Perfect Match
Steamed bean curd can be one of the simplest and most rewarding Chinese dishes. The keys to the success of the dish are good, fresh and appropriately firm bean curd and a judicious amount of seasoning. One factor in the quality of the bean curd is the soya beans. There's much debate about the use of organic beans, but probably only an expert can tell the difference. Even more important is the quality of the water used to extract the soymilk.
An indulgent drink for this inexpensive dish is champagne. It's interesting to compare different vintages by the same champagne house. Although the following champagnes have different characteristics, they all enhance the bean curd's silky texture without dominating.
Cuvee Dom Perignon 1996
This vintage is hailed as one of the best of the decade. It was unusually warm and the grapes got more than their fair share of flavour-developing sunshine, unusual for such a northerly wine-growing area. Given that Dom Perignon is a vintage wine - made mostly of grapes from a single year's harvest - it's difficult to say what is 'typically Dom Perignon'. However, those who understand and admire the wine will find subtle, elegant flavours, palate-caressing silky texture (the best in the trade) and quality defining length and complexity. Try this with steamed bean curd stuffed with springy fish maw for a quite marvellous treat.
Available for $1,200 from Riche Monde (tel: 2976 1888)
Cuvee Dom Perignon Oenotheque Collection 1990
The Dom Perignon Oenotheque Collection is a re-release of stunning wines that are no longer available on the open market. These wines from past vintages are released directly from the Dom Perignon cellars, having matured in their home environment. The bottles are tasted individually by the guardian of Dom Perignon and only if they accurately reflect the vintage are they then recorked and released. The 1990 Dom Perignon is only lightly coloured, a reflection of 15 years of perfect storage. It has notes of roasted almonds, fresh baked brioche and an underlying richness. The flavours knit together seamlessly. The texture is as fine as silk. The phenomenal length signs off a classic vintage and a wine with personality. Serve this with warm silky bean curd with white truffle shavings.
Available for $2,300 from Riche Monde (tel: 2976 1888)
Cuvee Dom Perignon Oenotheque Collection 1973
This Dom Perignon 1973 is considered only a middle-aged wine in the Oenotheque collection - other vintages go back to the 1950s. A glass of any good wine from 1973 is an amazing privilege, but this vintage of Dom Perignon offers completeness. It has complexity, subtlety, structure and an amazing freshness for something that's more than 30 years old. Try this with bean curd with shavings of bottarga (dried fish roe) and some saffron oil. And don't forget to take a picture of the bottle for your scrapbook.
Available for $8,400 from Riche Monde (tel: 2976 1888)
