Wines To Match Paella?

Simon Reilly said:
Not wishing to open a hornets nest but a pet hate of mine is those non-Spanish punters who pronounce the dish pay-yea-yah instead of pronouncing the L’s as in the English pronunciation. It irrationally drives me nuts. I have one friend in particular who I think does it just to annoy me
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I thought it was more a pa-ey-ya sort of sound, but I got this from my son’s ex girlfriend who was from Estramadura. I try and imitate this pronunciation but it’s tricky not to resort to the Anglicised version after a few too many sherries!
 
It's never struck me before but the correct pronounciation of paella sounds like a contracted version of the Spanish for "for her".

I'm reminded in Maria Jose Sevilla's "Delicioso" that not only was it traditionally made with chicken, rabbit, snails, and possibly rosemary, but is also often cooked by men.

Perhaps the "for her" idea is a false friend but I'm drawn to it.
 
Jeremy Caan said:
I'm reminded in Maria Jose Sevilla's "Delicioso" that not only was it traditionally made with chicken, rabbit, snails, and possibly rosemary, but is also often cooked by men.
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With the intolerant snobbery that only increases with age the 'real' Paella Valenciana increasingly seems to me the only one of interest; my understanding, though, is that rosemary is only used when there are no snails, as a substitute for the herbal flavours the gastropods acquire from their diet. At the restaurant that is the foremost exponent a huge paella is made in the morning and served until it is finished. It is by no means required to be hot.
There are lots of wonderful Spanish rice and seafood dishes but I am not at all keen on surf and turf mixtures nowadays.
To offset my intolerant snobbery I will record my vast historical enjoyment of Sangria as an accompaniment.
 
I think it was Rick Stein, who like me prefers to call it pai-e-la, who suggested An Englishman pronouncing paella the Spanish way is a bit like calling buffalo mozzarella “Boofala” mozzarella as that is the Italian pronunciation for buffalo. Where does one stop, “look, theres a herd of boofala”
 
Simon Reilly said:
I think it was Rick Stein, who like me prefers to call it pai-e-la, who suggested An Englishman pronouncing paella the Spanish way is a bit like calling buffalo mozzarella “Boofala” mozzarella as that is the Italian pronunciation for buffalo. Where does one stop, “look, theres a herd of boofala”
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One could certainly argue that a paella cooked in the original Valencian manner should maintain its original pronunciation while evolved variants containing shellfish and chorizo should have its L's fully enunciated. That may very well be the most elegant solution to that pressing problem.
 
Colin Bradley said:
I'm a little surprised by the extent of preference for white wines expressed here. I'd agree that white is the way to go with a shellfish-dominant paella but for the chicken and rabbit version I made red rioja was perfect.
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Colin, if I may ask, what kind of Rioja, as in Crianza, Reserva, or GR, and was it young or aged?

Edit: I just realized your earlier post has answered my question:
Colin Bradley said:
Last weekend I did a meat-based version, with chicken legs, saddle of rabbit, squid, prawns and red peppers, which we accompanied with LRA Vina Ardanza Rioja Reserva 2004 and CVNE Imperial Rioja Reserva 2004. Both were good matches. The Imperial was much the better wine (in fact, it was really excellent) although the Ardanza actually went better with the food as the Imperial slightly overpowered it
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I do have a 1998 Ardanza - as well as a 1996 Bosconia - so those might be an options.
 
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Mahmoud Ali said:
Colin, if I may ask, what kind of Rioja, as in Crianza, Reserva, or GR, and was it young or aged?

Edit: I just realized your earlier post has answered my question:

I do have a 1998 Ardanza - as well as a 1996 Bosconia - so those might be an options.
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As it happens, another wine I considered opening was Bosconia 2004. I'd have thought that either of those you suggest would be good partners for the dish, Mahmoud.

My experience of curry and paella when growing up in the 60's was confined to those Vesta packets of dehydrated examples. They seemed very exotic to my parents. If we ever went out to eat, it was invariably to a Chinese restaurant on account of the value for money to be had, but we always ate British food.
 
Went digging in the cellar and pulled out the 1995 Faustino V Reserva and the 1998 Ardanza. I will open one and use the other as backup. Meanwhile I came across some other Spanish wines I had forgotten, a 2005 Muga white (no designation but the label says barrel fermented), a 1991 Vina Albali Tinto Reserva from Valdepenas, and a 1996 Bodega Piqueras Castello di Almansa from Castilla-La Mancha. I pulled the Muga and Albali.

I'm heading in the direction of old as opposed to young and vibrant.
 
bob parsons said:
I simply do not see the point of drinking old wines with paella.
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You're in good company Bob, as Jill Cox and Tony Lord use the word "unaged" when referring to red Rioja and Penedes to accompany paella. I don't really have any young Rioja in the cellar and thought that since the old farts like aged wines, and that we would already have had a sparkling, one or two whites, and a rosé with the paella (it is supposed to a hot summers day), we are most likely drinking the reds on their own. You've now got me thinking so perhaps I should take along some cheese for the reds.
 
Richard Ward said:
I pronounce the LL i.e. pie-ella (pastry thing-girl's name) largely because I sound like a complete twat if I try to pronounce it the Spanish way.

I'm sure those who have met me can imagine Spanish affectation in my fairly-broad -Yorkshire-cricket-commentator accent sounds utterly ridiculous...
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We took the grandchildren on holiday a couple of years ago and told them one evening dinner would be paella. The youngest, who was 8, was very disappointed when it was served and there was no pastry on her pie ella.
 
“There’s a herd of t’boofala”?

You know they teach t’proper grammar up in Posh Yorkshire don’t you? Can’t see that passing muster. Perhaps we should refer it to Messrs Bradley and Sidebotham for comment?
 
I don't know about t'boofala but the best example of cod-Yorkshire I'm aware of is in Billy Liar by the incomparable Keith Waterhouse, for example as when Councillor Duxbury says to Billy "Thou mun't laike wi' t'gangling iron". Translated, that means "you must not play with the gangling iron", although I believe that "gangling iron" is made up as I'm not aware of any such implement.
 
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