Thirsty Thursday: Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs

Here's a wine that's made from red grapes -- one of my favorites to be exact -- Pinot Noir! Our friends at Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma, California score big points with this wine! Pair this lovely sparkler with darker meats suck as lamb, beef and duck. 

Tasting Notes (via Gloria Ferrer)

Bright strawberry and black cherry aromas with subtle vanilla highlights. Creamy cherry, lemon and cola flavors combine with a lush palate, small, lively bubbles and a persistent finish.

Price: $22.00

Introducing Thirsty Thursday!

 We're super excited to be back and blogging about our favorite wines. But because we don't just love wine, we have now renamed our Thursday post from  "Thursday's Wine" to "Thirsty Thursday"! So now every week you will not only enjoy our favorite wine and champagne picks, but also our favorite beers (domestic and imported) and cocktails! Have a favorite wine, beer or mixed drink you can't live without?  Feel free to send it to us and we will happily share it with our readers!

Weekend Inspiration: Cinco de Mayo Margaritas!

Here's a great margarita recipe we found on Pinterest  that's just perfect for Cinco de Mayo! Enjoy the festivities and have a fabulous weekend! Ole!

Thursday's Wine: Ca' del Bosco NV Cuvee Prestige Brut

Today's wine choice is a lovely fruity and floral sparkling wine from Italy. Fantastic for any occasion, try serving this with firecracker shrimp, caviar, even tomato bruschetta!

Price: 36.00 and up

Thursday's Wine: Tamari Torrontes Reservea White Blend 2009

Today is Thursday and that means it's time for our weekly wine choice! Today's wine is from Argentina. A lovely white wine, yellow and green and color with grapefruit, jasmine and tropical fruit aromas. On the palette, lightly fruity, not overly spicy with a nice finish. 

Price: $12.99

Lemonade Iced Tea Sorbet

INGREDIENTS

2 cups boiling water

4 regular-sized English Breakfast tea bags

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

1 cup ice water

Mint sprigs (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and tea bags in a large bowl; steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to tea mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Stir in juice and 1 cup ice water; chill 1 hour.

2. Pour tea mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

{Courtesy of Cooking Light}

Pineapple Agua Fresca Party Punch

INGREDIENTS

4 cups diced ripe pineapple

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light rum

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

6 cups water

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

In a blender, combine half the pineapple, sugar, rum and lime juice and puree until smooth. Transfer to a 3 quart pitcher and add the water. Repeat with the remaining pineapple, remaining sugar, rum and lime juice and stir well to combine, making sure that the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice and garnished with cilantro leaves.

 

{Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse-Food Network}

Sweet Temptation: Charlotte Russe Infusion

Here's a reason for anyone to go off of their diet. From Publix grocery stores, try the Charlotte Russe Infusion Three moist layers of vanilla cake with strawberries and vanilla whipped topping. For the finish, delicate ladyfingers wrap the cake while hand-dipped chocolate and glazed strawberries adorn the top. Order yours today!

Price:  $23.00

Apple-Ginger Sparkler

Here's a refreshing non-alcoholic drink for you! The apple-ginger sparkler is sparkling cider spiked with ginger and cinnamon. Have a great weekend!

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Ginger Syrup

4 1/2 cups sparkling apple cider

6 cinnamon sticks

6 pieces crystallized ginger

DIRECTIONS

Place 2 tablespoons ginger syrup in each of six glasses. Fill glasses with ice cubes, pour in cider, and stir to combine. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and fresh ginger, and serve.

{Recipe and picture courtesy of Martha Stewart Living}

Hosting Your First Dinner Party as Newlyweds

So you managed to get through the big day and the honeymoon is over. You're excited to break out your new china but don't have the first clue about hosting a dinner party. Here are a few tips for a successful dinner party!

To start, these are busy times so it's important to extend invitations to guest well in advance. For an informal occasion invitation should be extended a week ahead. More formal occasions, or parties to which you may be inviting people you don't know particularly well, require the courtesy of at least two weeks notice. It's very important to stay organized so make a shopping list. Divide it into those items that you can purchase at the grocery store, wine shop, specialty food store and flower shop.

As a wine consultant, I can tell you that with choosing the menu the occasion itself will guide you to the foods you might serve. I always remember color when choosing my menu. It's easy to choose great foods but they don't always look good together on the plate. Jazz up your menu with contrasting colors. Vegetables can provide all kinds of colors. Like squash, green beans and purple eggplant. Also remember to inquire if any of your guests have any important food issues--vegetarian, low fat, diabetic and serious allergies.

Once you've selected a menu, the next step is choosing the wine. Here are some general guidelines that will help you along the way. Have you ever heard the term "Red with meat, white with fish"? Well not anymore. It's more flexible these days. Poultry, veal, pork, salmon and lobster call for either light red wines or robust white wines. Don't get nervous! Speak with your local wine merchant to help you in your decision making. Also, don't feel as though you have to pay a fortune on a bottle of wine to get quality. I recommend places such as WineStyles, Vino 100 and Total Wine.

A well-planned centerpiece will enhance the party's festive air. Flowers are the mose obvious choice however, nicely arranged seasonal vegetables, herbs and fruits also make stunning nonfloral decorations. Keep you centerpieces low and spread out. This will allow guest to see each other across the table. Candles on the otherhand always add a lovely ambience and flatters anyone seen in its glow. Note: Avoid scented candles as this will detract your guests' appreciation of the food and wine.

our first dinner party as newlyweds should be an exciting occasion. After planning an entire wedding, you will already have all of the organizational skills in place to put together a terrific party!

{Photo courtesy of Mochatini}

{Special thanks to Williams-Sonoma Entertaining}

Thursday's Wine: Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard Riesling 2007

Many people have no idea that Washington state has crafted some of most wonderful wine in the world. Try Pacific Rim Wallula Vineyard Riesling 2007. The resulting wine shows some apricot and pineapple. It is very fresh and lively, tasting dry. The wine has great acidity with some apple fruit and nutmeg notes. This wine will pair perfectly with yesterday's Bleu Cheese-Bacon Dip recipe. Enjoy!

Cooking Lesson: Bleu Cheese-Bacon Dip

Try this tasty appetizer to hold everyone over until dinner! 

INGREDIENTS

7 bacon slices, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup half-and-half

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

Grape clusters

Flatbread or assorted crackers

PREPARATION

Cook chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain bacon, and set aside. Add minced garlic to skillet, and sauté 1 minute

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half-and-half, beating until combined. Stir in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives. Spoon mixture evenly into 4 (1-cup) individual baking dishes.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with chopped walnuts, and serve with grape clusters and flatbread or assorted crackers

*Prep: 20 min., Bake: 15 min. This rich, creamy dip goes a long way. It can be baked in individual cups or a 1-quart dish.

{Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine}

Brunch Anyone?

When warm weather finally arrives, many people start thinking about different ways to entertain. One of the most popular ways is to host a brunch. This entertaining option can be as laid-back or formal as you like.

The two most popular types of brunches are a post-wedding brunch and a champagne brunch. A post-wedding brunch gives couples a chance to thank their guests, while a champagne brunch is meant to be a gourmet meal. Both types are rather formal, but not all brunches have to be formal. For example, a Mother's Day brunch is a chance to treat your mother. Last, but not least, some people just love to serve a casual Sunday brunch because it's an affordable way to entertain.

{Pictures courtesy of Traditional Home}

Without a doubt, the most popular day to serve brunch is Sunday. The best time is anywhere between typical breakfast and lunch times. You don't want to start too early because you want time to cook, and your guests should be at least somewhat refreshed after the night before, especially in the case of a post-wedding brunch. Many people choose to serve brunch around 10:00 or 11:00 am. If you have a special event planned for later in the day, you will want to choose a time that gives your guests enough time to eat without feeling rushed.

The way you serve a brunch will depend on whether it's a formal or casual occasion. When preparing a formal brunch, a white tablecloth and your finest China make a great impression. You may also want to place flowers on the table, and you may want to serve the meal in courses.

On the other hand, a casual brunch should feel casual. Serve your guests in a family-like setting by serving a buffet. The most important thing to remember is to make sure your guests will feel comfortable. Not everyone likes a formal setting on a Sunday morning.

{Courtesy of Country Living}

Quiche should be the centerpiece of your brunch menu. This dish reminds people of breakfast because it has eggs, yet it feels more like a lunch dish. Quiche can also be as fancy or as down home as you like. It all depends on the ingredients you use. For example, you could add goat cheese and smoked salmon, or you could add bacon and cheddar cheese.

Pastries are also popular because they satisfy the sweet tooth. Your guests will love muffins, donuts, French toast, pancakes or waffles. Choose what is easiest for you. Whipping up fresh batches of French toast might be difficult, but you could make pancakes in advance and keep them warm. You also can't forget to serve fresh fruit and breakfast meats as a counterpoint to the sugar.

When it comes to drinks, you simply can't go wrong with mimosas. This crisp-tasting combination of fresh squeezed orange juice and champagne is a brunch favorite. Another option would be a Bloody Mary. Have plenty of the drink ingredients on hand, and set out lots of water and nonalcoholic beverages so guests stay hydrated.

Hosting a brunch is all about letting your guests relax, and, if you want them to relax, you can set a good example by preparing in advance and setting everything up so you can spend plenty of time with them.