Hey everyone and how are you. It has been a while since my last post. I haven’t lost my passion, it’s just been a busy little stretch. As the holidays approach, it is time to plan to your holiday festivities. So, with a budget in mind, let me offer a few party ideas for you. I think it is important to know that you can have a memorable event, regardless of your budget.
If you are planning a party on a budget, it does not mean it can’t be a party that people will talk about for years. It all starts with a theme. I can offer a few suggestions here for the perfect event. First, know your audience! It is easy to make people feel welcome and relaxed when things have a level of familiarity. That doesn’t mean you can’t challenge the guests food tastes or choice in beverages.
The holidays aren’t the holidays without some sparkling wine. The best option for those on a budget is either something domestic or even certain old world wines. A Cava or Prosecco can be a great choice. Domestically, you can choose some great sparkling wines from Oregon or California or even the fingerling region of New York. A few options are La Marca Prosecco or Chandon sparkling wine. Both are about $20 a bottle and pair well with finger foods like cocktail shrimp, mini crab cakes or spinach dip.
If you are on a budget and sparkling wine isn’t your thing, here are a few other tips. It is my belief that if you want to be a good host, you want to spend time with your guests and not chained to the kitchen. So if you think of make ahead foods like dips or veggie trays or maybe something more exotic like sates or non traditional meatballs, you can be a part of your own party. Try a mix of some wines that fit the cuisine and don’t break the budget. Try some Riesling with a spicy dish, or a white bordeaux with creamy dips and seafood. If you are looking to pair something with meatballs or even smoked salmon, think pinot noir. There are lots of great Oregon pinot noir’s that can be purchased in the $30 range. A quality white bordeaux will set you back $20 and you can find some outstanding domestic Riesling for under $25.
If you have a bit more to spend, you can impress your guests without having to take a loan. There are great options in food and wine in that middle price point. I was recently talking with a winemaker from a prominent California winery who told me that she was “passing on some fruit” from the 2016 growing season, because the price was too high, despite the quality. She told me that the average person won’t spend $150 on a bottle of wine these days. I think she is correct and the future of wine production looks to be regressing from the very expensive wine to the more affordable.
My advice for everyone is to build a budget for the event. My tips here are decide if it is a sit down dinner or causal party and what can you afford. Also, think about your guests. If most of them won’t appreciate the $150 bottle of wine, why spend the money? Again, know your audience.
So what are some ideas for the midrange party, think of a theme. I like traditional themed parties, but that is not for everyone. For a successful holiday party, try using an ingredient or cuisine type and build a menu around it. Italian food, pork served different ways or a seafood dinner can be both fun and create an opportunity to be creative with your food and wine pairings.
The days of meat and cheese trays are thankfully behind us, so let’s be a bit more creative. If you like the Italian food option, remember the tried and true adage of “if it grows together, it goes together!” So pair wines from the region of Italy where the foods you select are sourced. Italy, not France, is the number one exporter of wine to the United States, so you will have a lot of choices. For a seafood or single protein or ingrident themed party, I would recommend a similar approach to the event, in that you should choose a style of preparation and the wine ideas flow from there. For example, a grilled swordfish steak pairs with a different wine that a swordfish steak that is made in a tomato based sauce. So if you pick a nouveau cuisine preparation for the food, pick a wine that matches the same food region or preparation style.
So what if money is not part of the consideration, the sky is the limit. I am not talking some Robb Report wines or foods, but maybe an aged piece of beef or fresh truffles on your pasta or maybe foie gras. Before you plunk down the money on these luxury items, make sure your guests are as adventurous as your ingredients. As for wines, I think you can use your dollars on proven pairings if you are going to invest in expensive provisions. Serving a pedestrian wine with a 28 day dry aged piece of beef defeats the purpose of the purchase of the meat. I think if you ever want to buy the $100+ bottle of wine, pairing it with something a fresh truffle or caviar, makes both purchases better; the sum of the parts is truly greater than the whole here!
I would not be serving my function, if I didn’t offer a few ideas here with some speficity. If you might want to have an intimate gathering, I would suggest a three by three event. I would suggest a sparkling wine or champagne to start with either chilled seafood or vegetables and a creamy spinach dip. As a second plate I would suggest a protein and paired wine. Maybe a side of roasted salmon with a dill sauce and Beaujolais or a cider brined Pork roast with fig and bread stuffing and an Oregon Pinot Noir, or a trussed roasted chicken with pan roasted root vegetables and a white burgundy. I can offer some specific recipes for all of these dishes if you email me.
For the three of three, have something sweet, like port and blue cheese and poached pears, or apple crisp with vanilla bean whipped cream and a sweet Riesling or Sauterne.
It’s always a great event when you can share great food and drink with friends and family. Try to focus on food that can be prepared largely in advance, so you can be an active part of the festivities, as it’s more enjoyable for you and your guests. No matter what you make or what libations you serve, you can make a party magical just by gathering together. I won’t be such a stranger. Please shoot me some suggestions for things that you might like to read about as your gift to me for the holidays.
Cheers!