When it comes to holiday entertaining...think festive...think fun...think bubbles!
And what is more festive than THE Black Bottle Bubbly, Freixenet.
Of course I wanted the party to be fun but I also wanted to introduce my friends to Freixenet (pronounced fresh-eh-net), a world leader in Spanish Cava that has been produced by the Ferrer family since 1861. As well, I wanted to inspire them to try sparkling wine with cuisine beyond the expected. I know many think that a sparkling wine can only be served for special occasions or with special foods...but the truth is sparkling wines are very versatile and compliment cuisines ranging from Mexican to Asian to Thai, as well as with snacks and desserts!
I have long served Freixenet. In fact, it was the sparkling wine I served at my wedding 16 years ago. Its flavor, diversity, and value won me over. Always, but especially during the holiday season, I find that keeping a few bottles of Freixenet and some culinary staples on hand can make any occasion a special one, whether it is a planned soiree or an impromptu get together!
I selected the pairings for this party based on items I can and do keep stocked in my pantry or refrigerator. If I have these items ready to go, I just need to add a festive beverage like Cordon Negro Brut or Cordon Negro Sweet Cuvée and I have an instant party! I chose these two wines because I knew they would pair well with a variety of different dishes, from savory to sweet, meaning I could serve all the goodies I like without worry!
Here is a bit about each selection:
Cordon Negro Brut is a blended wine consisting of 3 traditional but little known Spanish varietals – Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. It is a crisp, clean, and well balanced, medium-bodied cava with a palate of apple, pear and bright citrus flavors. This wine is extremely versatile and pairs well with most foods, including spicy cuisine - you must try it!
Cordon Negro Sweet Cuvée is a sweeter wine, the palate is fruity with ripe summer peaches, and tropical fruit, culminating in a long, silky sweet finish. It pairs well with crème brûlée and other desserts, as well as with a variety of dishes and cuisine, ranging from oysters, seafood, and desserts, to more surprising pairings like spicy foods, pizza, and popcorn.
Here is a list of my go-to hors d'oeuvres selections (honestly my favorite thing is to make the hors d'oeuvres my meal!). When I am hosting anyone I serve a combination of these items. Rest assured the Freixenet selections compliment these items to perfection!
- Brie served cold with fig and olive crackers and perhaps a touch or apricot marmalade
- Or consider a baked brie with a subtle touch of savory spices
- Lemony hummus or spicy carrot hummus sprinkled with paprika and served with pita
- Lentil dip - so good you'll want to eat it with a spoon!
- Flat bread pizzas adorned with figs, prosciutto and goat cheese
- Salted Mixed Nuts
- Tamales (I always have a selection in my freezer!)
- Meats, such as turkey or even salami
- Sliced fruits, like honeycrisp apples and grapes
For dessert, well, I like to make dessert fun and unique. Instead of beginning with a traditional dessert selection, I selected a few unusual varieties of chocolaty, snacky items:
Dark chocolate covered orange sticks, chocolate covered espresso beans, and Chocolate and toffee covered popcorn made for a festive surprise!After the fun dessert, I served traditional persimmon pudding as well and topped it with homemade whipped cream.
While serving the hors d'oeuvres and the dessert course I offered extra glasses (I purchased 2 cases of inexpensive champagne flutes years ago and they do come in handy!) so that each guest could sample the different offerings with the different sparkling wines. It was fun and informative to hear what everyone thought about the different pairings.
And simple as that, I threw together an intimate but festive gathering of my friends. We enjoyed the food, we enjoyed the Freixenet and we enjoy each other - exactly as it should be!
When you plan you next party large or small, fancy or simple, consider serving Freixenet with some new food pairing and let your guest delight in your creativity.
Freixenet is widely available nationwide in restaurants, wine stores and grocery stores as common as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Publix.
Drive a MINI Sweepstakes
Freixenet is on the move this fall with a three month long MINI tour where a duo of Freixenet MINI Coopers are traveling the nation from New York City to Florida and ending in California. We will be popping up at retailers and popular restaurants and bars, where fans can enjoy samples, play games and find hidden bubbles to enter for a chance to win a two year lease on a brand new MINI Cooper! We’ve also hidden bubbles with rewards codes throughout the Freixenet website, our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages, and even in retail stores. Once you find a bubble, visit Find the Bubbles to enter the rewards code. Keep an eye out for more codes, as the more times you enter, the greater chances you have to win!
Please remember when you drink adult beverages,be a responsible drinker!
A designated driver is a must!
Happy Holidays!
Who says the holidays are the only time for bubbles? Make it your resolution to sparkle 365 days of the year with Freixenet cavas. Our sparkling wines come in a variety of different styles to suit any moment or mood. Cordon Negro Brut, our classic Black Bottle Bubbly, is great as an aperitif before a night out on the town or at home with takeout pizza. Our brand new Cordon Negro Sweet Cuvee is the perfect match for brunch favorites like pancakes and eggs benedict. Visit FreixenetUSA.com for more information about where to buy Freixenet sparkling wines and learn how you could win a 2-year lease on a new 2013 MINI Cooper.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Freixenet. The opinions and text are all mine.
