Best Party Guest
There are quite a few ways to enjoy wine-o-clock with friends without breaking the rules. You can have a socially distant little picnic or balcony hang out or a Zoom wine-catch-up with friends that cannot make it in person.
So whether you are hosting or just want to be the Best Party Guest here are a few tips from La Crema:
1. Rethink the Guest List
You may not be able to have in-person guests, but virtual-only gatherings have benefits- you aren’t limited to 8 or 12 people you can fit around a dinner table. No big clean up after. And, hey, we’ve never heard anyone complain about not having to share their La Crema! So go on, add as many names as you want.
2. Dine Sustainably
Bring your own cup, dishes, and picnic blanket so there’s no need to buy disposables. It’s actually fun to see what everyone brings since each person has a favorite wine glass they only use at home. Sustainability doesn’t have to always mean big, complicated processes (although we know all about those too!) sometimes it can be as simple as using fewer more durable items more often.
3. #Winning
Don’t forget some games: if it’s in person you can bring some games that require minimal touching or you can clean easily afterward, like cards or Jenga. If it’s a virtual party, you can play things like charades or Pictionary or Codenames online.
4. Set the Mood
What about music? You could ask ahead of time for any requests and make a playlist for the event. If you’re having an online party, it’s even easier! Just ask everyone to send in their favorite playlist and you could DJ it while sipping away in your living room.
5. Eat Together, Separately
If your guests can’t attend in person, they don’t have to miss out on the food! You could send them the recipes for the dishes everyone’s eating ahead of time, or if you’re a super party guest, you could even help them by dropping off a goodie package with the wine, already made food, and even a party hat to join in on the fun.
Not sure what to serve? Well, why didn’t you say so? It just so happens that we have put together 3 Best Party Guest approved food recipes and wine pairings. Enjoy!
Easy Brunch Toast
Author: Gabriel Cabrera
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 loaf rustic bread
- head butter lettuce
- 8 eggs, soft boiled (5 min max, so they come out nice and creamy), cut in wedges
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained, and sliced
- Crispy bacon (as much as you want), cut in chunks
- Fresh parsley to garnish
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 pinches paprika
- ¼ cup melted butter
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Start by making the hollandaise: beat the eggs, lemon, and paprika until smooth. Start adding the melted butter slowly until fully incorporated. Microwave for 20 seconds or place in a small pot over low heat and stir for 1 minute (careful, you don’t want to scramble the eggs). Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Toast the bread, add a bit of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, then add a few leaves of butter lettuce, the eggs, peppers. Drizzle generously with hollandaise sauce. Top with bacon, parsley, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Quick Glazed Salmon Tostadas with Chilli Mayo
Author: Gabriel Cabrera
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 10 small corn tortillas
- 1 12oz salmon fillet, skin on
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- ½ cup mayo
- Sriracha hot sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Pickled red onions (you can buy them at a Latin store)
- Chives, chopped
- Limes, cut in wedges
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F, prepare a tray with parchment paper
- Brush the tortillas with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake for about 5-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy, remove from the oven.
- Bring the oven temperature to 375F
- Using the same tray, rub some oil on the paper, add the salmon skin down, rub with teriyaki sauce, lemon, honey, and paprika, making sure it’s all coated. Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes until cooked to desired doneness (I like mine quite pink!). Remove from the tray and cool down.
- In a small bowl combine the mayo, with as much sriracha hot sauce and vinegar as you like
- To assemble: grab a tostada, smear with mayo, add a few chunks of salmon, a bit more mayo, then top with pickled onions, chives, and a squirt of lime juice. Add one last pinch of salt and pepper and serve
Herbed Spicy Baked Nuts
Author: Gabriel Cabrera
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- ½ cup raw pecans
- ½ cup raw almonds, skin on
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds (or regular sesame seeds)
- ½ cup crispy chickpeas (you can buy them premade at the grocery store)
- ⅓ cup sesame sticks
- ¼ cup tamari
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil
- In a large bowl combine all the nuts and bits except for the crispy chickpeas ands sesame sticks, we’ll add those later.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to the nut mix and combine well. Make sure all nuts are evenly coated. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed (more maple syrup for sweetness or tamari for saltiness)
- Place the nut mix in the prepared tray, bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the mix has mostly dried and nuts are toasty. Remove and cool
- Once cold, add the chickpeas, and sesame sticks and toss.
- Top with chopped rosemary and serve
;){kind=link}
Comments