Episode #629 – Pairing: It’s All About the Spice!

We’ve been telling you this for years, but maybe you need to hear it from the King of Seasoning himself.  When pairing food, it’s really all about the spice!  Sure, you can generalize and say, “White with chicken and fish” or “red with beef, lamb or gamey meats,” but the truth is, you should be more concerned about the intensity if the spices you use than what you sprinkle or rub it on. Bren Randolph, founder of Bren’s Original, is a character and a half who’s been up to his neck in spices since he was knee high to a grasshopper.  His seasoning blends are so perfect and irresistible that folks will stop at nothing to get their hands on as many bottle as they can.  Some retailers literally have to ration Bren’s blends so as not to disappoint anyone. But there’s more to the story.  Since Bren is based in the Central Coast Wine Country of California, several formidable wineries have called upon him to create several variations of his secret spices that are more wine-friendly than anything that’s ever been concocted before.  You  don’t have to buy his special blends to learn the do’s and don’t of spicing up your wine pairings.  Listen in for much more than a sprinkle of spice insight on this edition of Grape Encounters! This edition of Grape Encounters is brought to you by Total Wine & More, where you can get 12 awesome wines hand-picked by Total Wine’s friendly experts.  You’ll receive 2 wines that wow per month, all for a one time fee as low as $59!  Best of all, you get to mix and match real gems… Red, white, rosé and sparkling, too.  Pick a plan that’s just right for you! Click here and we’ll take you to the Membership page at TotalWine.com.  While you’re there, spend a little time checking out their mind-boggling selection of more than 8000 wines and an equally impressive selection of beer and spirits, too! Download this episode