Wine and potato hash are culinary allies destined for a blissful union. I know some of you are thinking, “Clark has finally lost his marbles,” but you’d be dead wrong! First of all, I lost my marbles years ago (ask anybody). Secondly, I teamed up with Urban Decanter’s Becky Kramer for a Pulled Pork Hash Panini and wine pairing that received rave reviews! “What?! Stop this madness, Clark,” you plead while processing the notion of hash panini and wine. “Shhhhhh. It’ll be all right,” I whisper in a soothing tone, knowing this post will reveal a new world of adventure.
But, in case you’re still skeptical and need additional proof, I direct your attention to the Hashcapades signage. That’s right, Hashcapades on Urban Decanter’s marquee! You’ll notice the standard breakfast drinks: Bloody Marys, Mimosas and Sparkling Wine. But the real secret was waiting inside: Pinot Noir Rosé from Kramer Vineyards. But more on that later.
As is common in the twitterverse, Becky and I met as we exchanged tweets about food and wine. Several of her friends had attended my hashcapades, but she never had the opportunity to join us. Inventive and driven, Becky proposed a hybrid hashcapade where I make the hash and she serves it at her cozy Urban Decanter establishment. Well, this was too much fun to ignore, so we settled on Pulled Pork Hash with a sans pork vegetarian version. A key breakthrough emerged when she mentioned the array of panini grills she used at the store and the deal was sealed – hash panini!
Now I had to deliver the goods, starting with roasting enough potatoes for about 25-30 guests. Next, I combined two prior pulled pork hashcapades (Hood to Coast & Graduation) to create a colorful, spicy panini filling. A couple of twists: caramelized sweet onions (to die for), diced jalapeño, chopped arugula & spinach and havarti or gouda cheese that Becky suggested (brilliant!). Now it was showtime.
I arrived early to find Urban Decanter’s inviting dining room, complete with a couch & bar, dark wood furniture, and pleasantly dim custom lighting (want!). Becky was busy prepping the pulled pork, country gravy, ciabatta rolls and breakfast libations. I was pressed (ha!) into service and mixed the prepped potatoes, red bell peppers & onions with the rest of the ingredients and started to make panini for the hungry customers.
Now back to the wine pairings. Opinions abound, but Becky focused on white sparkling wines, namely Apolloni Sparkling Pinot Blanc and Kramer Vineyards Brut. Both of these were refreshing companions to the panini, but my accidental favorite was the Pinot Noir Rosé, requested by Becky’s Dad, Keith. He described the rosé as “a food wine, lots of acid.” Becky’s description was “dry with hints of candied cherry and great acid.” I simply savored the succulent hash, melty gouda and crunchy ciabatta in consort with the rosé in über-contented silence!
We polished off the rest of the rosé, which explains the lack of wine in this shot! Hopefully, our experimental (and successful) hashcapade has inspired you to “dare to pair” when it comes to hash and wine.
Special thanks to Becky for inviting me to Urban Decanter and to the hashcapade crew, Beau, Keith, Trudy, Bob, Alina, April, Mike, Jaqui and Cara for their accolades. Cheers!
Happy Hashcapades,
Clark
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