Sharks Playoff Game Party

Image taken from http://sharks.nhl.com/

I recently threw a Sharks themed party to support the San Jose Sharks' game against the L.A. Kings.  The Sharks were down two games out of seven, and we really needed to win this one to even up the score.  In an attempt to give the Sharks some much needed luck, I decided to host a game viewing party with Sharks themed food for my nearest and dearest Sharks fans.

The Menu:

1) It's "Chili" in the Shark Tank, so let's wrap those "Piggies in the Blanket." (it's a stretch, I know)

This dish was actually a creation of my hubby's.  We wrapped beef Hillshire Farms Lit'l Smokies in Pillsbury Crescent Rolls dough.  We baked them, then served them with Hormel Chili with Beans.  One can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls is enough to wrap one packet of Lit'l Smokies.  We opened the crescent rolls, unrolled the pastry, then divided each triangle into fourths before wrapping them around the Lit'l Smokies.  We placed them on an ungreased baking sheet and baked them at 375 degrees F.  I didn't pay attention to how long we baked it, but we checked on it every 5 minutes until it was a toasty brown.  We warmed the chili in the microwave, then added fresh, diced red onions and shredded cheese.  The guests then dipped the pigs in a blanket in the chili before consuming them.  Yum....

2) Niemi's Golden Saves (Pucks)-don't ask

Booze, Booze, Booze

by scottharveywines.com

So almost every adult event offers wine.  Why?  Because nothing can give a party a grown up feel like wine does.  Hard liquor, even when mixed into martinis?  College stuff.  Wine?  Pinky out status.

Wine tasting parties are getting more and more popular these days, possibly because of our economy going bust and everyone's subsequent need to drown their financial sorrows.  This post is meant to help you out should you need to provide a bottle of wine at some event and have no idea what to get.  The party throwing bug has hit me once again recently, and I believe I shall organize a wine tasting party soon...

Because of BevMo's latest 5 cent wine sale, I am officially in wine mode.  I just spent almost 2 hours trying to find my "great find" from the last 5 cent wine sale.  Never going to happen again!  As a result of this incident, I have decided to chronicle my wine faves from the past 3 years of enthusiastic wine tasting.  My favorite red varietals are Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, so you will see that my red recommendations have been skewed.  All the pictures below have been stolen from BevMo's website.

These recommendations are all equally great in my eyes...and mouth.  Yum!

BEST BUBBLY - Martini & Rossi  Asti ($9-$13)

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WINE ENTHUSIAST. Martini & Rossi is one of the largest and best producers of Asti; sweet, delicate flavors of melon, peach, apple and grapefruit; perfect with apple tarts and cream.

My take:  DELICIOUS!  Tart, with a sweet, crisp aftertaste, this light bubbly is better than $40/bottle French champagnes, which were more dry and not as pleasing to me.  It's a standard, low-priced wine ($9-$13/bottle), but you can't go wrong.



BEST OVERALL WINERY - Bella Winery ($30+)

Seriously, any winery that has several different of Zinfandels is an awesome winery in my book.  This winery goes above and beyond, however, because every single wine I tried there was delicious and velvety smooth.  Each succeeding one was better than the last!  How do they do it!?!  Their late harvest Zinfandel is also do die for:  sweet and smooth.  The only downside to this winery is that I haven't been able to find a bottle anywhere except straight from their winery.

BEST RIESLING (so far) - Query Reisling '09 ($16)

Wine expert's take:  90 PTS WILFRED WONG. Wow, this one is surprisingly delicious, the ripe apple '09 Query Riesling explodes a potpourri of exotic flowers and core fruit flavors; slightly sweet.

My take:  It's a melt-in-your mouth, mellow type of wine.  Very aromatic, and with none of that tart bite that comes with fruity whites. There's a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste that makes you wanna take another sip just to chase it.  It has officially bumped Riesling as my top white wine varietal.  Sorry, pinot grigio!  I would totally recommend this with some equally mellow Sonoma Jack cheese...  Oooh...  Paired with grapes...  On a breezy spring afternoon...  And now I sound like a wine country magazine...

COOLEST BOTTLE - Moselland Zeller Black Cat '08 ($12)

Wine expert's take:  (from BevMo site) The Moselland Zeller Schwartz Katz is a light, semi-sweet white; very easy on the palate; give it a good chill.

My take:  As I've described in my other post, Yum Under The Sun, this wine is "light, fruity, and crisp."  Can one quote oneself???  I just did!  Weird...  I apparently got the name wrong in my other post, but it's not my fault!  There were so many different things written on the bottle...and in German, nonetheless! Anyway, it is also slightly bubbly, which is cool.  This wine has proven that there is more to it than a fantastic bottle concept.


BIGGEST REGRET - J Lohr Red Wine ($30?)

I can't remember which red wine I bought from J Lohr, but I'm guessing that it was the Gesture Syrah '08 based on bottle shape and label.  It taught me what a good wine is supposed to be like.  A good wine is supposed to smack you with flavor yet stay smooth with a lingering aftertaste...YUM.  I labeled this wine as "biggest regret," because I cannot, for the life of me, remember what it was!

LATE HARVEST BEAUTY - J Lohr Riesling Late Harvest  '08 ($25)

Wine expert's take:  The J Lohr Late Harvest Riesling is sweet and full of seductive fruit flavors; ripe peach and apple with an accent of apricots and flowers; long sweet aftertaste.

My take:  Ditto, minus the peach/apple/apricots/flowers, because I honestly can't taste it.  This wine is indeed seductive.  Makes you want to horde the whole bottle to yourself!  A favorite amongst my friends.



CABERNET SAUVIGNON (OR LE CAB, IF YOU WANNA BE FANCY)

 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon '09 ($16)

Wine expert's take:  Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon is made by blending selected lots of the best fruit from California, combining richness and big fruit flavors with classic structure and tannic power.

My take:  Not the smoothest wine I've tasted, but when it was let to breathe a little, I indulged in two glasses and enjoyed it.  It did indeed smack me with taste, but it didn't leave as big an impression as my favorite Zinfandels.  Again, not the best, but one I can imagine enjoying a lot of.

Hess Cabernet '08

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WILFRED WONG. Put-together very well, the active '08 Hess Select Cabernet is a solid example of this varietal; ripe and lasting on the palate with soft tannins.

My take:  This wine really impressed me with its affordability and it's ultra smoothness.  I mean, really.  It is smooth.  Also, it also has a very nice wine flavor.  It doesn't smell as good as the Renwood Jack Rabbit, which was GODLY, but it's my favorite cabernet.  Also, it has a pleasant amount of tannins, or dryness, at the end.  For those of you who don't know what this means, it's the little sensation that makes you wanna smack your tongue when drinking dry wines or eating unripened persimmons.

ZINFANDEL SHINERS

Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine '08 ($17)

Wine expert's take:  89 PTS WILFRED WONG. Packs some good heat, the 15.8% alcohol '08 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel is made for real red wine lovers; rich and dense with a load of jammy berries; yes to BBQ ribs!

My take:  This wine is not for the faint of heart.  It attacks your tongue, grabs hold, and hangs on for dear life.  A bold, bold wine with a spicy kick.  I am so in love with this wine.  I will never forget it.  It was actually a recommendation from a BevMo employee.  She was such a sweetheart and an obvious wine enthusiast.  I paired this with smoked gouda for a wine and cheese party, and I must say, it was a match made in heaven.  

Renwood Jack Rabbit Flat '08 ($33)

Wine expert's take:  (from the BevMo website)  The Renwood Jack Rabbit Flat Zinfandel is a ripe, rounding red with pleasing berry flavors; textured and layered with soft tannins.

My take:  Smooooooooth.  And most amazingly?  It is still chock full of flavor.  There are no sacrifices here.  I brought it to a Thanksgiving dinner, and it was a huge hit.  I don't know why the wine expert didn't give a more enthusiastic description, but who knows?  I LOVE this wine.  It is my favorite red wine in the WORLD!  Also, if you haven't guessed, it was the one I searched TWO hours for!

BEST (FIRST AND ONLY) MOSCATO - Cantina di Casteggio Moscato '09 ($15)

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WILFRED WONG. This wine will melt into your mouth, the aromatic and pretty '09 Cantina di Casteggio Moscato is light and fancy; fun with flowers and ripe peaches; sweet in the finish.

My take:  This wine is indeed light and fruity.  It is very, very drinkable, and honestly, a lot like the Asti mentioned above.  For some reason though, it's not quite as good to me.  It might have to do with its being more tart and less sweet in the finish.  Still a highly recommended wine.


MY LIST FOR THIS SESSION OF THE BEVMO 5 CENT WINE SALE

Cantina di Casteggio Moscato '09 ($7.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Why I want to try it:  Yups.  I'm going back for more.

Cantina di Casteggio Sangue di Guida '09 ($7.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  90 PTS WILFRED WONG. Think of flowers and sunshine and a medium sweet red wine, the '08 Cantina de Casteggio Sangue di Guida is simply beautiful and; ripe plummy flavors; great with fresh fruit.

Why I want to try it:  I thought about getting this last time, but didn't.  Now's my chance!  I'm totally into flowers and sunshine!

Clos LaChance Hummingbird Zinfandel '07 ($8.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE WINE COMP. Full and illuminated on the palate, the berry-rich '07 Clos LaChance Zinfandel drinks exceedingly well into the finish.

Why I want to try it:  Dude....DOUBLE GOLD...ALL THE WAYYY

Zynthesis Zinfandel '09 ($8.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  91 PTS WILFRED WONG. Hypnotizingly delicious, the black-fruited '09 Zynthesis Old Vine Zinfandel packs the palate with enticing and lasting richness; long finish.

Why I want to try it:  I want to be hypnotized and I love the name and the Zorro-like symbol.  I admit, I had a crush on Zorro as a kid.  He was quite dashing!

So there you have it!  The best wines I've tried so far in the past three years, plus a few I want to try.

You'll notice that I didn't mention any pinot grigios, chardonnays, or merlots. This is because I haven't tasted any pinot grigios that wowed me (although I do tend to like the steel fermented ones more than the barrel fermented).  I haven't tasted a chardonnay that I've liked because they were all too "oak-y" or as my friend, sanjoselove put it, "moldy tasting."  And merlots?  Shudder.

If you have any wine favorites, especially if they are either a merlot or chardonnay, holla!  I haven't given up on those varietals yet!

Yum Under the Sun

On Valentine's Day, my honey and I went to Half Moon Bay, CA for some fun under the sun. What we found instead was "yum" under the sun. The gastric highlight of our day was supposed to be our dinner at the Crab Landing, but instead, it was our simple lunch on the beach.

So that got me thinking...What was it about that meal that made it so good? And how will that help me in my event planning?

We stopped by a locally owned grocery store to gather materials for our picnic lunch on the beach. After perusing what the aisles had to offer, we decided on a simple fare of Columbus Peppered Dry Salame, fresh mozzerella, and braided sourdough bread fresh from the bakery next door. To wash it all down, we bought a bottle of 2008 Moselland Mosel Reisling Qualitatswein, which we chose solely for it's cat shaped bottle, and some styrofoam cups (fancy plastic stemware was not available). Et voila!

A feast for our bellies!

What makes this meal great was the quality and freshness of the cheese and the bread. Salami is great because it is salami. =P The wine was a happy surprise. It was light, fruity, and crisp. The only problem was that we didn't buy two bottles. But I digress. I think these simple mini sandwiches are great for any impromptu picnic or meals during roadtrips. If you happen to be on a roadtrip, pick up the ingredients at a locally owned grocery selling local goods to better experience the area you are travelling through. Just don't drink and drive.

PS-I kinda just gave you a teaser for my next post!

Nostalgialicious Potluck PahTAY

This will be a pictureless post, as it was inspired pretty much at this moment when my boyfriend insist I look up Schoolhouse Rock videos on YouTube while we munch on saltine crackers and Easy Cheese. It could be the Conjunction Junction song, but I think it's more my drawing happy faces with the Easy Cheese on the saltine crackers that got me thinking: "Dude, what if we had a potluck where people bring in their favorite snacks when they were kids?" RIGHT???

For some reason, thinking of all my childhood delights thrills me, making my heart beat a little faster in anticipation. It takes me back to a time when nothing mattered, except the next adventure I would partake in. Everything was an adventure back then...except chores. =P I think any party that could capture that particular spirit of childhood would make a good party.

So here it goes:

THEME: Revisiting your childhood, being nostalgic

FOOD: Make your favorite childhood snack and ask your guests to bring theirs as well. Some of my favorite snacks when I was a kid include: (you guessed it) Easy Cheese and saltine crackers, Laughing Cow Cheese with bananas, and toasted sliced bread with condensed milk...yum. The more unique the better.

DRINKS: Keep with the childhood theme. Ovaltine, Hawaiian Punch, Tang. It would be interesting if you challenge your guests to make a good alcoholic beverage out using one of those drinks. If you're really productive, you can even hold a contest with judges and prizes. Or, the prize can be winning itself. You can also prepare Jello shots, which are in keeping with the whole theme.

MUSIC: Play music from when you and your guests were in elementary school. For me, it was Selena and Run DMC. Ahh, those were the days...

All in all, I think this is a fun, easy party idea that can be thrown at the drop of the hat. Impromptu soundtracks can easily be made with Pandora or Grooveshark online. Snacks are snacks because they are easy and fast to make. Also, your guests can bond or break the ice with playground war stories. Thinking about it, this sounds like a party even the Eventless Planner can afford. =P

The Ugly Christmas Sweater Making Party

As this blog is not about food, but more rather about events, I had a little trouble coming up with an event for which my liege waffles would shine. Then, it came to me...It must be wintery and cozy. What can be more cozy than crafts by the fireplace? Buoyed by hot chocolate? Or chocolate milk laced with peppermint schnapps?

Satisfied with this idea, I then started to wonder what crafts? Knitting requires people who knit, and not everyone knits or crochets. Not everyone embroiders. There must be a common goal to make for an adventurous night. And it must get funnier as the booze sets in (not mandatory, of course). Also, as a requirement for me, there must be a tongue-in-cheek twist. SO, why not an ugly Christmas sweater MAKING party?

A little--very little--history lesson about the ugly Christmas sweater:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4679082_wear-ugly-christmas-sweater-style.html

Ugly Christmas sweaters have been around for as long as I remember. Everybody's mother or grandmother owns an ugly Christmas sweater. Some come with gaudy wintery images, some even count out the "12 Days of Christmas" gifts. The one thing that they all share is that they are over the top and ridiculous, but in a very good way.

I'm sure you all have heard of the Ugly Christmas Sweater themed parties. They've been popping up and gaining in popularity for years. I couldn't find who was the original, but the guys at uglychristmassweaterparty.com kind of got the credit for it because they bought this domain name a few years back (they didn't know who was the first, either). Just this past Christmas, their website exploded as they started selling these ugly sweaters for $25 bucks a pop. They were featured in several morning shows.

So...with that history lesson, I'll move onto the equipment for what you and your guests will need for your sweaters.

1. A sweater or sweatshirt. It could be a plain sweatshirt, an old sweater you don't want to wear anymore, or an already ugly Christmas sweater that you want to make uglier. You can provide these sweaters or guests can each bring their own. Either way, I've an amazon link for the cheapest crew neck sweatshirt.
   http://www.amazon.com/Jerzees-Sweatshirt-4662M-Available-Colors/dp/B00084Y4L4/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1265577879&sr=8-14
   
2. Jingle bells. Essential. If it doesn't jingle, it ain't ugly, in my opinion. http://www.amazon.com/JINGLE-BELLS-CLASS-PACK-MULTI-COLOR/dp/B000F8X9T6/ref=pd_sim_dbs_k_1
   
3. Craft felt. Perfect for making Santas and reindeers.
   http://www.amazon.com/ASSORTED-PACK-ACRYLIC-CRAFT-FELT/dp/B0025Z4OVE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265579410&sr=1-2
   
4. Embroidery floss. You can use regular thread you find around the house as well, but I think that these embroidery floss serves two purposes: To attach your oh-so-ugly designs to your sweaters...and to add contrast in the stitching for more...pop.
   http://www.amazon.com/Cotton-Embroidery-Floss-Primary-Skeins/dp/B001689HX6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265579582&sr=8-2
   
5. Embroidery needles. These are better than regular needles because the loops are bigger to accomodate bigger threads.
   http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Eye-Embroidery-Needles-Size/dp/B000YQEVYQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265579735&sr=8-13
   
6. Stuffing. For added flare, stuff your felt creations, or better yet, have an arm or an antler actually reach out from the sweater for a more 3D effect. The world is at your fingertips.
   http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Mist-Fiberloft-Premium-Stuffing/dp/B00114ONKM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265580122&sr=1-2
   
7. Pom poms. Classics.
   http://www.amazon.com/Pom-Pon-Variety-Pack-Pkg-Multi/dp/B000Y3F3W8/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265584572&sr=1-9
   
8. Any fabric scraps, leftover yarn, ribbons, bows, etc. that you and your guests can pool together. The more colors and textures, the better.

You can also find these items at your local crafts stores. As always, do your research to find the best prices. The best time to buy these items, especially the more seasonal ones, is right after Christmas.

Drinks:

Hot chocolate is always good in the winter. You can also add alcohol to it. I suggest a shot of peppermint schnapps or Kalua.

Milk chocolate is great with a shot (or two) of peppermint schnapps as well

Game:

uglychristmassweaterparty.com mentions a game that would be fun to play as you and your guest make your ugly sweaters. This seems like a good game to play anytime, anywhere. Here's the direct quote from their website:

"Holiday Sausage Game

This game was clearly created by a genius from Wisconsin...Here are the rules.

Divide everyone in the room into two teams. A player from team 1 may ask any question to any player on team 2...However, the player from team 2 must answer that question with "Holiday Sausages"...no matter what the question. If player 2 is able to answer "Holiday Sausages" without laughing, team 2 gets a point (or player from team 1 takes a drink). Simple. Hillarious when you get creative. Good times."

You can also have slideshow of ugly christmas sweaters on your tv or computer for inspiration. uglychristmassweaterparty.com also has a short but sweet slideshow of their parties.
http://www.uglychristmassweaterparty.com/these-are-ugly.html

The waffles

Now, the part that inspired all of this: The Liege Waffles. As I mentioned earlier, this is a semi-modified recipe from another blog:
http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/2009/04/brussels-and-liege-waffles.html
I finally got to make them for a good picture, taken by my brother, when my family went on a ski trip. This recipe makes about 10 waffles.

Sponge:
4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/3 cups warm milk
1-3/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (I've doubled the sugar)
1 egg lightly beaten (I usually just crack it straight in)

Batter:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons granulated sugar (I've doubled the sugar)
3/4 cup pearl sugar, or cubed sugar, individually crushed to hail sizes if you can't find pearl sugar.
Directions:
Sponge:

1. Warm the 1 1/3 cup milk in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes, until you can feel the heat emanating from the surface, then add the 4 1/2 tsp. yeast, 2 tbsp. flour, and 2 tbsp. sugar. Stir the ingredients to combine then let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy. There should be this weird, beige crust at the top of the milk.
   
2. Sift the remaining flour (literally 1 3/4 cup flour - 2 tbsp flour) into another bowl, make a well in the center of the flour, then add the yeast mixture and the egg into the well.
   
3. Stir to make a smooth mixture. Cover with a plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm spot for 2 hours. The mixture should double in size and look literally spongy.

Batter:

1. Mix the butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, flour, and vanilla extract to form a paste, then add the pearl or crushed cubed sugar.
   
2. Add the paste mixture to the sponge and combine to make an even mixture.
   
3. Start heating the belgian waffle iron (it has bigger indents) at the medium setting. Don't set the heat too high because the sugar will burn, which will taste bitter. I've never timed to see how long to cook the waffles, but a good indication of when the waffles are done is to watch the steam. A short time after you close the waffle iron, steam will start billowing out. I watch the steam until it starts to subside, then I check it for brownness. I usually take them out when the ridges turn a light golden brown and the bottom of the indents are a deeper brown.

I recommend starting the sponge 2 hours before your party. And start tossing the batter on the waffle iron as your guests start arriving. That way, you don't have to worry about keeping your waffles warm and crispy. Enjoy! If you ever try throwing this party, let me know how it turns out!