Falafel: it’s a lightly fried ball bursting with Middle Eastern flavors, made from chickpeas and other legumes, and a load of fresh herbs and spices like parsley, cilantro, dill, cumin, coriander, and garlic.  There’s a lot going on in a little package, so I reached for a bright wine with light, but tropical notes: Frontenac Blanc from Painted Prairie Vineyard.

Powerful aromas of honey crisp apple, apricot fruit leather, Meyer lemon, and honeyed pear compliment the juicy but crisp, lemony flavors.  It is ever so slightly off-dry, complimenting the high acidity of the wine, yet taming the herbal spiciness of the falafel.  If you don’t have a Frontenac Blanc to reach for, try a medium-dry Riesling or possibly Gewurztraminer.

Let me know what wine and falafel pairing you like!

Falafel hack: I highly recommend the falafel mix from Trader Joe’s, and make the recipe a bit wetter than called for, which results in a lighter and fluffier falafel.  I fry mine in a small pan with approximately 1/2″ of coconut oil, which adds a layer of decadent flavor to the falafel.

في صحتك! (Arabic  for cheers!)