Fish and Chips

I've finally made it to Scotland. After spending 10 days in France, and ending my stay there with a dinner of duck confit and a fantastic Saint Chinian at a cafe in Paris, followed by a glass of marc de bourgogne (think grappa, but French), I flew up to Edinburgh yesterday morning and almost immediately tucked into a plate of deep-fried local haddock and fries at the Dunvegan in St. Andrews. And, as planned, I enjoyed it with a perfectly paired glass of Scottish ale--in this case the slightly sweet, slightly nutty Belhaven's Best.

But that's not the only beverage I could have enjoyed with it. As I've written here before, a nice glass of Champagne would have done beautifully, too. Prosecco or Cava, as well.

In fact, it doesn't even have to be bubbly. Cool dry rose comes to mind, as does a nicely chilled Pinot Grigio. Verdicchio and Sauvignon Blanc, too. Esentially, a dish like fish and chips is, perhaps surprisingly, so wine friendly that your options are fairly unlimited. Just avoid tannic, heavy reds and you'll be fine.

Better than that, actually: You'll be thrilled. A comfort dish like fish and chips often provides huge surprises in the wine-pairing department.

(Also, an update: I still have many, many hours of video that I shot in France to sift through and edit. Keep checking back for more highlights from the trip!)