Snak Mix
Gather round. It's time to for a little free association (invented by Austrian, S. Freud, thank you).
Mixed nuts / Dive bar
Roasted nuts / Peanut w/legs, monocle and cane
Paprika nuts mix a la Tartine Gourmande / Champagne
Yes, you read that correctly. I like nuts & bubbly.
This recipe from La tartine gourmande is dead-easy and brings new meaning to the phrase, "fancy mixed nuts." I slightly modified the recipe by using smoked paprika and adding almonds to the mix.
The bubbly introduced to my fancy nuts was Nic Feuillatte's Brut Réserve Particulière ($29) - AKA 'Blue Label.' This Champagne is a blend - heavy on the red grapes (40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier & 20% Chard). While I was slightly underwhelmed with Nic's wine, it did possess a pleasant soda fountainesque combo of cherry, vanilla and cream scents.
Fortunately, Réserve Particulière serves up the trademark Champagne mouthfeel of zest & silk. Add this to the nuts and your flavor party is on. Bubbly amplifies the paprika's smoke and the richness of high-fat (but good fat) nuts.
If you want to give this nut recipe a spin, but are hesitant to drop three Hamiltons on Champagne, I suggest an inexpensive, surefire Cava like Segura Viudas Aria. Now pass the nuts, please.
Hello Beau,
I am glad that you got inspired by my nuts recipes! ;-) Hot paprika is a great idea. You are giving me more ideas..;-)
Posted by: Bea at La Tartine Gourmande | 17 March 2006 at 08:00 PM
Bea,
Your recipes & photography are wonderful. I look forward to doing a number of wine & food pairing experiments using La Tartine Gourmande!
Posted by: beau | 17 March 2006 at 09:45 PM