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!

Some Friendly Mussels, eh?

THIS WEEKS Date Night recipe is about the simplicity and elegance of mussels. They are remarkably quick to prepare, which is great for date nights. I mean, who wants to be stressed out about cooking before a date arrives?
Time is probably better served trying to figure out which Air Supply album you're going to play.
P.E.I. mussels are great to use for these date nights. These canadian mollusks -- they hail from Prince Edward Island, but you knew that -- keep true to the friendly image of our neighbors to the north. They have established their reputation on being incredibly consistent and have a large amount of plump meat for the size of the shell. New York Times columnist Mark Bittman has a great blog on P.E.I. mussels here.
Also, I have found them to be incredibly low-maintenance. Just rinse them well with cold water and pick through the bag for broken shells. Give the scrub with a scouring pad if they look dirty. If their shell is noticeably broken, they're dead. Rest assured, all other dead ones will be found after the cooking process.
They do still need to be de-bearded. No sweat, it's an easy process.
The mussel's beard is a small patch of what looks like hair -- or, beard -- that is poking out from the between the shells. Simply, grab hold of it, and pull down toward the bottom of the shell. It should rip off easily. Use a paper towel if it helps you grip the beard. Sometimes you won't find a beard, that's okay, too.

Mussels are alive when you buy them (ideally) and by removing the beard you kill them. So you shouldn't remove it until your ready to cook.
Cheers!