OCWS Wine Extraordinaire!

A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure to attend the annual Wine Extraordinaire hosted by the Orange County Wine Society. This fabulous event featured over 85 small wineries. While most of the wineries were California based, there were a few from as far away as Australia! In addition to all the exciting wines to be tried, there were a variety of food samples from local restaurants, a silent auction, raffle prices, boutique shopping and a souvenir Riedel wine glass!

The venue for the Wine Extraordinaire was the esteemed Hilton Hotel in Anaheim which not only boasts luxury accommodations and all the necessary amenities but it is located adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center and only steps away from the one and only Disneyland, making it the perfect location for business and recreation alike!


Many of the featured wineries are new winemakers or small lot producers. Each winemaker at the extraordinaire produces less than 35,000 cases a year. The event is important in that it enables some of these new or low-production wineries the chance to showcase their amazing products to a large group of oenophiles while at the same time funds are being raised toward scholarships for wine-related educational programs at several California universities.

In addition to providing exposure to new and small wineries, the event is just a whole heck of a lot of fun! I attended along with my good friend and her husband. We had high aspirations to taste a majority of the wine labels being offered and then go back to our favorites. Well this was a lofty goal which I don't think anyone could realize! There were just so many wines. And so many REALLY good wines! To list them all would be a feat in and of itself.

The first rule we had to adopt at the event was to taste and then pour out the majority of the glass. There is just no way you can consume every taste! Or at least no way to consume it all and still remain standing! However, with some of our favorite wines, we did consume the whole taste and we even went back for another... just to make sure it was our favorite of course!

And of course, what good wine event doesn't come with some fine food pairing? There were booths of cheese, meats, cold cuts, sweets, a chocolate fountain, salads and more! My favorite Trader Joe's was there serving up cheese and meats and fruit. Local restaurants showed off their specialties. Boutique companies featured a special product or salad dressing. But the favorite in the food arena had to be Mad Mike's Gourmet Sausages! The bratwurst and the garlic chicken sausages were to die for! If you have a chance, taste some of these! Or better yet, go ahead and order them to be delivered. You won't be sorry!

My biggest regret is not taking a small notebook and writing more down. I have brochures and business cards from many of the wineries we really liked. But I wish I had written more detailed notes for myself. Many of the wineries offered instant discounts if you purchased at the event and all offered free shipping if you ordered that day.

To name a few favorites though.... the 2007 Syrah from Occidental Road Cellars was rich, complex and rather full or big for a Syrah and would pair nicely with so many dishes. I highly recommend it! We had a lot of fun with the Witch Creek Wines too and I intend to head to their tasting room in nearby Carlsbad to learn more. The wines were intriguing to say the least! One of the wineries had an amazing Barbera! I just loved it. Barberas are so hard to find and there are not many growers here in California that produce this grape. But I have no idea which winery it was. Darn it! So here is case-in-point as to why I wish I had taken good notes!

When it comes to white wine, I always gravitate toward a Chardonnay. And the butterier, the better in my book! I adore a true, full, buttery Chardonnay! In fact... while I usually prefer reds, if I can FIND one of these whites, I just drool! Pure heaven. And we did in fact find such a wine from Maldonado Vineyards! In fact there wasn't just one that I liked but two! (This was one of the winery tables we went back to by the way.) The two Chardonnays were close but different... like sisters or cousins. Both had a full round and buttery note. And both stayed in your mouth like the last wisps of a summers day. At first I thought I preferred the 2009 Sonoma Chardonnay. Then I decided I liked the 2008 Napa Valley varietal. And back and forth I went. In the end... I think I was leaning toward the Napa but like with good friends... do you have to choose just one? NO! I think not! I think I can like both equally for different reasons and paired with different food! What do you think?

All in all the day was a great success. We learned about some new wineries. Tasted some amazing wines not to mention food and got to engage in some very educational and exciting conversations about wine, the process and the results. The people at the event were all enthusiasts and it is always a great time to meet with and engage in conversation with like-minded individuals!

And now I know for next year... TAKE A NOTEBOOK! For certainly I must go back to this event next year and take better notes and tell you all about the newest producers to hit the scene.

For more information on the Wine Extraordinaire or the Orange County Wine Society, go to www.ocws.org.

And if you don't live nearby or don't want to drive home (wise idea), book a room at the Anaheim Hilton and stay to watch the Disneyland fireworks sparkle into your room as you sip the last of the bottle you purchased from your favorite winery.

Cheers!

*All photos aside from that of the hotel are credited to Jim Burk, the OCWS photographer.

Oscar Party 2012

I know... I know... Long time no see right? Yes. It has been a while. Why you ask? Well.... this, that, the other thing... AKA... LIFE! LIFE is happening. Kids, work, school, housework, dishes, bills, divorce, cleaning, dinner, soccer, t-ball, homework... It takes TIME and leaves me little time or energy for this blog. But I miss it. I miss all of you. But the good news is I have cooked a few times, thrown a few parties and gone out with some good friends! Life is nice...

And so... I had my annual Oscar Party! I really didn't get the best photos. But here it is. The idea was to go all black and white including the food but that was NOT an easy task. The dessert table was pretty easy... Cheesecake with blackberries, Oreo "Cake", popcorn, black and white candy... with a little red too!

The other food was more difficult. I decided on a white bean dip with pita bread and black tortilla chips. But it wasn't that white. I also did my Cream of Leek Soup which you can find here! One of my sisters brought a cheese tray with black olives and purple grapes. The other brought a crisp and fresh cauliflower salad. A friend brought chicken cakes with horseradish dipping sauce. I made simple pomegranate martini's and there was of course plenty of wine!

The other dish I thought would be good was a sort of dirty black rice with creole shrimp! I looked at a few recipes here and there but pretty much just threw stuff together. It was closest to this recipe though. It ended up really pretty good and even better the day after! But hey, with that much butter.... how could it not?

The main ingredients are butter (a lot!), garlic, fresh lemon juice, Worcester sauce and Creole Seasoning. I then served it over the black rice I made! Do give this a try sometime. It really was easy and sooooo delicious! Have some French bread handy to soak up the seasoned butter sauce!

Set up took some time but I was lucky to get to borrow some linens, serving pieces and a few decorations from the Hilton! A friend of mine is an event manager there and was so kind as to help me out for the decor! Thanks Leah! I also found a red carpet at Home Depot and had real movie lights in the front of the house and a few inside to set the mood of the red carpet event!

It is a lot of work to host a part in style but it is so fun! I just love it! Stay tuned for an update on the gourmet group and a food and wine event I will be attending this weekend!

Happy cooking! Merry Entertaining! Cheers!

The Femme Foodie Group

Lately, as I am sure you are aware, my attention has not been on blogging or documenting any culinary adventures. But this doesn't mean that I have not been cooking, dining out from time to time and enjoying gourmet delights. Actually in an effort to pursue my passion for food with like-minded girl friends, I have helped to start up a gourmet group! Planning and coordinating schedules in our busy lives is the tricky part. But the hope is to meet every other month and rotate the host. I thought a cute name would be "Femme Foodies" or "The Gourmet Gals". What do you think? Any suggestions?

We had our first official get together last week. I hosted and since it was Bastille Day, I chose a French theme. Everyone brought a dish or some wine.

I made a tomato tart which was a sort of combination of Stacey's Recipe (from Stacey Snacks) and that of the famed David Lebovitz. For the tart crust I used Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe. In addition I once again made Laura's Veloute of Prawns and grilled up some fresh vegetables.

Others dishes that friends brought were: a cheese platter, a trio of tapenades (olive, tuna fish and eggplant), Gruyere puffs, light green salad, lemon tart, chocolate mousse, palmiers with fruit and whipped cream, and apricot pastries. And of course some very nice wines!

It was a really fun evening with some great women and fabulous food! I can't wait until the next one. While it is the host's job to come up with a plan or a theme, I thought I would look around for suggestions from other gourmet groups as to how they plan or structure the group. What themes are fun? What tips or recommendations do you have? We are open and looking for ideas. We have also thought that in the off months, we might plan to go out to a new restaurant or wine bar or something of that nature.

Thank you again to all my friends for a wonderful night and helping with the food and wine! Until next time!

Cheers!

Red Carpet Ready!

One of my favorite days of the year is Oscar Sunday. The glitz and glamour of it all is so exciting. The dresses, the stars, the thrill of the movies... all an escape into another world. The other world of the movies themselves and that of the actors and this life of glitter in the spotlight.

For many years now my mom and I have termed this day to be OUR "Superbowl" since we really have no interest whatsoever in the Superbowl itself. And several years back before I met my husband and started a family I had begun a tradition of having an Academy Awards Party. I had had about 2 or 3 before we got married then one the first year when I was pregnant with my daughter and then after that.... Well it seemed so hard with the little ones. I got lazy. Lazy about planning... lazy about inviting people... not enough friends in my "new life". My husband isn't into it or wanting to really participate and so I just blew off the party. I still watched of course! And usually made some good food to go along with the show too.

But now, I am ready to get back to some of the things I love to do and have put aside for so many years. I am designing a lot but now starting to read again and ready to put more parties and entertaining and dining out into the mix. I miss it so much. To ensure I went through with the Oscar party, I emailed a save-the-date. And if there is one thing I hate is flakiness and failure to go through with something you said you were going to do. So then I was obligated. I sent out the invitations. The party was ON!

I began thinking of a menu and how to decorate. I didn't want to spend too too much money and did not want anything that would tie me to the kitchen while my guests were here and the show was rolling. So the key was good home created food and decorations with a touch of Hollywood sparkle.

It began with the menu.... I started to think about the films that had been nominated for best picture. The stage began to appear and set in my mind. And I came up with the following!

Black Swan Bean Soup
simple and healthy black bean soup
garnished with cilantro, bell peppers, sour cream and tortilla strips

The King's Salad
the El Torito salad!
romaine lettuce with bell peppers, pepitas, cotija cheese
tortilla strips and cilantro pepita dressing

True Grit Taco Bar
flour and corn tortillas with carne asada and pollo asada
with garnishes of cilantro, onion, tomato, cheese, guacamole and salsa

Jalapeño Fighter Dip
spicy jalapenos and green chilis in a creamy cheese concoction
with a panko crust and tortilla chips for dipping

Inception Cocktail
part margarita-part champagne
this sexy cocktail is made with a refreshing blend
of lime juice, tequila, mint and champagne

Winter's Bone Brownies
a decadent marbled brownie
with rich chocolate and a cream cheese swirl

Toy Story Snack Bar
all the favorites!
popcorn, red vines, licorice, cinnamon bears,
m&m’s, hot tamales and gourmet gumballs

I decorated the Toy Story bar with my kids toys! Fun fun fun!!!

I made wine charms for the glasses with the various Oscar award categories.

My daughter helped out by cutting stars from gold paper I had lying around and strewing beads around on the tables. The night was a success! Just so much fun and I am thankful that I dipped back into the entertaining game and for all the friends that joined me for grand evening.

And of course... you will need to start with the perfect invitation! I have created one just for the occasion!

Hollywood Glamour Invitation by NicChic
More Oscars Invitations

Cheers!

Stay tuned for my black bean soup recipe!

Wine Lover Business Card from Zazzle.com

Wine Lover Business Card from Zazzle.com

Do you have a food or wine blog? How about profile cards to promote it? Check out one of my more popular wine designs! The invitations are a hit but these business cards are one of my favorites! They look amazing on the premium pearl or gold paper too!

But maybe you have something else in mind. Let me know what your blog is about or your design ideas and I can work something up for you!

The Colors of Summer!

I just loved the look of these peaches in a crate and wanted to share them with you. The colors were so beautiful. The fruit looked so fresh. It just screamed summertime!

It's Almost Halloween!

Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat! It's almost Halloween on each spooky street!

Are you looking for some tasty morsels to serve at your Halloween bash? If you are planning a buffet style for a large or even a smaller group, my I suggest one or both of the following dishes.

The first is my "famous" antipasti platter! I have talked about this one before here. Basically, I like to make a pretty platter with a variety of tasty items that all go together. I often vary what I put on the platter but I almost always place roasted red and yellow bell peppers, a mixture of tomatoes, basil, olive oil and garlic, salamis, prociutto, and olives. Other options are different meats, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, or different cheeses. Be creative. Use what is on hand and play with the color to make an attractive arrangement. I serve with fresh baguette slices or Italian ciabatta. This dish is really popular with my family and friends. I am asked to make it for many parties. The above platter was for a friend's 40th! It is a pretty large platter and I did one other one for that party at just the same size.

But the STAR of the platter is the Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers from Bon Appetit in the center! This is an amazing recipe and SO easy! I make it all the time.

Spicy Marinated Mozzarella with Oregano and Capers

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped

Overlap cheese slices on medium platter.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper and stir just until garlic begins to color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano, salt, and pepper. Cool. Stir in capers and remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Spoon over cheese slices.

This next dish (above) I want to introduce you to is from a 1995 issue of Martha Stewart Living. Once again, I have made this dish a couple times and each time it did not disappoint. In fact it was just SO good, I could barely stop eating it and rice, especially cold rice, is not even a big favorite of mine. It is just so fresh and tangy and light yet flavorful. The orange and lime juices just sing. The cilantro provides zing and the saffron the allure of far off places. The colors make it even that much more gorgeous both to the eye and the taste buds!

While this salad calls for squid/calamari, I chose to put shrimp in it instead. It was a bit easier and I felt that it would appeal to more people. The whole dish comes together in a snap and is so versatile. It can be a side dish, a main course, a picnic item or an appetizer.

Paella Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/4-inch rings
• 1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes (12 ounces)
• 3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/4 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1. Crumble saffron into 2 cups of cold water in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Whisk together lime and orange juices, olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cumin. Pour over cooled rice and mix to combine.
3. Bring a saucepan of cold water to a boil. Add remaining teaspoon salt and squid. Cook until squid is completely opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain again, pat dry, and add to rice. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve.

Don't forget, if you are looking for Halloween items or invitations, you can find many cute and festive things in my Zazzle Gallery! http://www.zazzle.com/missnnick* Please come on in and have a look. There are also many other designers in the forum with fun, witty and amazing art and gifts!