We all need a little help in the kitchen to get out of our daily cooking rut, so I thought, hey why don’t I scour the internet for recipes and pairings?

The first one I found is for a Viognier. What is a Viognier you ask? First things first Viognier is pronounced vee-own-yay, look we are smarter already! A Viognier is a white wine which, ranges in taste from lighter flavors of tangerine, mango, and honeysuckle to creamier aromas of vanilla with baking spices. If you enjoy Chardonnay you will like the weight of a Viognier. When pairing a Viognier you need to respect its delicate notes and medium acidity, therefore ensure the foods you are selecting are not too acidic or bold in flavor. The aromas of the food should play off the fruit flavors and creaminess of the wine, which is why I selected a Chili Mint Shrimp Noodle Salad for the pairing. This recipe can be found on the Chatelaine website.

Ingredients

125 g vermicelli noodles
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp lime zest

2 tsp lime juice
1 large mango, peeled and diced
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 fresh serrano chilies, seeded and minced

1 tbsp finely chopped mint
1/4 tsp salt
340 g frozen raw large shrimp, thawed and peeled
1 lime, cut in wedges

COVER mung bean vermicelli noodles completely with boiling water in a large bowl. Let stand, stirring frequently, until tender, 5 to 7 min. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Squeeze excess water from noodles. Return to bowl.
WHISK fish sauce with brown sugar, lime zest, and lime juice in a small bowl. Pour over noodles. Add mango and cilantro (or mint) to noodles. Toss until combined.
MELT butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium. Add serrano chilies, 1 tbsp finely chopped mint, and salt. Stir constantly until butter foams, then add shrimp. Cook until shrimp is pink, about 4 min. Serve with mango-noodle salad and lime.