Pear Salad and Rosé Sparkling Wine

As quoted by Wikipedia, ‘Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They often include vegetables and/or fruits.‘

From an easy to put together light dish at home to those costing £100’s if not £1,000’s via Michelin star chefs, salads remain a popular dish on the menu. From light options such as green salads to hearty dishes that include meats, fish and cheese, there are many world famous options to include the Caesar salad from Mexico and the Waldorf salad from the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (just don’t ask Basil Fawlty to make you one).

Fresh veg, fruit, fish, cheese, cream, sauces, ham, meats, spices and more can go in to making a salad and of course the many ‘make it up as you go along‘ ones we prepare at home will contain goodness knows how many other ingredients! We can have many olive oils, dressings, herbs, condiments, preparation styles and more to give us an even wider selection.

Pear Salad

Now that we know there is more or less no limit to the style of salad you can enjoy, we wanted to take a look at a recent suggestion made to us and that was enjoying one focused on the fruit pear. It is not simply a few leaves of salad and a sliced pear added, this was a lot more innovative and tasty thanks to Chef Cezar of Champagne Route bar and restaurant in Gauging Square, London Dock.

The task set was to surprise guests Christopher Walkey and Gianni Ferrari (President of Club Epicure) who brought with them three Rosé Sparkling Wines to pair with the pear salad.

 

The ingredients for this pear salad were:

• Caramelised Pear
• Honey
• Apple Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Blue Cheese
• Black pepper
• Pecans
• Rocket
• Fresh Spinach leaves

Pear Salad at Champagne Route: “Let me tell you that this dish is simply divine. The flavours and ingredients and the amounts of each that are added enable each and every expression they hold to please the palate. The caramelised pear and honey work so well against the stronger flavours from the rocket and blue cheese. It is a must try at this wonderful venue set within the London Dock area just a ten minute walk from Tower Hill tube station.”

Pairing Pear Salad with Rosé Sparkling Wines

A refreshing salad demands some fine refreshing wine. Mostly still white wines pair nicely with such dishes as well as many sparkling wines. For this tasting we decided to bring in three Rosé Sparkling Wines from our collection and see how each paired with the sweeter style pear salad prepared by Chef Cezar.

 

Vin.Co Spumante Rosé Extra Dry: “Grass, straw and gooseberry on the nose. Fresh and crisp, subtle berry fruit flavours. Ideal for a Spring / Summer days’ stroll in the garden with a glass of fizz to accompany you.”

Paired with the Pear Salad: “A great balance allowing the wonderful sweeter honey flavours from the dish to shine initially then drier red berries and rocket. An enjoyable pairing. Crisp and refreshing.”

 

Zonin Rosato Brut: “Easy to drink, nothing overly complicated and flavours will please most with mainly red berries.”

Paired with the Pear Salad: “Soft red berry taste fading into sweeter honey, pear and rocket.”

 

Pere Ventura Tresor Rosé Brut: “Nice fine bubbles. Touch of petrol and dry raspberry on the nose. Delicate balance of flavours with summer berry fruits.”

Paired with the Pear Salad: “The pairing enables red candy fruit flavours initially then relaxes into pear flavours with a rocket ending.“