I’m having so much fun with the wine dinners at EQ that are leading up to my California Wine Country trip! Tonight I’m preparing a menu that is being  paired  with MacMurray Ranch wines (one of the premier Pinot Noir producers in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley) by wine expert Matt Preston. Here’s the menu:

Tapas Trio
Spinach and Orange Salad with Pine Nuts
Oven Roasted Honey Mustard Salmon
Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin
Frangelico Bread Pudding with Shaved Chocolate and Toasted Hazelnuts

The dinner is sold out, but you can still come on the trip. For more information, click here.

To learn more, click here

I want to give you plenty of time to make a little Luck o’ the Irish for your friends! Here’s an easy recipe for Homemade Bailey’s. Since a little goes a long way and it keeps only about a week, you can give them just enough to improve a cup of coffee or two.

Add this to the gift tag:

May you have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold—
And at the end of all your rainbows
may you find a pot of gold.

Homemade Bailey’s

2 cups heavy cream
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Irish Whiskey
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup dark rum
2-3 tablespoons Hershey’s syrup (I like 3)
2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine all ingredients; shake vigorously or whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tomorrow night I’m judging a professional cocktail event arranged by Pilar Zeglin, USBG Cincinnati/ Ohio Founder. The cocktails will include products from DeKuyper and Makers Mark. It’s a the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. I’ll make  sure to post pictures and recipes of the event. Cheers!

Tart and tangy fruit works beautifully against dry gin. Crème de cassis is a deep red, sweet, black currant liqueur that is an ingredient of the classic champagne cocktail, the kir. If you wonder what else to do with crème de cassis once the kir making is over, here’s an idea. You can make a pitcher of Fruit Sours ahead and shake over ice as you serve them.

1 part Hendricks gin
½ part crème de cassis
3½ parts cranberry juice
½ part lime juice

Fill a tall glass with ice
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
Shake; strain into glass
Garnish blackberry and mint

Fat Tuesday’s here so grab your feathered mask and boa, it’s time for a midwinter mardi gras celebration.  Invite some friends over and serve up some delicious N’Orleans style food. Need inspiration? Check out this Oyster Po Boy recipe.

Here’s a classic Hurricane recipe:

1 oz white rum
1 oz Jamaican dark rum
1 oz Bacardi® 151 rum
3 oz orange juice
3 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 oz grenadine syrup
crushed ice

Combine all ingredients, mix well (shake or stir). Pour over crushed ice in hurricane glass. Best enjoyed through a small straw. Garnish with fruit wedge if desired.

Danny Gold shared some great information on Oregon Wines

Wine Department staff member Liz Dorr came to taste wine, too

Some of the guests at the tasting

We always have some little nibbles to enjoy with your wine

Here’s what was tasted:

Argyle Sparkling 2003 Brut 23.99 8A
Snowline 2008 Pinot Gris 9.99 6B
Elk Cove 2007 Riesling 17.99 6B
JK Carriere Provocateur 2006 Pinot Noir 28.99 6A
Erath Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir 32.99 6A
Penner-Ash 2007 Rubeo Pinot Noir/Syrah 22.99 6A

Thanks for all your emails! I fell down on the job (can I blame the weather?)  Here are the recipes I  did on Fox 19 and Q102 yesterday. Better late than never!

Cranberry Kiss
Makes 4 cocktails

1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup amaretto (I used Cointreau in the cocktail yesterday, but it’s equally delicious with Amaretto)
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice [Read more →]

What a great EQ event with Matt Preston! He shared lots of great information- and wine- with a gorgeous group of women! Thanks Matt!

Here are the recipes requested from the event- enjoy!

Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts [Read more →]

Oh sure, we may drink wine and have a grand old time at EQ, but as Debbie Dorsey put it, she has  ”lots of fun – I’m learning!”  Everyone loved Jay Erisman’s wine chat- and selections! Here’s the list (including the price and in which aisle to find them at The Party Source) that Jay poured:

1) Angel’s Landing Merlot Napa Valley Oak Knoll Jaeger Vineyard 2007 16.99 6A

2) La Galinère Merlot Vin de Pays 2007 9.99 7B

3) The Velvet Devil Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 13.99 6A

4) Penley Estate “Gryphon” Merlot Coonawarra 2006 17.99 7A

5) Château Gigault Côtes de Blaye Cuvée Viva 2005 28.99 7B

6) Chappellet Merlot Napa Valley 2006 21.99 6A