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Food, Wine

Ultimate Movie Night

After the holiday frenzy, it’s time to hibernate at home with a good movie (or three) and a big bowl of hot buttered popcorn. Are you in? Movie night can be any night, by yourself (watch what you want) or with family or friends. And you’re in charge of the snack concession, which means you can open a wine you love, sip it from a proper glass and hit pause whenever you need a refill.

Popcorn Trio: paired with California Chardonnay

Popcorn is a blank canvas. It comes to life with melted butter but where else can you go from there? Your spice drawer is a great place to look for seasonings that will make your popcorn Oscar worthy. Plus, the added flavors open up some fun wine marriages.  

Spice shops and supermarket spice aisles have lots of creative blends that can make your popcorn the star of the evening. Experiment with small batches, then ramp up production on the combinations you love. 

Three ideas that work well together or separately: 

Pimentón popcorn is scented with Spanish smoked red pepper  similar to paprika but with that seductive scent of a wood fire. Pimentón is available in mild, bittersweet (medium) and hot versions, as indicated on the label. 

Porcini butter popcorn has the earthy, woodsy aroma of wild porcini mushrooms. Now you’re in California Pinot Noir territory. 

Brown butter and Parmesan popcorn is super nutty and toasty, a perfect match with California Chardonnay. 

wine and movie

FILM SCHOOL FOR WINE FANS

Several contemporary films address the topic of sustainability in a way that makes the issues clear and compelling. Some are documentaries, others are more allegorical. To educate yourself, consider curating your own sustainability film festival. Over a single evening or a weekend, you can become more informed and conversant on the issues. Here are a few selections from a Harvard University graduate. As she reminds us, knowledge is fundamental to making our society more sustainable. Why not invite a few friends for an evening of popcorn, wine, viewing and discussion?

The Pour

How do you like your Chardonnay? More than most wine varieties, Chardonnay reflects not just the location where the grapes are grown but also the stylistic decisions of the winemaker. The grapes do best in the state’s cooler growing regions, like the Russian River Valley and Carneros in California North Coast, or cooler parts of the Central Coast, such as Santa Maria Valley. Some winemakers use oak-barrel fermentation and aging to give their Chardonnay more richness and texture. Others prefer a leaner, crisper style, achievable through fermentation and aging in stainless tanks or in previously used oak barrels that are essentially neutral. Ask your wine merchant to recommend a California Chardonnay that suits your style preference. 

Popcorn Trio

When it’s movie night at your house, make sure the snacks belong on the highlight reel. With this trio of wine-friendly flavored popcorns, the treats may steal the show. Make one, two or all three if you’re feeling ambitious. Pair with California Chardonnay or California Pinot Noir.

Popcorn Trio

Ingredients

For the Pimentón Popcorn:

  •  Stovetop Popcorn from ¼ cup popcorn kernels 
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika), hot or mild, or paprika 
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt 

Put the hot popcorn in a serving bowl. Add the butter, pimentón and salt and toss well.

For the Porcini Butter Popcorn:

  • Stovetop Popcorn from ¼ cup (55 g) popcorn kernels 
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons porcini powder or mushroom powder (see Note) 
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt 

Put the hot popcorn in a serving bowl. Add the butter, porcini powder and salt and toss well. Note: You can find porcini powder at spice shops and well-stocked supermarkets, or you can make your own by grinding dried porcini to a powder in a spice mill. 

For the Brown Butter and Parmesan Popcorn:

  • 4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter 
  • Stovetop Popcorn from ½ cup (110 g) popcorn kernels 
  • 1/2 cup (30 g) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan often, until the butter stops foaming and hissing, a sign that most of the moisture has evaporated. At that point, the melted butter will begin to turn golden-brown and smell nutty. Remove from the heat. Put the hot popcorn in a serving bowl and pour the warm brown butter over the popcorn, leaving any dark solids at the bottom of the pan. Add the cheese and salt and toss well.  

 

Directions

General stovetop popcorn preparation: Put 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 3 to 4 popcorn kernels in a heavy saucepan. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and place over medium heat. When the kernels pop, add ¼ cup (55 g) popcorn kernels and recover, leaving the lid slightly ajar so steam can escape. Cook over medium heat, shaking the saucepan occasionally, until you no longer hear kernels popping. Makes about 7-1/2 cups (1.75 liters). 

 

Recommended Pairings

California Chardonnay or California Pinot Noir

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