks like “Secret Cider” with Cognac and apple cider and “Squeeze Box,” featuring vodka, blackberry vanilla shrub and lemon. There’s also a nonalcoholic version called “Blackberry Beret.”

National Popcorn Day is Sunday! Celebrate at the Varsity Theater with $2 off popcorn or a “Poptail.” That’s an Old Fashioned made with popcorn-infused bourbon, Flavacol simple syrup, and butter extract-infused bitters.

Events

Tonight through Sunday: More than a dozen local restaurants offer three-course prix fixe menus for $50-$80, plus optional wine pairings, during Winefest’s Winter Wine & Dine Week.

Saturday: Creme owner Sammy Mila and Crafted Food Services owner Jacob Schroeder are collaborating to host a Chili + Cinnamon Rolls Pop-up event at Creme from noon to midnight, or until sold out.

Jan. 24-25: West End Architectural Salvage hosts “Splurge: Wine, Cheese, Chocolate and More,” where you can sample all kinds of delicacies. Tickets are $50 online or $60 at the door.

Jan. 25: Indulge Des Moines celebrates wine, cheese and chocolate in the annual event’s new location at the River Center. Enjoy samples from dozens of vendors and free parking at the adjacent Iowa Cubs lot. (The Des Moines Register explained why Indulge and Splurge are similar.)

Feb 6: Winefest’s Assemblé dinner event is a collaboration with Ballet Des Moines. A three-course dinner curated by chef Aaron Holt of Doolittle Farms includes wine pairings and two preview performances of Ballet Des Moines’ upcoming “See the Music” program.

Three cookbooks for a delicious new year

By Haley Scarpino

As a trained chef and passionate home cook, I spend most of my free time devouring cookbooks. Each one has taught me to cook more intuitively, appreciate fresh ingredients and embrace the joy of cooking. So if you’re looking for an opportunity to learn something new in the kitchen in 2025, these books are a great place to start:

If your goal is to learn how to cook comforting food with healthy ingredients . . .

“Simply Julia” by Julia Turshen is a collection of easy comfort-food recipes made with the healthiest ingredients. If you’re unfamiliar with the author, please take the time to get to know her work. I’ve worked with Julia for the past couple of years on her weekly online cooking classes and tested the recipes for her latest book, “What Goes With What.” She is warm and approachable and has the best perspective on food. She’s changed the way I cook and has helped me become a more intuitive cook by trusting my own instincts.

Julia’s approachable style of cooking is what initially drew me to her. This book uses familiar and comforting recipes with ingredients that sometimes feel unfamiliar or hard to use. In addition to 110 delicious recipes, this book includes helpful lists (including one of meaningful conversation starters), personal essays and menu suggestions. You feel Julia’s personality on every page. Reading it is like stepping into her home.

If your goal is to learn how to cook authentic Italian cuisine . . .

“Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan is a timeless classic that is essential to my collection. It helped shape my cooking philosophy: The food you make is only as good as the ingredients you use. You can make a beautiful dish with a handful of really good, simple ingredients. I learned that from Marcella Hazan.

Her “Essentials” is a comprehensive guide to authentic Italian cuisine and offers a plethora of information on techniques, ingredients and recipes that are easy to follow with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips. Plus, she includes personal anecdotes and cultural context that will deepen your appreciation and understanding of Italian cuisine. The book is a must-have for anyone who loves Italian food and wants to learn how to cook it authentically.

If your goal is to learn how to cook by intuition . . .

“Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat is essential to every cookbook collection. The beautiful thing this book taught me is how to cook more intuitively. Before I picked up this book, cooking on the fly, without a recipe, seemed like the scariest thing in the world. I’m a meticulous planner, so meal planning was my security blanket in the kitchen. I’m still getting the hang of it, but learning to cook intuitively is more fun, reduces waste, and makes use of a well-stocked pantry and the freshest seasonal ingredients.

This book is meant to live in your kitchen and be used as a resource. It focuses on the four fundamental elements in the title, which create flavor. It’s full of beautiful illustrations, engaging charts, foldout pages and lists. It combines recipes, deep dives into ingredients, cooking techniques, science experiments and personal stories. It’s an absolute joy!

The Rollins Mansion hosted a reception Thursday night to kick off its yearlong centennial celebration. The grand old Tudor Revival home that hosiery magnate "Big Ralph" Rollins built at 2801 Fleur Drive is ramping up its private events with in-house catering from the Artisanal Food Company. Chef Jake Miller is dreaming up menus for a whole slate of fun events, but we're most excited for the Carve & Sear Feast on Feb. 28, when he'll demonstrate how to do justice to several prime cuts of meat. That dinner will take place downstairs by the fireplace in the mansion's cozy rough-beamed den, which looks like a mancave for Gaston from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."