Pairings

Ingredients:

• One bottle of wine that is fruit forward (the Ruby Crowned Kinglet or European Starling are the best)
• 4 Cinnamon Sticks plus extra for garnish
• 4-5 whole Star Anise (or 5 drops pure extract)
• 8-10 whole cloves
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ of an orange rinds (no white) & 2-3 slices of the orange; slice extra orange halves for garnish

Directions:

• Put all ingredients in a slow cooker & stir
• Heat on low for an hour to an hour & a half, then turn dial to keep warm
• Serve in a clear mug with an orange slice and cinnamon stick

Mulled Wine can be cooled and bottled in either a wine bottle or canning jar to reheat later. Just remove all the bits from the wine first.

Ingredients:

• Pint of whipping cream
• ½ cup Nutella
• Fresh berries for garnish

Directions:

• Pour whipping cream in a chilled bowl and use your mixer or beaters on high until stiff peaks form. If it’s too warm, put the bowl in an ice bath and continue to whip
• Slightly melt the Nutella in a microwave safe dish. Nuke 10 seconds at a time. You want a smooth, flowing texture – you don’t want to heat it too much or it will break the cream.
• Fold into the whip cream until just mixed. Don’t over stir or the whip cream will not remain stiff.
• Serve with fresh berries as a garnish

Ingredients:

• One rack of lamb
• 3-4 tbsp. Whole grain Dijon mustard or white wine mustard (Boars Head sells the best products)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• Salt & Pepper
• ½ tsp Rosemary (dried)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cups soft bread crumbs (hotdog or hamburger bun bread is best)
• Mint jelly to dip

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 385 degrees
• Slice the rack of lamb with the grain, separating each rib. This is the trickiest part – the bone angles so you’ll need to cut carefully to avoid it. Feel around for it with your hands before cutting so that you get even, beautiful slices.
• Place each piece of lamb on a parchment lined pan
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper (be generous with the pepper)
• Smother each piece with the mustard
• Sprinkle the minced garlic over the lamb evenly
• Sprinkle the rosemary over the lamb evenly
• Place all of the soft breadcrumbs on the mustard covered lamb. Press it down so that it sticks nicely to it
• Brush the bread with the olive oil. This prevents the bread from burning.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on the level of doneness you are after. Med-Well is the best.
• Serve with mint jelly on the side.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Gruyere cheese coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• ½ to ¾ cup white wine
• Juice of 1 lime or 2 tbsp bottled lime juice
• White Italian loaf cubed

Directions:

• Coat the grated cheese with the cornstarch
• Put the wine, lime juice and garlic into a pot. Bring it to a gentle boil
• Reduce heat to med-low and begin putting in the cheese a handful at a time
• Whisk cheese until melted then put more in and whisk. If it gets too thick, add a couple tbsp more wine. Cheese should be the consistency of “nacho cheese sauce” and smooth
• When all the cheese is melted and smooth, transfer it to a heated fondu pot and maintain the temperature hot enough to keep the cheese melted. And electric one works much better than a candle operated one.
• Dip the cubed bread in the cheese! Enjoy!