We love to greet family and friends with a fun series of light bites and wine when they come over for a gathering. There is a method to our madness for weekend cookouts. We try to prepare as much as we can in advance, so the day of the party is as easy as possible.
Offering simply prepared finger foods that your guests can enjoy with wine is the best way to keep things stress-free. Naturally, everyone ends up in the kitchen for a dinner party or on the deck for a cookout. Setting up stations in different areas encourages people to move around.
We almost always add a cheese station along with our party nuts, smoked honey butter, and bread, and then place the food with the paired wine around the house or backyard. This way you can enjoy the bite and stage the appropriate wine next to the setup. This naturally allows everyone to pour a wine that fits that specific dish.
You are now free to simply restock what has already been prepared while you are cooking away for your main course.
This ain’t your typical baked brie smothered in jam. This one is cooked on a cedar plank over a wood fire, infusing it with sweet smoke, and topped with a rich berry balsamic glaze. Feel free to substitute other berries. Blueberries work well for a milder (less sweet) taste, while strawberries provide a bright, bold, sweet contrast to the balsamic and creamy cheese.
MAKES 1 BRIE WHEEL, OR 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1 cup sliced strawberries
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (8-ounce) wheel brie cheese Shaved smoked almonds, for garnish (optional)
Special tool
1 cedar plank
One hour before cooking, pour water into a large dish and submerge the cedar plank in it. You can cut your plank in half to accommodate the brie wheel. Save the other half for another day.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the berries, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and salt. Stir until it reaches a simmer, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes to thicken. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to set into a jam-like consistency.
Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking, with a target temperature of 400 degrees F.
Remove the cedar plank from the water, and place the brie wheel directly on the plank. Top the brie with the berry glaze. Place over indirect heat, and cover the grill. Remove after 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese softens. Top with shaved almonds, and serve warm with your favorite crusty bread or crackers.
WINE PAIRING: We’re just getting the party started here, so rosé (sparkling or still) would be our choice. A mildly oaked chardonnay works well too, depending on the berries you use, especially with the smoky tones from the cedar plank.
There are so many great uses for Northwest salmon. If you don’t want to commit to a full meal but still want a salmon fix, this is a great appetizer for parties. We created this recipe for one of our favorite annual events at Anne Amie Vineyards called Counter Culture, a celebration of street food.
MAKES 24 CROSTINI
For the crostini
1 baguette, cut at a slight bias into 24 (¼-inch-thick) slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
For the salmon
½ pound wild salmon, such as coho
1½ teaspoons good-quality Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For the topping
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
⅓ cup goat cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons capers, chopped
¼ teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Finishing or Maldon salt
To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Using a silicone brush, lightly coat the tops of the slices with the oil. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the crostini are slightly golden. Remove the crostini from the oven, and rub them lightly with the garlic. The garlic will almost melt into the bread for added flavor. This can be done earlier in the day.
To smoke the salmon, preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using cherrywood.
Using tweezers, remove any pin bones from the salmon. Coat the flesh with the Dijon and season with salt and pepper.
Place the salmon on the smoker for up to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 130 degrees F. Remove the salmon and shred it gently with your fingers, leaving some large chunks. This can be done in advance.
To make the topping, in a large bowl, combine the crème fraîche, goat cheese, dill, lemon juice, capers, lemon zest, and kosher salt. Place the mixture in a ziplock bag, cut a small corner off the bag, and pipe about 1½ teaspoons of the filling onto each crostini. Top with a few pieces of salmon and a touch of finishing salt.
WINE PAIRING: Though salmon and pinot noir are a classic pairing, this preparation lends itself quite well to a riesling, crisp chardonnay, and even sparkling wine.
We probably overdid it on hummus a couple years ago because now we won’t go near it. This smoked white bean dip is such a refreshing change. It is creamy and rich in texture but mild, bright, and fresh in flavor. This is our new house dip! Pair with crackers or vegetables for the perfect midday snack or party appetizer.
MAKES 1½ CUPS DIP
1 (15-ounce can) northern or white beans
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed and for garnish
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using applewood or any fruitwood.
In a small smoker-safe dish, add the beans, including the liquid.
Smoke for 3 hours (the liquid will start to evaporate and the beans will start to look dry). Stir the beans every 30 minutes; otherwise, only the beans on top will take on the smoke. Remove the beans from smoker.
In a food processor, combine the beans, onion, lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, and thyme, and begin to pulse. Slowly pour in the oil, and continue to pulse, until the texture is smooth, almost like hummus. If the dip is too dry, add more oil or up to a tablespoon lemon juice as needed.
Place in a serving bowl, garnish with a drizzle of good-quality olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt to taste, and serve with crackers and vegetables.
WINE PAIRING: This dip works quite well with a fruity albariño from Spain or even an Italian pinot grigio. Their lemony richness is a great match for the brightness of the dip.
Bone marrow can be intimidating to eat and even more intimidating to cook, but it’s actually super easy to prepare and has some of the richest flavor of all the cow. Plus, it’s full of incredible nutrients, and it makes an impressive appetizer for a dinner party. Serve one marrow bone per couple with crusty toasted bread. Watch as everyone devours the marrow and talks about how much they look forward to the next time they come back for more.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
3 pounds, or 4 canoes, bone marrow (see note)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf crusty bread, cut into ½- to ¾-inch- thick slices (we like Italian Como bread)
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using applewood or cherrywood.
In a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper. Season each bone marrow with 1 teaspoon of the oil and top with the salt and pepper.
Place the bone marrow, marrow side up, on the smoker for 1 hour. The marrow will slightly liquify, and you will see some small bubbles coming out the sides. Don’t smoke too long because you will lose some of the liquid (and this is liquid gold!).
When the marrow is nearly done, place the bread slices under the oven broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until toasted.
Remove the marrow from the smoker and serve immediately with the toasted bread. To do so, serve directly from the canoes, cut side up. Using the smallest spoon you can find, or a cheese knife, scoop out a small amount of the marrow and spread it on a piece of the toasted bread, as if you were slathering jam on toast.
NOTE: When buying bone marrow, you will need to find a specialty butcher. Often bone marrow is available frozen or must be special ordered. You want “canoes” of marrow bones for this dish, which means they are cut along the bone lengthwise.
WINE PAIRING: This delicacy is richly flavored yet maintains a deep elegance. Loire Valley cabernet franc (from Chinon) works if you’re craving red. But we wholeheartedly think you should pair this rare treat with a nice Champagne (a blanc de blancs). You may be surprised how great of a match these two are.
Variation
Alternatively, you can grill the marrow. To do so, season the same way as on the previous page.
Then, over direct heat, sear the marrow side of the bone for 2 minutes, then flip and cook, marrow side up, an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the marrow is bubbling. Remove and serve immediately.
Add the sliced bread to the same grill over direct heat for no more than 1 minute per side to char.
Grill space is always a fun dance. Making sure your food is fully cooked, warm, and coming out when you want it can be a very time-consuming process. This is where it may be helpful to write down a timeline or prep sheet so you have a sequence of things ready and the fire warm and working when you need it. Consider all those things you can prep in advance, like your dips.
Reverse sear is a great way to have your meat smoked so you can simply finish over the grill. To keep your food warm or held at the right temperature, you can simply place the meat in a cooler (with no ice) and that will maintain an ambient temperature, keeping the meat “held.”
The gradient method is also a helpful way to move your food around so the hot items can be placed over the coals close to the grill grate and you can keep other cuts warm on the indirect side.
This became a popular appetizer for events we catered. You can really stretch a pork tenderloin by serving it in thin slices on baguette crostini and topping it with a sweet and creamy balance of BBQ sauce and crème fraîche. It makes for a delicious and elegant appetizer for parties, and it works well with leftover pulled pork too.
MAKES 32 CROSTINI
For the crostini
1 baguette, cut into 32 (¼-inch-thick) slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled
For the pork tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin, approximately 1¼ to 1½ pounds
2 tablespoons Sweet Rub (this page)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (8 ounces) crème fraîche
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce (this page)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Using a silicone brush, lightly coat the tops of the slices with the oil. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the crostini are slightly golden.
Remove the crostini from the oven, and rub them lightly with the garlic clove. The garlic will almost melt into the bread for added flavor. This can be done earlier in the day.
To make the pork tenderloin, preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using a fruitwood such as cherry.
Trim the silverskin off the tenderloin, and coat with the Sweet Rub and oil. Place on the smoker for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F.
After removing the tenderloin from the smoker, let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the tenderloin into paper-thin slivers.
In a medium bowl, combine the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and zest. Whisk to combine.
To construct the crostini, place two or three (depending on thickness) pieces of tenderloin on a slice of crostini, toasted side up. Add ½ teaspoon of the crème fraîche mixture, then ¼ teaspoon of the Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce. Garnish with parsley.
WINE PAIRING: The party is still young, so a young and fruity pinot noir or gamay feels right.
Mary challenged Sean to see if they could come up with a meatless queso dip that would taste just as good. We went with a mix of peppers to provide earthy flavors, sweetness, and heat. The result is so good you may want to make a double batch. You won’t miss the meat one bit. And this proves that you don’t need Velveeta for a crowd-pleasing cheese dip!
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
3 large Anaheim peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare the grill for direct grilling.
Place all the peppers over the direct heat. Rotate the peppers as the skin blackens, which can take a few minutes per side depending on the intensity of the heat. You want the skin to slightly char but not completely blacken or burn through the flesh of the pepper.
Remove from the heat, let cool enough to handle, then remove the skin. We like to run the pepper under cold water to help remove the skin. Dice the peppers and discard the seeds. The peppers can be prepared in advance of making the dip.
To make the dip, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and flour. Whisk consistently to make a roux, about 3 minutes. If it bubbles or looks as if it is browning, reduce the heat.
Add the milk and bring to a simmer (not a boil). Stir for 3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Add the crème fraîche and Dijon, stirring for 1 minute. Add the roasted peppers, cheese, salt, and black pepper. Stir as the cheese melts. Remove from the heat.
Transfer the queso dip to a slow cooker or fondue pot and serve warm.
WINE PAIRING: If you’re looking for something other than beer (which admittedly is great with queso), reach for something equally bubbly and refreshing. Prosecco or Cava work well.
This is a great appetizer if you’re looking for a light, meaty bite without the weight of bread for stability. Endive cups act as cute little sturdy boats for the sliced spicy sausage and creamy aioli and provide a nice crunchy contrast to the rich meat.
MAKES 30 TO 35 ENDIVE CUPS
Basic Aioli (this page)
1 ripe avocado
¾ pound hot Italian sausage
3 endive lettuce pods, rinsed, dried, and separated (approximately 10 to 12 leaves per pod)
1½ tablespoons whole ground mustard
Prepare the Basic Aioli in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, crush the avocado until creamy using a fork. Gently fold the avocado into the aioli. Transfer the avocado aioli to a ziplock bag and snip a corner to make a piping bag. Set aside.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking.
Place the sausages over direct heat, turning often and covering until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices at a slight angle. You should get 10 to 12 slices per standard-size sausage.
Construct the endive cups by adding a slice of sausage, 1 teaspoon aioli (piped out of the bag), and a small dollop of mustard (about ⅛ teaspoon).
WINE PAIRING: This is a shoo-in for a German riesling. The wine’s fruitiness and acidity cut through the richness of that juicy meat gorgeously. You could also opt for pinot grigio or another bright, fruity white wine. But carefully consider riesling first.
Grilling peppers adds an earthy and smoky element to any salsa or recipe using peppers. Inspired by a family history of salsa makers, we add the grilled peppers to a generations-old salsa, giving it an extra flavor kick.
MAKES 4 CUPS SALSA
4 to 5 Anaheim peppers (about ½ cup after grilled and chopped)
4 to 5 poblano peppers (about ½ cup after grilled and chopped)
2 serrano peppers (1½ teaspoons after grilled and chopped)
1 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
6 green onions, cut into thirds
1 cup fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Prepare the grill for direct cooking.
Place the peppers over direct heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until charred. This can take up to 14 minutes. You just want to blacken the skin with slight bubbles; any further charring will scorch the peppers and it will taste burned.
Remove the peppers from the grill and let cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin and remove most of the seeds. Roughly chop the peppers and put them in a food processor.
In the food processor, add the tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, vinegar, lime juice, and salt, and pulse until pureed. The texture should resemble a thick blender salsa.
Serve with chips.
WINE PAIRING: Inviting your friends over for a thought-provoking salsa and wine-pairing party isn’t really a thing (though I’d be excited to attend if you should throw one). Most likely this is the prelude to a bigger event with a spread of diverse flavors. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for something to go with your corn chips and those slightly spicy, earthy, and herbal flavors, a fruity rosé will never let you down. Remember, we’re still just getting the party started!
This is one of our favorite appetizers to serve at events. We can prep everything in advance, skewer them up in unison, keep them in a cooler until it’s time to grill, and then cook to order so they can be served hot and fresh. The savory marinade and intoxicating cherry BBQ sauce is quite an unexpected treat at the end.
MAKES 14 TO 16 INDIVIDUAL SKEWERS; 6 TO 8 SERVINGS AS AN APPETIZER OR 4 SERVINGS AS A MAIN COURSE
For the cherry-bourbon glaze
1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup bourbon
¼ cup cherry jam
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the marinade
1 cup dry red wine
½ low-sodium beef broth
½ cup diced red onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 stems fresh thyme
For the skewers
2 New York strip steaks (1½ pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 (15-ounce) package cremini mushrooms
1 large red onion, sliced into large pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
¼ cup Beef Rub (this page)
Special tools
Immersion blender
Small wooden skewers
One hour before cooking, soak the skewers (if wood) in water in a large dish or ziplock bag.
To make the glaze, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and then add the onion. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are softened but not caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the ketchup, vinegar, bourbon, jam, molasses, sugar, salt, and cayenne and bring to a simmer. This should take roughly 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to liquefy the onions and garlic, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the glaze simmer (but not boil) for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool and then store in the refrigerator. The glaze can be made in advance.
To make the marinade, in a 1-gallon ziplock bag, combine the wine, broth, onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
To prepare the skewer items, remove the stems from the mushrooms, wipe them clean, and cut them in half or quarters based on the size of the mushroom. Place the steak, mushrooms, and onions in the bag of marinade. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking. Remove the steak, mushrooms, and onions from the marinade and discard the marinade.
In a large bowl, add the steak, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. Sprinkle half of the dry rub into the bowl, and mix with your hands. Add the remaining dry rub and mix again to evenly coat.
Remove the wooden skewers from the water. To assemble the skewers, start with one tomato, then add one mushroom, one onion slice, and one steak cube. Use one of each item per small wood skewer for appetizer portions.
Place the skewers on the direct side of the grill, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes until you see grill marks. Flip, then grill for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until you see grill marks. Move the skewers to the indirect heat, apply the glaze liberally to both sides of the skewer, cover, and continue cooking until the steak reaches the desired internal temperature. We like to pull at 130 degrees F, or an additional 4 to 6 minutes on indirect heat (covered).
As soon as you pull the meat, glaze one last time. Let rest 5 minutes, or until the skewer is cool enough to handle. Enjoy as a bite.
WINE PAIRING: The char from the grilled steak, savory marinade, and sweet sauce make these excellent pairings for malbec, zinfandel, or even grenache. Stick with a fruity and bold red to stand up to the bold flavors of the meat and cherry glaze.
Our smoked almonds became so popular that we started providing them to wineries to sell in their tasting rooms. This version mixes three of our favorite kinds of nuts to cook on the smoker and incorporates our Sweet Rub (this page), giving it a great balance of sweet and spice and everything nice. These make awesome holiday gifts (place in a small airtight jar with a cute handmade tag) and are great just to have on hand for a healthy midday snack in between meals. We love to bring a baggie of these with us in our carry-ons whenever we travel to fight the urge to buy airport snacks.
MAKES 6 CUPS NUTS
2 cups raw almonds
2 cups raw pecan halves
2 cups raw hazelnuts
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Sweet Rub (this page), divided
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using a fruitwood (apple) or nutwood (pecan). In a 3-quart ovenproof glass baking dish, add the almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts.
Smoke for 3 hours, tossing every hour. Remove the nuts and place them in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the Sweet Rub until the butter melts. Pour the butter and Sweet Rub mixture onto the nuts while the nuts are still hot and stir. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon Sweet Rub to the mixture and stir to combine.
Serve warm or let cool and store in an airtight container in your pantry for several weeks.
There is an art to sequencing wine during a party. When hosting a potluck or even a plated meal, we typically have a pattern to staging wines. It all starts with the arrival. Having sparkling wine on ice with the glasses laid out is a great way to have a versatile wine that will go with a variety of flavors. In addition to sparkling wine, high-acid wines are wonderful as they also pair well with a variety of foods. If you want a catering trick, sequence your apps in stations, with one specific wine placed at that station. That way, as your guests move around your event, they naturally pair the specific wine with the food. Then if you move into a main course, those wines are already laid out.