A Week of Dinners Cosplaying a Sommelier
A Week of Dinners Cosplaying a Sommelier5 dinners paired with 5 Halter Ranch wines (plus, 1 dessert pairing)
Back in culinary school, we had a one-day wine-pairing seminar that rocked my world. I grew up with two parents whose love of wine ran deep; however, I never quite understood it (I mean, how could I? I was very much underage). They were in a “wine tasting club” with their group of friends, where they’d blind taste and rank an assortment of wines, all of which were paired with several courses. Preceding each event, they’d drag me to the local wine store to find the best bang-for-your-buck wines in hopes of showing their friends that great wines aren’t always the ones with prohibitive price tags—a theme my Dad is pretty passionate about. The summer before I went to culinary school, my parents—knowing I was fully obsessed with cooking and eager to work in the food industry—tasked me with creating a menu for their quarterly wine tasting (see photos below).  I had no genuine concept of wine and food pairings, but I had a general idea of what a good pair was (like scallops and Sauvignon Blanc). So I created a menu based on my basic understanding, and enjoyed the process of conceptualizing it and cooking a 3-course meal, which was exhilarating and simply fun (this was one of my few defining moments when the long-held aspirations to work in the food industry were confirmed). Fast forward to eight months later. I was fully immersed in culinary school, and our one-day seminar on all things food and wine pairings began. And this was the day when I fully understood why my parents were so into wine. A sommelier came in to guide us on how to think about wine pairings while we tried them in real time. We were first taught about how to taste wine:
Then we were taught how to taste wine with food. Mind the intensity of a dish and the intensity of a wine—they should match. Balance the flavors—they should complement or contrast nicely. Observe the weight of both the wine and the food—pair accordingly. All of this to say, it was clear that wine is best enjoyed when paired with a culinary experience. While I took away a wealth of information about wine that day, I also developed a deep appreciation for its ability to enhance a meal—when paired well, a meal can go from great to harmonious. It’s why I’ll never pass up a glass of cold Sauvignon Blanc when I enjoy sushi. Or why I treat myself to a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon when eating pepperoni pizza. While sushi and pizza are both delicious on their own, they’re even better with a glass of properly paired wine. So that’s exactly what we’re doing this week.
For Halloween this year, I’m simply cosplaying a sommelier (level 1 to be precise)—something I’d actually like to become someday (perhaps this is manifesting?). And we’re pairing an assortment of dinners with a variety of Halter Ranch wines: five different dinners paired with five different wines…plus one dessert and wine pairing. Now let’s dive into it. This essay is written in partnership with Halter Ranch. While they provided compensation for inclusion, all opinions and product recommendations are my own.
Access to hundreds of individual recipes (sauces, marinades, breads, grains, meats, etc.) and 80+ weekly dinner menus can be found below: Get 15% off any Halter Ranch PurchaseThis is truly a collaborative dream come true. I am a massive fan of Halter Ranch, so when the idea of a menu collaboration came up, I was, simply put, over-the-moon excited. And the cherry on top? Halter Ranch is offering a 15% discount on any Halter Ranch purchase. To redeem your 15%, use code: ZoesPicksGuest Remember, the holidays are approaching, and the one thing you can bring to a holiday event that never gets old is a bottle of wine. So I urge you to take advantage of this offer while you can (I mean this!!!). Join the Halter Ranch Wine Club…with me.If you’re interested in 6 complimentary tastings per month, 20% discounts, and additional exclusive member promotions, join the Ranch Club. If you’d like all of the above and more (including a 25% discount, 12 complimentary tastings/month, complimentary ground shipping, access to Silver Label Reserve wines, and more), join Silver Label. Both options are the perfect opportunity to try new wines (and food pairings). Get 25% off your first 6+ bottles and complimentary shipping when you join with my code. Once you’ve signed up, email marketing@halterranch.com to request your discount code—tell them I sent you!
Parsnips (& Other Root Vegetables)New week, new(ish) produce! We’re prepping a few parsnips to enjoy in a couple of meals. If you’re on the anti-parsnip train, feel free to use your own choice of vegetable. Pastas of the WeekTagliatelle & GnocchiIt goes without saying that you can choose your pasta this week. I personally recommend using tagliatelle and gnocchi in their respective dishes. If you have something already in your pantry that needs to be used, or you’re ambitious and want to make your own gnocchi from scratch (I see you!), please go for it! Grocery List
[Share-A-Cart Link coming soon]
Printable Menu
Mini Menu
Making a CartoucheYou’ll notice a mention of a cartouche when you start cooking the Steak Au Poivre with Fondant Potatoes, and you’ll likely ask, “What the heck is a cartouche?” Let me tell ya. It’s essentially a makeshift lid utilizing parchment paper. It’s a great way to trap most of the steam, while also providing ventilation. And it’s very easy to make—in fact, it’ll feel like a fun 1-minute arts and crafts project. I provide a quick demonstration in the video; you can find it here. My Halter Ranch Wine Selection
Our pairing: Chocolate Panna Cotta with Candied Cacao Nibs Prep List
Prep Demo Prepping Russet PotatoesThis week’s russet potato prep might seem slightly complicated, but I promise it’s not. To paint a clear picture, here’s everything we’re making with our potatoes:
That said, we’ll peel all five potatoes. We’re dicing 3 of those 5 peeled potatoes and placing them in a pot of cold water with a generous handful of salt. Then we’re taking the remaining 2 potatoes and preparing them to resemble small hockey pucks or scallops—1 inch tall, 2 1/2 inches wide. I used a sharp biscuit cutter to get them perfectly round, but if you don’t have one, a knife will be fine. As for the scraps? Toss them in with the potatoes that are getting boiled. We’ll use them for the mashed potatoes. We’ll boil the 3 potatoes (plus scraps) until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. We’ll place the hockey-puck-like potatoes in a container submerged in cold water and refrigerate them for our Steak Au Poivre meal. Roasted Red PeppersFor our roasted pepper salsa bravas, we’re roasting just one bell pepper. For a quick reminder on how to do so, here are a few basic steps to follow:
 Note: You can also do this with a kitchen blowtorch (if you have one)! Flash-Fried CapersTo flash-fry capers, all that’s required is straining them and patting them dry before frying briefly in hot oil (350ºF) until crispy—this is also achievable in an air fryer. Store them in an air-tight container with a small paper towel. To recrisp them, if they go soft, place them on a sheet tray in a preheated (350ºF) oven for 1 to 2 minutes. If you’re a fan of capers and want to enjoy them as is, that’s also totally fine. This is just a fun added touch for those who don’t enjoy capers regularly. Sautéeing MushroomsWe don’t prepare mushrooms too frequently on here (due to their polarization; however, I think I’m beginning to change my mind on this—I LOVE MUSHROOMS, sorry!!!!) That said, here are a few basic guidelines for how we’ll prepare our mushrooms this week.
Additional Prep Notes
Protein SubstitutionsFor the Chicken Piccata with Mashed Potatoes… For the Savory Mushroom & Shallot Tagliatelle… For the Steak Au Poivre with Fondant Potatoes… For the Prawn & Patatas Bravas… For the Roasted Pepper & Italian Sausage Gnocchi… Additional SubstitutionsLacinato Kale 🔄 Spinach, Green Cabbage Mushrooms 🔄 86 (add another caramelized shallot) Russett Potatoes 🔄 Yukon Gold Potatoes Bell Pepper 🔄 Tomatoes (cook in olive oil until jammy) Capers 🔄 Fried Shallots Chicken Stock 🔄 Beef or Vegetable Stock Brandy or Cognac 🔄 Red Wine or Sherry Vinegar
ElementsStarchesMashed Potatoes
SaucesRoasted Pepper Salsa Brava
ToppingsGarlic Breadcrumbs
DishesChicken Piccata with Mashed Potatoes
Savory Mushroom Thyme Tagliatelle
Steak Au Poivre with Fondant Potatoes
Prawn & Patatas Bravas
Roasted Pepper & Italian Sausage Gnocchi
Chocolate Panna Cotta with Candied Cacao Nibs
The full recipe will be available on The Dessert Menu momentarily Consolidated Lists
Consolidated Recipes
All Documents (Consolidated Lists & Recipes)
This week was so much fun to create, and I can’t wait for you to cook along. Fingers crossed that in the coming years, cosplaying as a level 1 sommelier isn’t necessary, as I’ll already be one… If you do cook along this week, pretty please make sure to tag me (I LOVE SEEING YOUR CREATIONS EACH WEEK), as well as Halter Ranch—their social media handles can be found below:
As always, thank you so much for being here. Ciao for now, and happy cooking! 💖 Xo, You're currently a free subscriber to Restaurant Dropout. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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