Partridges in pear trees and all those lords a-leaping don’t really make it onto Christmas wish lists these days. The idea behind the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is phenomenally festive, though, and served as great inspiration for a list of 12 drink-related treats to get you happily through the holiday season.
In compiling my list, I had the blissful fortune to recruit help from local cookbook author and blogger Erin Gleeson and Laurie Lindrup, director of business development and senior assistant operations manager at Beltramo’s Wines and Spirits, for wine recommendations.
Gleeson’s book, “The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from My Cabin in the Woods” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2014), is full of her photography and watercolor paintings, making it a feast for the eyes. Her straightforward recipes are ideal for entertaining.
Visiting Beltramo’s in Menlo Park this time of year is nearly required holiday preparation for me. The store is my one-stop shop for all things fizzy and fermented – every bottle or brew mentioned is available at Beltramo’s.
Day 1: A late-harvest Riesling with Apple and Honey Galette
Having a go-to, simple holiday dessert means that you’re prepared to gift the host of any festive gathering. Gleeson’s Apple and Honey Galette fits that bill perfectly. Pairing a late-harvest Riesling with the galette provides a crash-course in the power of wine pairing.
Lindrup’s recommended wine is the 2011 Meyer Late Harvest Riesling from Alsace, France.
“Light fruity aromas, intense freshness on the palate and an opulent finish make this elegant dessert wine the perfect match for the galette,” she said.
Apple and Honey Galette
• 1 9-inch store-bought pie dough
• 1/2 cup brie
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons almonds, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 apples, thinly sliced
• Butter
• Honey
• Pomegranate seeds
Lay pie dough on baking sheet and top with brie, brown sugar, almonds and cinnamon.
Cover cheese layer with apples (fanned out, peeling optional).
Dot top with butter, drizzle with honey, then pinch edges to form crust.
Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Day 2: Tincup American Whiskey
I can recall my Irish father giving my grandfather (his father-in-law) a bottle of Irish whiskey every Christmas. This year, I’m embracing the tradition by giving my British father-in-law a bottle of American-made spirits.
Tincup American Whiskey is crafted in small batches in Colorado by a former rodeo rider and volunteer firefighter. Made with a bourbon-style profile, the cap of the bottle doubles as a cup – making it easy to share.
Day 3: 3 French Wines
L ast New Year’s, I resolved to drink more old-world wines (those produced in Europe). It’s a geographical hazard of living near America’s wine epicenter that I don’t go out of my comfort zone as often as I should. The resolution stuck, and I’ve tried some amazing French, Italian and German wines in 2014.
Give the gift of expanding wine sensibilities by introducing friends and family to wines from France. Lindrup recommends three French wines (a red, a white and a bubbly) that should thrill all on your gift list.
• The red: The 2012 Domaine de la Mordorée’s La Dame Rousse ($24.99). Lindrup described this red from the Rhône region as intense and herby, with plentiful dark fruit flavors.
• The white: The 2013 Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy ($23.99). Made with 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes, this Sancerre is from the Loire Valley, an area known for wines that are perfect companions for shellfish.
“This wine has bright acidity and plush grassiness,” Lindrup said. “It is tangy and clean.”
• The Champagne: NV Egly-Ouriet Brut Rosé Grand Cru ($99.99). According to Lindrup, this is a “fabulous” wine worth making a fuss over.
“It’s simply one of the greatest Brut Rosé wines produced,” she added. “It is a deeply fruited cherry, strawberry and baking-spice tasting experience.”
Day 4: Box o’ Birds Sauvignon Blanc
The producers of this New Zealand wine ($12) write that the vines retain unique qualities from the Prince Melon soil the grapes grow in. They attribute the wine’s pale-orange hue and melon aromas to the soil. The flavor is classically New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with plenty of citrus and kiwi notes.
Day 5: 5 Golden Croutons with Sauvignon Blanc
The ideal meal to serve with Box o’ Birds Sauvignon Blanc is Gleeson’s Kale Caesar Salad with golden croutons. The vibrant salad makes for a quick dinner after a long day of holiday shopping.
Kale Caesar Salad
• Kale, flat-leafed
• Greek Caesar Dressing (see theforestfeast.com)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 8 ounces store-bought polenta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Chiffonade one bunch flat-leafed kale. Toss with Gleeson’s Greek Caesar Dressing, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.
For croutons, chop polenta into cubes and fry in olive oil in nonstick pan until golden.
Day 6: The eggs of 6 chickens a-layin’
T wo things I love about the holiday season: Plenty of excuses to splurge on Champagne and big, informal holiday brunches.
Make sure that your brunches include a platter or two of Gleeson’s Pesto Deviled Eggs. Lindrup suggested two sparkling wines to complement the eggs.
NV Vadin-Plateau‘s brut cuvée, Aurelie ($69.99), is a Champagne made by the vintners – meaning they grow the Chardonnay grapes they use in the wine, Lindrup said.
“When you drink Champagne made by the growers, it is a totally different experience because they seem to honor the grapes more intensely,” she noted.
Her second recommendation is a sparkling wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, NV Ettore Germano’s Rosanna Brut Rosé ($29.99).
“It is like a bowl of fresh strawberries, dusted rose petals and brilliant acid,” she said – perfect with Pesto Deviled Eggs.
Pesto Deviled Eggs
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 avocado, ripe
• 2 tablespoons pesto
Cut peeled, hard-boiled eggs in half and remove yolks.
Combine 2 yolks with avocado and pesto. (Dispose of other yolks.)
Mash it all together and spoon into eggs.
Day 7: 7 p.m. reservations
Much like the seventh-inning stretch is a deserved break for baseball spectators, consider taking a rest from holiday madness with a night in downtown Los Altos. Book your reservations in advance to ensure a table – reservations at places such as Los Altos Grill book up quickly this time of year.
Day 8: Made-in-Portugal Madeira
Whether or not the weather is frightful outside, encourage neighbors to linger before walking home by offering a sweet, Portuguese Madeira. The fortified wine has a storied history and tastes much like Christmas in a bottle.
Serve it with your holiday cake of choice or along with an after-dinner cheese plate. Lindrup’s recommendation is The Rare Wine Co.’s Historic Series Madeira – New York Malmsey Special Reserve ($49.99).
Day 9: 9 Ladies Dancing
I ’m keeping this one from the original song lyrics. Dancing is a great way to celebrate. Have friends over, find “A Very She & Him Christmas” on Spotify, make a festive throwback cocktail – such as Gleeson’s Rosemary Gin Fizz – and let the holiday boogie-woogie commence.
Rosemary Gin Fizz
• 3 tablespoons gin
• 1 tablespoon honey, melted
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• Ice
• Seltzer water
• Sprig of rosemary to garnish
Stir gin, honey and lemon juice together. Add ice and top with seltzer.
Garnish with rosemary.
Day 10: Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2010 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon ($44.99) is a juicy wine with refined tannins. A bottle of the glorious red wine will have lords a-leaping with delight.
The fact that the wine can be consumed now or cellared for future enjoyment makes it the right wine to tie a bow around and give to loved ones.
Day 11: Rye’d Piper
Gleeson’s beer-battered artichoke hearts (see “The Forest Feast”) find a winning pairing with Ale Industries Rye’d Piper ($5.49 per 22-ounce bottle). The ale’s roasty flavors work well with the smoked paprika and sea salt with which Gleeson tops her artichoke appetizers.
Day 12: The right wine clean-up items
Particularly practical, this gift idea is one to give yourself. Tools that make spills vanish and your carafes sparkle will ensure that the only things left behind from your holiday fun are joyful memories.
Lindrup recommends Wine Away for removing both new and old wine stains. As for cleaning carafes, she said she mixes baking soda with a touch of water and allows the mixture to sit in the carafe for a few minutes.
“It’s amazingly effective,” she said. “Rinse out the mixture and wash as you normally would. The recipe is brilliant at removing hard-water stains, water spots and any residue.”
Read more from Christine Moore at sheepishsommelier.blogspot.com.
