Wine Tasting Gourmet Club Menu
Wine Tasting Gourmet Club Menu
To kick off our 4th year of Gourmet Club, we decided to try something different. We typically do a themed sit down dinner with 6 courses; however, this year I did mostly finger food and paired each dish with different wine to create a tasting menu.
Menu (links below)
By keeping the tasting to only a 1/4 glass you will ensure that no one is "over served". Of course several of us went back for another pour from our favorite bottles. To further enhance the tasting, we also had a small plate of nibbles specifically chosen for each wine wine.
We started the first tasting in the living room, then moved to the kitchen island for the rest.
Each "station" had a menu card, flowers, and a snack pairing. Chalk board contact paper was used to create a runner and we wrote on the paper with chalk to create visual interest and to show which dish paired with which wine. Large Mason jars were used for vases and small jars for the smaller arrangements. I used grape vines in the larger arrangements to add some height. Each station was decorated with additional corks and tea lights. So as not to interfere with the tasting station (and to keep it looking nice) the dishes from the tasting menu were served on another counter and were introduced buffet style as we moved on to the next wine.
I loved this format! Only one of the dishes required a plate and silverware, the rest were easily managed by heavy paper cocktail napkins. The ONLY down side was all the stemware. I used a total of 4 types of glasses: Champagne flutes, white wine glasses, red wine glasses and port glasses. It was easy enough to wash them by hand. The wine pairing combinations are virtually endless so I can see myself doing this again, perhaps for a smaller crowd. ;)
First Tasting
To kick off our 4th year of Gourmet Club, we decided to try something different. We typically do a themed sit down dinner with 6 courses; however, this year I did mostly finger food and paired each dish with different wine to create a tasting menu.
Menu (links below)
Camembert Walnut Pastries /Brute Champagne
Genoa Crisps with Black Pepper/ Chardonnay
Crab salad in Endive Spears / Sauvignon Blanc
Blue Cheese and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta /Riesling
Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish sauce / Cabernet
Chocolate Truffles / Port
By keeping the tasting to only a 1/4 glass you will ensure that no one is "over served". Of course several of us went back for another pour from our favorite bottles. To further enhance the tasting, we also had a small plate of nibbles specifically chosen for each wine wine.
We started the first tasting in the living room, then moved to the kitchen island for the rest.
Each "station" had a menu card, flowers, and a snack pairing. Chalk board contact paper was used to create a runner and we wrote on the paper with chalk to create visual interest and to show which dish paired with which wine. Large Mason jars were used for vases and small jars for the smaller arrangements. I used grape vines in the larger arrangements to add some height. Each station was decorated with additional corks and tea lights. So as not to interfere with the tasting station (and to keep it looking nice) the dishes from the tasting menu were served on another counter and were introduced buffet style as we moved on to the next wine.
I loved this format! Only one of the dishes required a plate and silverware, the rest were easily managed by heavy paper cocktail napkins. The ONLY down side was all the stemware. I used a total of 4 types of glasses: Champagne flutes, white wine glasses, red wine glasses and port glasses. It was easy enough to wash them by hand. The wine pairing combinations are virtually endless so I can see myself doing this again, perhaps for a smaller crowd. ;)
First Tasting
Camembert Walnut Pastries /Brut Champagne
Nibble: Potato chips
Second Tasting
Second Tasting
Genoa Crisps with Black Pepper/ Chardonnay
Nibble: Large crumbles of Pecorino Romano cheese
Third Tasting
Crab Salad in Endive Spears / Sauvignon Blanc
Nibble: Briny Greek olives
Fourth Tasting
Blue Cheese and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta /Riesling
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2013/09/blue-cheese-and-cherry-tomato-bruschetta.htm
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2013/09/blue-cheese-and-cherry-tomato-bruschetta.htm
Nibble: Spicy snack mix
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2011/10/baked-snack-mix-perfect-cocktail-nosh.html?q=snack+mix
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2011/10/baked-snack-mix-perfect-cocktail-nosh.html?q=snack+mix
Fifth Course
Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Horseradish sauce
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2013/12/beef-tenderloin-with-whipped.html
http://foodieworthy.blogspot.com/2013/12/beef-tenderloin-with-whipped.html
Nibble: Smoked almonds
Sixth Tasting
Chocolate Truffles /Port
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_truffles/
Nibble: Dried apricots
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