Savoring The Grape: A Salty Proposition
Cheese and wine? Been there.
Chocolate and wine? Done that.
Salt and wine? Now there's an idea!
Now, before you keep scrolling, take a minute to think about this single most basic culinary ingredient — salt. It's fused into most recipes and it's probably the unsung hero of your most recent foodie experiment. Salt is at the root of most culinary masterpieces, which is why it's the key to understanding food and wine dynamics. If you happen to stop by Bridlewood Estate Winery, located along the verdant California Central Coast near Santa Barbara, ask what best complements their varietals of California wine and you might be surprised at their answer — salt!
At Bridlewood, you can travel the world, one swirl, sniff and grain of salt at a time. Their experts have stripped away the excessive ingredients of the kitchen to demonstrate how food and wine interact at the most basic level. Their team tasted hundreds of salt varieties from across the globe and researched the dynamics of this fundamental seasoning, as it emphasized nuances within their handcrafted wines. Bridlewood embraces all things handcrafted as it pertains to their wine, so it was only natural that they carefully chose this artisan selection of salts to pair with their varietals. Though, these are not just any salts — these salts are complex and worldly grains from the sea.
Infused with natural color, a rich history and peppered (excuse the pun) with geographical variety, each of the salts the Bridlewood team selected to complement their varietals have distinct characteristics. For example, after a grain of Peruvian Pink Salt melts in your mouth, the hints of caramel, vanilla and toffee of Bridlewood's Pinot Noir are uniquely transformed into a smooth silky finish. More of a Cabernet Sauvignon fan? The Cyprus Black Flake salt enhances the dark chocolate and robust fruit components of Bridlewood's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, softening the palate with velvety notes.
Though this selection of salts was hand-chosen by Bridlewood's tasting room experts, you don't need to be in the Santa Ynez Valley to try them for yourself. Bridlewood has partnered with Laguna Salt Company in Laguna Beach, California to source and bring these salt varieties to foodies everywhere.
Now is your chance to take your cooking experience to the next level. To get started, go to the Bridlewood Wine Finder and the Bridlewood Online Purchase Tool to find where you can purchase Bridlewood wines. For the salts, visit Laguna Salt online and use the discount code "BRIDLEWOOD20" for a 20% discount on your entire purchase now through December 31st.
Test the culinary craftsman in you with this California-inspired ribeye dish. Here, the Cyprus Black Flake sea salt is the finishing touch, pulling out the deep smoky flavors of the ribeye and sweet dark fruit notes of the of the Bridlewood Cabernet Sauvignon.
Wood Roasted Rib-eye Cap with Porcini and Cypress Black Flake Salt Recipe
Courtesy of Jeff Olsson of Industrial Eats in Buellton, CA
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
8 ounce ribeye steak
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups porcini mushrooms, diced
Laguna Salt Cypress Black Flake Sea Salt
Fresh lemon wedge
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut steak to the desired size, season with salt and pepper.
- Put a 10-inch cast iron pan in the oven until it gets very hot, take it out and carefully add olive oil and then carefully place steak in the pan. Slide it back in the oven and leave for two minutes. After two minutes, flip steak and leave for another minute. Remove steak from pan and set aside to rest.
- Add sliced garlic and diced mushrooms to pan with remaining oil left in the pan and slide it back into the oven for about two minutes, allowing the mushrooms to roast. Remove pan from oven and spoon mushroom mixture to center of dinner plate. Slice rested steak, bias cut, into slices and arrange atop the roasted porcini. Finish dish with a generous sprinkling of Cypress Black Flake sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy with a glass of Bridlewood Winery 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon.