Technique: Bridging

THE mussels recipe in this weeks Date Night calls for 2 cups of white wine. Mussels pair exceptionally well with a crisp sauvignon blanc.

To get the most out of your wine in a dish like steamed mussels its a good idea to use a technique called "bridging."

All you need to do to "bridge" is serve the same wine you cooked with. That way the flavors in the food already go with the flavors in the glass. It's really that simple. And you thought it was going to be a complicated technique.

My advice: pick up two bottles of the same sauvignon blanc when your shopping for your hot date. No need to spend a lot of money on the wine, you can find some great sauvignon blancs for under $12.

Wines from the Sancerre region in the Loire Valley of France

are some of the best examples of sauvignon blanc in the world.

Photo courtesy of Stock Food

If you want to get a fancy, more expensive bottle -- a Sancerre perhaps -- go for it, Tex. Just cook with a cheaper one, don't blow your bank roll for cooking wine. While not technically bridging, it does the trick, too.

Cheers!