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jcoz23 Dec 17, 2007 11:02 AM

favorite junk food and wine pairings?

I remember reading an article somewhere about junk food and wine pairings... A few were matches I have tried, like California Chardonnay with buttered popcorn and Australian Shiraz with hot dogs. Others I had not heard of, like Spanish red Rioja with cheese curls. What is your favorite junk food/wine pairing???

  1. gatun Dec 31, 2007 02:54 PM

    Spagetti-O's (with the meat ball's) and a nice California Cab

    4 Replies
    1. re: gatun
      AnneInMpls Dec 31, 2007 03:51 PM

      Hee, hee, hee! Curse you for mentioning my bĂȘte noir (Spaghetti-O's) - now I need to try pairing them with wine.

      But Spaghetti-O's taste so sweet to me that I think I would go with a non-dry white wine - something like Bonny Doon's Pacific Rim Riesling. Then again, I always get the version without the meatballs, which makes a big difference. (I'm sure those meatballs pair beautifully with a Cab.)

      Anne

      1. re: AnneInMpls
        c
        cleopatra999 Jan 2, 2008 11:06 AM

        After reading this post I went out and bought a bunch of junk food to to with our champagne on new years eve. what a huge success, I liked the champagne better with the food then alone, my favorite was the chex party mix. Thanks for opening my eyes to this combo! btw, does the junk food work as well with any bubbles? or is it specifically champagne?

        1. re: cleopatra999
          m
          moh Jan 2, 2008 11:20 AM

          You know, I had a thought about this. I think we've all been trained to like fizzy drinks with junk food. We are a soft drink culture after all. So it is natural that a bubbly drink like Champagne would be a natural fit for junk food. Now I don't want anyone saying I am equating Champagne with ginger ale. But I think there is a cultural precedent for this combination.

          1. re: cleopatra999
            maria lorraine Jan 2, 2008 04:03 PM

            In regards to chips, crackers, snack foods, I've found that Champagne with some degree of toastiness, sometimes called brioche, matches well with those items. There is commonality in both -- something toasted, some caramelization of starches.

            Moh, of course there is cultural precedent -- it's the reason Coca-Cola goes so well with potato chips and pretzels is the same reason -- effervescence.

      2. t
        tom porc Dec 28, 2007 10:19 PM

        No food snobs here as the 39 responses testify.

        1. Munchkin Dec 28, 2007 09:47 AM

          Golden Kaan Reserve Selection Shiraz with garlic Pretzel Crisps dipped in Sabra's Supremely Spicy Hummus.

          2 Replies
          1. re: Munchkin
            AnneInMpls Dec 28, 2007 05:23 PM

            Me, I love garlic hummos with California Chardonnay, but I'll have to try it with Shiraz and pretzels. Yum!

            Anne

            1. re: AnneInMpls
              a
              anewton Dec 28, 2007 08:33 PM

              Grilled cheese with riesling or gewurztraminer.

              Frozen pizza with inexpensive Aussie shiraz.

              Take out sushi with a bright, acidic New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

          2. s
            sharonm Dec 26, 2007 07:52 AM

            Gruner Veltliner and fried chicken
            Rose and popcorn
            Prosecco and potato chips
            Aglianico and anything with barbecue sauce (not junk food but delicious)

            1 Reply
            1. re: sharonm
              tatertotsrock Dec 26, 2007 01:21 PM

              Mmmm, sharonm,
              I love Gruner Veltliner with some good greasey bits...It's the perfect white for crossing the bridge between light apps into a big, dreamy dish of braised short ribs.
              I can only imagine how great that would go with some crispy fried chicken skin!!!

              The day after Thanksgiving, I baked a chicken...the day after that, I pulled all the skin off the chicken and re-baked it in a pyrex dish till it was the perfect little chicken-chicharrone...mmm...I served it with some mashed potatos and polished of 1/2 a bottle of Sancere...great combo!
              I will for sure grab a bottle of GV next time I do that.
              Thanks for the suggestion!

            2. tatertotsrock Dec 26, 2007 06:57 AM

              Bigs in a Blanket
              with
              Sparkling Malvasia
              (just enjoyed this combo at our friends 50th bd)

              Kimchee Potato Chips
              with
              Moscatto D'asti or Prosecco
              (favorite camping snack time snack)

              Cab
              with
              Bacon and popcorn popped in the bacon grease

              3 Replies
              1. re: tatertotsrock
                goodhealthgourmet Dec 26, 2007 07:16 AM

                "popcorn popped in the bacon grease"

                tater, you're my hero :)

                1. re: goodhealthgourmet
                  jcoz23 Dec 26, 2007 07:39 AM

                  Mine too!!!

                  1. re: jcoz23
                    tatertotsrock Dec 26, 2007 01:17 PM

                    Thank you goodhealthgourmet and jcoz23,
                    but I must admit, all the credit goes to my good friend Samantha...she had gotten me the Bacon of the Month Club as a gift and she wanted to open a nice bottle of Cab but we didn't have anything in the house...but then I said "what about the bacon?" and she said "perfect let's open the wine and start frying"...then, while we were frying we realized we needed a vehicle for the bacon...she said "let's make popcorn witht he drippings!!!"
                    How could I resist.
                    Well, as it turned out, it was a perfect meal.
                    We finished the bottle, finished the bacon, and all the popcorn while watching some great T-VO-ed trash television...what a great evening!
                    Mmmm.
                    Tonight, it's watching screeners of Into the Wild and whatever else arrived in the mail, homemade pizza, and a bottle of Carlos Basso "Dos Fincas" from Argentina...(55%cab-45% merlot)...I think it will be just right.

              2. c
                chris the bartender Dec 26, 2007 06:19 AM

                Brownies and barolo for me. Also Spicy nachos and a german riesling.

                1. goodhealthgourmet Dec 25, 2007 05:44 AM

                  tawny port with chocolate ice cream

                  2 Replies
                  1. re: goodhealthgourmet
                    ibstatguy Dec 27, 2007 08:48 PM

                    now don't try to tell me that you didn't see my post before you made yours!! LOL

                    1. re: ibstatguy
                      goodhealthgourmet Dec 28, 2007 12:02 AM

                      i actually enjoyed a 20-year-old port with fantastic homemade chocolate ice cream at one of my favorite restaurants just a few weeks ago...but yes, it was your post that reminded me to mention it in this thread...hey, i give credit where due!

                  2. ibstatguy Dec 25, 2007 05:20 AM

                    vanilla ice cream with sherry is one

                    1. Vinny Barbaresco Dec 20, 2007 12:57 PM

                      Champagne and Popeye's fried chicken

                      1. o
                        olasek Dec 19, 2007 01:16 PM

                        >> and Australian Shiraz with hot dogs

                        Some Australian Shiraz are exceptionally fine wines (Two Hands comes to my mind). I would never waste such a wine on a hot dog.

                        1. diablo Dec 18, 2007 02:40 PM

                          Merlot and cheap boxed chocolates

                          Chardonnay and Wise brand white cheddar popcorn

                          3 Replies
                          1. re: diablo
                            Zucumber84 Dec 19, 2007 05:50 AM

                            malbec and grilled cheese

                            1. re: Zucumber84
                              c
                              chriscatva Dec 19, 2007 11:28 AM

                              Ooh, I like the sound of this :-). I love Malbec and I love grilled cheese -- will have to give it a try.

                              1. re: chriscatva
                                m
                                moh Dec 19, 2007 02:41 PM

                                for fun you should try both a Malbec and the Columbia Crest Merlot and compare. I know Merlot isn't "popular"anymore, but it did go great with grilled cheese!

                          2. AnneInMpls Dec 18, 2007 02:30 PM

                            This is a really fun thread! I'm a long-time fan of Champagne with anything salty. Now, I can't wait to try some lime tortilla chips with Pinot Grigio.

                            For more ideas, see this earlier thread:
                            http://www.chowhound.com/topics/430840

                            Anne

                            1 Reply
                            1. re: AnneInMpls
                              jcoz23 Dec 19, 2007 05:49 AM

                              Thanks! I tried to do a search before I started this one, but I searched "junk food" not "fast food" so nothing came up...That's a great thread, too! Love the suggestions for Prosecco with Fritos and Pinot Noir with a Cuban sandwich...

                            2. o
                              OliveBelle Dec 18, 2007 02:13 PM

                              I read this somewhere and it worked- marshmallows and ice wine.

                              1. w
                                wally Dec 18, 2007 08:39 AM

                                Potato chips, tzatziki and champagne and of course hot dogs and champagne.

                                1. e
                                  epsi1on Dec 18, 2007 08:31 AM

                                  going with the Champagne trend, Champagne with Fried Chicken. Also Chianti with Pizza (though that's almost how it's supposed to be if you ask me.. haha).

                                  1. w
                                    wally Dec 18, 2007 08:31 AM

                                    Cerdon du Bugey with salmon tacos.

                                    1. b
                                      burlgurl Dec 18, 2007 07:49 AM

                                      Tostitos Lime Tortilla chips and a chilled Pinot Grigio

                                      1 Reply
                                      1. re: burlgurl
                                        stellamystar Dec 19, 2007 05:58 PM

                                        Burlgurl - that sounds fantastic! mmm......

                                      2. f
                                        fussycouple Dec 17, 2007 05:21 PM

                                        Twinkies with chardonnay, preferably a golden buttery one.

                                        1. w
                                          whiner Dec 17, 2007 05:10 PM

                                          Champagne with pepperoni pizza
                                          Nero d'Avola with sausage pizza
                                          Just about anything with any sort of pizza

                                          Cabs with hamburgers

                                          Champagne with nachos

                                          Champagne with french fries

                                          Rose or Champagne with schwarma, gyros, falafel

                                          Champagne with hot dogs

                                          (are you noticing a pattern?)

                                          4 Replies
                                          1. re: whiner
                                            m
                                            moh Dec 18, 2007 07:42 AM

                                            Champagne goes with everything! I love champagne!!!

                                            I don't know if this qualifies as junk food, but.... went camping with friends, we brought aged cheddar cheese, and made grilled cheese over an open fire.We drank the Coumbia Crest Merlot with this. You can't imagine how well these two paired up! One of the most astonishing synergistic combinations i have ever had...

                                            1. re: moh
                                              goodhealthgourmet Dec 19, 2007 06:00 PM

                                              kraft singles would be junk food. aged cheddar is too good to qualify...particularly because i assume you also used decent bread, and not wonder bread....?

                                              1. re: goodhealthgourmet
                                                m
                                                moh Dec 19, 2007 07:06 PM

                                                Cant argue about the cheddar, but we did use sliced white bread...

                                            2. re: whiner
                                              maria lorraine Dec 19, 2007 10:38 PM

                                              Champagne and onion rings, freshly made.
                                              Champagne and Ruffles potato chips with onion dip
                                              (or the gourmet version: with sour cream and caviar [even the cheap stuff])
                                              Champagne and fried chicken
                                              Champagne and salami
                                              Champagne and salty nuts
                                              Champagne and Triscuits
                                              Champagne and any crunchy cracker or chip or Chex Mix kind of thing
                                              Champagne and McDonald's French Fries -- tell the counter you want fries without salt b/c that means they'll fry them fresh, then what you do is sneakily grab a couple of packets of salt. Terrible, I know, but it's all for flavor and giggles.
                                              Champagne and deep-fried mushrooms
                                              Champagne and just about anything deep-fried

                                              But that's because Champagne loves the whole fat and sodium thing,
                                              the definitive components of junk food.

                                            3. c
                                              chriscatva Dec 17, 2007 02:36 PM

                                              Well, the other day I drank two glasses of Tannat with a bunch of homemade Chex Mix (I made this to take to a wine potluck last weekend -- had some left over). I really liked the combination. The spiciness of the Tannat seemed to mesh well with the seasoning of the Chex Mix, but it enhanced it rather than overshadowing it.

                                              1. b
                                                bubbles4me Dec 17, 2007 11:06 AM

                                                Del Taco French Fries and Champagne
                                                Chex Mix and Champagne
                                                Jack In The Box Breakfast Sandwiches (served all day...God I love that) and Champagne
                                                Kettle Chips, lightly salted with...Champagne

                                                3 Replies
                                                1. re: bubbles4me
                                                  jcoz23 Dec 17, 2007 11:37 AM

                                                  Okay, I have to ask since I love Del Taco fries... Which champagne?

                                                  1. re: jcoz23
                                                    b
                                                    bubbles4me Dec 17, 2007 03:57 PM

                                                    Most the time it is either Agrapart Blanc de Blancs or Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs but if I am feeling like being really decadent I get a large order, (the giant cup) and drink Camille Saves Carte d'Or and call it dinner!

                                                  2. re: bubbles4me
                                                    perk Dec 25, 2007 11:09 PM

                                                    I like your style, bubbles.

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