I was looking for the perfect wine/food pairing idea this morning, when I suddenly (finally?) remembered we've got a long weekend ahead. Glad I figured that out before Monday.

Memorial Day weekend seems to be one of those weekends that, even in Florida, where you can pretty much break out the grill whenever you like (although some months are better for that than others), calls for barbecue. It's probably the latent Yankee in all of us transplants. A while back I posted a good rib recipe, and you've probably got your own just waiting for you to fire things up.

But what are you going to serve with it? If you're a wine lover, you might spend more time choosing the wine--then deciding what food to serve with it; if you're a "foodie," you'll probably spend it choosing the food. I'm a foodie, and I think about wine in cooking terms. Not because I'm cooking with it, but because I'm imagining the way the finished food is going to taste...and what I want the wine to taste like with it.

Barbecue, to me, demands one of two things: big red wine--zinfandel, syrah, primativo, maybe malbec or tempranillo, or even merlot. These are roughly my order of preference, and it's because of the way the flavors blend with the sweet-spicy taste of barbecue. If you're doing something a touch lighter in flavor, or mabye even a barbecue with a dry rub and little or no sauce, or bbq chicken, a Rhone red will pick it up quite nicely, too. Rose is another favorite for grilling around here. A dry French rose can really make a picnic. Plus, if you're grilling hearty seafood, like tuna or salmon .... yum.

Chicken and shrimp on the barbie beg for a crisp white--maybe a sauvignon blanc. A Spanish white is another great option. If you're spicing things up, try a Gewurztraminer or riesling.

Last (but not least): fill a big tub about half-full of ice, and bury a bunch of craft beers. There are loads of flavors and weights--anything from pilsener to stout. If you're having a crowd, how about having everyone bring a different style and try out some new things. My new favorite is Fraoch Heather Ale, which you can find in our bigger stores.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!