YIELDS 12 TO 14 SLICES
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,plus 1 to 2 tablespoons for buttering the pan2 cups milk½ cup all-purpose flour½ teaspoon saltFreshly ground black pepper to taste5 eggs, separated8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature2 tablespoons sour cream8 ounces salmon roe (caviar)2 tablespoons minced chives (optional)Sprigs of watercress for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Using about 1 tablespoon of the butter, butter a 10 × 15-inch jelly roll pan and line with baker's parchment. Using another 1 tablespoon or so of butter, butter the parchment.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper and gradually add the milk. Simmer to cook the flour and thicken the sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks to blend. Gradually add the yolks to the milk mixture, whisking well.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir one-third of the whites into the milk and egg mixture, and then carefully fold in the rest.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until puffed and golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and cover it with a damp dish towel. Chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or cool at room temperature.
To make the filling, use a fork to mash the cream cheese and sour cream together in a small bowl to blend. Add 2 tablespoons of the caviar and mash it to break it down slightly, then fold in the remaining caviar. Fold in the chives, if desired.
Turn the cooled cake out onto the towel. Remove the parchment. Spread the cream cheese filling over the cake and roll up lengthwise, using the towel as a guide. Roll it onto a long cutting board or platter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead of time.)
To serve, slice the roll crosswise into 1-inch slices and transfer the slices to appetizer plates. Garnish with sprigs of watercress.
This roll is a spectacular starter for a festive meal. You don't have to splurge on the most expensive caviar for this dish to be delicious. The saltiness of the salmon roe is tempered by the cream cheese and the sour cream. One caveat: do not substitute inexpensive black lumpfish caviar, as it will stain the filling a weird shade of purple. —Joyce
Many people think of caviar and Champagne pairings and cheer. Others cringe and claim the caviar makes the wine taste metallic. This dish should make everyone happy. The cream cheese softens the ultrasalty blow that caviar can deliver by itself and adds a creamy texture that frames the wine nicely. Finally, the toasty nature of the cake roll itself is sublime with the wine. —Evan
RECOMMENDED PRODUCERS
Biscuity, Toasty, Nutty Bubblies
| EVERYDAY | PREMIUM | SPLURGE |
| Charles de Fère (Languedoc, France) | Taittinger (Champagne, France) | Krug (Champagne, France) |
| Gratien & Mayer (Loire Valley, France) | Perrier-Jouët (Champagne, France) | Salon (Champagne, France) |
| Monmousseau (Languedoc, France) | Pol Roger (Champagne, France) | Bollinger (Champagne, France) |
FOR EARTHY, SOMEWHAT RUSTIC BUBBLIES (OLD WORLD-STYLE)
CRUNCHY FRIED MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVY SANDWICHES
SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER
12 slices baguette or rustic bread, cut about ¾ inch thick6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, cut ½ inch thick1 cup all-purpose flour1 cup milk3 eggs, lightly beatenOil for frying
Arrange 6 bread slices on a work surface. Spread the bread with chopped anchovies, and then top each with 1 slice of cheese and 1 of the remaining bread slices. Skewer closed with tooth-picks.
Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Put the milk in another shallow bowl and the eggs in a third shallow bowl.
In a large saucepan, pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 365 degrees.
Dip each sandwich into the flour, then into the milk, and then into the eggs. Let the sandwiches absorb the eggs for 1 to 2 minutes. Deep-fry the sandwiches in batches in the hot oil until golden, turning once, about 4 to 5 minutes total. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Carefully remove the toothpicks. If the sandwiches are large, cut them in halves or quarters. Serve while hot.
VARIATION Instead of using bread as the outer part of the sandwich, use slices of cooked polenta.
These crispy sandwiches are a specialty of Rome. The anchovies provide salt, the cheese a creamy component, and the bread a wonderful crunch. —Joyce
You can have these delicious sandwiches with Champagne, too, though when we were doing the tasting and testing for this book, earthier and more rustic wines like Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco were the favorites. The anchovies coupled with the crackly texture of the deep-fried bread are natural crowd pleasers for bubblies. Let the sandwiches absorb the milk and egg washes thoroughly to add an extra richness and a stronger match with the wine. I have always thought anchovies cry out for a less refined bubbly, and, while many Cavas and similar wines are less tart, you don't really need the higher acidity with this match. Although fresh mozzarella is recommended, other kinds of cheese (such as smoked mozzarella or Fontina) can mix it up and are fun to try with a variety of wines. —Evan
RECOMMENDED PRODUCERS
Earthy, Somewhat Rustic Bubblies
| EVERYDAY | PREMIUM | SPLURGE |
| Segura Viudas (Cava, Spain) | Mionetto (Veneto, Italy) | Ca' del Bosco (Veneto, Italy) |
| Codorníu (Cava, Spain) | Ferrari (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy) | Bellavista (Veneto, Italy) |
| Cristalino (Cava, Spain) | Domaine Laurent (Languedoc, France) |
FOR OFF-DRY (SLIGHTLY SWEET) BUBBLIES
ASIAN-INSPIRED SHRIMP SALAD
SERVES 4
3 cups dry white wine or water or a combination1 pound (about 16 to 20) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
VINAIGRETTE cup peanut or olive oil6 tablespoons fresh lime juiceGrated zest of 2 limes2 tablespoons brown sugar½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño chile, or more to tasteSalt to taste
2 ripe papayas or mangos, or 1 cantaloupe6 cups assorted lettuces6 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves6 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves
In a saucepan, bring the wine to a simmer over medium heat. Add the shrimp and poach until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Discard the poaching liquid.
For the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk the peanut oil, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes to blend. Season to taste with additional red pepper flakes, if desired, and salt.
Peel, pit, and dice or slice the selected fruit. If using papayas, cut them in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Dice or slice the flesh. If using a mango, cut off the flesh on either side of the central pit. With a sharp paring knife remove the peel and dice or slice the fruit. If tropical fruit is unavailable, you can substitute slices of cantaloupe.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuces, mint, and basil.
Toss the shrimp with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette