We are having dinner for our wine loving friends this Sunday. We are planning on blind tasting a 1995 Beringer Private Reserve and a 1995 Pontet Canet.

What we can't figure out is what to serve. Our friends don't eat red meat, which leaves us with chicken, fish or vegetarian. We'd like the meal to be relatively easy to allow all of us to visit. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Neil

You could do a cheddar cheese quiche for the main course -- and maybe throw in some turkey bacon to give it a bit more smokey flavor. Use some good quality cheese -- like a really sharp, aged cheddar -- like the 5 year old product from Grafton, VT. It should pair with your cabs....

Do they consider veal "red meat"? I like to refer to it as the other other white meat.

How about something with eggplant. Maybe a grilled/marinaded eggplant. Maybe some portobella mushrooms. What about game? Would they eat duck/venison?

Maybe bottmfishr is right... just do finger foods of various cheeses and breads.

Thanks for the help, so far.

They would not eat veal or game, nor would my wife. Basically, it's chicken or fish. One of our friends also has very high cholesteral and tries to avoid large amounts of eggs and cheese.

Two ideas I'm working with are a chicken stew with peanuts and spinach or a chicken dish with tomatoes, peppers and herbs.

Neil

What about a pasta with a "ragu" type sauce. Maybe some chicken, mushrooms, peppers, sausage (would they eat that?)...

Or, do Coq au vin and use a similar style cab for the cooking.

Neil --
I'm just curious.... Why open two cabernets for a dinner with people who have dietary restrictions that make it nearly impossible to serve food that will complement the wines?
Why don't you pick a great menu that your guests will enjoy, and then pick some great wines that will pair well with whatever that meal is?
Just a suggestion....

Coq au vin is a good idea or a ragu (no sausage).

Bottmfishr-You're right that it doesn't really make sense. Everyone prefers reds and has these restrictions. It's not that easy to work around.

Thanks for the help,

Neil

Possibly a killer homemade pizza with light cheese, some homemade raviolis with innards and sauce that will compliment the wine, some sautee'd rapini with red pepper flakes and garlic. oh, baby.

This may sound crazy, but my husband like chicken in red gray over pasta. It is good and you could dress it up with the pasta shape of your choice.Brown the chicken that has been seasoned with creole seasoning and garlic powder in a touch of canola oil. Thenput it into the gravey. I use Hunt's tomatoe sauce, the Garlic and Herb variety and put about a teaspoon of sugar to cut out the canned taste. Also add bay leaves, dried basil, dried thyme, a pinch, dried oregano, a pinch evoo and a tablspoon of I can't believe it's not butter. it adds something to the gravy. I like a little cheese on the top, but it is not necessary. Serve with a salad or veggie. It will go with the wine.

quote:

Originally posted by Neil K.:
We are having dinner for our wine loving friends this Sunday. We are planning on blind tasting a 1995 Beringer Private Reserve and a 1995 Pontet Canet.

What we can't figure out is what to serve. Our friends don't eat red meat, which leaves us with chicken, fish or vegetarian. We'd like the meal to be relatively easy to allow all of us to visit. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Neil

In case anyone is interested, we served chili-cornmeal crusted chicken breasts along with rice cooked with tomatoes, onion, and jalapenoes.

We tasted the two wines blind. The group easily identified the varietal. We preferred the second wine to the first, remarking that is was much fruitier and seemed younger. From the first wine, the group thought the vintage was mid to lates 90s. After both, they correctly identified the second as a Napa wine and the first as a Bordeaux.

Neil

Thanks for the follow up. I'm glad you followed our recs.

It sounds like a nice evening.

mwagner7700--

That made me laugh. The ideas did help. Thoughts of how to make something hearty enough to stand up to the wine lead me in the right direction.

Neil