Easter dishes paired with our wines

Holy or Passion Week, as the period before Easter is called, when the crucifixion Jesus Christ and then his miraculous resurrection, is full of days with attributes. These are Palm Sunday, Blue Monday, Grey Tuesday, Ugly Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, White Saturday and Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. We will focus on those that are also linked to gastronomy. Let's start with Ugly Wednesday.

Ugly Wednesday

Do you frown during Ugly Wednesday? You better stop quick, or it'll stay with you all year long. Treat yourself to some good Moravian or Czech wine, which is sure to put a smile on your face. You can use it to complement the dishes that are typical for this day. These are various jerky made of potato pancakes, pancakes and perhaps apples, to underline the mood of the day when Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

"Among the white wines, a round-flavoured wine with a more pronounced aroma suits the potato pancake-type dish, to balance the strong taste of garlic and enhance the aroma of marjoram. Reach for a Veltliner or Sylván, or a Mikulovská vlašák. For reds, don't look for anything complicated, I would go the way of the fruity Blue Portugal, it's smooth and uncomplicated," advises Klára Kollárová, the national sommelier.

Green Thursday

According to Christian tradition, the Last Supper of Jesus is associated with Maundy Thursday. It is said that those who want to be healthy should eat something green on this day. In the past, people used to eat mainly spinach, peas and cabbage, but today we are unlikely to be satisfied with these alone. Especially when we have so many choices in the form of arugula, avocado, peppers, limes, broccoli, herbs, etc. Vegetable soups are also a perfect choice.

"Vegetables are perfectly complemented by lighter white wines, which also have subtle vegetal notes. Sauvignon will be the most famous for everyone. If you enjoy a creamy vegetable soup, choose a wine that has undergone partial training in one of the wooden barrels - acacia or classic oak. For cold vegetables, a fresh wine made from stainless steel. You can also try a spicier Sylvanian Green or, on the other hand, a light Müllerian. For asparagus and young peas, reach for a spicy Veltliner Green."

Good Friday

On this day people traditionally fasted and hardly ate. From a Christian perspective, it is one of the most significant days - Jesus Christ was crucified. Therefore, we also remember our loved ones who are no longer with us. Although fasting is observed, in some regions it was possible to have at least a light meal of fresh fish. Those for whom fish was too expensive could at least prepare a fish alternative - potato dough in the shape of a fish. In some families a thick soup of sauerkraut and potatoes was also cooked. Elsewhere spinach, peas, porridge or sweet dumplings with dried fruit.

"For freshwater fish in its usual form, i.e. grilled or baked, try Riesling. Thanks to its acidity, it complements the course and replaces the acidity of lemon. If you use fattier fish such as salmon or catfish, reach for a rounder wine with more Pinot Blanc, or a dry rosé such as Franconia or Pinot Noir. For chickpea and egg dishes, it's all about the other ingredients and the overall flavour of the dish. When combining with vegetables, choose a fuller-bodied white. If you include mushrooms, however, complement the dish with a light red - Blue Portugal or St. Lawrence."

White Saturday

After Lent comes the feast. Inherent in White Saturday is not only the cleaning, the preparation for the feast, but also the stuffing or meatloaf, for which perhaps everyone has their own recipe. There are also traditional sweet dishes in the form of mazants made of yeast dough and lambs (symbolizing Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb). Eggs are also dyed and pom poms are knitted.

"For sweet dishes, we use sweeter wines to pair naturally. It is important to balance the sweetness of the wine and the food. So, for example, with a mazan that is only sweet, use a wine in the only semi-dry category. But if there are more raisins and jam on top, go for a semi-sweet wine."

Easter Sunday

For Christians, Easter Sunday is clearly the most important feast day - Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. And that's cause for a proper celebration! Tables are set with rich plates of broth, lamb, veal or goat. Since meat is usually followed by a sweet tooth, lamb or sweet buns are again an integral part of the feast.

"Pairing wines with meaty dishes is the taller girl. After all, it's not just the taste of the meat or its texture and fattiness that matters, but also the preparation chosen and the ingredients used. Anyone who cooks a bit will suspect that slow-roasted lamb with a strong demi glace sauce, for example, requires a different wine than hastily seared scallops with thyme," explains the sommelier. "But typically with lamb we're talking about wines with spiciness and higher tannins. The international choice is Cabernet Sauvignon, but here we have a beautiful alternative - André or Cabernet Moravia. Goat wine is more subtle, so I would choose a wine that is a degree less intense, such as Merlot or Zweigeltrebe. Veal is even more delicate, so it needs a lighter red like Pinot Noir or St. Lawrence. But if it's going to be light on lemon and herbs, feel free to use a Chardonnay."

Easter Monday

Caroling is also typical of the Spring Festival. The tradition is mainly observed in smaller towns and villages, where boys are given eggs after they have "rejuvenated" the girls with pom poms. It begs the question - like wine goes with eggs in a hundred ways?

"The egg is a very difficult component to pair, as the yolk has a distinct texture and creates a feeling of fullness and a strange envelopment in the mouth. It is therefore best paired with a sparkling dry wine, where the bubbling effect breaks this layer on the tongue. Prepare a fluffy omelette with strong cheese and open a Moravian sparkling wine made in the traditional method," adds Klára Kollárová, the national sommelier.

Pairing wine and food is a science only in appearance, or it may be, but not necessarily. Easter is a traditional holiday with which a variety of traditional dishes are served, based on quality seasonal ingredients. There is nothing easier than pairing traditional varieties grown in our country, i.e. Moravian and Czech varieties such as Veltliner Green, Müller Thurgau, Riesling or Svatovavřinecké and Frankovka. Light to light, bold to strong, white to light, red to dark, sweet to sweet, etc. Playful and to everyone's taste.