If you had to contrast the cooking of the West with that of the East — say to answer a question on a quiz show — you could say that the food of the West offers depth, while that of the East excels at lift. Both cuisines layer flavors; they just do it in different ways. Asia is good at top notes: green things, chili heat, citrusy screeches and salt to dial up everything. In a way, wines to pair with East or West ought to echo the cooking style. If looking East, open bottles with bounce.
The wines
• 2012 Terrazas de los Andes Torrontes Reserva, Salta, Argentina: A bit of bottle age and additional cellar work adds a creamy texture to this ebulliently fruity white; lemony notes and acidity. $20
• 2012 Maculan Pino & Toi, Breganze, Veneto, Italy: A blend of three white grapes, no wood, just slap-on-the-tongue freshness and fruit. $15
• 2013 Apaltagua Riesling, Curico Valley, Chile: Riesling from Chile is hot on the heels of its stellar sauvignon blancs; like biting into a Honeycrisp apple. $15
Asian-inspired turkey burgers
In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1/2 lime, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp. honey, 1 diced mango, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and 1/2 tsp. salt. Separately, mix 1 lb. ground turkey with 3 green onions, diced, 2 Tbsp. each breadcrumbs and peanut butter, 1 Tbsp. each minced ginger and soy sauce, 1 clove garlic, minced, and a pinch cayenne pepper; form into 4 patties. Grill until medium-well, about 4 minutes per side. Serve on toasted buns spread with the mango-cilantro mayonnaise and topped with lettuce and bean sprouts. Makes four servings.
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