CleverRoot

s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 4 9 Ii ws a Nht ci w a d•m• d•• This partnership not only speaks to the uncommon but natural pairing of American Northeastern dishes and Italian varietals, but to the very nature of Italian wines. It is their combination of aromas, flavor, and structure—particularly acidity, a balance of tannin, and moderation of alcohol—that are just as mineral- or earth- driven as they are fruit- forward that makes Italian wines so food-pairing friendly. But Italian wines are pairable beyond pasta and versatile beyond vongole, so The Clever Root set out to one of the United States' most iconic food regions: New England, home of fresh, cold-water seafood transformed into dishes called chowdah' and lobstah'. There, we challenged somme- liers and chefs from three of the Northeast's finest culinary destina- tions to show us their favorite food pairings for three different Italian wines. These were their mouthwa- tering responses: The New England Eatery: State Street Provisions, Boston, MA The Challenge: Pair Fried Oysters with Kettmeir MÜller Thurgau Alto Adige Kate Nelson, Manager at Boston's State Street Provi- sions, started in the industry as a bartender and tells us her "greatest passion" is "for all things fermented," including home-brewing and wines. Says Nelson, "The Kettmeir Müller Thurgau is a really beautiful, aromatic white wine, with a creamy mouth-feel and notes of fresh peach, pineapple, and a little spice. It balances the delicate line between rich and refreshing, andI love its complexity." Nelson also cites the "umami connection" between the Kettmeir and Executive Chef Tom Borgia's fried oysters, telling us, "Almost any type of fried food goes great with the Müller Thurgau, but Chef Borgia and I think the perfect combination is with his fried oysters because of the way the wine stands up to the complex- ity of the dish without being overpowered. It embel- lishes umami notes and amplifies the many flavors in this dish. The wine's bright acidity refreshes your palate and makes you want to take another bite." Chef Borgia—who has cooked in Sienna, Italy, as well as establishments like The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, and Maryjane's in San Diego, California—says that over the years he's grown to appreciate "simple, straightforward, local, seasonal ingredients" in favor of unnecessarily complicated fare: A classic Italian approach to cuisine, only with an umami-inspired thought process. "The oys- ters are served back into the shell with a dashi broth made with bonito flakes and seaweed," he explains. "The dashi emulates the oyster liquor, with its own natural brininess and earthi- ness, and increases the umami element that the wine goes so well with." An "umami connection": Kettmeir Müller Thurgau and fried oysters at State Street Provisions in Boston, MA. f Executive Chef Tom Borgia and Kate Nelson of Boston's State Street Provisions.

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