A Winter-White Dinner
As a defiant fist shake to the bitter Midwestern cold, chef Tory Miller and the staff at Madison, Wisconsin's L'Etoile follow an afternoon of broomball with a casual yet luxurious meal featuring local winter-white ingredients.
Starters
Ricotta Blintzes with Lingonberry Syrup
Ricotta blintzes topped with lingonberry syrup feature prime Wisonsin-in-winter ingredients.
White Magic Espresso
Steaming white-chocolate milk with espresso is the ideal drink for a bitterly cold day.
Smoked-Trout-and-Caper-Cream-Cheese Toasts
Sparkling wine is a good choice for smoked fish like salmon, or the trout on these creamy toasts.
Wine Pairing: 2006 Iron Horse Wedding Cuvée
Sunchoke Soup with Mushrooms & Paprika Oil
This silky soup pairs well with a medium-bodied, citrusy wine that brings out the earthy sweetness of the mushrooms.
Wine Pairing: Domaine de Villaine Aligoté
Main Course & Side Dishes
Roast Pork Loin with Fennel Salad
The addition of brown sugar and mixed spices to the brine for this pork loin enhances the meat's natural sweet, spiced flavor.
Wine Pairing: 2009 Doña Rosa Albariño
Buttered Noodles with Toasted Sage
Miller prefers to use Wisconsin's own SarVecchio Parmesan, which is made according to many of the Italian original's exacting standards, in this simple pasta dish.
Gin-and-Orange-Juice-Braised Endives
Miller sources the gin for this vegetable side from Death's Door Spirits, a distillery that uses wild juniper berries harvested on Washington Island in Lake Michigan.
Dessert
Buttermilk Cake with Riesling-Poached Pears
For this tender cake, choose a sweet Riesling like a late-harvest bottling or an icewine.
Wine Pairing: 2007 Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Riesling
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