Peanut butter & pickle: impossible food-wine pairing?
Dwight Garner, the astute book reviewer for the NYT (be sure to check out his hilarious review of The 4-hour Body from last year), ventures into the food section this week with what he calls a “thrifty and unacknowledged American classic”: the peanut butter and pickle sandwich. Or PB&P, if you will. He delights in the “vinegary snap of chilled pickle cuts, like a dash of irony, against the stoic unctuousness of peanut butter.”
I can’t say that I’m swayed by this description and remain skeptical of the appeals. Nonetheless, given that the NYT spotlight is now focusing on this, the question everybody’s going to be asking–sort of the Rule 34 for bizarre foods–is which wine goes with PB&P, or is it impossible?!?
Hit the comments with your thoughts! Thanks, @trouty for the suggestion!
On October 23rd, 2012 at 11:17 am ,Tom I'Anson wrote:
Peanut Butter and Pickle sounds pretty good. A personal favourite of mine is good quality strawberry jam and mature cheddar cheese, on white bread preferably.
On October 23rd, 2012 at 11:19 am ,Emily H wrote:
Not that I could say from personal experience, but I’d venture that perhaps a Verdelho or Sercial Madeira could work. For an unfortified option, a dry Hunter Valley Semillon or maybe a Godello. Interesting to see if any of them would work!
On October 23rd, 2012 at 11:39 am ,christo wrote:
I think I’d like to see what a sparkling Vouvray might do. Bubbles are forgiving with a wide range of food and the natural wooly goodness of chenin blanc might take it to weirdly good places. Or it could be just awful as it may not have the acid play needed.
Maybe a floral gewürztraminer. It’s lovely with sauerkraut. Pickles relate closely to such a thing and peanuts with floral notes in wine work.
Toughie.
On October 23rd, 2012 at 12:29 pm ,gabe wrote:
sparkling vouvray sounds good. i was thinking of something slightly oxidized, like an aged riesling or a fino sherry. regardless of the food pairing, i think peanut butter and pickles sounds totally gross
On October 23rd, 2012 at 3:05 pm ,Quizicat wrote:
I love peanut butter and hate pickles. This sounds like one for Taylors Muscatel.
On October 23rd, 2012 at 3:22 pm ,Mike Veseth wrote:
This sounds like a job for Barefoot Sweet Moscato. (Gosh, that actually sent a shiver down my spine!)
On October 23rd, 2012 at 5:29 pm ,Mariano wrote:
I have no doubt: A Manzanilla de Sanlucar or Oloroso Sherry, both are perfect for dishes with vinegar.
Cheers!
On October 23rd, 2012 at 11:48 pm ,ZBS wrote:
Agreed, Sherry is the way to go!
On October 24th, 2012 at 4:45 am ,Simon wrote:
With the Taste2Wine App if you go for the same taste acid and nuts you would get some nice dry Champagnes (Chanoine, Taittinger) , Pinot Grigio or a nice Mosel Riesling.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vinooracle.taste2wine
On October 24th, 2012 at 4:09 pm ,george kaplan wrote:
Narragansett, very cold. In a can.
On October 24th, 2012 at 5:07 pm ,Ben wrote:
Note that the best pickle choice is a bread and butter pickle, crisp, sweet and sour, with some mustard seed & crumbled dried cayenne accents. Intrigued (and a lover of peanut butter), I had to try it and I’d say it was pretty good. Then, per this thread, I paired with a ’06 Donnhoff Riesling.
Delish!
On October 25th, 2012 at 10:47 am ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Thanks for these ideas and suggestions. I was leaning toward sherry and bubbly–cava?–in my thinking.
Props to you, Ben, for being inspired to try it! So glad it worked well with the Doennhoff, always a good choice.
On October 25th, 2012 at 2:34 pm ,RobinC wrote:
I tried the sandwich (open faced) with dill(ed) pickles and I loved it. The first wine that came to mind was beaujolais so I’ll stick with it. I’ll never try it as I’ll never have that sandwich again as peanut butter is addictive for me.