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My friend S. had a brilliant idea recently (she usually has brilliant ideas). She said, "I'm going to host a wine, cheese and chocolate party." Can't really say no to that invitation. So, off I went to her pad for
First and foremost, you need good people. Make a list of all your fun, engaging, hilarious, food-loving girlfriends. Then, call them up and invite them to your place. Ask them each to bring their favorite cheese, chocolate and bottle of wine. I would recommend a guest list of no more than 5-6 so you can still have a pretty intimate setting to sample everything.
Enjoying the feast - why do the ladies look so serious?
Your job as the hostess is to prepare the table and the accoutrement's. Have 2-3 platters ready with a variety of crackers so you can add the cheese when your guests arrive. A bowl of mixed olives, grapes, dried fruit, honey, nuts, or a jar of Bacon Marmalade make for delicious sides. PS: The jury is out on the Bacon Marmalade. My favorite cheese is Truffle Brie. Oh my! Oh my! It is so, so, so, so good! That's what I took with me. Stinky, creamy, truffly. Yummy. Take my word for it and give it a try. Especially if you are a fan of truffles. You can find at your local supermarket (if you're lucky) or at one of Toronto's best cheese shops.
Next, create a charcuterie plate. That's a fancy word for cold cuts/deli meats. I'm not talking about regular oven roasted turkey or roast beef. Be a little fancy and a bit adventurous. Try Tongue, Prosciutto, Hot Salami, Sopresatta and the like. If you have no experience in creating these platters, maybe you need to visit one of these restaurants ASAP. Might inspire you. Or, go to Grande Cheese and ask one of the lovely Italian ladies for some help. The platter should WOW your guests. No pressure.
All that's left for you is to set the table and put out the wine glasses... and wait! I took a bottle of Moscato which is my fav vino and I figured it would be a nice compliment to the chocolates and the cupcakes. What a delicious feast! Our party was filled with sheer hilarity including a very special tribute to Whitney Houston and an unforgettable rendition of "I will always love you" by my other friend S. Unfortunately, she won't allow me to post the video of her performance so you'll just have to imagine that. Your table at the end of the night should look like this.
"OH GAWD. I ATE TOO MUCH"
There is a major downside to hosting a wine, cheese and chocolate party. You end the night with thoughts like, "what did I just do?" "how much cheese did I just eat?" "calories! how many calories?".... But thankfully, the wine helps you to justify it to yourself: "It's only once in a blue moon." "Cheese is dairy and you're suppose to have 2 servings a day." "I'll work out for 90 minutes tomorrow." "I'll start my detox tomorrow." Ahhhh.So, would you host your own wine, cheese and chocolate party? Do you like cheese? What type?
Enjoy!
