George Germon & Johanne Killeen

Lageder was a vegetarian, so we used very little meat on his menu. Also, the wines had extremely clean, clear flavors, so we knew they’d be perfect with vegetables. In the first course, the white beans add a creamy texture to the salmon, while the grapefruit picked up the acidity of the wine. The antipasto was a series of different things, including eggplant and zucchini and a rich, creamy cheese that went well with the wine. Asparagus, which is usually a tough match with wine (although not as hard as artichokes), was good with the grassiness of the wine; the Parmesan and béchamel of the lasagna again added a creaminess and balance that rounded out the grassiness of the wine and asparagus. The vegetables were prepared in different ways in the next dish; some were steamed and some were roasted to give crunchiness and texture. Plus, there was a little butter and wine in the dish and a creamy crust to balance the crunchy vegetables. The mushroom was meaty, to go with the wine, and garlic and herbs added contrast and depth of flavor, while the polenta provided a creamy contrast. Because a sweeter dessert would have overwhelmed the wine, we used tart flavors for the dessert, which showed off the wine instead.