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Wine Food Pairing, What About Champagne Soup?
from: Denise ClarkeLearn how you can do wine food pairing in just one bowl.
Imagine the heat and humidity of summer. What could be better than to invite a few friends over to cool off with a chilled champagne soup with sun ripened mangoes? An impromptu party is always a good way to raise the spirits! If you have a mango tree in the neighborhood that supplies you with fresh fruit, so much the better. These kind of informal parties are always the BEST!
Try to use a crisp, dry sparkling wine that has a soft, smooth flavor as this pairs well with the sweet tree ripened mango. Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut is my favorite, but you could also use your own personal favorite. This presentation never fails to impress even the most jaded of guests. Served in your best crystal bowls and you will be vying for the next best hostess award!
Warm croissants pair terrifically with this champagne soup. Try using croissants from the cold case in the grocery store and your guests will never know that the croissants are not from scratch. They will only know how wonderful you are to have worked all morning for their pleasure. These flaky creations only take a few minutes to bake.
Cloth napkins seem to add a touch of richness, after all we want this to be a special treat, and add fresh cut flowers as a centerpiece. Your guests will think you spent hours on preparation. I promise my lips are sealed!
How about dessert? Summertime always offers up such terrific bounty when it comes to fruit and berries. Big, juicy strawberries dipped into a melted healthy dark chocolate are always a winner. Be sure to melt your chocolate carefully in a water bath. Perhaps you are even lucky enough to have one of those new chocolate fountains, they work great, too. I always leave the stem on for added color and it also makes a great handle on the berry to keep your fingers from getting burned! Let the berry cool off on waxed paper and then present them to your guests on your favorite platter. This is a super, make ahead, dessert that can be done a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
You will definitely want to pair chocolate with a red wine. For the dark chocolate dipped strawberries try a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot from Concha y Toro. This Chilean wine is bold enough to stand up to the dark chocolate and bring out the best in both the wine and the dessert. YUM!
A cup of coffee might be nice as the party winds down. A very special treat that the Austrians invented is called a melange. This coffee beverage is a fifty-fifty mix of coffee and milk stirred to form a foamy top. In the Austrian coffee houses this is usually served on a silver tray with a glass of sparkling mineral water on the side, garnished with a slice of fresh lemon. Very CHI CHI! Do not forget to bring out all your silver and crystal. Always stop at garage sales to look for partyware as they usually have a lot of grandmas old silver and crystal items that make up for a festive party.
Wine Food Pairing is not difficult. With just a bit of pre-planning you can show your guests what a terrific host/hostess you are and enjoy the party right along with your friends! CHEERS!
Denise Clarke is in love with Wine food pairing. Stop by her blog to enjoy her escapades of (http://www.winefoodpairing.blogspot.com) wine food pairing, and learn (http://www.basic-wine-knowledge.blogspot.com) basic wine knowledge
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