Christmas Eve Tapas Extravaganza! 2017

Note: Pre Christmas eve we enjoyed shrimp cocktail, and amazing beef tenderloin that had been covered in chopped garlic and fresh herbs and left to marinate for 24 hours. We enjoyed Champagne Salmon Selection Brut, and the Biale magnum. We also tasted a South African Moscato and Italian Moscato d' Asti provided by Jan.

First Course 

Cheese, sausage and olive tray
Fresh fruit tray
Beet deviled eggs

Wines for first course

• Champagne Salmon Selection Brut, 12% abv
• Weingut Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese, 2007, Nahe, Germany
• We also sampled some cool beers brought buy Jan and Mike

Second Course 

Oysters Rockefeller. FANTASTIC new addition to the menu.

Baked Brie with honey pistachios and served with cranberries and apple slices.

Wines for second course

• Taburno Falanghina del Sannio 2015 DOC, 13.5% abv
• Cuvaison Ada Chardonnay 2015 Carneros, Napa Valley, CA 13.5% abv
• Fiddlehead Cellars 2012 Sta Rita Hills Lollapalooza Pinot Nior Fiddlestix CA 15.5%abv
• Les Clos Grand Cru 2014, France abv 13% (Sadly we opened this and did not serve it.

Third course 2016

Fig empanadas served with corn relish and chunk salsa. 
Gorgonzola stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. Always on the list.
Spicy meatballs with pineapple. My mom's recipe. I made them this year with ground buffalo which made them eve better.

Wines for the third course

• Robert Biale 2015 Sangiovese Nonna's Vineyard Oak Knoll District Napa Valley CA 14.8 abv
• Revolver Wine Co Premiere Barrique 2014 Cabernet Franc Napa Valley CA 15.2% abv
• Brandlin 2014 Mount Veder Bald Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel Napa Vally, CA 15.5% abv
• Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, CA 2010, 14.9% abv (NOTE: everyone of these wines was fantastic.  The Staglin was by far the best, in my opinion)

Dessert 2017
Almond joy bars 
(Side note regrading dessert. We are usually too full by this time to enjoy.  Next year think of something light, may flan?)

Dessert Wines
Prager 2013 Aria White Port Napa Valley CA 19.5% abv


NOTE: Pat makes delicious crab cakes so he puts them together for us to make and enjoy after Christmas. Crab cakes with lemon remoulade. Note Chardonnay is a great pairing with the crab cakes