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Play Estate Winery in Penticton fuses expertly crafted wines with amazing food and spectacular lake views for a unique dining experience. We asked Play BistroB次元官网网址檚 Executive Chef Bill Myra a few questions about cooking with wine.

You have a new menu at Play Winery. What is your philosophy behind it?

B次元官网网址淚 just wanted to give our clients good food at a reasonable price. All the old classics with just a little twist on them.B次元官网网址�

YouB次元官网网址檝e incorporated Play Winery vintages into several of your menu items. Can you describe a few of them?

B次元官网网址淲ell, the beet salad for one. I started with a balsamic gastrique and then infused a red wine reduction. It adds a sweet and sour flavour. Most of my salad dressings incorporate wine with gastriques B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 kind of a classic spin on things. And for the scallops, I use a red wine reduction B次元官网网址� our Play red wine, the Dramatic B次元官网网址� incorporated with a brown butter, and it plays on the meatiness of the scallop and brightens all the natural flavours. Also, in the Quinoa Prawn Salad, I use a white balsamic gastrique and a white wine reduction, and then six whole kiwis and olive oil. Nobody does a kiwi dressing, and itB次元官网网址檚 an underutilized fruit. It offers a nice tanginess and pairs well with the prawns.B次元官网网址�

Are there certain types of wine that are best for use in cooking? Are there some that arenB次元官网网址檛?

B次元官网网址淭he wine that I like to drink is the one I like to cook with. You donB次元官网网址檛 want something thatB次元官网网址檚 bitter or too sour to cook with, because itB次元官网网址檒l change the flavour of your food. Once it reduces down, all youB次元官网网址檙e doing is enhancing all that flavour. I would use what you like to drink.B次元官网网址�

Where would you use white wine and where would you use red?

B次元官网网址淯sually you pair your whites with chicken or fish and the reds with red meat or bolder flavours, but you can think outside the box. Look at my scallop dish. You donB次元官网网址檛 always have to be safe. If youB次元官网网址檙e looking for acidity, youB次元官网网址檙e going to pair it with fish. Your full-bodied wines go well with more fall foods, comfort foods, like stroganoff or braised short ribs.B次元官网网址�

Are there any rules when it comes to cooking with wine?

B次元官网网址淛ust have fun! And donB次元官网网址檛 reduce it too much. You want to bring it to a syrup. DonB次元官网网址檛 burn your wine, because then it will be quite bitter. Or you can use wine in a pan and start to deglaze it. You want to cook the alcohol out; you just want the flavour of the grape.B次元官网网址�

Wash the beets, then rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Braise until theyB次元官网网址檙e fork tender. Cool, peel and thinly slice. Place balsamic vinegar in a pan on medium-high heat and reduce at a slow boil, adding honey as it nears a syrup consistency (this makes it a B次元官网网址済astriqueB次元官网网址�). In a separate pan, reduce the wine until it also reaches a syrup consistency, stirring occasionally and being careful not to burn it. Mix half the gastrique and half the wine reduction together, and marinate the beet slices in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Reserve the other halves of the mixtures.

When ready to assemble the salad, arrange the beet slices on a plate. Top with a selection of your favourite salad greens, crumbled goat cheese, caramelized onions, fresh tomatoes and radishes. Take the remaining halves of the gastrique and wine reductions, mix together, and whisk with the cup of olive oil. Drizzle over the salad, and add salt and pepper to taste.