This week’s book isn’t a cookbook; it’s a brilliant book about wine called Vino. It’s unpretentious and talks through regions and grapes, and gives an excellent section on matching food and wine. There are then a few (five or six) recipes at the end of the book with suggested wines to pair with them. This week, therefore, is probably going to be more focused on the wine rather than the food! The wines were from Ocado this week, so hopefully, folks might be able to find them.

We started the week on Sunday with a Roast Pork Shoulder with a Mushroom Ragout. We had some of the best pork ever from our local butcher. Oh, my word, was it tasty. Interestingly, this recipe used fresh marjoram, which, as they mention in the book, to use rather than dried, as when dried as it loses its floral notes. Well, I have to say the floral nature of the marjoram with the mushrooms and the chosen wine, which was a Barolo (I know, somewhat punchy in the pocket), was incredible. The Kiddiwinks love apple sauce, so I’d made some for them. However, it was the combo of Barolo, a very, very dry red wine, and was absolutely perfect against the fatty pork and the almost fruity/acidic mushroom ragout. It balanced the dish perfectly – apple sauce is not needed at all! Recipe number two for the week was a Beef and Ale Stew which recommended using shin of beef – this was superb. Guinness was the ale, and it was a fantastic dish which we did with some lovely mash. Wine to accompany this was Corbieres which was so rich and fruity with a touch of spice and balanced against the stew perfectly. This was one of my favourite dishes we’ve cooked of late. The wine match was perfect. The final dish of the week was Sea Bass with Brown Lemon Butter and Hazelnuts, which we served with wilted spinach and rocket. Accompanying this was a lovely Chilean Chardonnay. The dish was delicious, one to do again, and the Chardonnay enhanced the flavour of the food almost like a seasoning. An interesting diversion of wine vs. food. We’re back onto more normal ground this week with a focus on Sunday Lunch!