Starry Winter’s Night (Wine Club)

Cabernet Franc versus Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s time for a new year of wine club parties, with new themes, new wines and delicious food to experience and share. With seven years of themed parties behind me, I’m having to seek out new forms of inspiration for themes that inject a fun experience for everyone. While a wine party doesn’t necessarily require a theme, it’s my way of continually creating an element of surprise for my guests, giving them something new and unexpected to look forward to in addition to leaving with a little more knowledge about wine.

This party’s theme was inspired by a visit a while back with my daughter and grandchildren in the Houston area. I treated them all to see the Vincent Van Gogh immersion exhibit that offered a modern way of introducing my grandchildren to one of the many wonderful artists of his time. What may arguably be one of the artist’s more memorable and popular paintings, “Starry Starry Night” was the finale of the immersion experience. At the time I made a mental note that this could serve as inspiration for a winter evening wine party, I just had to figure out how to transform it from the canvas to my table.

The invitation was emailed to my group with the theme and assignments for three couples to bring a Cabernet Franc and three others to bring Cabernet Sauvignon wines along with a small bite that pairs with these wines.

The Invitation

The plan for this meeting was to compare Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignons, with an emphasis on “mountain wines”. (Mountain wines are those grown at elevation on a mountain or hillside.) Cabernet Francs are limited compared to the Sauvigons (at least in our area) and some found were outside (over) our usual price range of $20 to $30, which is why I chose to compare the two varieties limiting the Francs to only three for the tasting. As for finding a mountain wine, that became optional due to the limited number available. The bottles we have may not be the best representation of Francs, but at least we have a few to try.

Where is the best Cabernet Franc from?

France. Though mostly a blending grape in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc plays a starring role in the Loire Valley. Its single-variety red wines are highly regarded, and some of the best examples come from Anjou-Villages, Bourgueil, Chinon and Saumur-Champigny.

What Is the Difference Between Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon? Cabernet franc is, with sauvignon blanc, one of the parent grapes of cabernet sauvignon. The cabernet franc grape has a thinner skin than cabernet sauvignon, so the wines made from cabernet franc tend to be lighter in color and lower in tannin.

FOOD PAIRINGS:  Hearty red meats (no seafood), root vegetables, mushrooms, squash, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, cabbage, polenta.

With the help of an inexpensive projector (normally used for a child’s bedroom to play soft music and project stars around the room), I was able to set a “starry night” ambience on the ceiling and small portion of the walls of my dining room. The projector provides color variations and the option to project stars with or without a moon and clouds. It’s kind of fun to have an audio visual for the first time. Music can be played using Bluetooth if desired.

For the table, I purchased a dark navy blue (inexpensive) tablecloth at Party City, and a few yards of dark navy tulle with stars and moons on Etsy. I had set aside my battery operated twinkle lights from the holidays, knowing I would use them for the table setting.

The beginning stages.

I added my large cobalt blue candle lanterns (filling each with the twinkle lights) and the small votives with candles. On the actual evening of the party, I will weave fresh flowers in the center through the lights ( I chose baby’s breath for something simple see pictures later in the post).

We use the salad plate for the parties due to the small bite everyone brings and the limited space at the table. The grid above shows some examples of options for the actual place settings that I had and considered.

For the charger, I used dark blue plastic dinner plates from the party section at The Dollar Tree. While the setting looks perfectly fine without any additional adornments, I added white iridescent glitter (already in my supplies from prior creations) along the edges with school glue to represent the “the winter” in my starry night. It gives the impression of glittery, frosty snow that really sparkles in the twinkle lights. (The charger plate would have also looked pretty with the splash of metallic gold paint along the edges like the glass plate above.)

While in Homegoods I found this plate
that would also be perfect for this theme.

My favorite is the first option with its splash of bold gold around a frosted glass edge. Unfortunately, I only have of one of these plates. I have a total of 10 including myself attending. The second option, also a frosty (bubbly) glass with a gold edge would also be pretty, but I only have 6 of this plate. So my only remaining option is my china with a thin gold rim on the inside and outside of the plate that will work just as nicely and adds some contrast to the table setting.

It would seem after all of these years of entertaining, that I would have every color possible in cloth napkins, but I do not. I found dark blue paper napkins with a little white pattern that adds some additional visual interest to the table, works just as well as cloth napkins and there is a stack of extras on the side if more are needed by my guests.

I saw a cupcake set at Homegoods that had gold and silver glitter stars on toothpicks. After passing them up for about four weeks, I finally decided to buy the box that was very inexpensive and used the gold stars to tuck into the folded napkins and used the silver stars to attach to the place cards. The time it would have taken to hand make these wasn’t worth the $2.99 price for having them already made.

Baby’s breath lasts for quite some time and dries nicely. So early in the week I purchased two bunches and made four small bouquets in gold ribbed glasses. I then wove the twinkle lights through the little flowers. It created a soft starlight glow across the entire table.

Baby’s Breath in gold rimmed glasses.

The glow from the twinkle lights reflect on the wine glasses.

Table from end to end.

We ended up with 8 bottles of wine for this blind tasting, which is highly unusual (usually we have 6), but I found some bottles in my wine cooler that I decided to throw into the mix.

One of my members won our Hauntingly Elegant wine party in 2018 (everyone brought a red with a spooky label). We usually have a “wine off” of the winning bottles for each year, but eventually the pandemic paused our parties and we didn’t have enough competitors to do a wine off. So I’ve added her 2015 La Catrina Cabernet Sauvignon AND

A friend gave me a 2013 Francis Coppola Claret several years ago that was hidden away, also a Cabernet Sauvignon, I thought it would be fun to include it as well. Both being aged wines.

I always provide a sheet we call a Scorecard with a pen or pencil so guests can make notes as they try each wine to determine their favorite. Due to the number of wines this time, I did disclose which glasses were Francs and the rest Sauvignons, just to provide a point of separation – but it was still a blind tasting.

The Aperitif

We start the evening with a light aperitif, something with similar flavor profiles to the wines so that it doesn’t interfere with the palate. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day just a few days away, I created this chocolate raspberry spritz. Starting with a thin layer of Chambord in the bottom of each glass, two drops of chocolate bitters, then topped with a sparkling champagne, Cava or Prosecco and fresh raspberries.

The Amuse Bouche

This small amuse bouche with a tasty punch was made with a roll of pre-made polenta – sliced, cut with a biscuit cutter and then sauteed in a little olive oil until golden. Place the warmed polenta on a wire rack in the oven at 200 degrees until about an hour before the party is scheduled to start. This allows the slices to dry of its oiliness from the warm up and creates a crispy exterior. Finally, I topped the polenta with a semisoft cheese rosette from Trader Joe’s, bacon onion jam (made earlier in the week) and a parsley leaf garnish.

click here for recipe

The Cheese / Salad Course

Charcuterie boards can be expensive and bit predictable at a wine tasting party, so after so many years of planning different themed events, I sought out alternative methods to the cheese course. As mentioned in a previous post, I found a back issue of Wine Spectator magazine at a local wine store that was in a stack marked “take for free”. I shuffled through the issues. The Cheese Issue – September 2016 caught my attention. As I fanned quickly through the pages, I found recipes from well known chefs made with cheese. It turned out to be the perfect source to update my cheese course. Over the years I’ve made a few of the unique creations. For this meeting I’m making the “Apple and Fennel Salad With Manchego Cheese, Walnuts and Sherry Dressing” created by Chef Jose Andres.

Serves 4, 20 minutes prep time.

Directions

• In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
• Cut the Manchego into thin batons. Halve and core the fennel and slice it thinly lengthwise. Place the cheese and fennel in the bowl with the vinaigrette.
• Core and halve the apples. Dice the first one into small cubes and slice the second one thinly lengthwise. Add to bowl, along with the walnuts.
• Add chives, toss salad, and garnish with fennel fronds. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve.

Ingredients

UNITS: US

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• salt
• 4 ounces manchego cheese
• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 granny smith apples
• ²⁄₃ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons chopped chive

The Small Bites & Sides

Everyone contributes to the meal by bringing “a small bite”. I provide the cheese and dessert courses. Occasionally I may also add to the main menu small bites as well if I feel I need to balance out what’s coming or to provide a little more variety.

The small bite sides brought by my guests from top left to right: Beef crostini with horseradish sauce and cornichon, Confit tomatoes with goat cheese, stuffed mushrooms, smashed roasted small potatoes with chimichurri sauce, roasted carrots with yogurt sauce and toasted sliced almonds, and roasted leg of lamb pitas with tzatziki sauce and lima bean hummus.

The Dessert Course

As with the aperitif (we started with a Valentine cocktail), we then ended with a Valentine dessert. These bittersweet chocolate soufflés with raspberry coulis were feather light, not overly sweet and the perfect way to end the evening.

This recipe was easy to follow and can be made ahead, ramekins filled and refrigerated up to two days prior to the party. I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, I always have Chinese Five Spice mixed with my powdered sugar to add an unexpected warmth and made a raspberry coulis to add a pop of red. https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-raspberry-coulis/ *** click below for the soufflé recipe.

click here for recipe

And the winner is….

While the voting was not unanimous, the 2013 Francis Coppola Claret (an older wine from my cooler) received the most votes. I asked everyone to pick a second wine so that I could have a winner from the bottles purchased by my guests. The 2020 Mascota Vineyards Cabernet Franc received the next higher number of votes and a close third was the 2017 Chateau Cabonnieux with a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and very small amount ( 3%) Cab Franc and (2/%) Petit Vendot.

Overall, we were not especially impressed with the Cabernet Francs (even though one is the winner, the vote was only 4 out of 9). The two aged bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon stood out the most of the Sauvignons and then the French version above.

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Murder Mystery at the Underwood Winery :Wine Club Dinner Party (Pinot Noir Tasting)

Let’s get back to fun and games! A few years back I hosted a Murder Mystery Party with a free script I found on Pinterest. For that party I bought six 19 Crimes wines with interactive labels. At the end of each round (of the script) we passed around the next bottle of wine to pour and taste. We had so much fun, laughing and acting up that everyone wanted to revisit this theme again in the future.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-mystery-party-taste-for-wine-murder-university-games/1130189437?ean=0023332200115

Around the holidays while visiting the local book store, I found the above Murder Mystery Party kit that once again takes place at a winery and I decided to purchase it for a future gathering. A date was decided by taking a poll from my group and then I chose the character assignments that I felt would best suit each guest.

The party set provided invitations, but I wanted something a little more attractive and festive, so I found the above version online that I glued a copy to the top of the provided cards. Inside are the list of “suspects” with character descriptions and suggested costumes. Assigned names were written next to the characters. As I read through some of the descriptions, I discovered that the fictional winery was UNDERWOOD WINERY.

Pinot Noir that inspired our tasting- Oregon (Will be the prize for winners)

While shopping at a local grocer I came upon an actual Underwood Winery Pinot Noir from the State of Oregon. After purchasing a couple of bottles, the invitation requested each couple or individual guest bring a Pinot Noir – and were assigned a State or Country to create a variety of domestic and imported Pinot Noirs for the blind tasting throughout the script. Fortunately, we haven’t had a Pinot Noir tasting in the past and for me personally, this is one of my favorite varieties.

Pinot Noir, Oregon

At the beginning of the 2020 Quarantine, the Kutchers -Ashton & Mila – worked with Nocking Wines to create this special fundraiser Pinot Noir they labeled Quarantine. I bought 6 bottles and we shared some at my Sunset Wine Party in the summer of 2020. – Everyone that attended signed a bottle that I saved for a future party -when we could all gather again. This will be our Oregon wine for the evening!

I always request that everyone send me a copy of their label prior to the party so that I can do a little research one each to share at the tasting.

The lineup for our blind tasting from top left to right, California, Chile, Italy –
Australia, France, New Zealand and Oregon.

Cocktails upon arrival….

It’s been a while since everyone has seen each other, and tonight will kick off a new year of getting back to meeting the way we did before the pandemic. In addition, everyone will be excited and silly checking out each other’s costumes. As my guests arrive I always have a starter cocktail and something small to nibble on while they visit and I collect and open the wine bottles, assign a number to each bottle and then pour their contents into the numbered glasses on the table. (I usually employ the help of a couple of my guests with this task).

For appetizer bites I made artichoke balls (from someone’s family recipe card below) and Antipasto Appetizer Squares from Brown Eyed Baker who always has new inspiring recipes.

Tip: Allow to cool a good 45 minutes to an hour before cutting (otherwise you do not get a clean cut and cheese and ingredients ooze and slide out). They are just delicious at room temp.

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/antipasto-appetizer-squares/

http://www.foodgospelaccordingtoruth.com/2011/10/artichoke-balls.html

In keeping with my dinner menu, I’m serving an Aperol Spritz, made with Aperol, prosecco, a splash of soda water ( I had about a half cup of the syrup left over from the amarena cherries -for dessert and combined a teaspoon in each glass to add a little sweetness to the bitter Aperol).

While everyone is visiting, sipping cocktails and nibbling – I’ll have a chore for them while I’m working on the bottles of wine and making last minute preparations to the main dish for dinner. I bought a screen for mugshots and a little letter board from the craft store for everyone to change out the name of their character. I tacked a ribbon to the back side for each guest to hang the name board around their neck while posing for a mugshot in front of the screen.

All of my guests dressed to kill.

Now for the table…

For a bloody good place card, I printed some clip art from online and hand wrote the last name of each couple or first name each single attendee, folded over the ends and cut little slots in each side (with small scissors or exacto knife) and slid steak knives through the holes for a Murder Mystery touch.

Bloody Placecards

A black tablecloth and linen napkins with my goldware set the scene. I used seeded and leafy eucalyptus branches along the center of the table with fresh artichokes, candles and battery operated mini lights. My table is narrow and when filled with multiple wine glasses there isn’t much room for a lot of fussy decor. I like to keep it simple and elegant so that my guests who are already very tightly placed around the table, have as much room as possible and can easily converse and see each other on all sides of the table.

Scripts and clue packets set to the side of each assigned character.

Live eucalyptus, artichokes with cork wrapped pillar candles.

One to the menu.….

I’ve planned a light Italian menu that is easy to eat since we have to concentrate on scripts and acting, while tasting wines and filling our tummies.

The menu started with fresh and roasted (multi-colored) cherry tomatoes for a twist on the caprese salad. The roasted tomatoes add a rich concentrated flavor to the entire dish and the drippings from the pan added to some balsamic crema (or concentrated balsamic vinegar) further elevated the tomato flavor. Fresh herb marinated Mozzarella balls (halved), crumbled ricotta salata for a slight salty bite, sprinkled with flaky Maldon sea salt and droplets of roasted tomato drippings and balsamic crema- finished with thinly chiffonade ribbons of fresh sweet basil. (The final version may have small Thai basil leaves for a gentle spicy kick.) The dish is served at room temperature and will be plated and ready at the table when my guests arrive.

Sometimes another ingredient may present itself on the day of the party. While making the appetizer I found an extra package of prosciutto. I cut the sheets into 2 inch pieces and then crisped them in a 400 degree oven on a sheet pan for 15 minutes (ovens may vary) creating prosciutto croutons for a crispy salty bite.

The main course….

Chicken Marsala, served over artisanally made Italian Taglia Tella pasta. I use sliced baby bella mushrooms that I carmelized in olive oil and butter for an enhanced meaty bite and the sauce is created with delicious marsala fortified wine. Thinly pounded boneless chicken breast baths in the luxurious sauce that is deliciously light and satiating.

Finally for dessert….

Amarena cherries with zabaglione, and crumbled amaretti cookies for a lightly sweet finish to the evening.

The evening ended with the winning wine (Louis Jadot-France) with 5 votes out of ten and (19 Crimes- Australia ) with 3 votes out of ten; a top performer (Papa Vito) and best costume (Otto Von Schnapps) and the murderer r-e-v-e-a-l-e-d.

Remember to follow to receive notice of our next wine party…..Salute!

Wine Club: Toasting to the New Year with an Asian Theme

The past two years have been filled with social distancing, masking, pivoting, and mountains of challenges and uncertainties. Depending on your field of work, like mine, it also may have been and continues to be stressful. Like most of you, I was ready for an escape from it all, and wanted to host a holiday gathering with my wine group of friends before the year ended. When fielding date options, the majority of my group were only available for New Year’s Eve.

With the date decided, I found myself now trying to figure out how to host a party on a Friday, after a full eight hours of work. For a couple of days my mind spun with ways to put everything together the weekend prior, and a simple way to have food and spirits, when the idea of a large tray of sushi came to mind. I thought of all of the special heavy meals enjoyed over the holiday season, and thought that an Asian themed party might be a nice change in cuisine to end and begin the years, while allowing me to order and pick up fresh prepared sushi with no worries of cooking, keeping warm and so on.

Chinese Lanterns to greet my guests.

A Sake and Plum wine tasting.

I shared my idea with the group and asked everyone to bring an Asian dish and a wine or possibly Asian beer that they would like to drink at the party. I would supply a couple of bottles of sake to taste and a plum wine. The selection of options were minimal, and I have no knowledge of sake, but the bottles I did find were nearly sold out, so I took that as a sign they were at least considered acceptable. Below are the notes I found on each.

Tyku Junmai Ginjo (black bottle) drops the sweet grain and banana of the Junmai for classic Ginjo flavors of melon and pear. However, overall aromatic and flavor intensity takes a hit. Fortunately there’s enough sweet melon flavor on the finish to save it from tasting bland. Like the Junmai, what’s here is good but the sake tastes too simple and too gentle.

Tozai Junmai Nigori Snow Maiden Sake and fresh with a lovely ricey and fruity combination. Flavors of honeydew melon, raw pumpkin, and radish. Creamy texture and full body. Try with spicy foods, crab, pork, or spicy tuna poke.

Gekkeikan Black & Gold California – This versatile sake has a smooth, mellow flavor and can be enjoyed warmed, room temperature or chilled. Serve from this traditional “”tokkuri”” container that was used when purchasing sake in the old days. Full-bodied with hints of honeydew, papaya, anise and roasted nuts. Well balanced, finishes long and smooth. A great sipping sake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S3C3jWlHvk

One evening I searched through Pinterest for some inspiration, and found this Youtube video of how to fold a napkin to look like a kimono. I remembered I had these floral paper napkins and thought the print was perfect for my Asian theme. The embossed textured borders folded nicely and provided texture and interest to the finished fold. I used the kimonos as placeholders for the chopsticks, with my purple linen napkins just beneath.

I had just enough time to order two sets of painted black wooden chopsticks that pulled together a place setting of purple, greens, blacks and golds (inspired by the sake bottles). While looking through the flower selection at my local Fresh Market, I found one lone package each of purple and a variegated green/purple chrysanthemum that were the perfect colors and looked very much like the flower on my kimono napkin. It never fails that I’ll find exactly what I want two weeks before the party and then can’t find a single replacement the week of the party. Fingers crossed I’ll find the same lovely version again, or I’ll have to figure out an alternative.

One of the comforting traditions of Japanese restaurants are the small fragrant steamy hot towels (called an oshibori) they hand out along with the menus. My best friend and I often had lunch at one such place and each time we were so tempted to wipe our faces in addition to our hands, which would have resulted in destroying our makeup. Always a lovely surprise to me when the tray of steamy towels arrived and I’ve prepared to do the same for my guests.

Japanese restaurants often provide a small hot towel called an oshibori. This is to wipe your hands but not your face. You may see some Japanese wiping their faces with their oshibori, but sometimes this is considered bad form. If you must use your oshibori on your face, wipe your face first, then your hands.

While searching for chopsticks I also found these vellum gold trimmed chinese floating lanterns. I don’t have a lake or a swimming pool to float lanterns in, but I thought they would be lovely, lite and simply placed all across the front lawn. (Below is just a quick test I tried before Christmas to see how they would look.) The package of 20 will create a warm, celebratory scene for greeting my guests. I also placed a few on the table.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011OURNTU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

Asian meals traditionally end with fortune cookies. A friend of mine made large versions years ago for Christmas gifts dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, so I thought they shouldn’t be that hard to make. I learned they were a bigger challenge than expected, but somehow I got through and used red ribbon for a pop of color with a New Year’s wish for each of my friends. The first recipe I tried was an epic fail, so I went to my trustworthy mentor Martha Stewart. The technique takes a little time to master and leaves the baker with slightly burning finger tips, but eventually I got the hang of it and filled a bowl with the number I needed.

My modest effort at fortune cookies are individually wrapped with red ribbons and stacked in a large bowl to serve to my guests.

The next addition were paper glittered 2022 eye frames that I wrapped around the bottom of the lanterns on two sides and placed New Year’s crackers at each place setting.

Bowls and spoons set up for Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup with cilantro and thai basil blossoms.

While there will be wine and sake, we will still have bubbly for midnight.

To crank up the party atmosphere I strung lights on the wall with a Happy New Year banner that can also be used as a backdrop for taking pictures. I’d like to order black, gold and white helium filled balloons to rest along the ceiling in the dining room, but that may be a challenge to pick up prior to the party (remember I’m working that day), but if I can make it happen – I will.

All I have left to do is order my platter of sushi for pick up on Friday afternoon. My guests are bringing items some of which are potstickers, chicken satay, spring rolls, edamame salad and a couple of other items that haven’t been shared with me yet.

Photo by Anton Mislawsky on Pexels.com

A friend from our group has offered to come help me with some ideas for an Asian charcuterie board. I found only one example on Pinterest that included sugar snap peas (that would be good in a little sesame oil with black sesame seeds), thinly sliced pickled cucumbers, edamame, pineapple, mandarin segments, dumplings with dipping bowls of peanut sauce and soy sauce, and some Thai spiced potato chips. We’re looking to see what we can find to make our own version.

Photo by Rathnahar Sriom on Pexels.com

There is no need to buy fireworks because folks in my neighborhood put on an incredible fireworks display every year that we can simply step outside among the chinese lanterns and enjoy. I’m so looking forward to bringing in the new year with the company of friends, good conversation, laughter and of course good food.

Happy New Year everyone! We are all ready to feel the joy again in our lives and share time together to form new memories. Blessings and joy to you and yours!

Photos from the actual party.

Asian nibble boards with sake tasting bottles.

Sesame sticks, red chili crackers, pickled carrots and
asian pickled cucumbers, sesame sugar snap peas.

The food was amazing and plentiful, in the far back, forward, chicken satay, potstickers, spring rolls, a variety of sushi, krab salad, asian stuffed eggs, edamame salad, teriyaki salmon bites, pork tenderloin.

Spring rolls

Pork loin

Krab salad and fried wontons

My neighborhood fireworks – photo taken with a drone.

How Do You Like Them Apples ? Friendsgiving Brunch 2021 (Back Together Again)

It’s time to start gathering again! This time of year comes and goes far too quickly. I love the Fall season so much and by mid-month some are already pushing for Christmas, but I want to give the season it’s fully deserved time. While the holiday is generally meant to celebrate the history modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people, for most of us I believe it’s a time to show gratitude and appreciation for all that we have, friends, home, health, faith and more.

I am grateful for so much in my personal and professional life, and so happy to once again gather with friends who support all of my creative ambitions, with a Friendsgiving brunch.

Setting the Table

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Little boutonniere like bouquets made with a magnolia leaf, fresh sage, chamomile and spray roses were created for each place setting and guests took them home at the end of the brunch.

A combination of succulents, spray and country roses and eucalyptus (and later a couple of apples- I wanted crab apples but couldn’t find any this year) were arranged around brass candlesticks to create a fragrant and feminine centerpiece. Everything was just laid on the table with no water source the morning of the brunch.

Inspired by Erin French of The Lost Kitchen, I decided to use an apple theme for my menu and included one of her recipes.

Cocktails and Nibbles

Simple apple cider bellini. Reduce 3 cups of apple cider to 1 1/2 cups. Let cool and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve fill each glass 1/4th to 1/2 with reduced cider and top off with prosecco, champagne, crement or other sparkling white wine.

An apple tasting tray of each apple used in the dishes being served.

For most of my younger years I had only eaten a red delicious apple, the only kind my Mom ever purchased. As I studied foods and flavors years later I saw an article in a magazine that featured a description of multiple apple varieties. There are no apple tree farms in Southern Louisiana, so we are limited to the varieties that appear in various grocery stores.

One year I purchased one of each variety and compared their flavors, finding the most amazing flavors and never buying a red delicious apple again. With that memory, I decided it might be fun to create a tray with each of the apples used in the dishes in the menu, giving my guests a similar experience hoping to inspire each to try new varieties on their own afterwards.

From left to right, Lucky Seven Grain Bread(Artisan bread from Rouses)
toasted with olive oil and sprinkled with a pint of kosher salt, Baked Lemon Ricotta,
a small dish of Apple Butter (Dickinson’s), Golden Berries, Marcona Truffle Almonds,
Soft ripened cheese from Germain,France, Italian truffle cheese, and Chicken Liver Pate’.

For the “nibble boards” a term borrowed from Erin French (my most recent found source of inspiration), almost everything was purchased from Trader Joe’s, hence my Trader Joe Nibble boards.

The cup is filled with Fried cheese stuffed kalamata olives
(in Trader Joe’s frozen food section – and very very good!)

Salad Course

For the salad I used Erin French’s roasted buttercrisp squash with apple slaw. My local Fresh Market has the largest variety of squash and I’ve been experimenting with several over the past couple of months. One buttercrisp squash about the size of a cantaloupe three to four pounds was sliced into ten wedges, enough to serve all of my guests. The link below provides Erin’s recipe. My only additions were a little apple cider vinegar and pomegranate seeds for color and crunch. My slaw was made with four apple varieties, pink lady, granny smith, golden and honey crisp. My recommendation would be to pick a variety of sweet, tart and crisp versions and also consider the colors of green, yellow and red. The skin remains on the matchstick pieces and adds color. Erin and I ALWAYS decorate with edible flowers. The small yellow flowers (top left)are tarragon blossoms. I planted a couple of tarragon plants a couple of months ago and they have been blooming as if it were Spring!

https://www.today.com/recipes/roasted-buttercup-squash-apple-slaw-recipe-t141064

The squash is easy to bake as instructed and served at room temperature and the slaw tossed in it’s dressing with the arugula holds up well. I plated these about 45 minutes before serving and everything held it’s texture. (My guests could not stop talking about how delicious this was. Thank you Erin!)

Entrée

The entrée and dessert courses were both contributions from two of my guests. My work hours have been long and stressful and in order to pull this event off I needed to accept offered help and take a few shortcuts.

Apple and cranberry stuffed pork loin with Trader Joe green bean casserole bites.

My friend Lanie (who also loves to cook and has restaurant experience) made this Jazz and Fuji apple – cranberry stuffed pork loin. I think I heard there was a little fig jam, hazelnuts and some other special secret ingredients in the stuffing. It was absolutely delicious and a perfect addition to the menu and there wasn’t a single piece left!

Dessert & Mulled Cider Wine

Lanie also made an apple cider white mulled wine, with a spicy ginger liqueur that we served with dessert.

A week prior to the brunch I attempted to make apple cider donuts for the first time. I don’t have a fryer and I NEVER fry. The dough was too wet and I had trouble controlling the temperature of the oil – the house spelled for days after. It was an epic fail! Donut maker, I am not and I rarely fail when I try to follow a recipe.

I decided a better alternative was to support a local donut business that makes a multitude of small flavored donuts. I employed one of my guests to order a couple dozen apple cider donuts and asked that they not place them in the finishing cinnamon sugar. I wanted to rewarm the lot before serving and then toss in the cinnamon sugar myself.

I already had a large bowl of cinnamon sugar left over from my failed attempt at donut making. I added two teaspoons of Chinese Five Spice (my favorite substitute for cinnamon) and mixed the sugar thoroughly. We were advised to rewarm the donuts in an oven or air fryer – never in the microwave, so I placed them on a tray (to serve 2 per guest) and hoped to make them more “dessert like” my slicing all of the donuts horizontally in half and spreading one side with apple butter before sandwiching the two halfs back together. I then placed the tray of donuts in a preheated in oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes. When warmed through I rolled the donut gently in the sugar mixture and placed on a saucer with small mini dessert forks.

The party may be over, but the memories will remain and the joy I saw in my friends as they hugged and caught up with one another, along with their praises for everything we served as always made all of effort worth it. I am forever grateful for their enthusiasm and encouragement and cannot express how happy I am to be able spoil and entertain again.

To all of my wonderful followers – Happy Thanksgiving! I’m so thankful for your support as well!

A Hauntingly Elegant Wine Tasting Party….

In the South, the humid hot summer heat begins to dissipate slowly as Fall quietly eases in with its cool refreshing breezes and changing foliage, but not until well into late October or November. Still we hang our autumn leaved garlands and wreaths on our doors and thresholds, line the front walkways with purple, yellow and amber chrysanthemums and perfectly shaped pumpkins hoping to encourage the comforting temperatures of Fall to fully arrive. Autumn is my favorite time of year. A time when my passion for baking and cooking hearty soups and stews peaks, along with taking long walks as nature’s colors transform into the most beautiful shades of red, orange, and burgundy.

Several years ago I went on a Fall Pilgrimage in New England -from Boston, to Salem, Portland, Kennebunkport, through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, The Berkshires, Stockbridge and finally Cape Code to witness the most beautiful display of nature I’ve ever seen along with historical landmarks of our wonderful country. I enjoyed it so much, that I did it again a few years later. I still remember the quaint little town of Salem dressed for the coming of Halloween, with potted mums displayed everywhere you looked and our visit to the Salem Witch Museum.

Those memories of my Fall in New England and the haunting vibrations of witches and Halloween, inspired my Hauntingly Elegant Wine Club evening. I wanted it to be unique but not gimmicky, catchy with a touch of elegance.

THE INVITE:

IMAGES BORROWED FROM A BEAUTIFULLY CATERED HAUNTING EVENT –
POSTED ON MARTHA STEWART’S WEBSITE THAT INSPIRED MY VERSION OF A HAUNTINGLY ELEGANT PARTY.
https://www.marthastewart.com/1521546/host-halloween-dinner-party-hauntingly-beautiful

My invitation was emailed to my guests, but I created a printed version for the sake of creating a photo. Guests were asked to bring a red wine, with a haunting, spooky or spell bound label and a small bite; and black attire.

THE APERITIF:

The Aperitif: My signature cocktail “Bitter Broken Heart”

Thawed frozen black cherries soaked in kirsch, pureed and strained (discard cherry pulp); add the juice of half a lemon to cherry liquid. Fill 1/4th of each coupe glass with cherry juice; 3 dashes chocolate bitters and top off with Prosecco. Garnish with dried cherries soaked in kirsch over night and an Amarena cherry.

My guests sipped on their cocktail while another guest and I opened the bottles of wine, placed each in a numbered bag and poured the wines into the numbered glasses in preparation for the tasting.

About a month prior to this party, I had purchased red roses to place on the table for my book club meeting. For some reason, they were so pretty and remained only partially open. I watched as they slowly dried holding their bud form. I also had a vase of hydrangeas from a friend’s wedding that had dried in their contains. With a plastic cauldron, plastic skulls, green and Spanish moss (all from the dollar store), dry dead branches from the yard sprayed with gold paint and black grosgrain ribbon tied in knots on it’s smaller branches to look like bats, I created a spooky elegant floral arrangement for my sofa table. Black lanterns placed on each side contained battery candles and pieces of dried flowers, moss and black glittered branches.

From there I began to dry roses and other flowers from my garden to sprinkle along the table, add to my candelabra, and create other small arrangements around the house. I made spiders from champagne corks and black pipe cleaners, and placed Spanish moss and black crows in the chandeliers.

The local craft store had all of the Halloween decorations on sale and I purchased spider web netted tablecloths and scarves that draped over my lamp shades. More plastic dollar store skulls, black glittered twigs, moss and dried flowers were sprinkled along the center of each table. On this evening I had 14 members requiring two tables for seating. I used my black and gold rimmed china, brass candle holders with black tapered candles and gold-ware cutlery to add to the mystic and elegance.

THE CHEESE COURSE

Baked brie with black cherry, raspberry and black grapes simmered in red wine.
Served in mini cast iron pans.

THE SMALL BITES:

Warm Garden of Eden Autumnal Salad with Serpent Garlic Breadsticks

• 1 cup of black rice
• 1 cup of peeled and diced sweet potato or butternut squash
• 1 quart of vegetable stock
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cubed green apple
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili flavored oil (optional)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans & or pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2 to 3 cups of baby spinach or arugula
• salt and pepper
• Apple cider vinaigrette

1. Cook rice in vegetable stock using amount of liquid according to the package instructions and allow to complete to room temperature when complete.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. On a small sheet pan – place the pecans and/or pepitas and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. This brings out the natural oils in the nuts to enhance their flavor and crunch. (A great alternative is candied or spice coated pecans – but they take more time involving egg whites, sugar and spices – you can find a recipe on Pinterest). Set toasted nuts aside in a small bowl.
3. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Using 2 separate sheet pans – spray each tray well with cooking spray (I used olive oil spray) and place pans in the oven to pre-heat the tray.
4. Place the diced squash (or sweet potato) in an appropriate sized bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil (or) 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of chili oil to add a little heat, salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat. Carefully spread the vegetables in a single layer on one of the heated sheet trays and return to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables over half way through creating a little browning on the sides that are facing down on the tray.
5. Use the same bowl to place the diced apples and toss in remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Carefully spread on the second heated sheet tray in a single layer and roast in the oven 15 minutes (warmed through but with a little crunch still present) – when these come out the squash needs turning over.
6. Meanwhile, in the bottom of a large salad bowl mix together the ingredients for the vinaigrette (recipe in the next box).
7. Add the cooked black rice first, the roasted apples and vegetables next, then the arugula or spinach (or combination), pomegranate seeds, pecans and/or pepitas without tossing at this point. Layer with heaviest items in the bottom and lighter on top with vinaigrette at the very bottom of the bowl. When ready to serve gently toss all ingredients together to lightly coat with the vinaigrette. Note: To keep vegetables warm, you can leave them on the sheet tray in the oven at 200 degrees until ready to serve for about 20 minutes – more than that they may dry out too much.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette: In a mason jar with lid ( or simply add ingredients to the bottom of the salad bowl) place 1/3 c. Extra Virgin Olive or Avocado Oil; 1/4 cup Apple Cider; 1 tsp. Dijon mustard; 1 minced shallot (or garlic optional); 1 tbsp. honey or agave; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Either whisk in the bowl or shake vigorously in the jar to combine. Optional: Gently warm vinaigrette in a small saucepan and return to serving salad bowl. (This is for a lightly dressed salad. If you prefer more dressing -double the recipe and guests can always add more ).

Serpent Garlic Breadsticks: See my notes below.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/491525746823276732/

When I saw these serpent breadsticks on Pinterest, I decided to make a warm Garden of Eden vegetable salad and breadsticks that used autumnal flavors. The salad combined black forbidden rice, roasted sweet potatoes (or butternut squash), pomegranate seeds, baby spinach and toasted pecans with a warm apple cider vinaigrette. My serpent breadsticks were flavored with garlic butter and black Hawaiian salt. For best results: The tongues were made with dried red chili peppers with a little “v” cut into the end with scissors. I had to make a little slot at the end of the head of each breadstick before baking , to get the pepper to hold in place. I quickly inserted the pepper tongue in place immediately after the breadstick came out of the oven while still soft. As they cooled the pepper held in place. I used black peppercorns for the eyes. [Baking the breadstick with the red pepper inserted causes it to burn, so it has to be added after the baking.] Below are images of the beautiful small bites brought by my guests.

Boiled shrimp skewed in seafood sauce.

Witches hats (canapes) in the rear
Butternut squash prosciutto bites front .

Purple potato bites with herbed cheese.

Deviled eggs w/ spider tops in the front.
Apple rose bites in the rear.

THE DESSERT COURSE:

Fall immediately makes me think of campfires and S’mores. I found this great cake recipe adapted from Molly Yeh’s blog. I used leftover cake and filling to make a couple of cake balls I called truffles, and a mango syrup that I dotted along the sides of the plate to help cut the richness of the ganache. A lighter version would be to use a mousse in lieu of ganache and semi-sweet or milk chocolate instead of the bittersweet I used – but a true S’more calls for a rich chocolate. Several of my guests were celebrating birthdays over the previous and next couple of weeks, so we added candles and sang ‘Happy Birthday’. http://mynameisyeh.com/mynameisyeh/2017/4/smores-mini-cakes

THE WINE

The Winner!

• La Catrina [Cabernet Sauvignon] 3 votes
• The Walking DEAD [Bloody Red Blend] 2 votes
• The Walking DEAD [Cabernet Sauvignon 2016] 2 votes
• HOB NOB WICKED LIMITED EDITION [RED BLEND] 2 votes
• Ministry of The Vinterior [Cabernet Sauvignon 2015] 1 vote
• Vampire [Vampire Red -Winemaker’s Blend 2014]
• Saved [Red Wine 2014]

One of my guest brought me with little ghostly air plant as a hostess gift.

This is a great time to pull out your slightly tarnished silver, save the colorful flower petals from your garden and let them dry, and search through dollar stores for moss, black pebbles and other items to add to your decor. While I live near the swamps and large trees filled with Spanish moss – I purchased moss to avoid bringing in unwanted insects and who knows what else into the house.

The winner’s trophy –The winner received this webbed bagged bottle
of Limited Edition Bartenura Semi-Sec.

Long before the idea of a Hauntingly Elegant Party came to mind, I found this bottle of Bartenura Semi-Sec (of all places at Walmart). The webbed bag was so elegant and interesting that I decided to buy a bottle and hold on to it for some occasion. One day while one of my friends was visiting, I was sharing some of my ideas for the party and suddenly remembered the bottle tucked away in my pantry. She pointed out that the bag looked like a spider web. Lightbulb moment – I had my trophy for the winner.

As the Fall months approach, if you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate the ghostly spirits of Halloween with a slightly Gothic twist , I hope you will be inspired to host your own hauntingly elegant evening. If you try any of my ideas or create your own – check out the posts on my Pinterest page and share yours.

Wine Club: Syrah vs. Shiraz (The Battle)- A Return to Wine Club

The “Decades” Wine Club is back in session!

At the start of 2020, I originally put together a plan for my first wine party of the year -expecting it to take place on a cold winter’s night on February 29th – for a Leap year celebration. For the first time in five years, three couples had conflicts with the date and I decided to reschedule the evening. The first available weekend that could work with the majority was April 25th.

There was no way back then, that anyone could have predicted that one morning we would wake up and learn of a dangerous and sometimes deadly pandemic that gradually spread from country to country making its way through our world and would significantly change life as we previously knew it. The CDC recommended that the only way to suppress the spread of this virus was to adhere to government mandates or social distancing that required everyone for the most part remain home. So this party plan had to be set aside for a little more than a year.

As vaccinations became available and administered, over a period of several months, the mandates lifted and slowly we’re making our way back to a new form of normalcy with new appreciation for gathering with family and friends.

Our group of seven for this gathering was a little smaller than usual with some having travel plans causing three of our usual couples to be absent, but the evening was in no way short on the usual good conversation, good wine and delicious food. All vaccinated and with a little more elbow room at the table than usual, here’s how our Shiraz versus Syrah plan came together.

Above is an example of the emailed invitation, created as a Word document, with assigned wines of half Shiraz and half Syrah.

On to the theme…. the research and putting a plan together

Shiraz versus Syrah.  My research informed me that Shiraz and Syrah, are both wines made from the same grape. In Australia the grape is called Shiraz , and in France, the grape is called Syrah. While both Shiraz and Syrah are developed from the same grape, their differences are described below and I decided to use this information as a guide to create an exercise for my group that would test their abilities to identify which wine is a Syrah and which is a Shiraz. As the labels of each bottle selected were sent to me, I searched for the information on each to gather a collection of the described flavors and aromas.

https://mcwilliams.com.au/shiraz-v-syrah/ source of information below:

The variety of aromas and flavors found in the descriptions of our wine selection.

The Differences:

Syrah Flavours: The (slightly)leaner than the Australian style, yet more complex (spice, cherry, tar, smoke, cassis, plum, etc), earthy, lively (more acidity),softer tannins, and typically capable of short to long term bottle ageing.

Shiraz Flavours: Shiraz wines that are full bodied and encouraged to produce rich, ripe, and intense fruit flavours (plum, blackberry, cherry, etc), as well as hints of black spice. They can also have a higher alcohol content due to longer ripening on the vine before picking. These fruit driven wines are usually made in an easy drinking style and are good everyday wines but are able to age for many years.

The typical old-world Syrah is lighter and leaner than the intense Shiraz wines of Australia, which tend to be richer intensity, fruit forward and more full-bodied with tannin. The difference between the Canberra Syrah and Hilltops Shiraz exhibits this difference very clearly.

The Table Setting

My gal pals and I etched the wine glasses with numbers in late 2019 and this will be the first time we will be using them. I’m kind of excited about it! The table centerpiece is meant to add a little color and sparkle, but created low so that my guests can interact with a clear view of each other.

The Friday evening and day of the party (Saturday) are both extremely busy for me (the host), so setting the table a week in advance frees me of this task the weekend of the event. Faux olive vines, glass votive candles and battery twinkle lights provide a safe, but elegant ambiance to the table. Glasses evenly lined up, in numerical order, wiped free of fingerprints and then turned upside down until the day of the party is a way to set the table in advance and keep the glasses free of any dust or those pesky summer insects that can slip into an open door from time to time.

Scorecards that give hints of what differences might appear between the wines – to help my guests identify which is which.

At each place setting, scorecards with information about each wine (shiraz /syrah), a printed description of each guests’ wine and a pen are ready for a planned activity.

I ask everyone to send a picture of their wine label at least a week before the scheduled party, 1) to ensure no duplicates and 2) for time to research information and pairings for each wine. With the wine notes of bottles in hand, for this party I gathered examples of the flavors and aromas in the descriptions and made “wine notes” samplers. Portions could be set up early and then covered with plastic wrap, while fresh items like fruits or fresh herbs are added the day of the party.

The “wine note” plates were provided to assist in our activity. Each guest was asked to attempt to identify their bottle of wine and in addition to labeling which glass of wine they think is a Shiraz and which is a Shiraz. Blindfolds (used at a past meeting) proved to awaken the nose and palates when eliminating the sense of sight – were available, but not required.

https://www.afoodieworld.com/tersina/2018-06-07-rewriting-wine-101-syrah-or-shiraz-pinot-grigio-or-pinot-gris This website provides good information about the differences between syrah and shiraz and I clipped some info for the scorecard to help with efforts to identify the version of each wine tasted.

The Aperitif

As my guests arrive, everyone falls into a natural choreographed routine of handing off their wine bottles to me, placing their trays of food on the table and then visiting with the other guests. As I work to uncork the bottles, and then bag and number each (with the help of a couple of volunteers) I always prepare a tray of small glasses of some kind of aperitif for everyone to sip while I’m getting the bottles poured and the final touches are made to the table. For this meeting’s aperitif, I found Byrrh – served over ice with a splash of club soda and slice of orange peel. I prefer an aperitif that is wine based, so as not to disturb the palate before our actual wine tasting. There were lots of “ooo’s” and “ahs” coming from the living room as my guests began to sip and visit after such a long separation. I think it’s safe to say it was well received. I truly enjoy discovering and sharing new wine experiences of all kinds with my group.

Pronounced “beer,” this red wine–based aperitif is loaded with warming spices and relies on quinine for lightly bitter undertones. Think of it as a slightly spicier sweet vermouth and use it as such in a Negroni, or drink it straight with a large cube of ice.

The cold slightly sweet Byrrh with a touch of citrus peel
was lovely for the hot summer evening.

Byrrh is an aperitif amaro first produced in 1886 by Simon Violet and his brother Pallade. By 1935, Byrrh was the most sold aperitif in France, with sales of 35 million liters. In the late 1960’s, regulatory changes led to a shift in production towards Vin Doux Naturel, a type of fortified dessert wine, and away from aperitif drinks like Byrrh. This led to the family selling the label to Pernod-Ricard in 1977.

Byrrh is made from partially fermented Grenache and Carignane grapes that have a bit of alcohol added to them (called mistelle) that then has dry red wine added to it before being flavored with cinchona bark and other herbs and spices. The resulting aromatized wine is then aged in large, neutral oak barrels for three years before bottling. Byrrh is 34 proof. 

In 1999, Pernod-Ricard introduced Byrrh Rare Assemblage, which is aged for ten years in small oak barrels. 

Preparing the blind tasting

Years ago I purchased these metal disks and wrote numbers on each with a white felt tip pen. The bottles are opened and slipped into slender brown grocer wine bags, cut to size, but not until the bottles are received since they can be shaped differently and some are taller than others. Finally each receives a number wrapped with twine before being poured into the glasses with the same number at each place setting.

The Activity: Can you identify which wine is yours?

Each guest received a printed description of the aromas and flavors of the wine they brought, a score card and information to reference about the differences between Shiraz and Syrah. Once all of the wine is poured, we say a blessing together and then everyone is seated to start the evening’s activity.

Before any food is brought to the table, everyone sips each of the wines and takes notes – the activity has begun. For this tasting the response was unusual. None of the wines were getting very good responses, and it was funny to hear how a few claimed the same numbered glass was “their wine”. After about 15 minutes of sampling and noting, I delivered the small cheese course to the table along with spicy barbeque peanuts.

The Cheese Course…

Most of the cheese pairing recommendations I found for these wines were strong blue cheeses. I found a gouda black truffle cheese that several wine experts at our stores agreed would pair well with these wines (and boy did they!)A couple of chunks of blue cheese, blackberries and mission figs (the black fruits mentioned frequently in the wine notes) and freshly made blue cheese pecan crackers that are always a hit and come out perfectly every time were added to complete the course.

Tip: Pecan blue cheese crackers = after slicing each I used a flour dusted cookie stamp to create a little honeycomb surface. Note: Once the dough is mixed it requires 24 hours refrigeration – so plan ahead!

https://www.marthastewart.com/1072363/blue-cheese-pecan-icebox-crackers

The Wines

While the winning wine of the night wasn’t a unanimous vote,
the 2016 Boom Boom Syrah won with 3votes, 2018 Nobels Rives By Cave de Tain Syrah came in 2nd with 2 votes, 2019 Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz and 2016 Crozees Hermitage Les Jalets(Paul Jaboulet Aine) Syrah each received one vote. So the Syrahs came out in front.

The Menu

Smoked and Charred Rib Tips served with a secret homemade BBQ sauce

Chorizo & Black Bean Mini Sweet Potatoes

Parmesan Crusted Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Blackberry, Cucumber, Spinach, Arugula, Feta and Toasted Pecan Salad

The rest of the blue cheese and black truffle gouda from the cheese course.

Garden fresh sliced tomatoes with spicy Thai basil.

As hostess, I provide the cheese and dessert courses. Usually I help my group with some ideas for small bites based on my research about the wines we are featuring and their pairing recommendations. When there are enough participants we can usually create a balanced meal, or when I see that we are short of something I will make the addition myself. The group for this meeting was a little smaller, so I added a salad with blackberries that is fresh, light and had the blackberry notes of the wines. Sprinkled with my signature white balsamic vinegar, olive oil and for this salad a little agave. Light with a touch of sweetness.

The recommendations for these wines was a bit challenging. Everything I read suggested grilled, barbecue and spicy pairings. While the wines did not receive a lot of praise when sipping, once the food was added, the wines came to life and completely changed. It was our opinion that these wines were best when paired with the right food – and we had the right food. Some of wines brought out the spiciness of the food and the entire experience was very interesting. I seem to always forget to take a picture of all of the food, but you can see from the table below, not much was left behind. It was all delicious!

The Dessert Course…..

As I searched for information about Shiraz and Syrah wines, a past post kept coming up of an event where a variety of Lindt chocolate bars were paired with different wines. Among those pairings was this J. Lohr 2017 Syrah, paired with a dark chocolate chili bar.

I decided I wanted the dessert course to include this wine and chocolate pairing two ways. First in the original method of small sips of the wine paired with a square of the chocolate. Secondly I wanted both transformed into an actual dessert that still maintained their original flavors. I found a recipe for these fudgy, spicy dark chocolate cookies (filled with chunks of the dark chocolate chili bars) and a sorbet made with the rest of the bottle of wine.

The sorbet is very simple – and both pairings only required one bottle of the wine (8 servings). Make at least one day ahead.

TO MAKE THE SORBET: In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 6 ounces of water. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and add 10 ounces of the bottle of wine (the rest will be used for the small sipping glasses.) Stir the three ingredients together and then let it cool. Place in an ice cream maker and freeze to manufacturer’s instructions. I turned mine for about 30 minutes. It will not be solid, just icy (you can see the video of my instagram post). Pour all of the frozen wine into a loaf pan or other container and freeze overnight.

The spicy dark chocolate cookies were surprisingly good and even better with the wine. https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/dark-chocolate-chili-cookies/

Over the five years (now starting our sixth) that our club has been gathering, we have enjoyed discovering new wines sometimes with playful themes like a murder mystery, a derby themed party, a hauntingly elegant evening, a rio de janeiro carnival – as well as a variety of wonderful small bites and desserts. Tonight was a return to Wine Club with a surprisingly “spicy twist” that peppered our appetites and curiosity of what we have yet to discover.

Let the Music Play….

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

Whether the table is set for my wine club, book club, mothers tea, Friendsgiving or any of the many other entertaining dates I’ve planned, the one thing you can’t see in the party pictures is the music!

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I usually begin experimenting a week or two prior to the scheduled event in search of the best music selection I can find, in search of background melodies that don’t overpower the conversation, but like a subtle soundtrack in a movie, creates the appropriate mood and ambiance for the gathering. Until recently I chose the Pandora App where the variety of options or countless for nearly every theme you can dream up. Simply search with the theme, such as Italian love songs, Mardi Gras music, French Cafe’ or the individual name of a favorite artist. As technology advances, so do the options. Amazon’s Alexa and Echo players or Google Play can provide musical options from Pandora, Spotify or their own musical programs with a simple verbal request.

In the recent year as I visited small shops in our area, the sound of classic French music, smooth Jazz or piano instrumentals caught my attention, and when I would ask what was playing I was informed over and over again that it was YouTube music. Videos created into various music themes that can be played up to 10 hours has become another favorite. I originally streamed the music from my TV, but Google or Alexa will play the music if requested also.

The point of entertaining (dinner party, wine party etc.) is to have shared discussions and conversations. So I choose music that isn’t distracting, but provides a soothing background for the evening at a soft audible level. Below are some suggestions/examples of options I’ve made part of my party planning.

Capri – Italian White Wines Night

For an Italian themed night: (Capri) Andrea Bocelli Radio, Italian Summer Radio, Italian Cooking Music Radio, or Italian Traditional Radio. Romantic Venice, Italian Restaurant Music

Christmas Cocktail Party

Holiday/Christmas Cocktail Party– Jazz Holiday Radio, Diana Krall (Holiday) Radio, Michael Buble (Holiday Radio), Nat King Cole (Holiday) Radio, Vince Guaraldi Trio (Holiday) Radio, Christmas Radio.

Derby Themed – Bourbon Barrel Aged Reds

Derby Theme : Kentucky Derby Radio, Frank Sinatra Radio

Symphony of Whites (Wines) – Austria, Germany

Symphony of Whites (Wine): Classical Dinner Party Radio, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Radio, Antonio Vivaldi Radio, and many more.

Holiday Dinner Party: Acoustical Guitar Christmas, Jingle Bells (Frank Sinatra (Holiday); Christmas Bells (Instrumental – Classical)

French Cafe’ themed small luncheons.

French Bistro Theme– French Cafe’ Radio, Edith Piaf Radio, French Cooking Radio; Spotify : French Cafe’ Lounge Music, French Romantic Music, French Bistro Music, French Mornings-Emily in Paris Vibes, French Jazz Cafe’

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Rio De Janeiro “Carnival” – Red Wines of South America

Rio De Janeiro Carnival– Brazilian Radio, Tango Radio, Spanish Guitar

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Valentines Themed – Reds from North America

Romantic Valentine Theme- Classical Piano Love Songs, Country Love Songs Radio, Diana Krall Radio, Michael Buble Radio, Chris Botti Radio, Romantic instruments

Mother’s Tea – I play a lovely song in honor of remembering our mothers just before starting to help focus our thoughts and hearts in the right place. “I Remember You” by Trisha Yearwood; “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran.

Whatever your party, theme or no theme, while preparing the list of things to do, include a selection of soothing musical entertainment that is sure to enhance the enjoyment of your event.

🍁🍂 Travel Memories Gathering🍁🍂

We drove past many fields of Sunflowers and grapevines. We also were introduced to Crémant a pleasant, sparkling, refreshing wine from Alsace, France.

🍁I think we would all agree that the year 2020 has really thrown us off course. Whatever our routines may have been in the past, nearly everything has been forced to change. The routine that gives me the most pleasure and provides the content for this blog, is planning “social interactions and parties” for my family and friends. Social distancing obviously put a serious halt to all of those gatherings for several months, but as the “phases” allow us to slowly move forward and restrictions begin to slightly relax, I finally sent my first invite for a small gathering.

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On the left – the toast we made our first night together in a little 300 year old timber cottage in Southern Germany. On the right toasting to our friendship and shared memories with Crémant.

🍁Just one year ago (in early September 2019) when life was clearly different than it is has been this year, I met two of my friends in Europe for an unexpected adventure. We spent one week visiting a castle in Southern Germany; medieval towns in Alsace,France and the Swiss Alps of Mürren, Switzerland. What better way to shake off our 2020 blues, than to recreate some of the food and wine experiences from our trip and gather to talk and recall special moments of this memorable time we spent together. Our best memories pictured below:

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  The Red Roosters in Alsace.

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  Having dinner together in the garden (at the house)

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  The charm of Eguisheim, France

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  The view from the dining room while enjoying breakfast.

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  Day hike.

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  The Snow Capped Alps.

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  Mürren- such a lovely town.

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A German Salad starts with a variety of diced raw or pickled colorful vegetables hidden beneath a lightly dressed pile of small mixed miniature greens.
Mine is dressed with a drizzle of white balsamic vinegar and fruity extra virgin olive oil.

German Salad with edible marigolds.

Cornichons, capers and pearl cocktail onions;
French Pear Liqueur brought back from Eguisheim, France,
that tastes like sweet caramelized pears to sip with dessert.

Store bought truffle mousse, charcuterie meats, garlic toasts.

I found this truffle mousse (pate’) in the cheese section at Whole Foods. It didn’t have much of a truffle flavor, but was still very good and filled two ramekins.

A traditional Swiss fondue made with Emmethal and Gruyere cheeses, garlic, white wine & kirsch, served with roasted (rather than boiled multi-colored potatoes and toasted baguette cubes (see link at the end for the recipe ).

Napkins reminiscent of a French country kitchen and colorful rooster place mats.

🍁I needed this gathering to be relaxing for myself as well as my gal pals. So while I prepared the salads and the fondue, I took shortcuts here and there and bought items prepared, like the pate’ and this Black Forest cake, that while not like the original version we enjoyed in the Black Forest of Germany, was light after all of the cheese, bread and potatoes and still recalled the memory of that day.

After removing the fondue pot, I placed two large pieces of cake on a platter in the middle of the table and we grabbed forkfuls with a cup of coffee and an occasional sip of our Pear Liqueur cordial.

🍁”Where should we go when we can safely travel again?” asked on of my friends. Spain was suggested…. they’ve both been there – I haven’t. Once again, I’d be thrilled to just go along for the adventure!

Recipes and planning can be found on my 2019 Friendsgiving post https://socialinteractionsandparties.wordpress.com/category/friendsgiving/

Images from our European Adventure can be found on my Travel Journal category posts https://socialinteractionsandparties.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/the-spontaneous-traveler-bonus-edition/

Wine Club: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.

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

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.

The Welcoming Member of My Wine Club…

The original Wine Club Wreath with corks from one of the couples in the original club.

When I first started my wine club, I wanted to create a welcoming wine wreath to hang on my front entrance door each night of our meetings. I was inspired by a wreath I saw on Pinterest, but I didn’t have corks, so I reached out to my friends and one couple gifted me a bag full, that I pared with artificial grapes and a grapevine wreath – some purple ribbon and our club wreath was formed.

My wreath was in need of something more. A small ceramic dish with a painting of a vineyard that I loved, inspired the small image that hangs in the center which was hand painted by one of my friends who is a very talented artist. I asked her to re-create the image on the little piece of balsa wood (very light weight) to hang inside the wreath. [She later painted a plaque with the year our club was established, that I display on the food table.]

The wreath has been just as much a member of our club as the actual “Sippers” . Over time as my themes were formed, I decided to add accents to the wreath that matched the night’s theme. Over time I’ve added winning corks from our parties – so the wreath now has an abundance of corks and looks full and lush.

MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT

MAGNIFYING GLASS AND INSPECTOR NOTEPAD

RIO DE JANEIRO CARNIVAL

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****CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH **** SUPERBOWL WEEKEND ****HONORING OUR SAINTS WHO WERE ROBBED !!!!

POM POM, PENDANT, FOOTBALL, & REFEREE WHISTLE & PENALTY FLAG.

A HAUNTINGLY ELEGANT WINE PARTY

SPANISH MOSS, BLACK GLITTERED BRANCHES AND A CHAMPAGNE CORK SPIDER. [Halloween}

DERBY THEMED WINE PARTY

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BOW TIE, SMALL HAT, GOLD HORSE AND RED ROSES.

ALPINE – ALSACE FONDUE FRIENDSGIVING

SUNFLOWERS AND COW BELLS.

As the themes form in the future, if there is something I can add to represent it, my little wreath will continue to be dressed up for the evening!