Happy New Year!

Every year on New Years Day we start the year out with Black Eyed Peas.  It is supposed to bring you good luck.  The only things is that I really dislike Black Eyed Peas.  After that horrible dish your year is almost certainly going to get better.  But now, thanks to the Omni Hotel and Chef Josemar Passos, this has all changed.  Chef Passos has come up with an amazing Black Eyed Peas recipe that will get your year off to a fantastic start full of good luck.

This recipe is called Acarajé de Orixá. It is delicious and an amazing solution to the the Black Eyed Pea dilemma.  CLICK HERE to print off the recipe and get chef tips from the Omni Hotel Chef Passos.

The next question then is, now that I am going to enjoy Black Eyed Peas on New Years Day, what are we going to drink with the Acarajé de Orixá.

So I went to a brilliant group of wine writers and asked them.  Here were some of their recommendations:
(please click on each one of their names to read their other great recommendations from their websites)


Alissa Fehr Leenher Maybe a tempranillo? Enough body, but not overpowering?

Catie McIntyre Walker I would keep on with NY tradition and go bubbly, especially a Cava. And I see the recipe is using seafood. Perfect.

Lorrie S. LeBeaux I agree with Catie McIntyre Walker. Bubbles....

Catie McIntyre Walker Temp would be great paired more with a black eyed pea cassoulet-type of recipe with smoked sausage and/or ham and duck confit.

Marlene Rossman Acarajé é uma especialidade gastronômica da culinária afro-brasileira which means, "Acarajé is a gastronomic culinary specialty with African-Brazilian origins." Pair it with Torrontes, from Argentina. The saltiness and smokiness (and I have had the dish) will be smoothed out by the slight sweetness in Torrontes. And, it is ALMOST a geographic match! (Among other publications, I am the wine columnist for Chef magazine, where one of my monthly duties is to pair the "iron Chef " recipes with wine.

Meg Houston Maker I read the recipe before reading the suggestions here, and my first thought was sparkling, too. It's great with fried foods in general, almost regardless of the flavor profile. If you want to go in another direction, I think the heft of this dish, despite its being vegetarian, can also handle a robust red wine, preferably one with good acidity (for cleansing the palate), and a bit of earthy smokiness. Try Carignane, Languedoc red blends, or Côtes du Rhône. A Rioja Crianza might work, too, per Alissa's comment, or even Dolcetto or a Lange Nebbiolo.

But seriously, sparkling.

Rachel Voorhees Love the Torrontes idea and of course bubbles. I am turning in an article to my editor tonight for my black-eyed pea soup with smoked andouille in it. Tempranillo is one of my pairing choices! Also picking a Barbera, full of flavor, but very little tannic structure.

Alana Gentry I vote for a smokey red. Lions Drift Pinotage from South Africa would be awesome. Just opened a 2009 and its drinking well.

Thank you Ladies!  Salut!   Here is to Good Luck and great food / wine pairings in 2013.