When the weather heats up we start thinking about cooking Vietnamese food

When the weather heats up we start thinking about cooking Vietnamese food.

When the weather heats up we start thinking about cooking Vietnamese food. It's fast, fresh and incredibly tasty and the flavor profiles are right up our Asian-inspired alley.

We've been hearing from many of you who appreciate our writing about both food and wine. Some of you may know Leslie retired as a feature food writer for Edible Cape Cod. Our real passion is for food and wine, so we're here to please. If you want to check out one of our articles this is a good place to start.

One of our standby summer recipes is Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and Shrimp. You can find the recipe over here. A few suggestions on this recipe -- we add shrimp and let it marinate for a shorter period than the pork (roughly 30 minutes) and we grill that too (it's a classic and delicious combination!). Instead of pork shoulder we slice a boneless pork chop and pound it until it's ¼ inch thin before marinating and grilling. It's easier and fast as lightning.

The fish sauce we use is the one and only Red Boat which you can find at Whole Foods, Amazon, or the place where we purchase most of our food staples at a great discount, Thrive Market online. If you haven't checked out Thrive Market online you're in for a real treat! At this point around 40-50% of our pantry staples come from Thrive Market with free shipping (and we've saved boatloads!).

If you like this recipe and you want to delve further into Vietnamese cooking then we recommend Andrea Nguyen's recently published book called Vietnamese Food Any Day. The sizzling Vietnamese crepes are a revelation and so very perfect for breakfast on a hot day.

Now, generally speaking, strongly flavored Asian dishes pair wonderfully well with Riesling. The spicier the dish, the better it pairs with a sweeter style of Riesling. Today we're pairing our Vietnamese rice vermicelli with Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Trocken (Trocken means dry).

The elements of this Vietnamese dish are savory yet not particularly spicy (unless you add copious amounts of Sriracha at the end -- hint, hint). That's why we're recommending this dry and sublime white wine. It's truly exceptional!

Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Trocken 2017

"The 2017 Rheingau Riesling Trocken is very clear, fresh and even coolish on the nose. 'We are incredibly happy with 2017,' says Wilhelm Weil, who considers this estate Riesling as one of the best he has produced in the past 30 years. It is an incredibly lush but fine and singing 500,000 times (this is the number of bottles). Gorgeous and highly attractive—not just because of the price. The 2017 is Wilhelm Weil's 31st vintage, and he can be proud of it indeed." (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 90 points

$22.99/bottle or just $18.39/bottle in a solid or mixed case of wine.

Most wine professionals drink Riesling regularly, and we think you should give it a go. It's the ultimate food wine. We're pretty sure this Riesling will both surprise and delight you!

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Our Wine Tasting Weekends With George are going strong. This weekend George will be tasting these beauties. Please join us and sample some of these exceptional wines!

Friday, May 31, 3-5 p.m.

TREASURES FROM THE UNITED STATES

Valravn Chardonnay 2017

Cold climate vineyards in the Sonoma Coast provide a core of minerality, ripe peach and apple, and a touch of citrus. These fresh notes are balanced by much richer flavors of toasted hazelnuts, marzipan and ripe pineapple, that come from the barrel fermented Russian River component. Overall, the Valravn Chardonnay walks the delicate line between high toned freshness, and the more powerful flavors of the barrel fermented Chardonnay.

If we were going to drink a California Chardonnay this would be high on our list!

Banshee Rose 2018

"White peach, citrus, and apricot blossom aromas unfold onto the palate with blood orange, rhubarb and pomegranate flavors. Lively acidity with great tension and verve with a chalky, saline quality." (Winemaker's Notes) "Banshee's 2018 Rosé is crisp, dry and inviting. I would prefer to drink it over the next year or two, while the cranberry and floral flavors remain youthfully bright." (Antonio Galloni, Vinous)

Vinous: 88 points

Banshee Pinot Noir 2016

"The 2016 Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) is a pretty, appellation-level Pinot. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, mint, leather and spice give this mid-weight Pinot a good bit of nuance and complexity throughout." (Antonio Galloni, Vinous)

Vinous: 87 points

Requiem Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

"This distinguished Cabernet Sauvignon was grown biodynamically in Washington's Columbia Valley from 4 vineyard sites in Walla Walla and Horse Heaven Hills.. Densely layered and quite substantial in the mouth, this bottling delivers generous blackberry and black currant fruit, wrapped around a vibrant core of acidity which keeps the wine pert and lively on the palate." (Winemaker notes)

Woo hoo! This is one of our very favorite Cabs for the price. This is definitely a Friday or Saturday night kind of wine.

Saturday, June 1, 3-5 p.m.

A TASTE OF NEW ZEALAND

Te Awanga Wildflower Sauvignon Blanc 2017

"Juicy and bright, with peach, mandarin orange and Key lime notes that are effusive and expressive on the sleek frame. Drink now. 615 cases made." (Wine Spectator)

Wine Spectator: 88 points

Paddy Borthwick Sauvignon Blanc 2017

"Lively redcurrant aromas emerge on the nose of the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc. There's pink grapefruit as well in this medium-bodied, slightly creamy-textured Sauvignon Blanc. It avoids any vegetal notes, delivering a mouthful of bright, refreshing citrus and a long, crisp finish. Nicely done." (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 91 points

Paddy Borthwick Paper Road Pinot Noir 2016

"This wine, from the bottom of the North Island, starts off on the reductive side. It opens somewhat after time in the glass but remains a bit of a broody beast. Aromas of soy sauce, meat and damp earth mingle with ripe red cherry. The fruit on the palate is a little syrupy, and the tannins are astringent and woody, but give this some time and it should knit together better. Drink 2020–2027." (Wine Enthusiast)

Wine Enthusiast: 88 points

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Town Center Wine & Spirits
Cape Cod's Most Trusted Wine Merchant

Location
4550 State Highway
North Eastham, MA 02651
(Next to the Royal Thai Restaurant in the Town Center Plaza)
Tel: 508 255 3660
Fax: 508 255 6736

Early June Hours

Mon-Sat: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

We're open year round.
Closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Town Center Wine & Spirits Cape Cod's Most Trusted Wine Merchant

Town Center Wine & Spirits
Cape Cod's Most Trusted Wine Merchant