Usually, my dinner party planning goes something like this:
1. Invite people over for a dinner party weeks in advance
2. Think about what I’m going to make for weeks leading up to the dinner party
3. Have a minor breakdown the night before dinner party about what to make
4. Attempt something entirely too complicated the day of a dinner party
5. Spend too much time in the kitchen while guests are enjoying themselves at my dinner party
Solving all of my dinner party woes: Swirl, Sip & Savor: Northwest Wine and Small Plate Pairings
Swirl, Sip & Savor is a great resource for a novice dinner entertainer or an experienced host/hostess. Not only does it cover party food basics like dips, finger foods, and small plates, but a different Northwest winery is featured in each recipe, along with complimentary wine from their collection.
My favourite part of the book is the “Wine Pairing by Varietal” appendix. It allows you to match any varietal with recipes from the book, which comes in handy when you’re working with wines that you already have on hand.
Additionally, the “Wine and Food Pairing Guide” appendix describes what types of foods pair best with different varietals. For example, I learned that Sangioveses work best with simple, rustic dishes while Syrahs are better suited to robust, hearty meals like stews and barbeque.
And with the exception of the crostinis and flatbreads, most, if not all, of the recipes in the book are easy to convert to gluten-free; a definite plus if you’re trying to please a group.
Here’s one of my favourite recipes from the book. Try it for your next dinner party:
Lamb Skewers with Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce
Tapteil Vineyard Winery | Benton City, Washington
Makes 12 skewers
- 1/4 cup lemon agrumato olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
- 15 to 20 fresh mint leaves, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 12 rosemary branches (to use as skewers), if desired, or 12 bamboo skewers
- Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)
Soak the rosemary branch skewers or bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling.
Mix together the lemon agrumato olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, mint, salt, and pepper in a resealable 1-gallon plastic bag. Shake well. Add the lamb cubes and shake to coat with the marinade. Marinate the lamb at room temperature while assembling the Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
While the grill heats, place four to five marinated lamb cubes on each skewer. Grill the skewers, rotating them, until nicely brown but not overcooked, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. These will cook quickly, so watch them carefully.
Serve the skewers with the dipping sauce and warm pita bread, if desired.
- Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce
- 1-pint Greek-style yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup diced English cucumber
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium serving bowl, mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, mint, parsley, and cucumber. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
An extraordinary violet nose leads to deep flavours of dark cherries, chocolate, and spice that fill the palate. The rich chewy finish lingers lavishly.