Mac-A-Palooza 2020 Pairings + Family Recipes

26 Jan Mac-A-Palooza 2020 Pairings + Family Recipes

We had a GOUDA time in the Lounge with friends.

With so many of you raving about the delicious mac’n’cheeses, we wanted to share our family recipes.

You always hear of classic wine and cheese combo but sometimes you want a quick mid-week dinner to pair with your wine. For us, mac’n’cheese is a no brainer. Talk about comfort for the soul! Whether you like to make your mac healthy or indulge in all the creamy richness that cheese can offer, many recipes can be made in under 30 minutes (which by the way is a great amount of time to pop a cork and “open up” your wine – also known as “decanting”).

Quality ingredients are what elevates your mac’n’cheese meal from elementary to Michelin star. Here in the heart of wine country we, are very fortunate to have a plethora of artisan cheesemakers available at our fingertips. Finding the best local ingredients around you is the best way to go when searching for quality flavors! Big John’s is a local market in Healdsburg we shopped at to find all specialty cheeses for a unique pairing.

4 Mac Recipes to Pair

Noodles – At the party, we choose organic + gluten-free noodles to accommodate more allergies and dietary needs. They were classic elbow noodles from the brand “Pamela’s”. The texture and cook time is identical to any normal wheat flour-based noodles. Place a pot of water on high heat, once it’s boiling add some salt to the water. When you drop in the noodles make sure to stir and break up any clumps, overall cook time is about 10-13 minutes. After you have carefully tested a noodle if the batch is done, strain and rinse your macaroni with cold water.

Cheese roux – To start the gooey cheesy goodness, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Once the butter is browned, turn the heat to low and mix in some flour to create the base. Slowly WHISK in your wet ingredients – wine or truffle oil, and then the whole milk combining them together so there are no clumps. After that, you are ready to add your cheeses. Shread all your cheese to make it melt quick and evenly. Divide all your shreadded cheese of choice into three or four piles and add a handful of cheese to the pot at a time. Make sure it fully melts before adding more cheese. You may need to add more milk if it gets to thick. Now that the cheeses are melted together, taste your roux and add some spices for extra pizazz. With the pot of melted cheese on low heat, gently mix in the rinsed elbow noodles to finish up your mac’n’cheese creation. Serve and enjoy with wine!

GRUYERE, WHITE WINE + WHITE CHEDDAR – 2016 Chardonnay, Orimar Vineyard

Ingredients

• • 2016 Chardonnay, Orimar Vineyard (1/2 cup for roux, rest for consumption)
  • 1 cup Gruyere Cheese
  • 1/2 cup White Cheddar
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 3 TBS of Flour of any kind

SUPER CHEESY MAC – 2015 Cabernet Franc, Ramazzotti Vineyard

Ingredients

• • 1 cup Mild Cheddar
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 3 TBS of Flour of any kind

SMOKIN’ MAC – 2015 Syrah, Betsy’s Vineyard

Ingredients

• • 1 cup Smoked Gouda
  • 1/2 cup White Cheddar
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 3 TBS of Flour of any kind
  • Smoked Paprika, cayenne, and other spices

TRUFFLE MAC – 2014 Threesome, Sonoma County Blend

Ingredients

• • 1 cup TomaTruffle Point Reyes
  • 1 cup Caciotta Toscano with Black Truffle
  • Drizzle of Black Truffle Oil
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 3 TBS butter
  • 3 TBS of Flour of any kind