CROSTINI VIRTUAL WINE GROUP
Sometimes you don’t have to look too far for a silver lining. Normally, a neighborhood wine group would be limited to people nearby. Because we had a virtual session, neighbors who were out of town and a friend from Poland joined the session. It turned out to be a really good time.
CONCEPT (Check out the blog)
The Crostini concept turned out to be a great fit for wine groups and a lot of fun. Crostini are easy to make, shareable, easy to eat and pare really well with wines. Past that, they taste great.
Crostini Menu
-
Smoked Salmon With Salmon Spread
-
Seared Sea Scallop With Horseradish Cream Cheese
-
Smoked Salmon With Horseradish Cream Cheese
-
Mortadella With Herbed Cream Cheese And Pepperoncino
-
Roast Beef With Horseradish Cream Cheese And Green Onion
-
Bacon With Herbed Cream Cheese, Pesto and Sun Dried Tomato
-
Roasted Brussel Sprouts With Gorgonzola Cream Cheese
-
Roasted Grapes With Gorgonzola Cream Cheese And Red Onion
-
Walnut, Apricot and Brie Crostini
-
Sweetened Strawberry With Herbed Cream Cheese And Balsamic
DELEGATION
The idea was to provide the 6 couples participating with a baguette and the option of using the recipe provided or making something that met their fancy.
COLLECTION
We asked everyone to bring their Crostini to our house at 3 pm on Saturday. Trays consisting of 12 Crostini (2 of each) were assembled.
DISTRIBUTION
The trays of crostini were then dropped off at 5 pm to each of the local participants.
FLEXIBILITY
Stuff comes up. One couple was going out of town to their lake house. Since we were meeting virtually, I gave them the recipes and a few baguettes along with the zoom call in number. They were all in. Another couple called from the road. They were going to be late getting home from vacation and while they would be home in time for the call, they wouldn’t have time to prepare anything. Again, not a problem. It was very easy for me to make 24 crostini instead of 12. I was able to use some common ingredients and a different protein to add a variant that was pretty tasty.
A grilled shrimp and salmon spread Crostini was a pretty tasty last minute addition
CONNECTION
At 7 pm (Elvis time) we got together via zoom. My buddy Lucien Vendome who lives in Poland, saw my blog, heard about our plan for a virtual session and asked to join. The fact that Lucien is a world renown French Chef is special. That he called in during the middle of night was a little different, but a lot of fun. Lucien was enjoying a glass of wine from Georgia, not the state of Georgia, but the country between the Caspian and Black seas. (I had to google it). Lucien and I got to share some old war stories about culinary events we shared in Paris. The promise to celebrate the end of the Covid era with the group on the call together with Lucien in the South of France got us all thinking.
FORGET PARIS (Check out the blog)
Lucien and I got to tell the group about visit to a Paris Market and Picnic feast with Susan Kenny, Steve Williams, Jody Driver, Charlie Thelluson
THE GLASS IS HALF FULL
At the end of the evening, the realization was that because of Covid, we were forced to do something different. That difference was a silver lining…
If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/wine group/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.