Tyler Florence balances flavors in wine and cooking

On December 11, 2009, a partnership started between Michael Mondavi Family Winery, fourth generation winemaker in southern tip of Napa Valley, and celebrity chef Tyler Florence. Tyler has always been known to experiment with different ingredients to combine flavors for the perfect balance. The same technique is used to make wine, selecting varietals from different areas to make the perfectly balanced wine. Tyler is best known from the Food Network as the host of Tyler’s Ultimate and The Great Food Truck Race. I remember him from his first appearance on Food Network’s Food 911, where he would go into the family kitchens and make something awesome with whatever was in their pantry and refrigerator. It’s been an amazing journey for him and I’m glad I was able to watch him grow. He also owns restaurants in the Bay Area, Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco and El Paseo in Mill Valley with co-owner, Sammy Hagar, which was restored to its historic glory from 1936. He now has 6 cookbooks under his belt: Tyler Florence Family Meal, Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen, Eat This Book, Tyler’s Ultimate, Dinner At My Place, and Stirring the Pot.

Tyler Florence 2010 Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Blend #4 made it to the bottle with fresh citrus and tropical fruit flavors with a crisp acidity. Serve chilled and it’s great for the hot summer ahead. I also used this wine in one of Tyler Florence’s recipes: Filet Mignon with Blender Bearnaise from Holiday Parties episode of Dear Food Network. I purchased the beef tenderloin from Sprouts and was quite surprised how tender the meat was. It rang in at a little over $50 for a 3-lb. piece but if you were in a good steakhouse, you would pay between $35-50 for an 8-oz. piece. The butcher also trimmed and tied the tenderloin at no extra charge. How awesome is that! Use your meat thermometer to check the temperature every 5 minutes after it’s been in the oven for 20 minutes. I personally like my steaks, black and blue, but medium rare is also great for this cut of beef – 130°. You definitely don’t want to overcook this prime cut. Personally, I always shoot for rare and then if it too rare for others, you can always grill on the range for a few minutes. The béarnaise sauce was bright and very easy to make. The shallots, champagne vinegar, and white wine gave it a citrus flavor and so much more. It complimented the filet perfectly.

 

To read more and see slideshow, please visit: http://www.examiner.com/review/tyler-florence-balances-flavors-wine-and-cooking

Mahalo,

OC Food Diva