A Journey to the Spanish Main

You know your life is crazy when it takes you more than a day to get something on your blog that you are excited about. What am I excited about, you ask?  Last weekend it was my turn to host the wine club ... and as anyone who knows me well knows ... I like to go big or go home. The assignment was Spain. So, I could have gone easy and done a tapas party and it would have totally been appropriate ... but instead I decided to whip up a five-course Spanish dining adventure.

Here's a breakdown of the evening ... I remembered to take pictures of the wine bottles, but I should have totally taken snaps of the food! Oh, well, I'll link to the recipes as a compromise.

First course: Padron Peppers with Goat Cheese and Bacon-wrapped Dates paired with a Basa Reuda Blanco. Okay, let's be honest, you really can't go wrong with something that has cheese oozing out of it and something wrapped in bacon. The appetizers were fantastic and the wine couldn't have been a more refreshing way to start off the whole event. It was bright and fruity, fresh and crisp. A perfect delight for a hot summer night (which we seem to be getting a lot of in our neck of the woods.)

Second course: Caramelized Tomato Salad with Mahon Cheese paired with El Coto Rioja. So my local store didn't carry the San Simon cheese the recipe called for, so I sued a Mahon cheese. This salad was absolutely amazing. It was so sweet and I could have eaten all of it. Cheese and tomatoes are a perfect marriage. It's no surprise Caprese is my favorite food! Once again, the wine went splendid with the food. It was very light and only had a short finish. It did cut the sweetness of the salad every so slightly and became almost a palate cleanser in preparation for the next course.

Third course: A Tuna Empanada paired with Martin Codax Rias Baixas Albarino. Okay, my empanada didn't turn out quite like the photo, but it tasted good. The pastry crust was a bit crumby -- making cutting it a real treat, but the flavors of the filling were nice. And it was very easy to make! The ladies all compared this wine to Crispin. I'm not familiar with Crispin myself, so I have to take their word on it. But another crowd pleaser.

Fourth course: Guisado de Chorizo y Papas paired with the Vina Zaco Tempranillo. This was a lovely stew. The recipe I made said it only made 3 - 4 servings, but it made a lot of stew. I served nine people a decent bowl and still had leftovers. I'm normally a fan of tempranillo, and this one was good ... but it was excellent with the stew! There was something about the paprika in the stew or the spices of the chorizo that just sang with the wine. Definitely a future pairing must.

Fifth course: Chocolate Souffle Cakes with Vanilla Thyme Ice Cream paired with Garnacha de Feugo. First, I have to give props to my lovely sister C. She swooped in and helped me make the cakes while I was trying to get everything else ready. Fortunately, her favorite cookies are meringues, so when it came to whipping up the souffles, I couldn't have asked for a more seasoned pro. I had already heard great things about this Garnacha and it didn't disappoint. I don't know if it was because it was the fifth one I'd tried, but there was something about it with the vanilla ice cream that just ended the meal on a very high note. Oh, and the cakes were mouth-watering delish.

And the topper: Red Guitar's Tempranillo-Garnacha. So, I thought it would be fun to end the evening with the blend of the last two wines. (And I just so happened to have a bottle in my wine rack.) This wine takes the best elements of the tempranillo and melds it with the garnacha ever so pleasantly. I can often drink this one on its own when I need to just relax and unwind.

All-in-all, I am in love with Spanish wines. There is something relaxing about them, yet vibrant at the same time. It definitely gives me a reason to go their and try many local varieties.