This past weekend, I went to a housewarming party for my friends J & K. These two are about to be engaged, and thus about to register for a million household items that they actually want.
With that in mind, I decided to do something really different, and not buy stuff that they probably didn't need, and might end up tossing when the get the stuff they register for. So, I put together what I thought was a really cool housewarming gift, and wanted to share it with you.
Fatemeh's Wine & Food Pairing for new Homeowners*
- Head to your favorite wine shop, or even CostPlus.
- Assemble a half case (or certainly, you could do a full case) of unique mid-price wines, trying to keep food pairings in mind, and trying to provide the giftees with a well-rounded selection of high-quality, best-value wines.
- Keep the bottles diverse -- something for ever mood, as it were. In my case (no pun intended) I included things like Christian Moueix Merlot, Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio, Woop Woop Shiraz and Faunus Primitivo di Manduria.
- Next, on one side of a 5"x8" card, write tasting notes and suggested food pairings. On the other side of the card, using removable glue or tape, attach a 4"x6" card containing one recipe that would pair perfectly with the wine.
- Punch a hole in the corner of the big card, and tie it onto the bottleneck with ribbon or twine.
- If you can get your hands on a really nice wooden 6-bottle crate, wonderful. Otherwise, simply put the bottles into a standard half-case carrier, and deliver!
My friends LOVED this gift. And I hope that it will lead them to toast to each other, their home, and their future for months to come!
Salut!
*Remember that most new homeowners are flat broke. Between closing costs and unexpected expenses, most of them are either tapping the REALLY good stuff in their cellars or drinking, well, swill. Save these poor souls.