Every major holiday on the calendar seems to culminate in a meal and usually one of epic proportion. From a Fourth of July cookout to Thanksgiving turkey dinner, friends and family gather around the holiday table at someone's home and the majority of the work, by default, tends to fall upon that person or family. Out of respect for these Holiday Hosts and Hostesses who take it upon themselves to entertain and feed the masses this Holiday Season, it's important to keep in mind the etiquette of being a Gracious Holiday Guest.I recently spoke with some friends who love to entertain and often host holiday family dinners. Under the veil of anonymity, they agreed to share some of their biggest pet peeves and offered suggestions on "good guesting":1.) Avoid placing multiple calls to your Host or Hostess in the hours before the meal. In the hours and crucial last minutes before the holiday meal hits the table, your Host or Hostess is most likely in the kitchen figuring out how to make gravy for the first time, trying to use the fire extinguisher or dealing with another culinary calamity. So if you need directions to the house, crank up that GPS on your phone or call another guest at the dinner. A quick call to see if you can pick anything up on your way over is always appreciated but don't be offended if your call goes straight to voice mail. "One of my dear friends would always want to chat with me on the phone on her drive over to my house for our holiday meal. I politely had to tell her I was trying to deal with some last minute issues and her feelings were hurt." It's best to be considerate and save chit chat for the dessert course and/or the day after.2.) When bringing wine to a holiday gathering, don't be hurt if it doesn't make it to the holiday table. Your host or hostess most likely has all the wines for the evening already selected and possibly even decanted. If you would like to bring a special bottle to share that night, call or e-mail your Host/Hostess a day or so in advance and ask. They would probably greatly appreciate it just don't throw them a curve ball the evening of when everything has been carefully planned out. You also run the risk of that special wine getting lost in the stack of hostess gifts as one friend reports, "I once brought a bottle of 1982 Bordeaux to a holiday dinner and it was never opened and I never got it back!" Better to plan ahead than risk losing a gem of a bottle. However, if you really wanted to drink a particular wine that night, go ahead and open it, just don't leave that task to your Host or Hostess.3.) Don't expect to eat for days on the leftovers you bring home from your Host or Hostesses' house. After slaving at the stove for a few days in a row to create a Thanksgiving or other holiday feast, leftovers are in many ways the "Chef's reward." While it's always nice to send guests home with a little something, and its always flattering to be asked, don't expect to be making turkey sandwiches for the better part of the following week from those leftovers. "I once had guests show up at my house for Thanksgiving with their own 'super-sized' to-go containers," says one hostess. "They also brought a case of beer and took home the bottles they didn't drink rather than leaving them as a show of thanks. I was appalled!" So no matter how delicious the meal was, practice a little restraint in your expectations when it comes to the leftovers.4.) Always bring a little something for your Host or Hostess. If you've ever undertaken the arduous task of preparing a traditional holiday meal, you know the Herculean effort that is often involved. Sure your hostess might play it off like she rolled out of bed at noon and just "threw something together" but let me assure you, that is probably not the case. Aside from the food, the house also needs to look great, the table needs to be set and all family members need to look presentable before guests start to arrive. For those who have never assumed this task trust me, your Host and/or Hostess deserves some serious props! Something as simple as a small flower arrangement (never flowers that need to be arranged!); a bottle of wine or Champagne; or even a gift certificate for a manicure at a local spa all make very thoughtful gifts and you're sure to get invited back.5.) Don't drink too much. It's very easy to get caught up in all the holiday cheer and we've all probably been there once (ok, maybe twice). But please don't make the mistake of overindulging to the point your Host or Hostess needs to worry about you getting home safely. Don't get me wrong, tis the season to enjoy each other's company as well as a few drinks or glasses of wine, however you want to avoid a "Drunk Uncle" situation if you can (see video below). In order to avoid these episodes, you might have a talk with said family member before the big day and express how you feel about their past behavior. If you're feeling less confrontational, you could even assign another family member to keep tabs on them and make sure they get home safely.I hope these tips help to make your holiday season more cheerful and big thanks to all the fabulous Hostesses willing to share their advice. Are there any "pet peeves" you'd like to share? Please do so in the Comment section below and have a very Happy Holidays!Cheers,
Every major holiday on the calendar seems to culminate in a meal and usually one of epic proportion. From a Fourth of July cookout to Thanksgiving turkey dinner, friends and family gather around the holiday table at someone’s home and the majority of the work, by default, tends to fall upon that person or family. Sometimes the Host or Hostess willingly volunteers for the task, however, sometimes…not so much. Out of respect for our Holiday Hosts and Hostesses who so bravely take it upon themselves to entertain and feed the masses this Thanksgiving, it’s important to remember the etiquette of being a Gracious Holiday Guest.
I recently spoke with some friends who love to entertain and often host holiday family dinners. Under the veil of anonymity, they shared some of their biggest pet peeves and offered suggestions on “good guesting”:
1.) Avoid placing multiple calls to your Host or Hostess in the hours before the meal. In the hours and crucial last minutes before the holiday meal hits the table, your host or hostess is most likely in the kitchen figuring out how to make gravy for the first time, trying to use the fire extinguisher or dealing with another culinary calamity. So if you need directions to the house, crank up that GPS on your phone or call another guest at the dinner. A quick call to see if you can pick anything up on your way over is always appreciated but don’t be offended if your call goes straight to voice mail. “One of my dear friends would always want to chat on the phone on her drive over to my house for our holiday meal. I politely had to tell her I was trying to deal with some last minute issues and her feelings would be hurt.” Its best to be considerate and save chit chat for the dessert course and/or the day after.
2.) When bringing wine to a holiday gathering, don’t be hurt if it doesn’t make it to the holiday table. Your host or hostess most likely has all the wines for the evening already selected and possibly even decanted. If you would like to bring a special bottle to share that night, call or e-mail your host/hostess a day or so in advance and ask. They would probably greatly appreciate it just don’t throw them a curve ball the evening of when everything has been carefully planned out. You also run the risk of that special wine getting lost in the stack of hostess gifts as one friend reports, “I once brought a bottle of 1982 Bordeaux to a holiday dinner and it was never opened and I never got it back!” Better to plan ahead than risk losing a gem of a bottle. However, if you really wanted to drink a particular wine that night, go ahead and open it, just don’t leave that task to your host or hostess.
3.) Don’t expect to eat for days on the leftovers you bring home from your Host or Hostesses’ house. After slaving at the stove for a few days in a row to create a Thanksgiving or other holiday feast, leftovers are in many ways the “Chef’s reward.” While it’s always nice to send guests home with a little something, and its always flattering to be asked, don’t expect to be making turkey sandwiches for the better part of the following week from those leftovers. “I once had guests show up at my house for Thanksgiving with their own ‘super-sized’ to-go containers,” says one hostess. “They also brought a case of beer and took home the bottles they didn’t drink rather than leaving them as a show of thanks. I was appalled!” So no matter how delicious the meal was, practice a little restraint in your expectations when it comes to the leftovers.
4.) Always bring a little something for your Host or Hostess. If you’ve ever undertaken the arduous task of preparing a traditional holiday meal, you know the Herculean effort that is often involved. Sure your hostess might play it off like she rolled out of bed at noon and just “threw something together” but let me assure you, that is probably not the case. Aside from the food, the house also needs to look great, the table needs to be set and all family members need to look presentable before guests start to arrive. For those who have never assumed this task trust me, your Host and/or Hostess deserves some serious props! Something as simple as a small flower arrangement (never flowers that need to be arranged!); a bottle of wine or Champagne; or even a gift certificate for a manicure at a local spa all make very thoughtful gifts and you’re sure to get invited back.
5.) Don’t drink too much. It’s very easy to get caught up in all the holiday cheer and we’ve all probably been there once (ok, maybe twice). But please don’t make the mistake of overindulging to the point your Host or Hostess needs to worry about you getting home safely. Don’t get me wrong, tis the season to enjoy each other’s company as well as a few drinks or glasses of wine, however you want to avoid a “Drunk Uncle” type of situation if you can (see video). In order to avoid these episodes, have a talk with said family member before the big day and express how you feel about their behavior. Maybe even assign another family member to keep tabs on them and make sure they get home safely.
I hope these tips help to make your holiday season more cheerful and big thanks to all the Hostesses willing to share their advice. Are there any “pet peeves” you’d like to share? Please do so in the comment section below and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Cheers,
Thanksgiving is less than a week away - do you have your turkey recipe and wines all picked out? If not, never fear! The Glamorous Gourmet is here to help you out of your culinary quandary with some stellar Thanksgiving wine pairing recommendations and mouth watering turkey recipes.
So first, let's talk wine:Trying to find a wine to pair with such an extensive and diverse group of flavors can cause a common vinous affliction known as WPP aka Wine Pairing Paralysis. With the cacophony of flavors and textures involved in a meal designed to stuff you until bursting, what wine could possibly: (1) complement the meal, (2) appeal to a variety of palates and (3) not break the bank?
Here are a few tips and recommendations to help make the process of discovering a stellar Thanksgiving wine pairing a little easier:
When presented with dishes such as roasted turkey, caramelized onion and cornbread stuffing, cranberry compote, sweet potato casserole and Brussels sprouts that are all being served at the same meal, the best wines to select (and guests too I might add) are those that “play nicely with others.” Choose wines that are fruit-forward with a food-friendly acidity that will not only stimulate your taste buds but also “do no harm” to your already flavor filled meal. Hold off on tannic Cabernet Sauvignons or heavily oaked Chardonnays and opt instead for wines that are lighter in style, like the Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc ($14) from South Africa or, for reds, the King Estate Acrobat Pinot Noir ($18) from Oregon's Willamette Valley is a fabulous choice.
The same principles apply when trying to satisfy a variety of palates at your holiday gathering. Avoiding wines with harsh tannins and heavy oak influence is usually a good game plan. Select a fruity, approachable white wine or crisp, sparkling wine to appease your guests. While universally appealing, these wines will also complement the flavors in your meal. For whites, the Patient Cottat Sancerre Vielles Vignes ($22) from the Loire Valley is delightfully crisp and refreshing. For sparklers, the Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($34) from California's North Coast is an excellent choice or for Champagne we especially like Taittinger's Brut La Francaise ($44). If you do happen to have Cabernet lovers at your dinner, opt for one that's very fruit forward like the Round Pond Kith & Kin Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) from the Napa Valley.
We all know holidays like Thanksgiving can involve feeding a small army of family and friends; however, finding an appropriate wine to serve doesn’t have to break the bank. Choose wines from regions known for producing great values at reasonable prices and save your Classified Growth Bordeaux and California cult collectibles for another occasion! Stock up on your favorite value wines and have them on hand when guests drop by for some “holiday cheer.” Some of our favorites include Gruet's Brut Sparkling Wine ($14) from New Mexico, Charles Smith's Kung Fu Girl Riesling ($12) from Washington's Columbia Valley and Michele Chiarlo's Barbera d'Asti Le Orme ($15) from Italy's Piedmont region.
Also, if you're still not sure which turkey recipe to try, I'm happy to share two of my all time favorites that are sure to please a crowd. The first is a classic recipe from Chef Tyler Florence for Oven Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter. The sage butter is slathered over the bird and under the skin and makes this turkey the most beautiful shade of mahogany you have ever seen! Have your camera ready because you will be snapping photos right and left for the 'Gram.
After years of going through the trouble of brining my bird (what a mess!), I made this recipe one year and was hooked. In addition to creating beautiful color, the copious amount of butter also keeps the bird from drying out so you can bid brining buh-BYE! You can also still make gravy from the drippings, please see below for a wonderful gravy recipe.
If you do decide to make this turkey recipe, the Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing that pairs with it is also exceptional. I highly recommend cooking the stuffing inside the bird, there is just no substitute for the flavor that is infused by the magical turkey juices. In case all the delicious stuffing doesn't fit, be sure to have a buttered casserole dish on hand to bake the excess.
If you're looking for a bird that's a little different from the classic preparation, the Barefoot Contessa's Roast Turkey with Truffle Butter is simply out of this world! The white truffle butter enhances the flavor of the turkey so beautifully yet the bird never seems overly "truffled." My husband Steve is not the biggest truffle fan yet he loved this recipe. If you choose to make this turkey you also have to make Ina’s delicious Homemade Gravy which includes Cognac in addition to white wine, heavy cream and the drippings from the bird which all synergize to create pure and utter deliciousness! This gravy also works well with the aforementioned Oven Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter.
I hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving wine pairing recommendations and turkey recipes and Steve and I would also like to wish you a wonderful and blessed holiday.
Thanksgiving is less than a week away – do you have your turkey recipe and wine pairings all picked out? If not, never fear! The Glamorous Gourmet is here to help you out of your culinary quandary. First, let’s talk wine:
Trying to find a wine to pair with such an extensive and diverse group of flavors can cause a common vinous affliction known as WPP aka Wine Pairing Paralysis. With the cacophony of flavors and textures involved in a meal designed to stuff you until bursting, what wine could possibly (1) complement the meal, (2) appeal to a variety of palates and (3) not break the bank? Here are a few tips and recommendations to help make the process a little easier for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal:
#1 When presented with dishes such as roasted turkey, caramelized onion and cornbread stuffing, cranberry compote, sweet potato casserole and Brussels sprouts at the same meal, the best wines to select (and guests too I might add) are those that “play nicely with others.” Choose wines that are fruit-forward with a food-friendly acidity that will not only stimulate your taste buds but “do no harm” to your already flavor filled meal. Hold off on tannic Cabernet Sauvignons or heavily oaked Chardonnays and opt instead for wines that are lighter in style like the 2012 Hahn Pinot Gris from Monterey, California ($14) or for reds, the Art + Farm’s The Messenger Red Wine Number One, NV ($16), also from California.
#2 The same principles apply when trying to satisfy a variety of palates at your holiday gathering. Avoiding wines with harsh tannins and heavy oak influence is usually a good game plan. Select a fruity, approachable Alsatian white wine or crisp, sparkling wine like Prosecco to appease your guests. While universally appealing, these wines will also complement the flavors in your meal beautifully. Try the Helfrich Gewürztraminer, Alsace, France, 2011 ($14) or the BiancaVigna Prosecco DOC, Veneto, Italy, NV ($15). For a red, try the elegant Copain “Les Voisins” Pinot Noir, 2010 ($42) from California’s Anderson Valley.
#3 We all know holidays like Thanksgiving can involve feeding a small army of family and friends; however, finding an appropriate wine to serve doesn’t have to break the bank. Choose wines from regions known for producing great values at reasonable prices and save your Classified Growth Bordeaux and California cult collectibles for another occasion! Stock up on your favorite value wines and have them on hand when guests drop by for some “holiday cheer.” Great examples include this duo from Domaine de Triennes, the Sainte Fleur Viognier, 2011 ($16) or for red, the St. Auguste, 2008 ($22) a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot fermented in 2-6 year old barrels from Domaine Dujac in Burgundy.
Also, if you’re still not sure which turkey recipe to try, I’m happy to share two of my all time favorites that are sure to please a crowd. The first is a classic recipe from Chef Tyler Florence for Oven Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter. The sage butter is slathered over the bird and under the skin and makes this turkey the most beautiful shade of mahogany you have ever seen! Have your camera ready because you will be snapping photos right and left. After years of going through all the trouble of brining my bird, I made this recipe one year and was hooked. In addition to creating beautiful color, the copious amount of butter also keeps the bird from drying out so brining was no longer necessary. You can also still make gravy from the drippings, see below for a wonderful gravy recipe. If you do make this turkey recipe you must also make the Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing that pairs with it. It is mouth wateringly delicious and I highly recommend cooking the stuffing in the bird, there is just no substitute. In case all the delicious stuffing doesn’t fit, be sure to have a buttered casserole dish on hand to bake the excess.
If you’re looking for a bird that’s a little different from the classic preparation, The Barefoot Contessa’s Roast Turkey with Truffle Butter is simply out of this world! The white truffle butter enhances the flavor of the turkey so beautifully yet the bird never seems overly “truffled.” My husband Steve is not the biggest truffle fan and yet he loved this recipe. If you choose to make this turkey you also have to make the best gravy I’ve ever tasted, which is also an Ina Garten recipe. Her delicious Homemade Gravy includes Cognac in addition to white wine, heavy cream and the drippings from the bird which synergize to create pure deliciousness. This gravy also works well with the aforementioned Oven Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter.
I hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving wine pairing suggestions and recipes! All the wines mentioned in this post are available at The Wine Atelier and we’d be happy to consult with you on your Thanksgiving menu as well. You can always text or call 561.317.6663 with your food and/or wine pairing questions. Steve and I would also like to wish you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.
Cheers,
Following a fabulous evening at the Camp Schramsberg Library Wine Dinner at Meadowood (read more about that by clicking here), it was nice to get a slightly later start the following morning. After breakfast we hopped back on the buses and headed towards the winery in Calistoga.
Day two of Camp Schramsberg began with a tour of the winery and its caves given by Hugh Davies. He explained how the estate, a registered historic landmark, has been painstakingly restored by his family when they purchased it in 1965. The Victorian house, the lower winery, the barn and the caves remain largely unchanged since Jacob Schram’s days. He also informed us of the use of Schramsberg's sparkling wines at significant historic Presidential functions. President Nixon's "Toast to Peace" in 1972 with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing China featured the Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs. Their sparkling wines have also been served by every U.S. Presidential administration since. As we entered the caves at the winery, Davies explained they were dug primarily with pick axes and shovels in the 1960's. He also shared the details of a harrowing incident immediately prior to the release of the Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs. The press broke and his parents Jack and Jamie Davies had to stomp the grapes with their feet in order to keep production underway to meet their deadline!
As we made our way deeper into the caves, we reached an opening with multiple rows of riddling racks full of sparkling wine bottles. Here, Davies introduced us to Jesus who'd recently taken over as Chief Riddler for Ramon who'd worked at Schramsberg since the 1970's. Of Schramsberg's total production of sparkling wines, 80% is riddled mechanically using a gyropalette. The remaining 20%, consisting of their more expensive cuvées, is done by hand. Riddling is a very labor and time intensive process which is very important in the production of sparkling wine. By gradually displacing and inverting the bottle, the dead yeast cells generated by the wine's secondary fermentation move towards the neck of the bottle. It is later removed via a process called disgorgement (see video below). Jesus was kind (and patient!) enough to give us all a lesson on how it's done. Upon trying it myself, I quickly realized it took years of practice to master.
After Riddling 101 we sat down to a Blanc de Blancs Progression Tasting. Guiding the tasting were Schramsberg winemakers Keith Hock, who specializes in sparkling wine, and Sean Thompson, who makes Schramsberg's still wines. During the tasting we were able to sample wines in various states of evolution ranging from a 2012 Base Wine to a 1990 Library Wine. The exercise was very enlightening and beautifully demonstrated how these wines evolve and develop over time. At one end of the spectrum, the 2012 Base Wine exhibited aromas and flavors of tart green apple and citrus while the 1990 Library Wine was at the complete opposite end featuring notes of hazelnut, pastry dough and honey. It was a valuable lesson in the effects of time on sparkling wines and the complexity that can be achieved through proper aging.This exercise led up to perhaps the most exciting, hands on exercise of the trip: we got to make our own unique bottle of Schramsberg sparkling wine to take home with us! We were able to disgorge a bottle of Blanc de Blancs and select the dosage level, which determines the wine's final level of sweetness, to suit our own personal taste. We donned our protective goggles for the disgorgement process but, thankfully, we had winemaker Keith Hock supervising us so nothing went horribly wrong. My disgorgement attempt went very smoothly and when it came time to select the dosage level I decided to approximate Schramsberg's custom cuvee they produce for the The French Laundry. This low dosage sparkler is intended to pair perfectly with oysters and shellfish. After adding the dosage to the wine, I got to cork and label my very own bottle: I'm really looking forward to enjoying the one and only bottle of Cuvée Miskew!
After lunch we explored the Future and Sparkling Wine on our Tables led once again by the fabulous Holly Peterson. This tasting expanded on the pairings we studied the day before and featured the Schramsberg 2009 Brut Rosé and 2005 Schramsberg Reserve. Food pairings included Beef tatake with a variety of sides and sauces including lime wedge, ginger beurre blanc, tomato concasse, yozu koshu spicy sauce, marjoram infused olive oil and Béarnaise sauce. Some surprising favorites of this class included the brut rosé paired with the beef and lime wedge as well as the tomato concasse and basil. My favorite with the 2005 Reserve was the beef and ginger beurre blanc and the Béarnaise sauce.Once we completed this tasting exercise, we were faced with a challenge! We divided up into teams and each had to come up with a 5-course tasting menu to pair with a selection of Schramsberg wines. There were some extremely creative pairings and I'm happy to report we came in second place and had alot of fun in the process!
Following the competition, it was time to say our goodbyes. Camp Schramsberg was an amazing experience I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sparkling wine. 2013 marked the 18th year Schramsberg has been hosting the camp and they've really developed an excellent program that can accommodate any level of wine knowledge - just come thirsty to learn!Cheers,
Following a fabulous evening at the Library Wine Dinner at Meadowood the night before (read more about that by clicking here), it was nice to get a slightly later start the following day. After breakfast we hopped back on the buses and headed towards the winery in Calistoga.
Day two began with a tour of Schramsberg and its caves given by Hugh Davies himself. He explained that the estate, a registered historic landmark, has been painstakingly restored by his family when they purchased it in 1965. The Victorian house, the lower winery, the barn and the caves remain largely unchanged since Jacob Schram’s days. He also informed us of Schramsberg’s sparkling wines at historically significant Presidential functions including President Nixon’s “Toast to Peace” in 1972 with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing China which featured their Blanc de Blancs. Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have also been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since. As we entered the caves at the winery he explained they were dug mainly with pick axes and shovels in the 60′s. He also shared the details of a harrowing incident immediately prior to the release of the Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs. The press broke and his parents Jack and Jamie Davies had to stomp the grapes with their feet in order to keep production underway to meet their deadline!
As we made our way deeper into the caves, we reached an opening with multiple rows of riddling racks full of inverted sparkling wine bottles (above right photo). Here, Hugh introduced us to a gentleman by the name of Jesus who’d recently took over as Chief Riddler for Ramon who’d been working at Schramsberg since the 1970′s. Of Schramsberg’s total production of sparkling wines 80% is riddled mechanically using a gyropalette and 20%, consisting of their more expensive cuvées, is done by hand. Riddling is a very labor and time intensive process which is very important in the production of sparkling wine. By gradually displacing and inverting the bottle, the dead yeast cells generated by the wine’s secondary fermentation move towards the neck of the bottle where it is later removed via a process called disgorgement (see video below). Jesus was kind (and patient!) enough to give us all a lesson on how it’s done. He had a way of making it look effortless however upon trying it myself I realized it definitely took years of practice to master.
After Riddling 101 we sat down to a Blanc de Blancs Progression Tasting with Schramsberg winemakers Keith Hock, who specializes in sparkling wine, and Sean Thompson, who makes Schramsberg’s still wines. During the tasting we had the opportunity to sample a variety of wines in various states of evolution ranging from a 2012 Base Wine to a 1990 Library Wine. The exercise was very enlightening and beautifully demonstrated how these wines evolve and develop over time. At the beginning of the spectrum, the 2012 Base Wine exhibited aromas and flavors of tart green apple and citrus while the 1990 Library Wine was at the complete opposite end of the spectrum featuring notes of hazelnut, pastry dough and honey. It was a valuable lesson in what time can do to sparkling wines and the complexity that can be achieved through proper aging.
This exercise led up to perhaps the most exciting and hand on exercise of the trip: we got to make our own unique bottle of Schramsberg sparkling wine to take home with us. Well, maybe not from the very beginning but were able to disgorge a bottle of Blanc de Blancs and select the dosage level, which determines the final level of sweetness of the wine, to suit our own personal taste. We donned our protective goggles for the disgorgement process but thankfully we had winemaker Keith Hock supervising us so nothing went wrong. I am happy to report my disgorgement went smoothly and when it came time to select the dosage level I decided to attempt to approximate the wine Schramsberg custom produces for the The French Laundry, a low dosage sparkler meant to pair perfectly with oysters and shellfish. After adding the dosage to the wine, I got to cork and label my very own bottle: I’m really looking forward to enjoying the one and only bottle of Cuvée Miskew!
After lunch we explored the Future and Sparkling Wine on our Tables led once again by the fabulous Holly Peterson which expanded on the pairings we had studied the day before. The wines featured this time were the Schramsberg 2009 Brut Rosé and the 2005 Schramsberg Reserve. To pair with our wines were samples of Beef tatake with a variety of sides and sauced including lime wedge, ginger beurre blanc, tomato concasse, yozu koshu spicy sauce, marjoram infused olive oil and Béarnaise sauce. Some surprising favorites of this class included the brut rosé paired with the beef and lime wedge as well as the tomato concasse and basil. My favorite with the 2005 Reserve was the beef and ginger beurre blanc and the Béarnaise sauce. Prior to this exercise I had always personally enjoyed sparkling wine with beef but it was interesting to take the time to figure out which combinations make the best pairings.
Once we had completed this tasting we were faced with a challenge! We were divided into teams and each one had to come up with a 5 course tasting menu to pair with a selection of Schramsberg wines. We had alot of fun in the process and their were some extremely creative pairings and when it came time to reveal the winning team – I’m happy to report we came in second place!
Following the competition, our last official Camp activity, we all said our goodbyes as some Campers headed to the airport and others headed to other vinous destinations. Camp Schramsberg was an amazing experience I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sparkling wine. 2013 marked the 18th year they have been hosting the Camp and they’ve really developed an excellent program that can accommodate any level of wine knowledge – just come hungry to learn! For those of you who live in South Florida I’m also happy to report I’ll be hosting a dinner with Hugh Davies at 32 East in downtown Delray Beach on Tuesday, November 12th. Come enjoy a selection of Schramsberg’s sparkling wines as well as their critically acclaimed J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a mouth watering menu prepared by the fabulous Chef Nick Morfogen. For more information or to make reservations please click here.
Cheers,
If you’re like me and you just adore Halloween and entertaining have I got a recipe for you!
I saw this recipe for Severed Braciole Arm in Marina Sauce on “Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Halloween Special” last year and it is one of the few dishes I’ve ever made that I’ve described as simultaneously revolting and delicious. I have to admit I find Nadia’s quirky approach to food quite amusing as well as the cast of characters on her show “Bitchin’ Kitchen” including Panos, Hans and the mysterious Spice Agent. Although I hadn’t made any of her recipes before, when I saw this one I just couldn’t resist.
I followed the recipe to a tee except I used pre-made marinara sauce which definitely saved some time. I also added sliced almond “fingernails” which made the meaty, gory arm even more creepy. Although it looked positively hideous when it came out of the oven, it received rave reviews from my guests and there wasn’t a “fingernail” or crumb of “the arm” left at the end of the night!
There were other fun recipes featured on her Halloween special including Worm and Maggot Salad, Double-Decker Coffin Sandwiches and Creepy Bocconcini Eyeballs with Prosciutto “Flesh” & Blood Salsa but “the arm” was definitely the pièce de résistance! So if you’re entertaining this Halloween the Severed Braciole Arm in Marinara Sauce is sure to be a big hit and if you’re looking for a wine pairing, a big red like an Australian Shiraz or an Italian Dolcetto would be perfect. You can find the recipes by clicking on the titles above and I hope you have a Happy and Delicious Halloween!
Cheers,
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