Cooking and hosting are traditions I inherited from the women in my family. They have been passed on from one generation to the next, starting with my great-grandmother. I had an incredibly special bond with my great-grandmother, who I affectionately called Oma, and my first memories with her started in the kitchen. I remember sitting on the countertop while I watched her prepare a special or daily meal. She would always give me a task so that I felt included — mostly peeling a vegetable or another simple task that a 4-year-old could complete safely.
Hosting is a talent that my grandma thrives on. From creating the most delicious and special meals for birthdays and holidays to the classic Sunday lunches, she makes to bring our family together. Every meal is complimented by a bottle of wine that my grandfather carefully selects to support her divine cooking. While food and wine have always brought us together, they are especially appreciated now, after two years of careful distance.
My mother inherited both cooking and hosting from the incredible women that raised her. Something that has always stuck with me is how special small bites can be when hosting a meal, and deviled eggs were always one of her preferred hors d’oeuvres. Since I live far from her these days, cooking certain foods can trigger comforting memories, almost closing the long distance between us. On Mother’s Day, I will raise a glass of bubbly to her and hope that my deviled eggs can be an eighth as good as hers.
Traditional wine recommendation: Champagne
Experimental pairing: Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé
Mother’s Day Deviled Eggs Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Thick-cut bacon strips
1 dozen eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 red onion
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Additional sweet paprika to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop bacon into smaller pieces and fry it
- Boil eggs for 8 minutes
- Peel eggs and cut in half; separate yolk and whites
- In a bowl, mix mayonaise, Dijon, sweet paprika, and egg yolks
- Pipe the egg yolk mixture into egg whites
- Garnish with bacon and pickled onions
- Dust with sweet paprika
How to make pickled onions:
In a heat-proof glass jar, place at least 10 peppercorns and sliced onions into half moons. Boil a cup of water, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of white vinegar and salt and pepper. When boiling, add 3 tablespoons of sugar and dissolve. Add mixture to jar. Cover and let it come to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
An unusual wine pairing:
When you have a savory dish with smoky flavors like these bacon-deviled eggs, you want to balance but at the same time highlight the flavors. The Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé is packed with red fruit flavors. The notes of strawberries and raspberries play a great counterpart to the salty flavors of the pork. Champagne is a more traditional pairing for this “bubbles and brunch” combination designed to celebrate the special mom or mother figure in your life.
Story by Camila Alarcón Cordón / Photography by Dave Bryce / Styling by Keith Recker
