from Champagne, France; or Kathryn Kennedy Blanc de Blancs, Cuvee 27, 2004, a Santa Cruz mountain wine that celebrates the birth year (1927) of the winery’s namesake. Even better, present all three. If you prefer the idea of active entertaining, consider hosting a blind wine tasting. Ask partygoers to bring their favorite bottles of wine disguised in wrapping paper, with only the type of wine identified on the package—e.g. red or white, or, if you have enough wine to go deeper into categories, cabernet, pinot, chardonnay, etc. Mark the bottles with numbers. Then ask guests to sample the offerings and choose and record the ones they like best. Undo the wrappings, reveal the wines and let the crowd see if they preferred the moderately priced options or higher-end vintages. Perhaps you think that beer imparts an informal air more to your liking. However, specialty brews rapidly are changing beer’s reputation as a second-class citizen. Here, dark reigns as well. “Typically, for holiday beers, people start to look for the darker styles, like brown ales, porters and stouts, as well as the higher alcohol types, such as imperial styles or barley wines,” says Brian Baker of Saratoga-based Ale Aficionados. “As the weather gets cooler, those start pairing well with the foods we have at holiday festivities because they have a bit of a warming sensation.” You can’t go wrong with Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Brown Shuggah’ and Chico-based Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale, as well as seasonal favorites from San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing and 21st Amendment Brewery. Closer to home, Tied House in Mountain View sells a Mule Tide by the grolwer or the keg, and Gordon Biersch brews Winter Bock, available by the bottle. But whichever brew you serve, do your guests a favor and forego the standard beer vessel. “The pint glass is actually a terrible type of glass to serve beer in,” says Baker. “Its straight sides and wide-open top allow all the aromas to escape.” Instead use something more festive and closer to a wine glass, specifically a tulip glass. “For the same reason you wouldn’t pour wine into a pint glass, you wouldn’t pour beer into it either because you want to savor that aroma,” Baker says. So there you have it. From small, elegant dinner parties to all-out galas, your affair is sure to be a blast this season. So cheers and let the merrymaking begin! 70 South Bay Accent Winter Spiced Sour PISTACHIO FINANCIERS From Scott Cooper, Le Papillon, San Jose. You can’t beat a sweet start to the party season. 7 ounces sweet butter ¼ cup pistachio oil 2 cups powdered sugar ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup pistachios, toasted 7 egg whites • Brown the butter and let cool. Add the pistachio oil to the browned butter and set it aside. • Meanwhile, grind the pistachios in a food processor with the flour until very fine. • In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they are just frothy. Add the sugar and the flour/pistachio mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in the butter/ pistachio oil mixture and beat until the smooth. • Butter and flour 18 small brioche molds or soufflé cups and place them on a parchmentlined sheet pan. Divide the batter evenly and bake in a 350-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until just set. • Let the cakes cool and remove from the molds. They can be topped with a little whipped cream or dusted with powdered sugar. CARAMELIZED ONION, WILD MUSHROOM SOUP From John Bentley, John Bentley’s Restaurant, Redwood City. Serve this delicious starter in bowls for a sit-down dinner party or in shot glasses at a cocktail party. Recipe serves six. 2 tablespoons butter 1 yellow onion, julienned 2 (each) portabell0, shiitake, oyster and chanterelle mushrooms ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms 2 tablespoons whole sweet butter ¼ cup cream (optional) Salt and pepper to taste • In a heavy-bottom pot, caramelize the onions in butter. Add chopped mushrooms and sweat until tender. Next, mix in dried porcinis, which have been steeping in chicken stock for one-hour prior. Make sure to add the porcini infused chicken stock slowly, leaving any grit from the porcinis. Cover and eat, drink, and be merry / chefs’ best holiday recipes COURTESY OF THE LEXINGTON HOUSE
South Bay Accent - Dec 2015/Jan 2016
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