Upscale Revisited: Coq au Vin

Jose Mier's Coq au Vin

Hey, Jose Mier here with another upscale dish. I guess I’m on a roll now after posting about fast food and street food recently. What’s next? Coq Au Vin.

Jose Mier's Coq au Vin
Jose Mier’s Coq au Vin

Coq au vin is a name that many of us may have not heard a lot. Sadly, most of the people in the food industry have not once thought about the culinary masterpieces spread all around the world and how they can change the way we prepare food and experience pleasure from consuming such delicacies.

Coq au vin is a dish that not only represents traditional French cuisine but also introduces us to a culture that is often foreign to the general American public in these modern times. This interesting combination of flavors presents you the opportunity to enjoy a meal, which provides such a strong and unique experience that I guarantee you will change your overall perspective about “exotic” culinary practices and the way food is prepared.

But what is so Unique about Coq au vin and why should we bother to try this interesting dish?

Coq au vin is essentially chicken braised with wine, mushrooms, and lardons (fancy name for julienned bacon). In many local recipes, though, garlic is an essential additive, without which the dish does not achieve the same quality of taste and richness of flavor. What is essential for this amazing dish is that the wine that is used for its preparation should be a specific sort, most often red Burgundy, Alsace, Beaujolais or others.

In most places around the world where Coq au Vin is served, many chefs make the mistake of using basic red table wine which they think is an okay substitute for more expensive sorts of wine. This error is certainly not an effective method as it doesn’t do justice to the unique taste that is accomplished by using these few specific ingredients.

This interesting dish gained immense fame in years past thanks to its simplicity and quality of taste. Not many culinary masterpieces could be characterized with such a rich history and prolonged use, as Coq au Vin is a dish that same say can even be traced back to the cuisine of Julius Ceasar. After all, he did conquer Gaul which is present day France.

I always say, don’t hesitate to try some of the amazing opportunities which the world’s best traditional cuisines have to offer. If you want to try something simple to prepare and unique in flavor, Coq au Vin is the right dish for you! While not overly complicated, the extra effort in ingredients and preparation will make it worth it?

Coq au Vin in Sun Valley? Unfortunately no. This restaurant serves the dish but it may be a hike. My recommendation is to try making it yourself. It’s not too difficult and it will be a real treat.

https://jose-mier.net