The Season for Festive Gatherings: A Recipe & Wine Pairing Guide
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Check out a few of our favorite wine and turkey pairings. Plus, we are thrilled to share a scrumptious new recipe with you.
When planning holiday dinners, there are certain dishes that always come to mind and we cherish making the same favorite recipes year after year. This year, we’re adding one new recipe to our Thanksgiving Day lineup. We tested and edited the recipe and it is truly delicious. Plus, it’s pretty! We are very excited to make this for our loved ones this year.
The Pear, Brie & Thyme Galette
Pears in savory dishes are delectable and brie is a great cheese to pair with smooth white wines like Petit Manseng, Viognier and Chardonnay. The little bit of thyme in the dish adds great flavor and the whole dish smells amazing.
Let’s Talk Wine + Turkey!
There are so many great wines that pair really well with turkey roasts. We are happy to share a few of our favorites below:
WHITES
Viognier: Stone fruit & honeysuckle notes in this dry white wine are PERFECT with juicy turkey meat. Try it this Thanksgiving.
Petit Manseng: Fruit-forward, dry, crisp, and notes of honeysuckle, pineapple, and mango – also a wonderful match for savory turkey and it pairs well with the Pear, Brie & Thyme Galette.
REDS
Merlot: Fruity and bright red with notes of blackberry, black cherry and spice – absolutely great with turkey (and your entire holiday meal).
Cabernet Franc: An earthier medium-bodied red with notes of rich cherry, peppercorn, and roasted coffee bean. Pair this with every holiday meal – great with turkey and all those delicious sides.
Meritage Reserve: This is a celebratory red! It is smooth and full-bodied with notes of vanilla, plum and cherry. A wonderful pairing for roast turkey and truly decadent holiday meals.
Holiday Wine Bundles
Featuring
The Festive Gatherings Bundle
The perfect 5-bottle bundle to accompany your holiday gatherings featuring our Turkey Day favorites: Viognier, Petit Manseng, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Meritage Reserve.
THE RECIPE
Pear, Brie & Thyme Galette
Serves 6-10 People
INGREDIENTS
For The Crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
4-5 tablespoons ice water
1 egg white, beaten
3/4 tsp coarse sugar or salt for sprinkling (optional)
The homemade crust is delicious and we highly recommend making it from scratch. We tested it and it only took about 10 minutes. However, of course, there are some great pre-made pastry doughs out there that will work as a great substitute if you prefer.
For The Filling
2 tbsp apricot (or fig) preserves
1/2 tsp of fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon flour
6-8 ounces brie cheese, chilled and thinly sliced
2-3 firm pears, rinsed and thinly sliced
thinly sliced fresh thyme sprigs for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Cut the butter into smaller cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix in to the flour with your hands using your thumbs forming a cornmeal like dough. There can be small pieces of butter that are not fully worked into the dough – these will add to the flakiness of your crust.
Slowly add the water to the dough mixture, only 2 spoonfuls at a time – you don’t need much to begin to form a dough. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc shape and then wrap and chill in the fridge.
While the dough is in the fridge, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Now, it is time to work on the filling! Over low-medium heat, combine the preserves (apricot or fig), thyme leaves, butter, vanilla extract, and flour in a sauce pan and stir until combined and slightly thickened – only takes a minute or two for it to thicken.
Grab your dough from the fridge, unwrap the disc, and place the unwrapped dough onto a floured surface (your counter or a large cutting board). Roll it out until it is 1/8″ thick. Sprinkle with flour if it is sticky. (Don’t worry if the edges of your dough aren’t perfect, you will be folding up those pieces to cover the layers of fruit and cheese at the end.) Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Your first layer will be brie cheese, arrange along the dough, but make sure to leave a 2″ border (so you can fold the edges up later – see the finished photo for an idea). Spoon half of the preserve & filling mixture over the brie – distribute evenly. Arrange the pear slice on top – start by lining the outer edge to form a circle then move in to create an inner circle of pears (see finished photo). Spoon and distribute the remaining preserve & filling mixture over the pears. Fold the edges of your dough over the fruit. Brush the crust with egg white wash. Optional: sprinkle a little coarse sugar or salt on the egg washed crust – you don’t need much!
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the fruit has softened and is bubbling. Let cool before serving and top it with sprigs of fresh thyme.
