Wine with us*

*we threw a party on 02 • 13 • 10 to celebrate our love of great food & drink & happy friendships*

Sean's sister, Jo-Ann, joined us from Brooklyn; Terez was integral in keeping the kim kitch in working order; SR worked hard to keep up with our wine consumption; many guests brought wine, snacks & desserts; and everyone helped enjoy our menu of mini-apps; it was a real team effort!

For a week or so before, KR cut out hearts, and hand sewed garlands to decorate.

Planning the menu was a collaborative effort between KR&SR---one of their favorite things to do together. {Apologies for the lack of photos: in the midst of having a good time, and drinking a glass of wine or two ;) we neglected to use the camera---oops!}

The afternoon menu included:
Mini Croque Monsieurs {gruyère & black forest ham sandwiched between brioche---which KR shows off in the photo below---baked at 375*F until the cheese melts... ***in the future I will certainly prepare these better by cutting the bread into smaller, equal sizes so the sandwiches rest flat, and so the cheese doesn't spill out onto the tray!}

Mini Quiches {really mock quiche because there were no crusts: sauteed red peppers with shiitake mushrooms & onions; shredded cheddar and fontina cheeses; eggs whisked together; crispy crumpled bacon; all layered in mini cupcake pans without liners---just lightly oiled to prevent sticking---baked at 350*F for about 10 mins, until just browned. Thanks to TZ and KL for making this happen---superb execution!}

Rye toasts with whipped cream cheese, smoked salmon and fresh dill

Shrimp cocktail over a bed of shaved ice {Thanks to SR & Jo-Ann for the lovely presentation}

An assortment of cheeses, crackers, breads, nuts, dried fruits {Robusto with fig jam: always a winning combination... hot goat cheese with pesto was also a big hit---thanks to my mom for this one!}

Carrots with garlic lover's hummus {and NOT baby carrots dumped onto a platter, I will only ever serve real carrots peeled and sliced because they taste real to me~!}

Spanikopita-like triangles with feta and sesame seeds {Thanks to Andrea & Kurt}

Cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon {Thanks to SJ}

Only one purchased hot item was served for apps: mushroom turnovers from Trader Joe's. These are tasty and a perfect addition / time-saver --- great when you want to take a break to mingle with your guests!


Cupcakes --- vanilla baby cakes with real chocolate frosting & red and white sugars {Thanks to Cynthia & Pete for the most delicious cupcakes we've ever tasted! I wonder if they might share the recipe?!}


Heart-shaped Linzer Cookies {Raspberry jam sandwiched between hazelnut shortbread cookies}

Ice-cream Sandwiches {homemade roasted cinnamon ice cream sandwiched between homemade chocolate hunk cookies}

Heart-shaped Chocolate Whiskey Cake {Thanks to Terez via Clear Flour}

Chocolate Cake {Thanks to Andrea & Ian}


And, of course, the main attraction, an assortment of wines, including:


WHITES
our top three favorite whites:
Ipsum 2008, Hermanos del Villar, Spain
Ecker, Eckhof, Grüner Veltliner, Austria
Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2009, New Zealand

Petit Stellenbosch, Chenin Blanc 2008, Ken Forrester, South Africa
Vin D'Alsace, Willm, Pinot Blanc, France
Chateau Moulin De Launay, Entre-Deux-Mers 2008, France
Domaine Petit Chateu, Chardonnay 2007
Geyser Peak, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from California

REDS
our two favorite reds:
Layer Cake, Shiraz 2008, South Australia
Phantom Bogle, Old Vine Zinfandel 2006

Jam Jar, Sweet Shiraz 2009, South Africa





And, there you have it, folks: the details of our WINE PARTY!

happy heart day, everyone :)