The recent dining out restrictions meant we had to give more thought to dining at home and Bistro in the Burbs was born! Delicious home cooked meals with fabulous matching wines – what could be better? Sometimes modest, other times grand and not always perfect. But perfect fun.
This month it’s Pavlova with Glenguin Botrytis Semillon 2017. Perfect for a Christmas in July celebration!
Ingredients and method:
Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees celsius, bake. Line two round baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Whisk 6 egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 12oz of caster sugar, whisking until the meringue mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in 3 tsp cornflour, 1.5 tsp white vinegar and 1.5 tsp vanilla essence. Spoon half the mixture into the middle of each baking sheet. Spread out until roughly 10cm diameter, with a slight well in the centre. Bake for 50 mins. Allow to cool in oven with the door slightly open. Slather both meringues in whipped cream and fruit and then place one on top of the other.
Serve with Glenguin Bortytis Semillon 2017.
And the match? The Pavlova is rich, airy and fatty, creamy and crisp. The wine needs to be sweet to match the luxuriant richness of this dessert. But it also needs to have plenty of weight, vibrancy and cut. The acidity of the wine is really important to balance the sweetness of the dish and cleanse the palate. You could also use a late harvest riesling or chenin blanc.
