Pumpkin Blueberry Bread and Reyes 2012 Merlot

This coming Saturday is my annual vertical Merlot tasting. I have been thinking today about what pairings I will have. Merlot is a medium bodied and low acidity wine that makes it easy to pair with many foods. It does pair well with lighter meats, like chicken and pork. The 2012 estate Merlot is an aromatic wine that has notes of blueberries and cedar. It is crimson in color with scrumptious notes of blueberries and spices. Being a well-balanced wine, its so enjoyable to have a glass by itself.

When I originally wrote the label, I felt it would pair well with grilled pork chops. I still feel the same that grilled pork chops are still a great choice. But anything grilled like chicken or a hamburger would be good. I always say the sauce, or the condiment makes the difference. A blueberry peach salsa on top of chicken or a blueberry chutney on the roll of a hamburger would taste so yummy.

Now, most open a bottle with their meal, not 4. So, by pairing each course with the one wine is important to make sure you have the best experience through the meal. So, I have mentioned the main dish, but what about an appetizer to enjoy… a crostini with goat cheese topped with fresh blueberries (or a blueberry compote) and a drizzle of peach balsamic vinegar. Even blueberry goat cheese or blueberry jam on brie with crackers would be good starters.

Blueberry crumble or a buckle would finish well. Here is a recipe for pumpkin blueberry bread that you can enjoy for brunch or a snack with a glass of Merlot. But for dessert, warm it up and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Blueberry Bread

Ingredients

• ½ cup Buttermilk
• ½ cup Oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt, kosher
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose Flour
• ½ cup dried blueberries

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
2. In another mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, pumpkin, vanilla paste, eggs, oil, and sugar.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Don’t over mix.
4. Add dried blueberries to mixture.
5. Add mixture to greased 9×9 baking pan.
6. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.
7. Serve

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