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Wine lovers know the tempting power of a cheese plate—it's the nexus of one of the world's great pairings. Look to the Mediterranean for fresh wine and dairy partners that go beyond cheese.
Santa Margherita Ligure is a pastel-shaded village in the Italian Riviera, a momentary train ride from the Cinque Terre. While vacationing there, my husband I went out for a glass of wine at a tiny harborside bar. The proprietor whisked by and slid a cheese platter on our table to keep us busy while he polished our glasses and aerated our wine. It was night, the sea was audible, the trip was unfolding—a moment when wine, food and place fit like a glove.
Sure, cheese always works, casts a spell even, but the Mediterranean dairy culture is a temptingly rich landscape.
Sally Cummins, MS, RD, is the vice president of health and wellness partnerships at National Dairy Council and I had the opportunity to ask her about global dairy trends and perspectives. While we tend to consider the dairy industry partial towards locales such as Wisconsin and the Alps, the world is full of tasty dairy traditions.
"Communities around the globe rely on dairy," says Cummins. "In fact, around 1 billion people have livelihoods that rely on dairy and 37 million dairy farms around the world are led by women."
Globally-toned creators such as Chef Yotam Ottolenghi and chef and writer David Lebovitz include global influences in dairy-centered recipes and plenty of home cooks whip up new-to-them meals every night, thanks to the abundance of cookbooks and online inspiration. Exotic-seeming meals are often simple to make and center on fresh ingredients that can be sourced locally. "While more and more grocery stores are carrying international foods and so much is available online, I like to check out the local groceries in the communities around me," says Cummins.
"What a lot of people don’t realize is dairy foods are an important part of the popular Mediterranean style of eating, which is noted for its health benefits and amazing flavors and includes foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, poultry, fermented dairy foods like yogurt and cheese, nuts, legumes and fats such as olive oil or avocado," says Cummins.
"In fact, dairy actually plays an important role in the 21 countries—including Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Croatia, France, Spain, Italy and Greece—on three continents (Europe, Africa, Asia) bordering the Mediterranean Sea."
Here are a handful of dairy and wine pairings that highlight this kitchen culture.
Yogurt + Greek Bubbly
Of the most elemental ingredients in the fabric of Mediterranean food is yogurt. "The texture and consistency of yogurt make it a great partner for popular savory and global flavors and spices for meals and snacks, as well as dressing, dips and spreads," says Cummins.
"The possibilities are endless with yogurt, and it's quite easy to toss in a bit of creative handiwork to jazz up known favorites. Mix yogurt with harissa (a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste) or pair it with mint and cucumber or basil and tomato," adds Cummins.
Try with Tselepos Amalia Brut NV, 100% Moschofilero (Arcadia).
Cheese and Veggie Board + Provençal Rosé
"Plussing up a cheese board with fruits and vegetables can help you graze your way to closing those nutrient gaps that come from skipping out on fruits and veggies," says Cummin.
"Bold flavor pairings like sweet heat for cheese. Look for peach chipotle or mango habanero." Rosé can handle a bit of spice because it is so remarkably food friendly. A balance of acid and fruit make it an ideal pairing for cheese plates and crudité platters.
Try with Vignobles de Saint-Tropez 2017 Chevalier Torpez Château la Moutte Rosé (Côtes de Provence).
Fattoush + Pays d'Oc Sauvignon Blanc
"Chef Yotam Ottolenghi is bringing Israeli food mainstream with his award-winning restaurants in London," says Cummins, referencing the Israeli-British chef, restauranteur and writer.
"A dressing made of a blend of yogurt and whole milk serves as the backbone for his classic fattoush (Israeli bread and veggie salad) recipe," adds Cummins. Similar to homemade buttermilk, the milk and yogurt is whisked together and chilled for several hours before integration.
Try with Gérard Bertrand 2017 Perles de Sauvignon Blanc (Pays d'Oc)
Tapenade + Israeli Red Blends
Cummins describes tapenade as "a versatile dish" and suggests serving it with "slices of fresh mozzarella cheese that can be served as an appetizer, side dish, breakfast or light lunch."
"Dairy’s mild flavor is the ideal canvas for experimenting with different flavors and its fat and protein help temper the heat of spices that may be new to some people," says Cummins.
Try with Galil Mountain 2014 Ela Red (Upper Galilee)
Shakshuka + Lambrusco
Shakshuka is an egg and tomato-based dish redolent with aromatic and spicy seasonings. It is generally served at breakfast in Israel, but it makes an ideal lunch or dinner in any season. This recipe from Erin Coffield, RDN, LDN includes cow's milk feta-style cheese for the dairy component.
Try with Cleto Chiarli 2016 Vecchia Modena Premium (Lambrusco di Sorbara).
Shakshuka Recipe From Erin Coffield, RDN, LDN
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 medium Vidalia or yellow onion, diced
1 small to medium red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Cumin
1 Tbsp. Harissa (powder or chutney; use more based on your spice preference)
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper (pinches here and there)
1, 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (they come peeled, but whole in juice)
1 cup cow’s milk feta-style cheese
6 large eggs
About 3 Tbsp. Fresh parsley and/or cilantro (chopped, leaves only/no stems)
Equipment
12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet (with tall sides and a lid for later)
Measuring spoons/cups
Can opener
Knife
Cutting board
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil over low to medium heat in the skillet. Add onion, a dash of salt and pepper and sauté until starts to turn translucent (about 6 minutes); then add bell pepper and sauté for about 8 more minutes or until pepper and onions soften.
Prep tomatoes while veggies are sautéing. Open can, pour into medium mixing bowl, wash hands, using one hand break up tomatoes in the bowl and set aside. (wash hands again)
Add garlic to onions and peppers, stir a few times over the next minute to cook the rawness out of the garlic.
Push all veggies to one side of the pan. Add all spices – cumin through the red pepper flakes to empty space on the pan – it is best to toast the spices a bit to bring their flavors (about 20 seconds). Then, stir into the veggies.
Pour tomatoes into the veggie mixture and stir to distribute; sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Let cook together on medium heat for about minutes.
Turn heat to low, add feta cheese evenly to top of mixture (it will sink into the sauce).
Visualize 6 wedges (like pizza or pie slices) in your pan. To each section, add a cracked egg. Cover pan with the lid or tin foil. Turn off the heat.
Put pan into the pre-heated 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes.
Remove, add chopped parsley and/or cilantro mixture and serve with warm whole-grain pita bread or Mediterranean-style bread of choice.
Additional salt and/or pepper to taste.
