Happy Ho Ho Ho!
First up is a great book for last minute holiday party planning. My guest is Josie Gordon, half of the Culinista team with co-author Jill Donenfield.
Catering professionals Jill Donenfeld and Josie Gordon make a strong case for bypassing prepared and frozen foods as party fare and jumping in with both spoons to create freshly made party fare that will dazzle and delight your guests.
Party Like a Culinista is your guide to throwing dinner parties using fresh recipes that balance health, fun, and class. The culinista way to party means letting loose in the kitchen with unforgettable menus full of flair and fun that will wow your friends without weighing them down. With a healthy body and environment in mind, culinistas are all about minimally processed whole foods and lots of greens and grains — but they also remember to balance our indulgent side, including plenty of recipes that splurge!
In the second half I’ll be talking to one of my favorite authors and food and wine pairing gurus; Jill Silverman Hough. We’ll continue the fun with more on holiday party planning tips and techniques.
Jill Silverman Hough is a food writer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor whose specialty is making food and cooking simple, special, and satisfying. Her work has appeared in Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Country Home, Clean Eating, and Napa Sonoma magazines. And her cookbook, “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love,” premiered in April 2010, with “100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love” released in April 2011. Jill also developed the recipes for “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch,” a New York Times Best Seller, and contributed to Weight Watchers and JCPenny’s cookbooks. A regular and popular presenter at Ramekins Sonoma Valley Culinary School, Jill lives in Napa, California.
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2010 Hogue Late Harvest Riesling
Eastern Washington’s low annual rainfall and cool nights during the growing season make it the perfect area for producing consistently great late harvest wines. The Hogue Cellars has developed a style of late harvest Riesling that is crisp yet moderately sweet. The wine was produced from select Riesling vineyards where the fruit can ripen to the required 24°+ Brix. At that level of ripeness, the wine develops its trademark tangerine/apricot flavor. Zesty aromas of orange, lemon-lime and peach are followed by flavors of tangerine, apricot and a trace of mineral. Serve with poached pears, apple pie or a cheese platter of Stilton, smoked Gouda and fresh goat cheese. It’s also excellent served well chilled as an aperitif.
Pick up a bottle or two at Jacob Liquor Exchange and make the holidays SWEET!