When the heat and humidity start to get you down in the dog days of summer, what better way to bring back your cheer than to host a quick get together? Try chilled champagne soup and sweet from the tree, sliced mangoes. Nothing perks up a crowd faster than this icy cold sparkling treat. Call all your friends and tell them to put on their party hats and dancing shoes!
Try to use a crisp, dry sparkling wine that has a soft, smooth flavor as this pairs well with the sweet tree ripened mango. Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut is my favorite, but you could also use your own personal favorite. This presentation never fails to impress even the most jaded of guests. Served in your best crystal bowls and you will be vying for the next best hostess award!
What to pair with Champagne soup? Try warm croissants fresh from the oven with real sweet cream butter. You can even cheat and use the tube type from the case at the supermarket. These little guys only take a few moments to bake and your guests will never know the difference!
Would you like your guests to think you spent hours preparing this little get together? Arrange some fresh cut flowers in an heirloom vase as a centerpiece and bring out your favorite cloth napkins. This is a classic look, but takes almost no time to prepare and I will never tell!
Wonderful fruit and berries are always available in summertime so be sure to take advantage of this. Dessert could be big, juicy strawberries dipped into a melted healthy dark chocolate. Try using one of those chocolate fountains or use a water bath to safely melt the delicious rich chocolate. Keep the stem on the berry for extra color and it makes a great dipping handle, too! Be careful not to burn yourself when you dip. Cool the berries off on waxed paper and then transfer them to your favorite platter to serve. This is an easy make ahead dessert and can be stored in the fridge for at least a couple of days.
Red wine and dark chocolate is a match made in heaven! I like Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot. Dark chocolate needs a bold red wine and this Chilean wine fills the bill bringing out the best in both. Be sure to decant in advance and give the wine time to breathe. Yummy!
A cup of coffee might be nice as the party winds down. A very special treat that the Austrians invented is called a melange. This coffee beverage is a fifty-fifty mix of coffee and milk stirred to form a foamy top. In the Austrian coffee houses this is usually served on a silver tray with a glass of sparkling mineral water on the side, garnished with a slice of fresh lemon. Very CHI CHI! Do not forget to bring out all your silver and crystal. Always stop at garage sales to look for partyware as they usually have a lot of grandmas old silver and crystal items that make up for a festive party.
Discover how easy wine food pairing really is. Plan ahead and WOW your guests. With this in mind you will be able to enjoy the party right along with your friends. CHEERS!
Wine & Food Pairings
Have you ever been left with the task of creating an important dinner party, and had no idea what wine to serve with the food? Have you ever felt lost while standing at your local wine dealer knowing that this dinner has to be perfect, but not having the background to select the perfect wine? Don't fret, as you join the ranks of those who have come before you, take a deep breath and read on to help you understand complimentary food and wine pairings.
The Basics:
To begin and understand food and wine pairings, look no further than your own senses. Naturally, your tongue picks up the overall tastes: it tells you what is sweet, salty, bitter or acidic. Although, it is your nose that will help you to determine whether you like the wine or not. Some wines are more fruity and others seem to taste more "earthy", and all of them can have you react differently dependent solely upon your sense of taste and smell. The reason this is important, is due to the fact that there can be a stark and unpleasant contrast when combining uncomplimentary flavors and smells.
Pairing Food And Wine:
A general rule of thumb in food and wine pairings is that red goes with red. What this usually means is that steak, ribs and even pork are best complimented by a red or heavier wine like cabernet, port or a pinot noir. Even though the pinot noir is a little lighter in color, it is a heavier wine and can compliment a dish like steak or pork quite well. While many people would serve beer with ribs, you can dress up that table by serving a similarly heavier wine or with a chilled white zinfandel.
When, however, you are serving lighter type meats, a lighter wine is normally the best compliment for your guests? palates. So, when the plan for the evening is oysters, poultry, or cream sauces on pasta, then reach for the lighter wines: try serving a chardonnay with oysters, chenin blanc with poultry and those lighter pastas with sauvignon blanc. There are other possible combinations you can try, but these offer a good place to start.
Picking that perfect food and wine pairing for that dinner party should not be a difficult task. Just remember that it is going to be a palate thing dependent upon your sense of smell and taste for success. When you become more confident with your choices, feel free to experiment, because there are no food and wine pairing police to criticize you. Until then, you may confidently use the tried and true combinations given here to relax and enjoy preparing that party.
Both Denise Clarke & Rico Tavares are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Denise Clarke has sinced written about articles on various topics from Wine and Spirits, Wine and Spirits and Family Travel. Denise Clarke is in love with Wine food pairing. Stop by her blog to enjoy her challenges of , and read about. Denise Clarke's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
