Bubbles, Bites, and a Barn (well, sort of)
My friend Anna Watson Carl was in Virginia this past weekend to throw a few parties and hop around some vineyards. For one of her events, she and I teamed up to throw a little Bubbly and Bites party at the darling Red Barn Mercantile in Old Town Alexandria (hence the barn). Amy Rutherford invited me to pass around the sparkly wine while Anna lit up the space with her simple and delicious demos- a fail safe recipe for hosting the perfect holiday cocktail party.
I am a big fan of the fab Anna Watson Carl- to me, she is this generation’s Ina Garten. You’ve heard me sing praises on le blog before, but now all the more reason as she has recently self-published (yes SELF-published) her very first cookbook, The Yellow Table- a beautiful and thoughtful collection of recipes tried, tested and savored around her very own yellow table that resides in her NoLita apartment in NYC. I’ve been a big fan of her recipes, her blog and am now thrilled to own a copy of her book, it is currently sitting pretty on my kitchen counter.
But enough gushing, let’s get to the goods. Thanks to all the lovelies who came out to Red Barn Merc. this past weekend, it was such a treat. We served up 5 bubblies, 3 savories and 1 sweet treat to our guests. Anna and I share a similar palate when it comes to vino (we are both Old World-style lovers of the lean and mean food-friendly wines), so I knew my picks would probably drink well with her food- they did. I can’t wait to recommend them to you.
Red Barn was the perfect spot for our intimate and cozy gathering and I hope that our guests walked with away with the notion that hosting a fabulous and delicious party can be mostly all fun and no hassle, and all delicious and no disappointment. Anna’s recipes are foolproof (hence my comparison to Ms. Garten) and absolutely delectable- fresh, simple and zinging with flavor. The evening quickly turned from demo to chatty cocktail party- just the way it should be- with a book signing to boot.
Party Tip: A great way to recreate this event in your home would be to set up 4 different stations at your party, providing bites paired with each wine in an ice bucket. A little menu listing at each station with a small tasting note would seal the deal. I would encourage guests to jot down their own tasting notes by providing pretty paper and pencils.
Bubbles: they really are happy-making.
Without further ado, here it is folks:
How To Host The Perfect Bubbles and Bites Holiday Cocktail Party:
Photo by Signe Birck from The Yellow Table
P.S.: that Cranberry-Prosecco Fizz above was not served but is damn good- a great holiday party drink!
Welcome Bubble: Ameztoi ’13 Txakolina Rosado Txakolina ’13
-This one’s my little secret. No secret to the Spaniards, this is the stuff they drink year-round, it is a bit less popular here. I love serving this hot pink effervescent wine when folks arrive. To me, it’s akin to arriving at a swanky tropical resort and receiving a luscious and fruity cocktail garnished with a pineapple wedge and a tiny umbrella (whoever thought up that umbrella thing was genius- I don’t quite get the logic, but I sure do love them). Txakolina is a personal favorite. It’s not a sparkling wine by definition but as it is dosed with a shot of CO2 before bottling, it brings a lively effervescene to the palate. It’s packed with luscious red fruit notes, a bit of salt air from the shores of San Sebastian, a tinge of lime and citrus and great acidity. In a word, it’s mouthwatering. Plus, it’s hot pink- so, it’s stylish to boot. What better way to arrive to a par-tay!
First Bite and Bubble: Citrus Marinated Olives with a ’13 AV Vinho Verde
-Just because it’s a swanky cocktail party, does not mean you have to break the bank. An effervescent CO2-induced Vinho Verde from Portugal is the perfect pairing with these zesty and fresh olives (recipe here). Both the wine and the dish are simple, clean and packed with zingy flavor. Vinho Verdes are no secret to most wine drinkers, mostly because you can get a killer bottle for under $10 bucks. This stuff is made for food with excellent acidity, a hint of white flowers and lots of citrus.
Second Bite and Bubble: Crostini with Brie and Sundried Tomato Tapenade with The Furst Cremant d’Alsace
- I brought some of this sundried deliciousness home for my hubs to try and he was absolutely bowled over by the flavor profile of the tapenade (recipe in The Yellow Table cookbook). Paired with the melted brie and toasted baguette, it is creamy meets tangy at its best in one magical bite. And seriously, seriously- easy to make. I’m not jesting here, I helped Anna prep here in my kitchen before the event so I can speak to these recipes first hand. Simple and fab. The challenge for me was to find bubbles that would match up to both the creamy and tangy elements of the dish. I settled on a Cremant d’Alsace. Why, you ask? Alsace is another go-to and personal favorite of mine with any grape. The high altitude and cool climate is responsible for some seriously mouth-watering acid-happy wines that are killer with food. The finesse of this particular Cremant also stands up to the creamy element as itself is a bit creamy and toasty with lots of yeasty brioche flavors from the traditional champenoise method it undergoes (the same used in Champagne- *hence Cremant is almost ALWAYS an awesome and delicious substitute that will save some dollars while pleasing some palates) while still providing tight, minerally and acidic bubbles. White flowers, honeysuckle, stone fruits and melon abound from a whiff and a taste of this goodness- it was a happy duo.
The Furst NV Cremant d’Alsace, $25
Third Bite and Bubble: Smoked Salmon Tartare in Endive Spears with Thibault-Janisson’s NV Blanc de Chardonnay Sparkling Wine
-I had to do it- I had to serve up a glass of Virginia sparkling wine with this dish. Mostly because it’s local but also- it’s just awesome (and amazingly inexpensive compared to Champers). For those of you that don’t regularly read le blog, you might be surprised by my choice and confidence in a VA. wine to finish off the savory portion of our evening. But many of you are also probably hip to TJ in that it is indeed the stuff of dreams. Virginia bubbles crafted by French hands in the Monticello appellation where the original Renaissance man, TJ himself once planted his own grapes- it’s all just too good. This wine is elegantly made in the tradional champenoise style just like Champagne (Janisson also produces an excellent French Champagne) that produces a delicate yet fizzy lifting drink fit for Kings (and Presidents- as it is an White House fave). It was perfect with our Smoked Salmon Spears (recipe here)- an awesome twist on a Salmon Tartare without the whole raw thing for those that may be skeeved out by rawness at a cocktail party. This is one of my favorite things ever- a yummy mix of capers, shallots, lemon juice and zest, chopped smoked salmon, salt and pepper- it’s a pretty perfect bit. You can also serve on a serving spoon- Anna suggests hunting these down at a restaurant supply store but the endive gives it a fun crunch as well.
Thibault-Janisson NV Blanc De Chardonnay, $25
Fourth Bite and Bubble: Pecan Rosemary Shortbread Bars with a NV Bianca Vigna Prosecco Brut
-Because generally speaking, a brut Prosecco drinks a trifle sweeter than a brut Champagne, I thought this slightly sweet but biting bubble would be a great match to Anna’s savory sweet rosemary shortbread cookie. It was- this might have been my favorite match of the evening. I’m not one to grab for a bottle of Prosecco but this bottle is special. It drinks like a cool and arid day on the Italian slopes. It’s got loads of acid and is flush with fruit, flowers and a hint of fresh herbs- a great glass from a small producer churning out great fruit in this 100% Pinot Blanc. And the cookie- let’s just say I polished off the remainder of the leftovers from the party in bed that night while I caught up on my Top Chef- I couldn’t have been happier. The cookie is aces for me not because I have a sweet tooth but because I have a slightly sweet tooth. I like lots of salt and savoriness in my sweet- this my friends may be one of my all-time favorite cookies… ever. Anna warns that it is loaded with butter (no wonder we all loved it so much) the rosemary really sings- it’s perfection on a cocktail plate. Brava Anna!
Bianca Vigna NV Prosecco DOC Brut, $13
Cin Cin ya’ll and Happy Cocktail Party-ing!
Related posts:
