Virtual Supper Club Launch Party
by Cindi Sutter, Founder of Spirited Table®
Welcome to our first Supper Club table. Take your seat and have some fun.
Guests and Tastemakers in Residence setting the recipe table tonight are… Your first course is from Shauna Niequist author of Bread & Wine. Your second course is from our very own Tastemaker in Residence, Zehorit Heilicher. The third course is from our Tastemaker in Residence, Vicki Brunsvold. I’ve added some table top ideas, and some options for a cocktail and wine pairing with each course. The nicest thing about a Virtual Supper Club is you can use this template any time you choose, and switch it up to meet your needs and expectations. Last, but definitely not least is a former Tastemaker, Lydia Stassart, who presents you with How to Remove Stains in her book The Art of Hosting & Decorating.
Let’s begin with a table setting that was created on my deck a few years ago. The base is a white plastic table. Then we took a piece of unfinished fabric and threw it across the table… nobody cares if you have an uneven tablecloth. If they do, they’re not at the right house.
The dishes are literally 30+ years old, and you can see I mixed them with some Mexican glassware for fun. The flatware has a plastic handle and is super casual.
The centerpiece is made from artificial sunflowers and the vase was a wedding gift. Lastly, the oddly shaped piece to the left of the candles is a napkin holder which I sometimes convert to a taco holder.
Your first course for the evening is a Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe that comes from one of my absolute favorite books - Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes by Shauna Niequist. In my opinion, Shauna’s book is a must read!
If you like to begin with a cocktail, try this Jaisalmer French Gimlet. If you prefer a wine pairing we like this Jeunesse Belle Rouge, Sparkling Red Wine from Herzog Wine Cellars.
Your second course is your main course today. I want you to know you can have three courses and have a wonderfully full evening. If you have time add cocktail and wine pairings. But it doesn’t have to be so extensive it’s over the top and doesn’t leave time to just be spontaneously ready for a party.
Second course is from Zehorit and it’s a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with a splash of Italian added, that we like to pair with a Grüner Veltliner from Germany, of your choice. A light Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc would work too. This soup is very hearty and seasonally perfected to use for quite a while now. A bonus add-on is Zehorit’s commentary on Soup Season - Butternut Squash!
Third course is Vicki’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. She compares this recipe a bit to a Whoopie Pie, but prefers the name and ingredients whose leanings are more like a cookie. All I can say is that Vicki is very prolific with creating recipes that are tasty and not too hard to make. We feel this cookie pairs perfectly with one of my husbands’ all-time favorite liqueur. The name alone makes you smile. Chocolate Amore from Trentadue, in the Alexander Valley. Tasting Notes from the winemaker explain it the best! “We produce this opulent dessert wine from Merlot grapes grown on our Geyserville Ranch. Borrowing from the traditions of port making, we add neutral grape spirits to stop fermentation, trapping a percentage of sugar in the wine. Once Chocolate Amore is finished aging and is ready for bottling, we infuse a tiny amount of natural chocolate extract to the final blend, creating the perfect marriage of food and wine. This Merlot based, port-styled wine is great over vanilla ice cream or as a stand alone dessert”.
There will be plenty of Supper Clubs with more than three courses, so I hope we’ve presented you with an attainable first supper to try at home. And since I’ve been known to be a bit of a spiller; I want to leave you with a list of some of the best ways to get rid of those nasty spills! I present How to Remove Stains from Lydie J. Stassart’s book The Art of Hosting and Decorating.