The 2019 season is shaping up to be a great one for crawfish, and if you haven‘t already, you‘ll soon find yourself around a newspaper-covered table full of steaming crawfish, hovered over a big ol‘ bowl or crawfish etouffée, or noshing on crawfish pies or cheesy crawfish bread. So many possibilities for enjoying one of our most beloved local foods. Who doesn‘t love this season?
While beer is a mainstay with crawfish, there‘s another adult beverage that‘s a great option for your crawfish routine. Dry roses, which have come on strong in Baton Rouge wine stores in recent years, pair super well with crawfish.
Wine merchants still have a hard time convincing people to try them because of a fading association with cheap, sweet white zinfandels. But dry roses are nothing like that. They have wonderful acidity and can be super complex, and they‘re a great bridge between the lovers of red and white wines.
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They also pair with a really interesting range of foods, including spicy Asian, sushi and, yes, crawfish. They have enough acidity to cut through the natural fat and full flavor of crawfish, and their notes of berry fruit and spice are a great complement to the many ways we eat crawfish—with intense seasoning or in rich, full-flavored dishes.
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Roses are everywhere in stores, particularly this time of year. Some of my favorite places to pick them up are Matherne‘s, Martin Wine Cellar, Mid City Craft Wine & Brew, Calandro‘s and Alexander‘s Highland Market. Talk to the wine merchant for some of this season‘s top-rated picks and bring home a few different producers to sample. Open them all at the same time to study and appreciate their different nuances, and hone in on a favorite to take you through the season.
Enjoy!
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.