29 June, 2002

Match your bubbly

Once upon a time I worked as a programmer, I was young, and I never had more than three different ingredients in my fridge. At my work I liked to rave about programming this generator of recipies. Input: Content of my fridge. Output: Suggestions for supper, preferably fast ones. When you're young and single, you rarely spend many minutes at a time in your American kitchen. I didn't anyway.

Today I have been overtaken, by the general progress of society and age. At 40 to be, my program now has been made, I have many more ingredients at my disposal, and I spend so much more time in my kitchen. Since I now have kids, who'll have to taste it all, so they've got a good basis, when it's their turn to survive in a kitchen, that contains only pasta, tomatosauce and really dry ryebread.

Match your champagne
Now and then people ask me, what you serve with champagne. Since many have understood, that it is probably not the sweet cake, that is the tradition in Denmark. Unless the label of the bottle is equipped with a "demi-sec" on the label to indicate it is a sweet champagne. Which will often be the case in Denmark, where a big company like the Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin actually do sell a surprisingly big numbers of sweet champagne. If you are in Denmark, check for yourself in the shelves of the big supermarket, Føtex.

In France you drink the champagne as the starter, and - if it is one of those days - you may continue throughout the meal, adjusting the menu to fit the drink. The general rule is to begin with the Blanc de Blancs-champagne, continue with the mix - both white Chardonnay-grapes and red Pinot Noir and Meunier as it is most common - and end with the rosé. The latter is good with many types of bird and desserts with red berries. For the cheese, you will need a special vintage champagne, or you opt for a glass of red wine. No punishment anyway, I guess.

This English food- and wine-matcher remind me about my old project. It is not really great with champagne, since it covers everything. And I'm right
here
for the rest. And I think, I will do the champagne-matcher myself. Cheers and have a nice weekend out there.

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