Perfect Pairings with Adam Centamore
by Tim Powers
What is the perfect pairing? As long as humans have had food and drink, we have been fascinated with the fact that some flavors can taste better, or worse, when paired with others. In an attempt to form a more structured understanding, we ask ourselves: Where does the food and drink come from? What are the specific flavors that are prominent? Do we like how it tastes in an attempt to form a more structured understanding? And how do we create that perfect pairing?
When seeking an answer to these questions, Commonwealth Wine School instructor Adam Centamore immediately stresses the importance of having fun and enjoying the process. “I have spent my life as a food professional telling people that the only thing that matters is if you like the pairing”. With such a strong emphasis on the joys of food and wine pairing, Adam creates a foundation that allows his students to explore to their heart’s content, without a fear of failure. Whether he’s exploring the interplay between European chocolates and wines, or empowering his students to get creative with their outdoor summer barbecues, Adam encourages his peers and pupils to play with their food in order to unlock the potential within food and beer, wine, sake, cider, and spirits pairings.
One of Adam’s greatest tools in finding the perfect pairing is his level of specificity. When describing a simple BLT sandwich Adam relishes the details. Can we maple glaze the bacon? What type of bread are you using? Is it toasted? Surely there’s mayo on it, and if so, what can we do to highlight or enrich it? These questions demonstrate Adam’s desire to pack every inch of a recipe or pairing with flavor. He emphasized that “any place you can tuck flavor in, do it. You can always find a little nook or a little cranny to put more flavor into something”. This detail-oriented approach to food and drink brings Adam’s palate and creativity to the next level.
“All pairings boil down to complementary or contrasting flavors” Adam states. For example, with the above BLT, the bright acidity of the tomato contrasts with the richness of the mayonnaise and bacon. However, if you were to maple glaze the bacon and substitute a tomato jam instead of a slice of tomato, suddenly the sweetness in the bacon and jam have created a complementary pairing. Often these complementary and contrasting flavors are both present in multiple forms, adding to the complexity of a dish and the flavor combinations available.
When extending this concept to wine, beer, cider, and spirit pairings, the limits become endless. Although there are classic pairings like the contrasting textures of sparkling wine and fried chicken and complementary flavors of oysters and chablis, one should always feel empowered to push the boundaries and explore whatever tastes good to them. When pairing with the above BLT, one could choose to contrast the richness of the bacon and mayo with a light, high acid white like a Grüner Veltliner, or highlight the smokiness of the bacon with a single malt scotch.
In his upcoming BBQ and wine pairing class “Ribs & Reds”, Adam eagerly discussed his plan to explore fun pairings with the wide variety of Barbecue styles available. Pushing beyond the standard vinegar or molasses-based styles more commonly known, Adam described one of his favorite styles of BBQ, Alabama’s white sauce. Alabama’s white barbecue sauce is a lesser-known style made with a mayonnaise and vinegar base, with a limitless number of spices that can be added to enhance its flavor. Adam explained how this sauce is itself an example of both a contrasting pairing (the acidity in the vinegar contrasting against the richness of the mayo), and complementary to the richness of the meat.
Furthermore, Adam highlighted his desire to seek wine pairings for any food one might find in a backyard barbecue so that his students can play with diverse and adventurous pairings during their summer barbecues. “There’s nothing wrong with a PBR at a barbecue, but I want to show people there are more options than just that”.
Adam’s additional strength is his ability to speak simply about his passion. Adam studied gastronomy at Boston University and has just shy of 1,800 recipes at his fingertips (he guesses he has made 80% of them at least once). His book, Tasting Wine And Cheese: An Insider’s Guide to Mastering the Principles of Pairing, contains a veritable goldmine of pairing ideas and principles. With all of that, including his decades of experience in the industry, it's not hard to believe that he knows more about food and drink than most of us could even imagine. However, in every class and workshop he leads, he strives to convey the intricate complexities of flavor and the culinary arts in a down to earth and easy to understand way. This enables each of his students to approach 5 star meals and hundred dollar bottles of wine as if they are old friends, with the courage to explore their own preferences and find their own perfect pairings.
This depth of knowledge and experience has instilled in Adam a great deal of creativity. His classes have covered a wide variety of food and drink; from chocolate originally made for Marie Antoinette, to cheese made from sheep grazing in lemon orchards, even to a wine and junk food night (featuring Cheetos and Funyuns). Whether he’s hosting a ‘Queso Royale’ of European versus American cheeses, or an early morning brunch course, Adam seeks to combine his dedication, knowledge, and creativity to create truly unique and unforgettable experiences.
If diving into the wonderful world of food and wine pairing sounds interesting to you, sign up for one of Adam’s upcoming classes and experience his passion, excitement, and delicious pairings first hand!