Tag: red wine

Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Pinot Noir

Published On - October 30, 2025

By Amy TesconiAmy Tesconi

Comfort food. Nothing is better than a warm meal that fills you up and makes you feel at home. In our opinion, pasta is the reigning champion of comfort. A delicious, filling staple that can be dressed up, dressed down and made in to whatever you crave.

This recipe not only brings that warm feeling, but a perfect pairing for Pinot Noir. Mushrooms are often cited as a great match for Pinot as their earthy flavor aligns with the earthy notes present in many Pinots. The creamy flavors of this pasta also round out Pinot Noir’s red fruit offering and balanced acids. Maybe the best part? You can make this dish in under half an hour!

Grab a bottle of our Pinot Noir and make this crowd-pleasing pasta again and again this fall and winter. Also, look our for our Majestic Pinot Noir in a store near you!

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 12 minutes | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

  • 6oz fettuccine 
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter 
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil 
  • 10 oz mushrooms 
  • 2 garlic cloves 
  • 1/2 cup white wine 
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth/stock 
  • 3/4 cup cream 
  • 1/3 cup parmesan 
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper 
  • Extra parmesan (for serving)
  • Parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cook pasta in salted water for 1 minute less than time per packet (start this mid–mushroom cook). Just before draining, scoop out 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
  2. Melt butter and heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.
  3. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly. When they start to sweat, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. When pretty golden (about 4 – 5 minutes), add garlic and cook until garlic is golden and mushroom is golden.
  5. Stand back and add wine (it will be steamy!!), stir, scraping the bottom of the skillet. Simmer rapidly until wine is mostly evaporated and winey smell is gone.
  6. Add broth, cream, parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir to dissolve parmesan and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
  7. Transfer pasta into sauce, toss for 1 – 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats pasta. If sauce gets too thick (rather than slick, see video), add a splash of reserved pasta cooking water
  8. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with extra parmesan!

Notes

Pasta: Flat wide pastas are best for creamy sauces like this but any pasta will work just fine,short, long, normal or fancy. Use dried not fresh pasta.

Oil and Butter: Using a combo prevents butter burning and makes it easier to make mushrooms golden

Cream: Recipe will work with light, but obviously lacks the same amount of richness! ? Tosspasta at end with splash of pasta cooking water – the extra starch in the water will help makethe sauce thick like using full fat cream.

Parmesan: Either finely grate your own, or buy the finely shredded parmesan (the short very thin strands) Do not use store bought sandy parmesan or shaved, they will not melt.

Nutrition and Calories: We don’t know…It’s a lot. Have a salad for dinner tomorrow!

Recipe courtesy of RecipeTin Eats

Truffle Hunting

Published On - November 4, 2024

By Amy TesconiAmy Tesconi

Ah, truffles. The little underground ‘shroom that can make even the most discerning foodie swoon. With truffles, a little goes a long way. They are flavorful, decadent, often expensive and have about 1,000,000 culinary uses. 

In the U.S. truffles can be hard to come by in the wild, but there are several regions to focus your search. The forests of the Pacific Northwest are fairly prolific for truffles, from Northern California up to Washington state. In the PNW, you can find truffle hunting events where guides can take you with trained dogs to hunt. However, truffles can also be found in Virginia, North Carolina and Idaho. Generally, the success of the truffle season is dependent on winter rains from the preceding year, as these spores need wet conditions to thrive. 

Of course, there are different types of truffles, and some of the most popular are just popping up in the wild now. White truffles are available from September to December, with peak season in November. Winter black truffles can be found from December to early March, with peak season around New Year. Autumn black truffles are out there from October to December. 

If you find yourself in a region where you may be able to hunt for truffles, here are a few tips:

  • Truffles grow below trees. Look for them below Douglas-firs, oaks, hazelnut, hickory, birch, beech or eucalyptus trees
  • Look for holes and pits dug by squirrels and chipmunks. These animals spread truffle spores, so holes dug by these animals can be clues left behind
  • Bring a dog (preferably one trained in truffle hunting). Dogs can smell truffles and their digging also spreads spores, leading to more truffles!
  • Consider the climate. Truffles grow best in areas with hot summers, warm springs and cold winters

If you are miles away from wild truffles, it’s worth hunting (see what we did there?) for a restaurant that serves them. There is nothing like a truffle pasta paired with a delicious red wine in the cold months. 

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