The Pairing Project: State Foods with State Wine – Part 1 of 10

Food is central to American tradition, and every state takes pride in how its cuisine represents its culture. From coast to coast, the country enjoys famous dishes that reflect their piece of our nation. Moreover, it might surprise you that every state makes wine — pairing food with wine has become an integral part of eating as it enhances flavors and brings a celebratory twist to the table. Furthermore, winemaking unveils each state’s geography and terrain on the map, helping us understand what grapes grow where and why.

This project aims to honor each state’s food and wine, share their passion, and learn about its significance. This year, we will embark upon a culinary journey broken into ten parts of 5 states each and discover what makes the tastebuds tick in each region.

My research revealed many incredible recipes near and dear to specific states. However, I narrowed it down to one dish for each. Additionally, I interacted with renowned wineries nationwide to find the best wine for the food. Please enjoy part one of 10 as we imbibe along the western side of the United States.

California

It made sense to me to learn that Cioppino, aka Fisherman’s stew, is considered a signature dish of California. With the Bay Area and fresh catch of the sea at their fingertips, it seems appropriate. Moreover, the rich history of Italian-American immigrants makes the dish popular there. While there are numerous acceptable versions of Cioppino recipes, I chose one with Salmon, shrimp, mussels, clams, and scallops. This mouthwatering tomato-based stew is easy, delicious, and best served with warm, crusty bread. While eating it, I felt transported to a bench on the waterfront, wrapped in a blanket, listening to the distant sounds of gentle waves.

California is the largest wine-producing state in the U.S., so you will not have to look far for pairing options. However, I chose a 2019 Cannonau (Sardinian name for Grenache) from one of my favorite wineries in Sonoma County, DaVero Farms & Winery. The soft yet lively acid, white pepper spice, bright red fruit, and tomato leaf flavors perfectly matched the stew.

DaVero grows what thrives best in the region, which happens to be a lot of Italian varieties; the grapes flourish in Northern California’s terroir. In addition to wine, the folks at DaVero are also about food and good company. They believe the most important place in life is the table, and the most important ingredient in a meal is the people at it. So, grab this bottle, make some Cioppino, and Bon appetites with family and friends!

Washington

Sticking close to the water, Washington is largely known for its Dungeness Crab. Rumor has it that when crab season begins, fishermen come out by the hundreds to fill their boats with crabby goodness. Furthermore, from Delicious to Granny Smith, Washington is famed for sweet and tart crunchy apples. Hence, the Dungeness Crab and Apple Salad recipe.

In search of Dungeness Crab in the Phoenix, Arizona area, I finally found it at Whole Foods. The recipes for this dish can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like to make it. I quickly realized that the legs of the crab were the meat to keep, and the bulk of the body, used for the crab’s ‘ business,’ was to be discarded. Once the cracking process was complete, I mixed the crabmeat with diced grannies, lemon, creme fraiche, parsley, salt, and pepper, then piled it on top of a butter-baked baguette.

As the second largest wine-producing state, Washington offers many wonderful choices to pair with this dish. I decided on a lovely 2022 Viognier from the award-winning Maryhill Winery in Columbia Valley. The medium-bodied white wine with subtle toasty French oak notes, fresh apples, citrus, and honey danced rhythmically on the palate with the creamy crab and apple salad.

You can visit one of Maryhill’s tasting rooms scattered throughout the state and find out for yourself why it is one of Washington’s most visited wineries.

Nevada

The shrimp cocktail has a long history in Las Vegas, making the elegant shellfish a notorious appetizer for Nevada. It all started in the early 50s when a casino by the name of Golden Gate brought in 50-cent shrimp cocktails as part of a takeover promotion. It seems suitable that the now-pricey hors d’oeuvre is linked to the glitzy city where money changes hands quicker than you can pop one in your mouth. I noticed that in Nevada, they often make the cocktail sauce (an effortless blend of ketchup, horseradish, lemon, and black pepper), toss the shrimp in it, and serve it coated and chilled — so that’s what I did.

You might not think of Nevada when you think about winemaking, but Vegas Valley Winery’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc paired with shrimp cocktail was delightful. The bright acid and tangy citrus notes mingled harmoniously with the sharp tomatoey sauce and the lively zing of the shellfish. The grapes for this wine were sourced throughout California yet made in Nevada. Many states will procure quality fruit elsewhere and transport it back to their home facility for the remainder of the viniculture process.

In addition to Sauvignon Blanc, you will find full-bodied reds and sweet whites in the tasting room at Vegas Valley Winery. Furthermore, the winery has strong ties in the Vegas community and enjoys working with many charitable organizations; they believe the commitment and resilience it takes to make fine wine parallels the time and effort it takes for successful fundraising.

Oregon

The hazelnut, also known as Filbert, is the state nut of Oregon, where its ideal climate yields the highest quality hazelnuts worldwide. Over 1300 farms in Oregon grow the nut, and the state is only 2nd to Italy and Turkey in growing the crop. In particular, Oregon’s Willamette Valley (Pinot Noir country!) is the most prominent place to grow trees that produce hazelnuts.

Moreover, Oregon’s state fruit is the (perfect) pear. Sweet, delicious, juicy pears grow predominately in the Rogue Valley (Southern Oregon’s wine country!).

A recipe that puts these two fabulous foods together is an Oregon Favorite, Baked Pears with Hazelnut, Brown Sugar & Rosemary Crumble. The dessert is easy to make; scoop out the seeds of the pear and mound and pack the nuts, brown sugar, flour, and butter in the hole, then bake for 20 minutes. Finally, jazz it up with a dab of honey and a sprig of rosemary. And voila, you have a very elegant end-of-meal sweet to impress your guests.

Oregon wine country offers several options to complement this dish; however, the 2021 Dry Riesling from Anam Cara Cellars Nicholas Estate of Chehalem Mountains in Willamette Valley made the perfect pair. The honey-topped pear and rosemary herbs enhanced the cooked fruit, notes of nectar, and nuttiness in the wine.

Anam Cara is a family-owned winery, and they take pride in farming their land and making wines from their home vineyards. The winery also makes beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Idaho

One might think a potato dish would be the go-to food for Idaho; however, finger steaks are possibly more popular. The hearty appetizer starts with boneless beef sirloin steak cut into strips, dredged in buttermilk, flour, eggs, and seasoning, and left to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours. The next step is to again smother in more flour and garlic powder and place in the freezer for another hour. Finally, fry in canola oil in a cast iron skillet. It is not exactly a diabetes-friendly diet, but it is an excellent example of comfort food. I served it with a chimichurri mayo for dipping. There are variations of Idaho finger steak recipes, some of which use cube steak and different dipping sauces.

Idaho’s Snake River Valley is well-known for big and spicy Cabernet Sauvignons and Syrah; both are terrific pairings with finger steaks. Therefore, I chose the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Huston Vineyards. The rich dark fruit, baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, and velvety tannic structure made this a smooth and tasty match.

Huston Vineyards, named Idaho Winery of the Year 2023 by Great Northwest Wines, is owned by the Alger family, highly respected vintners in the valley who are hands-on at their winery and fully emersed in the wine industry of the region. When you visit, you will find a selection of full-bodied reds from their Snake River Valley and Private Reserve series and a Chicken Dinner series of whites and reds they consider their table wines.

Part 1 of 10

I knew I would learn much about food, wine, and the States when this project came to fruition. With the completion of part one, I am already having a blast cooking new recipes, finding where to source ingredients, and working with some of the finest wineries in the country. The people I have had the pleasure of interacting with so far are some of the most gracious personalities in the wine industry and are a wealth of knowledge.
I look forward to continuing my research and tasting more food and wine across this culturally diverse nation — 5 down, 45 to go!