Sunset🌅Sipping Wine Party (while social distancing)

The recent worldwide quarantine caused this “social interactions” hostess to take pause from the usual planning of gatherings with family and friends. As we all tucked away in our homes in what felt like the longest “time out” ever, the demands of my regular full-time job excelled and continues to require long work hours. Grateful for my job, I was not among those who had time to reorganize and meditate during the quarantine. What time I had on the weekends, I made the usual masked trip to stock up on groceries, and then returned to continue my quarantine with cooking (see Simply Elevated category), clean and launder. Suddenly the weekend had evaporated into thin air and it was Monday again.

I missed the company of friends and entertaining. Always on the look out for inspiration for my wine club themes, I saw “The Kutchers” Ashton & Mila appear on several morning and entertainment shows, to share their idea behind Quarantine Wine and their partnership with Nocking Point wines. The entire story can be found online, but the point that drew me in was that 100% of the proceeds of sales would go to various charities for those in need during the quarantine. How could I have a 6 year old wine club and not contribute in this way? The bottles sold in sets of two, with the idea of keeping one and sharing (giving one) to someone else to share during the quarantine. The only problem is that the demand (orders) were so high, that Nocking Point had trouble getting the bottles shipped out quickly enough. It took about 2 months for me to receive my shipment of 6 bottles, but the wonderful news is that they raised over reported $1 million for some important causes.

Dollar Tree plastic wine glasses that actually have the feel of glass, the stem stores into the top and screws together. It’s a perfect outdoor wine glass.

Equipped with the wine, I knew that life would not immediately go back to the way we once knew it and that gathering elbow to elbow at my dining room table again was far into the future. Outdoor entertaining seemed like the best option once some of the quarantine orders were lifted, but not having a great outdoor space, I found a local State Park along the river, perfect for a Sunset Sipping gathering.

Let’s Get together for a
Sunset 🌅 Sipping at the River

Knowing as the quarantines were lifted, everyone’s calendars would begin to fill with family obligations and vacations – I decided to email everyone hoping the majority would be available meet the following weekend.

THE MENU

CHEESE BOARD: PINOT NOIR pairs well with cheddar and manchego cheeses.

Quarantine wine is a pinot noir that turned out to be a nice enjoyable drinking wine. For this cheese course, instead of just buying a couple of chunks of cheese, I wanted to find something to make with one of the recommended cheese pairings. I found this recipe on Pinterest https://www.theflavorbender.com/cheesy-thumbprint-savory-cookies-bourbon-tomato-jam. The link provides step by step instructions.

In my interpretation I did not have bourbon, so I played off of the apple cider vinegar and used Calvados (Apple brandy) that was delicious. My only warning is that since the recipe is in grams and ounces that required an online conversion calculator to use cup measuring. I had to make a little adjustment to the amount of cheese and butter in the original recipe due to butter seeping from the cookie while baking. The quality of cheese chosen could also make a difference in the result of the savory baked cookie.

Sharp Cheddar & Pepper Jack

My Version of the recipe https://www.theflavorbender.com/cheesy-thumbprint-savory-cookies-bourbon-tomato-jam

Follow the directions per recipe link –

• 2 sticks of butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of sharp cheddar grated (make sure to buy good quality cheeses)
• 1 cup of pepper jack grated
• 1 deseed jalapeno chopped finely
• 1 large spring of fresh rosemary chopped finely
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 egg (place in a bowl and scramble before adding to mixture).
• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup semolina

Note: I used a lower quality cheese to save on the cost. As a result the butter seeped out of the cookie. I had to increase my oven temperature to 375 F and after the first 20 minutes, move the cookies to a fresh cookie sheet to finish baking another 10 minutes. I then moved the cookie to a rack to cool and crisp and they were not at all greasy, but recovered perfectly. I share this in case you as the baker experience a similar situation.

Process grated cheese, jalapeno and rosemary until a smaller pieces, but not smooth. The butter salt and sugar are hand blended with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the scrambled egg for better blending and then mix in the cheese and herbs using spoon or spatula until it forms a dough.

With flour dusted hands form a ball and place in a bowl (cover with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Using a 1 1/2 inch scoop or tablespoon measure, form balls of dough. Use your thumb or a one teaspoon measure to press an imprint in each ball. Fill the indenture with apple brandy tomato jam.

Example of how the butter oozed from the cookie. See note above with ingredients to help cure- but if this happens to you just bake longer keeping an eye on them and you may have to move them to a clean baking sheet and continue back until golden.

Move to a cooling wrap to crisp up.

SMALL BITES

• Turkey Thai Lettuce Wraps
• Grilled shrimp in chimichurri sauce
• Stuffed mini sweet peppers
• Eggplant caponata on toasted bread
• Cucumber salsa and chips

Turkey Lettuce Wraps adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s beef lettuce wraps. https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/chilli-beef-lettuce-wraps/ My variations were ground turkey and butter lettuce. I also had the option of mini soft taco tortillas.

Grilled Shrimp with chimichurri sauce. See the link for great tips for achieving the best grilled shrimp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYodZLOZTw

I selected a spot beneath moss draped oak trees that created a tunnel view of the sun shining over the river in the distance. I set up a folding table and asked my guests to bring their own chairs. Tip: Tie the corners of the tablecloth into knots to keep edges from touching the ground – learned this when a large black ant made its way to the top of the table.

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We formed a large circle facing each other while sipping wine and catching up with great conversation. On this mid-June summer evening we were cooled by an occasional comforting breeze that contributed to the perfect comfortable evening.

DESSERT – WATERMELON PORT SORBET WITH

CUCUMBER AND MINT SIMPLE SYRUP

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The temperature high of the day was 91 degrees, so I knew I needed a cold and refreshing dessert to end the evening. I found this version of watermelon sorbet (in the link below) incorporating port wine that I felt would be the perfect finale for a wine club party. My wonderful neighbors gave me a couple of cucumbers from their garden earlier in the week and I had an idea to make a mint simple syrup with cucumber as a side relish to provide a fresh crunch. https://www.recipegirl.com/watermelon-sorbet/

Cucumber with mint simple syrup, fresh mint leaves and edible violas for garnish.

Cucumber Mint Relish: Peel cucumber, slice in half, scoop out and discard the seeds. Dice into 1/4 inch pieces. Chopped 2 tablespoons of fresh mint and mix into the diced cucumber. For simple syrup in a medium sauce pan add 1 1/2 cups of sugar to 1 1/2 cups water. Heat on medium until the water is warm enough to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 of mint leaves and (optional a 1/4 inch of fresh ginger). Let steep for 30 minutes and then remove mint leaves. Pour the cooled mint simple syrup over the cucumber. Refrigerate over night and when serving the sorbet, spoon some the cucumber along the side of the scooped watermelon port sorbet, drizzle with simple syrup and garnish with fresh mint and edible flowers (optional).

I had everyone sign a bottle of the Quarantine wine to store away in my wine fridge.

As the time of sundown approached we walked as a group toward the river catching the final stages of the setting sun in the horizon. Grateful for our health, our friendship and this beautiful evening together, as a group we have shared a lot of fun memories. While our world has been forever changed in 2020, we all hope for a clearer vision to embrace what truly matters most in life for our futures.

The sun now set, creatures of nature began to emerge. In the front pond, a small alligator popped its head from the surface, crickets began to chirp in song and as we made our last trip toward our cars with the table and chairs, someone sighted fireflies flickering in the woods as if saying goodbye. A perfect ending to a wonderfully enjoyable warm summer evening.