We’re fortunate to have so many types of food in LA. From fine dining to food trucks, from Sushi to Tacos, from Vegan to BBQ Brisket, we are able to taste so many different flavors and cuisines. We are big fans of Asian foods of all types – we make it a point to eat Chinese, Thai food, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese and more on a regular basis, so we learned to make our own versions of dishes with Asian flavors. One that’s always a hit with friends and family is Turkey Lettuce Cups. It’s a dish that’s informal that you can eat with your hands, and everyone can customize to their liking with their mixture of condiments and herbs. Every time Tina makes it we ask, “Why don’t we do this more often?” The garlic, ginger, Sriracha and spices presented a pairing challenge, but Tom finds a white wine that brings the flavors to life without overwhelming them.
The Wine: Dr. Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Kabinett Riesling 2021. Until recently, we weren’t big Riesling people, but once we opened our mind to this style of wine, it’s become a staple for pairing with spicy foods. The Kabinett designation means this is on the drier side for Riesling, even though it still offers some sweet/fruity flavors. It also has a slight scent of Petrol/Gasoline that can be initially off-putting, but trust us, if you give it a minute you will not mind it in the least. Tom’s at the point where he seeks it out! Rieslings are pretty affordable – you can find them for under $20 in many cases, and there’s no reason to spend more than $30, in our opinion.
You also might try this rice cooker to make consistently great rice. We’ve taken a little while to get it right, but now that we have the hang of it, we use it all the time: