Appetizer:
Curried Nuts

Greens:
Gujarat Green Beans

Starch:
Horseradish
Mashed Potatoes

Curried Yams with coconut milk

Turkey:
Cumin and Coriander spice rub

Condiments:
Cranberry Chutney
Cucumber Raita

Stuffing:
With raisins, cinnamon, almonds, celery and of course, bread

Dessert:
Chiffon Pumpkin Pie with crystallized ginger galore

East Indian Food
Try something different with NW Wine!
By Michael Sherwood
Avalon Food & Wine Writer

I’m always turning things on their head just to see how they look from a different angle. Take Thanksgiving for instance. The American Indians held harvest celebrations for centuries before the Pilgrims showed up. America’s early settlers had a rough go of it and ended up ill and starving. The generosity and compassion of the First People saved our ancestral butts.

Let’s take it back just a little further in time to find the real inspiration for this idea - no, not to Leif Erickson, but to Christopher Columbus.Chris was looking for India and spices when he ran into the outer shoals of the Bahamas.Spice wise, it's not that hard to make the bridge from traditional Thanksgiving dinner to an East Indian Thanksgiving.

The pumpkin pie leads the way. Nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and baked pumpkin - if you know your Indian food, you instantly recognize these as staples in the Indian kitchen. So you jack that up with candied ginger and a cardamom whipped cream and you are sailing straight towards Kerala, a province at the tip of India.

Cumin rub on the bird; stuffing with dried fruits and cinnamon; Horseradish mashed potatoes; Cranberry chutneys gone to Bombay and back all help turn your American standards into East Indian delicacies. Neither my parents nor my in-laws allow me to make my East Indian Thanksgiving – at Thanksgiving time. So I had to consummate this aberration some other time of the year. Don’t make the same mistake. Go Indian this Thanksgiving.

At Sub Rosa we love the layers and layers of flavors in Indian food. If done well, Indian food caresses and seduces you. Bold, assertive and wonderfully satisfying. Picking a wine that goes with Indian food is easier than you think. Riesling and Gewürztraminers are naturals with Indian food. The fruit and the acid balance in Pacific Northwest whites are often outstanding. The fruit dances on the tongue and the acid cleans the palate for the next bite. Oregon Pinot Noir’s deliver bright clean flavors and the acids that make it the ideal food wine.

Let’s take a look at this year’s installment of the East Indian Thanksgiving Dinner. We dropped out the Bengali spinach and curried squash soup in favor of a green bean dish this year - just to try something new. Clearly we don’t stand on tradition here. We take the courses in a different direction and invite you along for the ride to our alternative universe roots – Thanksgiving in India.

Pairing Wine with our East Indian Thanksgiving Dinner

Many Oregon red or white wines pair beautifully with your traditional Thanksgiving dinner, and the addition of Indian spices to the extravaganza opens up whole new flavor combinations. We tried several wines with each dish and there was not a bad choice amongst them. The floral Rieslings and Gewürztraminer loved the East Indian spices. We’d switched to Pinot Noir to pair with turkey some years ago, but the addition of a cumin, coriander and ginger rub cries out for a bold red wine. A Pinot Noir at Thanksgiving is appreciated for its bright flavors and beautiful acid balance, but it would not be at all inappropriate to match this dinner with your favorite Syrah or even one of those Columbia Gorge Zinfandels.

Here are a few of the wines we tried and what we matched them to:

With the curry spiced nuts, we recommend sparkling wine. Sparkling wine calls out for something salty and spicy to play against the high acids and bubbles. The 1998 Domaine St. Michelle “Lux” is tasting very nice right now. This Blanc de Blanc carries a delicate green apple and pear aromas that dance on thousands of perfect tiny bubbles, always the mark of a good sparkling wine. The Belle Pente 2003 Riesling was also very nice with these nuts. This Germanic styled wine carries a certain lushness and sweetness due to the heat of 2003. Either you had to leave a little residual sugar or you made your white wines with high alcohol. The sweetness is well balanced with the acids and the apricot, peach and apple flavors are ushered in with a beautiful vibrancy of fruit. Oregon is making such wonderful Rieslings right now, you can’t help but root for this most noble of grapes.

Russ Raney of Evesham Wood

With the starches: horseradish mashed potatoes and curried yams, we were drawn to two Evesham Wood white wines. Their “Blanc” du Puit Sec 2004 is delicious. This is Russ Raney’s first proprietary blend. In this case, a mix of Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer (75/25). The bright acidity of the Pinot Gris melds with the floral viscosity of the Gewurtz to make a beautiful wine. We loved the combination of grapes. The acid refreshed the palate and the floral matched with the creaminess of the potatoes and the sweetness of the yams. The organic Chardonnay du Puit Sec 2003 is classic 2003. This hot year produced lush wines. Russ was able to tame the sugars and produce a rich, balanced wine with plenty of nuance. It’s too bad people burned out on over oaked and buttery ‘New World’ Chardonnay, because all over Oregon, vintners are producing outstanding Chardonnays that are undiscovered outside of the Pacific Northwest.

With the Gujerati Green Beans we tried two totally different white wines - Bergström Pinot Gris 2004 and the Brooks Ara Riesling 2003. Bergstrom’s Pinot Gris comes from 22-30 year old vines which offer up some great tropical notes with hints of vanilla and pear. While not a huge wine, it should’t be. Its beautiful acids, fruit and structure make this a perfect food wine, which is exactly what winemaker Josh Bergström was shooting for. Jimi Brooks would have loved the 2004 Brooks Ara Riesling had he lived to see it bottled. Fruity and full with aromas and flavors of ripe peaches and apricots. There's structure and acid on the finish, with some noble viscosity to give added body. This wine picks up on virtually any flavor note in a dish and magnifies it. For some reason, Riesling and cumin have an affinity that is quite simpatico.

Indian Spices

In Indian cooking, the full flavor of spices is enhanced by dry roasting before grinding and/or starting the recipe by frying the spices or spice paste in hot ghee or oil. Whenever possible, choose the whole form (rather than ground) of spices to best preserve their essence until ready to use.

anise seeds
The licorice-tasting seeds are used in both savory dishes and confections, as well as for chewing after meals as a digestive and breath sweetener.

asafetida
With its very strong garlic-like flavor, use this taproot resin with a light hand in vegetables or dal, always frying in a little oil first.

black pepper
Use this familiar spice to add "heat," as well as flavor, to savory dishes and spiced tea.

caraway (seeds)
The nutty, delicate licorice flavor is similar, yet less-strong than anise, so can be used more freely in vegetables dishes, especially potatoes.

cardamom (whole pods or ground)
Add the pods (black or green) to rice before cooking to impart a creamy, mild lemon-like flavor, or use ground in curry for sweet or savory dishes from meat to garbanzo beans.

cayenne pepper
Strong and spicy with more "heat" than flavor, yet essential for that reason.

chilies (ground or in a paste)
Use any of the hundreds of varieties to add both flavor and "heat" to savory dishes.

cilantro (fresh)
Chopped and added at the end of cooking or as garnish (see "coriander" below).

cinnamon (ground or whole)
Though we think of this as a baking spice in the West, it is used sparingly in curry, to spice tea, and whole or broken sticks are used to season cooking rice.

cloves (ground or whole)
Essential to curry in ground form, whole they are added to cooking rice and tea, as well as chewed after a meal to freshen the breath.

coriander (ground or seeds)
This seed of the cilantro herb (see above) is a frequent addition to many dishes, adding a fresh, full, yet not overpowering flavor.

cumin (ground or seed)
One of the most important ingredients in curry, it is flavorful and familiar for its strong aroma. We like to toast this to add a deeper more complex flavor. Toasting also makes it gentle on your stomach.

dill (weed or seed)
Fresh dill is chopped and added near the end of cooking or as a garnish, whereas the seed is used occasionally in curry.

fennel (ground or seed)
With a sweet, aromatic, mild anise-like flavor, ground it is part of some curries, but the whole seed is used more often in savory dishes as well as in tea, and even milky coffee.

fenugreek (whole or ground)
Always lightly roasted or fried before use or grinding, the seeds (actually legumes) are sometimes soaked overnight for use whole; provides a tangy, somewhat fermented quality of flavor to vegetables, curry and "pickles" or chutney.

garlic (fresh or dried ground)
Perhaps the world's most popular seasoning, it is used in careful balance with other spices, seldom allowed prominence.

ginger root (dried ground or fresh)
The fresh, spicy and lemon-like flavor is distinct and used as part of curries and pastes, as well as to season vegetable dishes, tea or hot milk.

kalonji — see nigella

mace (ground or "blades")
Part of the outer covering of nutmeg, it has a similar, yet more delicate flavor than its host, and is used in the same way, except that the "blades" can be added to broths, then removed before serving.

mustard (prepared, ground or seed)
Whole seeds (yellow or black) are added to hot ghee or oil and allowed to pop for a nutty, creamy flavor in dal and vegetable dishes, whereas the prepared and ground are used in pastes, curries and marinades.

nigella or kalonji (seeds)
Resembling (and sometimes mis-identified as) onion seeds, roast or fry for a flavor that is indeed oniony as well as peppery, also leaning toward oregano or cumin, making it popular for dal, "pickles" and sprinkling on breads or cucumbers.

nutmeg (ground)
Popular in Western cooking for creamy dishes and desserts, it is used occasionally to add that same creamy nuttiness in curries, including those for spiced tea.

turmeric (ground)
Indispensable spice that adds a very mild woody flavor yet intense yellow color to curries or savory dishes during cooking.

With turkey, we’ve been drinking Pinot Noirs for the last 10 years. The Oregon Pinot Noirs are perfect with turkey. The bold flavors and balanced acid coax the best out of this sainted bird. We have a slew of great Pinot Noirs that match up with our East Indian Turkey:

Owen Roe Pinot Noir "The Kilmore" 2004 - I first had this at a winemakers party in September, where vintners brought their wines to share. This bottle kicked butt on most every Pinot Noir there. Big blackberry and coffee/cola notes dominate the taste. The aroma was almost violet in nature. If this is what 2004 Oregon Pinot Noirs are all about, bring ‘em on!

Another wine we loved with our Indian turkey is the Beaux Freres Pinot Noir Belles Soeurs 2003. As always, the Belle Soeurs is a delightful example of blended Pinot Noir. Mike Etzel handled the hot 2003 vintage with his typical deft skills. This wine brims with black fruits which I love. Blackberry, black raspberry and dark cherry dominate with a spice nuance that is reminiscent of fresh baked blackberry pie. 2003 gave us big juicy fruit. The real skill came in keeping enough acid around to let the lush fruit do all the talking. The 2003 Belles Soeurs delivered the goods once again.

I had my first Dusky Goose Pinot Noir this summer and was mightily impressed. The first vintage in 2002 was spot on. The 2003 is even better. Fruit from the Goldschmidt Vineyard fruit produces a scent unique to this Red Hills site and winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash brings out the best from this vineyard. Flavors of red raspberry, dried cherries, plums with a hint of vanilla and cedar weave a beguiling trail through it’s fruity core. What strikes you about the 2003 is the beautiful balance of lush fruit and acid; and how it feels in your mouth, always a mark of a beautiful Pinot Noir. The Dusky Goose 2003 was so good with our turkey, we’ll be cellaring a half case of the 2003.

Last but not least to pair with our East Indian Turkey is the 2004 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir "Block 23". This is yet another example of the drop dead gorgeous 2004 Oregon Pinot Noir harvest. This site has herb written all over it. The Oregon "garrique" (wild herb) nature of this wine echos sage and marjoram in the bouquet but the core is solid black and beery fruit. Marionberry and cassis interweave with touch of beautiful tannins pulled from the skins of the Pinot Noir and the French oak barrels use. This Shea is still in it's youth, but it is tasting nice now. It will only get better. Buy a few of these puppies. Open one at Thanksgiving and put the rest away to be pulled out in 5 years. If you don't, you'll regret passing this one up.

With our ginger enhanced Pumpkin Chiffon pie, we immediately went to Andrew Rich’s Gewurztraminer Ice Wine 2004. This elixir has been part of our dueling pumpkin pie shtick ever since the chiffon recipe landed in our oven. As always, lush honey and stone fruit flavors dominate with just the perfect balance of acid. Smooth as silk in your mouth. We went back and sampled the David Hill Muscat Port again. Damn this is a beautiful wine with layers of tropical flavors - lychee nuts, wild honey and nutmeg. I’m not sure if you’ve had a chance to try the Inniskillin or Jackson-Triggs dessert wines coming out of Canada, but they are stunning. Spendy, but stunning. Inniskillin has long been the premiere ice wine producer in Canada, producing true ice wine. The Inniskillin Riesling 2002 Ice Wine is everything you want from a dessert wine. Complex flavors. Good balance of acid and sugars. Aromas ranging from apricot to tangerine. Another British Columbia import is from Jackson Triggs located in the Okanagan Valley. Inniskillin’s Gewurtraminer Ice Wine from both 2001 and 2002 are also tasting quite well at the moment. The Jackson Triggs Riesling 2002 Ice Wine is likewise a stunner. Rich. Intense. Tropical flavors anchor this dessert wine with notes of ripe apple and pear swirling in the glass.

Each of these wines will pick up on the tropical coconut and ginger and provide another layer to the flavor equation. We suggest you institute your own ‘dueling dessert wine’ tradition at your house this year.

About Michael Sherwood

Michael Sherwood is an Oregon original - your modern day Renaissance man. He’s done more interesting jobs than most of us – FM radio personality, commercial logger, commercial fisherman, rock band promoter, neighborhood advocate, energy conservation expert, arts festival coordinator, software developer, non-profit executive, beer and wine guy and land use planner.

After 10 years developing software in Seattle, Mike moved back to Portland and was soon drafted to be the first Executive Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild, a fledgling non-profit trade organization, which he helped turn into one of the most dynamic small brewer associations in North America.

All the while he was managing the affairs of the states craft brewers, he was not so secretly a wine lover and worked providing marketing assistance to a local winery. Beverages are 'in his blood' as his family owned a beer and wine distributorship in the 60’s and 70’s in Roseburg.

Today Mike runs a wine sales, marketing and technology consulting business called Arbre which provides branding and sales support for wineries large and small. He has also created the Internets first truly virtual stealth restaurant and underground wine bar called Sub Rosa. We liked his mix of wine savvy and irreverent humor so much, we hired him to write for Avalon.