Lorrie's Best Hostess Gifts

Getting an invitation to someones home to share a meal is truly an honor. So much thought and care goes into entertaining at home; that's why I love to show my appreciation for the invite with a small gift. Hostess gifts should be thoughtful and really speak to the interest of the host or hostess. I got the book pictured above from my dear friend Audrey. She knows my love of cooking, antiques with a purpose and learning about the past. The book, "the epicurean collector" was purchased in New Orleans, my hometown. The book is signed and includes a quick quote by Mr. Patrick Dunne and is dated 2009. This book makes a great read as well as a lovely coffee table book.

What I love about the past is that people took their time to make the table setting as beautiful as possible and they shared all of their beautiful china and accoutrement's with their guests. Also, the idea that dining was an experience, when time was taken to eat several courses while enjoying a glass of wine is so very pleasing to me. We live in such an hectic world, one without servants, or at least most of us don't, but we can slow down and just enjoy a beautiful table setting, good food, good wine and great company.

Books are a great hostess gift and can be purchased new or slightly used at http://www.amazon.com/

For the baker, I found these cookie cutters online at http://www.amazon.com/. I really want to order these and make cookies to use as place cards and have a few ladies over for lunch. I just love the shimmering gold metallic sugar. I bought this for myself months ago when browsing around our local Williams and Sonoma. I made a tea bread with a confectioner's sugar milk glaze and sprinkled these golden sugar sprinkles on top for a little glamour. It makes a beautiful finished product.  The beauty of these gifts are that they are all under $10.00.

For the music lover, who likes to relax with a glass of wine or a cocktail check out Boney James. I just love his sound. His CD's make the perfect backdrop for a cocktail party or a private party. http://www.amazon.com/ I also love his new release "Contact."

Send One Your Love by Boney James

Pottery Barn Ice Scoop

For those who make cocktails this ice scoop is a beautiful hostess gift. I loved having this on hand for my guest to make his cocktail. It is functional and beautiful.


Olive oil is one of my little luxuries. I just love making salad dressings, cooking and finishing steaks with olive oil. in addition, I always add a little olive oil in red sauce; I think it creates a nice balance and mouth feel in the finished sauce.

Ecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This olive oil is buttery with hints of herbs and spice. It makes a great finishing oil on steaks and salads. Note: This was a sample provided by Rutherford Ranch for review. http://www.rutherfordwine.com/

And last, but not least wine always makes a nice hostess gift for wine lovers. I must say that I am so privileged to sample so many good and great wines. Here are a few that would make great hostess gifts.

Value: Honig 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

Splurge: Honig 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Both of these wines are from Honig Vineyard & Winery.Note: These wines were samples provided for review by Honig Vineyard & Winery.   http://www.honigwine.com/ The Sauvignon Blanc is great and the price makes it a great candidate for a hostess gift.

Wine bottle stoppers are inexpensive and make wonderful hostess gifts. They come in all types of themes that fit a person's personality, kitchen or home decor. They are also functional. http://www.potterybarn.com/

Clock Wine Bottle Stopper

Wine Review: 2008 Rutherford Ranch Rhiannon Napa Valley Red Wine

This wine has a deep garnet color. The nose has aromas of dark berried fruit, a hint of spice and "Rutherford Dust" or earthiness. I know it seems odd, but I could smell the Rutherford dust on the nose which was very intriguing. I felt like maybe I found "terroir" on the nose; maybe this wine gives us a taste of Rutherford Ranch. The palate has flavors of dark cherries, blackberries, raspberries, plums and a bit of pepper. This wine is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 12% Zinfandel. This is definitely a wine meant to be paired with food. I would pair this with a lovely rib eye steak, finished with a light drizzle of Ecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This olive oil is available at their website and is delightful. It is is buttery with a hit of herbs and spice. Another ideal pairing would be gourmet burgers, topped with cheddar or blue cheese. These pairing suggestions are in keeping with our love for grilling which for most of us has already started. 

Note: This wine and olive oil was a sample provided by Rutherford Ranch.  http://www.rutherfordwine.com  2008 Rutherford Ranch Rhiannon Napa Valley Red Wine SRP $29.00

  Ecco Extra Virgin Olive Oil SRP $19.00 http://www.rutherfordwine.com

Wine Review: Bogle 2009 Riesling

This wine is a light straw color. The nose has aromas of pears and orange zest. The palate is full, round, and honeyed with flavors of juicy pears, a bit of peach, orange zest and lemon drop on the finish. This wine would pair well with Asian fare and light creamy cheeses. An ideal pairing would be a simple appetizer of cream cheese topped with Tabasco brand Pepper Jelly and Ritz crackers. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Bogle Vineyards. http://www.boglewinery.com/ SRP $9.00

Wine Review: Round Hill 2010 California Oak Free Chardonnay

This wine has a straw color.  The nose has aromas of green apples, pears, a hint of pineapple and lemon zest. The palate mirrored the nose with those green apple, pear and lemon flavors, along with a creamy  mouth feel. This wine is produced and packaged by unitizing methods that are committed to sustainability.  This wine would be great paired with shellfish, fish, chicken or pork. It would also pair well with light appetizers and light cheeses. http://www.rutherfordwines.com/  SRP $12.00 

Note: This wine was a sample provided by Rutherford Ranch Vineyards & Winery

Try the recipe below with this wine and let me know what you think!

Spinach and Artichoke Pinwheels

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• Egg wash (1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of water)
• Dash of Sea salt

*Parchment paper for baking

Preparation

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees

Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels

Stir together spinach, artichoke hearts and next 5 ingredients

Thaw puff pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes

Unfold pastry and place on a lightly floured place or on heavy plastic wrap

Spread one half spinach mixture over pastry sheet, leaving an 1/2 inch border

Roll up pastry, jelly-roll fashion, pressing to seal seam, wrapping in heavy duty plastic

Repeat procedure with remaining mixture and pastry

Freeze 30 minutes, cut into ½ inch thick slices

These can be frozen up to 3 months

Brush with egg wash before baking. Place pinwheels on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown

Yield 4 dozen

Note: I just sampled this wine again last night, and I found the fruit flavors so vibrant and juicy. This is a great chardonnay for those of us who just can't take the oak! It is a wine that is great to sip alone or to pair with food.  I felt it warranted a re-post. I paired it with Drunken Goat cheese.

Rest In Peace Jess Stonestreet Jackson

Jess Jackson passed away on April 21, 2011 at the age of 81. We all know of him as the wine icon of Kendell-Jackson Wine Estates. I knew him through being an African American wine lover who had her first glass of chardonnay many years ago, and it had the Kendall-Jackson label, Vintner's Reserve on the bottle.  Many people experienced K-J chardonnay in a positive way, getting a quality wine for a price that they could afford. I always liked that about Kendall-Jackson wines; they were made accessible for all who wanted to experience a quality wine and be a part of the wine and food culture. Jess Jackson would  coin slogans to express how he felt about his wines, my favorite is " A Taste of the Truth."

I did not have the opportunity to meet Mr. Jackson, but if I did I would tell him, "Thank you." He and his staff supported my wine and food writing from the start, at a time when there were not many African American wine writers/bloggers around. I started a newsletter entitled, "Life's Little Luxuries Newsletter." The focus was to create some diversity in the world of wine. I began the newsletter in New Orleans, my hometown until Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August of 2005.

 I brought a sample of my newsletter to a Napa Valley  Wine tasting in 2005 in Uptown New Orleans. It was a wonderful event, which was a gift from a dear friend of mine, Donna. She has always encouraged me in anything I've wanted to do; but she really knew this meant a lot to me, so off we went. My newsletter was well received by many wineries, and that is how my wine and food writing began. Kendall-Jackson supported me in New Orleans and even after my evacuation to Little Rock, sponsoring events that I coordinated in Little Rock, AR and just checking on me and my family. I will never forget that about Jess Jackson and his staff. I even have a Christmas card of the vineyard with white Christmas lights on the vines that the PR staff signed. Those personal connections meant so much to me and made me think that Jess Jackson must have been a kind man. We generally hire people who remind us of ourselves, so he had to be a kind man.

So, farewell Jess Jackson; you will always hold a place in my heart. I did not get the opportunity to meet you, but I feel through your company's good works that I've always known you.

Here is a sample of my older reviews of Kendall-Jackson wines; it brings back sweet memories...

Lorrie’s Wine Picks

 Kendall- Jackson Grand Reserve 2005 Chardonnay (Jackson Estates Grown); $20.00

This wine is the epitome of what a well- balanced chardonnay should be. The wine is medium bodied with a mixture of tropical flavors including pineapple and a creaminess, which makes the finish go on and on..This wine went well with a shrimp appetizer I prepared as well with any shellfish dish. This wine is highly recommended.

Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2003   Merlot, $26.00       

 Dark fruit, especially plums, cocoa, and notes of cedar describe this well-balanced wine. It has lots of character that reminds one why they fell in love with Merlot for the first time. This wine is highly recommended. It pairs well with beef, Fontina cheese, cheddar, chocolate desserts or alone.

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Favorite Wine Quote:  "Wine is a lifestyle that chooses you, and then you marry!"

Lorrie S. LeBeaux 

Wine Review: Honig 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Honig 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

This wine has a very light straw color. The nose is quite fragrant, notes of citrus,  primarily zest of nectarines and grapefruit. The palate mimicked the nose with an addition of ripe juicy peaches, melons and a more of those lovely nectarine flavors that shine on and on. The finish is nice,  showing some mineral notes creating a nice mouth feel. This wine is so delightful, it just makes you want to have another glass. Ideal pairings would be with crab, grilled shrimp, orange glazed grilled chicken and light cheeses.  Note: This wine was a sample provided by Honig Vineyard & Winery. http://www.honigwine.com SRP $16.00

 

Wine Review: Honig 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Honig 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Let me first say that I was lucky enough and honored to sample this wine prior to its release. Winemaker  Kristin Belair has crafted a wine that is so "honest",  with the fruit being the star, and the oak being the supporting actor. This wine is a blend of 95.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4.5% Petit Verdot. I found this wine to be intoxicating and lush; just like the" perfect woman" one would see on the silver screen, playing the role of the seductress. I usually don't write flowery reviews, but I needed to provide this bit of imagery for the reader to fully understand my tasting experience.

Kristin Belair Winemaker at Honig Vineyard & Winery

The wine was a dark garnet color. The nose has aromas of ripe dark fruit integrated with lovely exotic spices. The palate mimicked the nose showcasing flavors of blueberries, dark cherries, hints of blackberries along with faint hints of coffee and coconut along with sweet vanilla oak finish. The oak was not overpowering, but played the role of creating balance and structure in the wine. The wine is rich and lush and  has a long finish.  The wine was paired with a rib eye steak pan seared in olive oil with a few sprigs of  rosemary, which infused the meat with a lovely earthy flavor that pairs so well with Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is wonderful to sip alone or pair with aged cheddar or Cahill Porter Cheese. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Honig Vineyard & Winery http://www.honigwine.com/ SRP $40.00