Cookin’ on the Coast: Italian Night Elevated
Field & Flight Rosé with Crispy Chicken Parmesan
S14, E8
Italian night at home is an absolute holy grail in the comfort food playbook, but let’s be honest: heavy marinara and melted cheese can sometimes leave you feeling weighed down. In Episode 8 of Cookin’ on the Coast, Chef Heidi is showing us how to master the ultimate Crispy Chicken Parmesan, delivering a crunch so satisfying you’ll never buy frozen cutlets again.
To turn this classic weeknight dinner into a true feast, we are swapping out the typical heavy red wine for a pour that brings pure brightness, elegance, and sunshine to the table.
The Beverage: Field & Flight Rosé
If you’re looking for a bottle that embodies adventurous flavor and discovery, Field & Flight is built for the journey. Designed as a daring foray into the grape-growing regions along the Cascadia corridor, this vibrant Rosé is farmed in sunny California, capturing a gorgeous harmony of West Coast sunshine and crisp, elegant aromatics.
In the glass, Field & Flight Rosé greets you with an inviting bouquet of juicy wild strawberries and delicate, fragrant rose petals. On the palate, it strikes a seamless balance: a silky, supple texture anchored by a driving, stony minerality and a snappy, citrusy finish. In a single word? Vibrant. It’s medium-light, refreshing, and crafted specifically to elevate mealtime without overwhelming the plate.
Behind The Bottle
While Field & Flight looks outward to bring new taste profiles to wine lovers, its lineage is anchored in one of Canada’s most iconic winemaking dynasties: the Stewart family. A fourth-generation Okanagan farming family with roots in local soil going back to 1908, the Stewarts planted their first grapevines in 1961 before founding Quails’ Gate Winery in 1989.
With over 160 acres of meticulously managed estate vineyards beneath Mount Boucherie — complete with low crop yields, drip irrigation, organic fertilizers, and sustainable cover-crop farming — the Stewart family’s century-long passion for agriculture and viticulture shines through every project they touch. Field & Flight carries that exact same commitment to quality, bringing a refined, fruit-forward, and food-friendly style straight to your glass.
Ready to add some West Coast vibrant energy to your next dinner? Head to your nearest Liquor Plus liquor store to grab a bottle of Field & Flight Rosé!
The Dish: Chef Heidi’s Crispy Chicken Parmesan
Forget soggy, heavy cutlets. Chef Heidi’s step-by-step technique for Chicken Parmesan focuses on contrast, crunch, and pure Italian flavor.
The magic starts with a quick homemade basic tomato sauce, gently simmering pureed tomatoes with olive oil, minced garlic, fresh basil, and parsley just until fragrant. For the cutlets, flattened chicken breasts are dredged in seasoned flour, whisked egg, and a generous coating of seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
Here’s the chef’s secret: the cutlets are flash-seared in a blend of olive and canola oils for just 60 to 90 seconds per side, purely to lock in a golden-brown, shattering panko crust. The cutlets are then topped with a spoonful of warm tomato sauce, buried under a blend of whole milk mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and finished in the oven alongside saucy, al dente linguine until the cheese is bubbling, gooey, and golden.
Grab the full recipe here: Chef Heidi’s Crispy Chicken Parmesan
The Perfect Pairing: Why It Works
Red wine is usually the default knee-jerk choice for Italian food, but a dry, mineral-driven Rosé is actually the secret weapon for fried cutlets and baked cheese. Here’s why Field & Flight Rosé and Chicken Parm belong together:
- Acidity vs. Melted Mozzarella: Melted mozzarella and olive-oil-seared panko are gloriously rich. The snappy, citrusy finish and crisp minerality of this Rosé slice cleanly through that richness, lifting the dish and keeping every bite feeling light.
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Bright Tomato Magic: Tomatoes are naturally high in acid, which can make low-acid red wines taste flat or flabby. The zippy, citrus-forward profile of Field & Flight stands toe-to-toe with the garlicky marinara, enhancing the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
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Fruit Meets Savory Parm: The juicy notes of wild strawberry and fresh rose petal act as a delicious, fruit-forward contrast to the salty, sharp umami of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Protection for the Crunch: Heavy, high-tannin red wines can clash with delicate poultry and make fried coatings feel greasy. This Rosé’s silky texture and light-bodied crunch protection let the crispiness of the panko take center stage.
Time to Gather ‘Round the Table
Ditch the takeout menu and set the table for a restaurant-quality Italian feast right at home. Grab your apron, grab your bottle of Field & Flight Rosé from Liquor Plus, stock up on fresh ingredients at Country Grocer, and tune in to Season 14, Episode 8 to cook along with Chef Heidi!
Liquor Plus Sponsors Cookin’ on the Coast
Each week, Liquor Plus sponsors the Pairings segment of Cookin’ on the Coast on CHEK. The show features unique food and drink pairings offered by BC suppliers, with recipes created by Chef Heidi Fink and sponsored by Country Grocer. All of the beverages featured on the program can be found in Liquor Plus stores across Vancouver Island.
