Artigiano: Pairing Dishes with Wine

Please enjoy this paid guest post on wine pairings.

Food carts in Portland have been faced with a dilemma: they cannot serve alcoholic beverages without a license from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. A well-loved food cart, Artigiano, took matters into its own hands when it lobbied for change against this regulation—and won. Reports on Oregon Live stated that Artigiano’s Tyler Johnston argued that the rule requiring review of each liquor license was unfair and necessary to the numerous food trucks in Portland. After agreeing with this argument, the commissioners approved the food cart’s application, and the cart on 3302 S.E. Division St. celebrated with its patrons with live jazz and free appetizers last August. In comparison, food trucks in Europe don’t have such strict restrictions; Ireland, in particular, has food carts serving alcoholic beverages ever since the food truck phenomenon has hit the country.

For wine connoisseurs, the persistence of Artigiano in ensuring that clients enjoy glasses of wine with their meals is well-placed. The iconic dishes of Artigiano, which were featured in a previous post, are best enjoyed with the famous liquor. Wine presence in food carts are not entirely new; in fact, food trucks in Texas such as Little Greek and Yellow Belly both served M&S wines, according to Side Dish Magazine. With the addition of a variety of wines on the menu, guests will be coming back for more.

Here’s a guide to food and wine pairings for Artigiano specialities, based on the Food and Wine Pairing Board:

• For the Rigatoni Pomodoro tomato sauce & grana padano, an acidic wine is the ideal pair. Zinfandel or Chianti will be perfect for this.
• Wine which deviates from the richness of the sauce is needed for the Yukon Gold Gnocchi w/ caramelized onions & cream. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are among the best choices.
• Since the Pork Shoulder over potatoes is a straightforward dish, Beaujolais will mix well with it. The French Loire Valley is also a good red wine option for this entrée. If white wine is preferred, basic Chardonnay will do the trick.
• The Braised Chicken with potatoes & greens will go well with white Burgundy, which will add a leaner flavor to the dish.

This was a paid guest post.