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originalpinkmountain

Easy wine snacks to pull out of the fridge and pantry . . . ?

l pinkmountain
2 years ago

So I'm experimenting with wine snacks for my planned gift bags and so far I've not really loved anything. Last night I did cream cheese with wine/shallot jelly and almonds on a triscuit. It has such a strong flavor of vinegar and sugar that was all that came though, and all that acid was not all that much fun to eat, particularly with wine. I think that's why I quit making the pepper jellies and the like, I just didn't care for them that much due to the acidity and sugar drowning out the other flavors.


On the flip side, I used to make little jars of pickled peppers which I did like on top of cream cheese on a cracker. Another guilty pleasure I like is smoked oysters, with cheddar cheese and almonds.


I did a dab of cranberry strawberry jam, the cream cheese didn't go too well with that, not enough counter taste. It would probably be good with a brie or blue or other sharp cheese. And I tried a fresh marinated cucumber pickle with fennel, corriander and other mixed spices, that was good, better than the jelly but still very sweet and acid. I like thin sliced prosciutto but it isn't common around here. Mixed nuts always good. Salamis give me heartburn.


Hummus and spinach artichoke dip are my "go tos" and I'm trying to branch out. Wine pairings welcome too.

Comments (30)

  • Fun2BHere
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Two things I thought of right away:

    Parmesan frico Here is a Giada version.

    Olive tapenade (serve on a toast round)

  • plllog
    2 years ago

    I don't understand. Are you looking for nibbles made with wine, or just snacks that are nice to eat with wine?


    BTW, for jam with cream cheese, an old classic, which is great, is apricot.


    I'm not a big adherent of the stylish ideas eschewing complexity and prominent flavors and minimal ingredients. That's fine for restaurant food where that ethos reduces inventory and labor costs, but I notice on TV that chefs who are big on the whole minimalism thing are blown away by a good mole or proper curry, which have dozens of ingredients and a complex harmony that cannot be achieved with three notes. One is guitar, the other an orchestra, and both have their places.


    With good wine, I prefer the guitar. The simple contrast and backdrop. A bit of a delicate cheese with half a grape. Anything more with them would be too much, and they perk up the tongue and contrast with the wine. A water cracker with some smashed avocado and a thin slice of radish. No extra seasonings or herbs.


    But that's just me. If you want stuff made with wine, I don't really like them, so can't think of any. I cook with wine a lot, but don't like winey tasting foods much.

  • l pinkmountain
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    No, snacks to eat while sipping wine. Not snacks made with wine.

    One of the best things I ever had was at a wine tasting restaurant sort of like tapas, with home made smoked salmon, cream cheese and some marinated herbs and capers. And a fantastic rose. I guess it is coming around again in fashion.

    Maybe I should throw some sliced radishes into my fresh pickle brine, they would add a little punch. I don't normally like radishes but in a chopped marinated salad ok. Ooh, that reminds me of the French habit of just bread and butter on a toasted baguette chunk with a pickle topping. I'd probably opt for cream cheese or marscapone. I also love marscapone or cream cheese mixed with gorgonzolla and chopped walnuts, toasted if you want. Just about my all time favorite gourmet snack. I don't usually splurge on getting a baguette but maybe I should do it more . . .

  • l pinkmountain
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    F2BH, I need to try those parmesean crisps. I wonder if you can keep them in the freezer like I do with cookies. I've seen similar things recommended here before and I think I had some once at a restaurant but never tried my hand at making them. Gonna have to wait though, I am putting up garden produce all the time now and will be for a while. Good to save for later.

  • localeater
    2 years ago

    Buttered baguette with thinly sliced radishes and a sprinkle of sea salt.

    Mark Bittman's Rosemary Lemon Bean Dip is super yum.

    Pretzel chips.

    Sliced ciabatta, toasted in the oven, topped with a fresh slice of tomato, a chiffonade of basil and a drizzle of evoo, salt sprinkle, twist of freshly crushed pepper.

  • bbstx
    2 years ago

    I keep frozen phyllo cups on hand. A small piece of soft cheese with a dab of jam on top, run into a 350 degree oven until the cheese melts (maybe 10 minutes) makes for a wonderful, super quick ”bite.” For cheeses, I’ve used brie, Camembert, cambazola, any of the blue cheeses, anything that melts easily. For jams/preserves, I prefer fig, strawberry, or apricot.

  • chloebud
    2 years ago

    pinkmountain, those parmesan crisps are pretty tasty and do freeze well.

    This is something I've pretty much served at Thanksgiving or in the Fall. These are good and fine for year round. You can make the savory shortbread cookies well ahead and park in the freezer. I know this looks involved, but you can simplify by just combining the Roulade ingredients and use as a spread on the shortbread. No rolling pin or plastic wrap involved. Also, any small cookie cutter shape is fine. I'm just printing the recipe as I have it in my file.

    Blue Cheese Shortbread Leaves With Cream Cheese Roulade

    Shortbread Ingredients:
    3 1/2 oz. crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 cup)
    3 T. unsalted butter, room temp.
    1/2 cup flour
    1/4 cup cornstarch
    1/4 tsp. kosher salt
    1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
    1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

    Roulade Ingredients:
    1 8-oz. pkg. chilled cream cheese
    2/3 cup purchased spiced cranberry-apple chutney (or other favorite chutney)
    1/2 cup very thinly sliced green onions

    For Shortbread:
    Blend blue cheese and butter in processor until creamy. Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add walnuts and process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

    Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove top sheet. Using 2 1/2x1-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut out leaves. Transfer leaves to prepared baking sheets. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional leaves. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer leaves to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

    For Roulade:
    Using rolling pin, flatten cream cheese between sheets of plastic wrap; roll into 10x8-inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Spread 1/3 cup chutney atop cream cheese rectangle, leaving 1-inch plain border. Sprinkle chutney with 2 tablespoons green onions. Using plastic as aid and starting at 1 long side, roll up cream cheese, jelly-roll style, into log. Gently press remaining green onions onto roulade. Wrap roulade tightly with plastic. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

    Place roulade on platter. Surround with shortbread leaves. Top roulade with remaining 1/3 cup chutney and serve.

  • nancyjane_gardener
    2 years ago

    I've always loved the roasted garlic and brie on small baguette toast slices slightly toasted.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    2 years ago

    Akmak crackers, fig jam, goat cheese, and sliced marcona almonds

  • plllog
    2 years ago

    Those blue cheese shortbread leaves are fantastic. I've never made the accoutrements, though. ;)

  • Funkyart
    2 years ago

    What do i like with my wine? More wine.


    I may have mentioned this already, but i prefer savory/salty snacks-- i have been on a rosemary marcona almond kick.

  • OutsidePlaying
    2 years ago

    I also like savory or salty bites with wine. A slightly warmed brie drizzled with honey and sprinkled with toasted chopped walnuts is delicious.

    I also make a tasty carmelized onion and cherry tomato galette you can easily throw together with refrigerator pastry and serve warm or cold, cut into bite size pieces. The carmelized onions can be made the day before and then make the rest before your party.

  • lindac92
    2 years ago

    If you are showcasing the wine....cheese is best. served with perhaps a few slices of a baguette, or water crackers.

    If youa re looking for snacks tos erve with wine or cocktails....any or those posted sound nice.

  • ratherbesewing
    2 years ago

    I know you want to make your own, but this jelly from Trader Joes over brie has become a staple in my house. If you want something fancier, I use phyllo cups, a chunk of brie, a dollop of the jelly and some chopped almonds on top. Don’t you love my cooking terms?




  • arcy_gw
    2 years ago

    Spiced nuts came to mind right away. There are sooo many great combos and they are a snap to make and store well. At Christmas we have a homemade pepper jelly made from wild grapes and it's to die for with goat cheese and a glass of wine!!

  • nandina
    2 years ago

    I invented this years ago and my wine visitors wait expectantly for it to arrive on a decorative platter. It is a combination of two recipes; one original and one yummy, treasured seasoning recipe.


    ANN'S ORIGINAL CANAPE

    2 hard boiled eggs

    1 scallion, white part only

    1 tbs. sour cream


    Puree all together in a food processor until smooth. Cut thin white sandwich bread into rounds and spread egg mixture evenly over rounds. Top each with a light sprinkle of Oriental Almonds. (See below)


    ORIENTAL ALMONDS

    1/2 cup sliced almonds

    1 tsp. butter

    1/8 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

    1/8 tsp. salt

    1 tbs. soy sauce


    Toast the almonds in butter over very low heat in a heavy pan. Sprinkle with the spices and soy sauce and stir until until nuts are dry. Store in air tight container.

    Suggestion: Double or triple this recipe to keep on hand because the almonds are also delicious sprinkled on steamed vegetables.




  • Sueb20
    2 years ago

    Funky, rosemary marcona almonds are sooo good. Add some of those to my plate with my goat cheese and fig jam, please.


    I really like good old fashioned veggies and dill dip, or chips and salsa, too.


    Or pretzel chips with spinach dip.

  • sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
    2 years ago

    I'm a bit rusty with the cocktail hour snack bites. It has been so long. No plans to entertain anytime soon. Just another outdoor BBQ or two. I have started to re-stock the pantry with shelf stable items that we use often like olives, nuts, seeds, dried fruits....but never make fussy puff pastry things for just the two of us. More of a holiday fare. But here we go on another road trip if the Candian border stays open. Totally different social scene than NYC. In Newfoundland i like to have 'smalls' every day, all day long. For such a small village it is very social. Neighbors out walking stop by all day but usually the visitation hour is after a light supper...5-7. So something quick and prepped and easy i like to keep in the freezer. Nuts and nibbles.

    In NYC you would never just stop by. Mostly meeting up for brunch, dinner, or the local pub. Gatherings at home are planned with invites.

    Anything savory with wine and cocktails. Cloebud's shortbread is in my files. PuffPastry in my freezer is a quick cheese type straw or twist bow-tie 'one bite'. Cocktails here mean small bites. Mostly savory but a bit of sweet is welcome. Not chips and dips or extravagant charcuterie. Not a meal. Just social.


    Dorie Greenspans Gougeres

    (i think she meant 'bake straight from the freezer'?)


    Linky, HERE

  • Funkyart
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I am so having wine at Sue's house-- wine & snacks are simple here too-- veggies/dip, druk's sharp cheese, pretzel crisps, marcona almonds or similar and fresh blackberries or whatever looks good to put in glasses... and lots of wine. It's not that we don't get fancier.. but for casual visits, pulling out of fridge and pantry, these are things my family, friends and I always have on hand. Low stress, minimal cleanup and focus on visiting/chatting.. that makes us all happy.

    In fact, I am heading out for just such a gathering now.. :)

  • plllog
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    So, I happened to be chatting with a friend who's an expert in wine, and I asked her. She gave me a lot of info which went out the other ear about progression of edibles viz-a-viz the amount of wine consumed, progressing into the dinner. It was a whole calculous between preserving the tastebuds for appreciating the wine, stimulating them so they don't wear out, soaking up the alcohol, etc. Definitely start with Carr's water crackers, because fat is bad, but then introduce fats when you want to coat their stomachs. It was all very scientific but I wasn't in a position to take notes.

    The shareable tip she gave is that all the wineries are up with the charcuterie fad, even though fatty+salty is a no-no for wine tasting. She gave no explanation, so I don't know if that's guest driven (just what customers want to see), or if it increases sales of iffy wines, or what. But I also recently heard the word "artcuterie" on an ad. :) And that's where this project started, isn't it? Oh, and she said that in 25 years of producing charcuterie platters with no notice, she just pulls any all all things on hand and slaps them together. Implication being that if they're guzzling wine, not tasting wine, just give them strongly flavored finger foods and they're happy. ;)

  • Islay Corbel
    2 years ago

    Crusty bread and pâté.

  • l pinkmountain
    Original Author
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I figured out a way to use my strawberry cranberry jam--it turned out good on a graham cracker spread with Hershey's chocolate spread and then the jam on top of that. Good with one of our favorite wines, "Old Vin Zin" (fandel). It was a very good taste combination, the chocolate and the cranberry and the wine counterbalanced each other.

    I don't think that "charcuterie" is for wine tasting per se because yes, you are not going to really be able to "taste" the wine if you pair it with other strongly flavored things. But I like to drink wine with food too. I think any type of snack with wine is for sitting and enjoying both wine and food. And if you are winos and foodies like we are, you are going to want to do that a LOT, and not just with friends. So what I was thinking of is little easy peasy wine snacks that aren't necessarily formal of fussy and can easily be put together when the mood strikes. Could also work really with cocktails.

    We just came back from two days at a beach town. Alcohol and small bites "al fresco" are big right now. People don't want to be inside anymore in the summer. Honestly, unless it is cold and rainy, I am totally on board with this trend!! It could just as easily be called "tapas" I guess, although for me, tapas is something a little more involved.

    The best foods I found from our meager samplings were plain stuff but with high quality ingredients and simply prepared. We had some deep fried breaded portabella mushrooms strips which were excellent. Just a simple take on the bar standard of deep friend mushrooms, but with the more flavorful portabellas and a home made breading so not the salty, soggy cloying stuff that is basically thawed from the freezer and fried at most bars. I won't be making that at home any time soon, although I might give my marinated mushroom salad another try. I had it once at a restaurant salad bar and liked it so much I got the recipe. But that's not really a "poof" or "poop" (pantry) kind of thing, but definitely a good tapas food, anything with mushrooms.

    I used to keep the phyllo cups in the freezer. I maybe can again, but right now gonna have to put on hold as I am desperately trying to clear out our freezer so I can clean it before I have to fill it with summer harvest things . . . Those phyllo cups make any type of thing taste gourmet. I used to make jam tarts with them all the time . . . absolutely a poof item since they do not hold up well once filled, they get soggy. I once served them at a party filled with store bought spinach dip and topped with a sliced water chestnut and I got raves. No one at the party had ever thought of that before . . .

  • plllog
    2 years ago

    ROTFLOL!!!!

  • bbstx
    2 years ago

    Sent that photo on the family text thread because half of them are that generation! Hilarious!!

  • User
    2 years ago

    This is a recipe i saved from the New York Times. i haven't made it yet myself; it’s a variation on choux pastry which can be fiddly, so making it in advance is probably the best idea, then freezing.


    Cranberry Cheddar Gougeres


    INGREDIENTS

    • 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
    • 3 ounces unsalted butter (6 tablespoons)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup sifted flour
    • 5 large eggs
    • 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar

    PREPARATION

    1. Turn on food processor and finely chop cranberries by dropping them in through feed tube. Remove cranberries, but don’t bother cleaning bits clinging to the bowl. (Cranberries can also be chopped by hand.)
    2. Place 1 cup water in a 2-quart saucepan. Add butter and salt, bring to a simmer and cook just until butter melts. Remove from heat, add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook dough, stirring, about a minute. Transfer dough to food processor.
    3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Turn on food processor and add 1 egg to the dough. As soon as it’s completely incorporated, add another, and continue adding eggs 1 at a time until you have used 4. Add chopped cranberries and Cheddar and pulse to blend. (This step can be done by hand, but it’s a lot more work.)
    4. Line 1 large or 2 smaller baking sheets with parchment. Drop teaspoons of batter, in mounds about 1 inch across, on baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Beat remaining egg. Brush tops of mounds with egg, taking care not to let any drip down the sides.
    5. Bake 15 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until well browned. Shut off oven, open oven door a few inches and leave gougères another 15 minutes before removing them. When completely cooled, the gougères can be transferred to a heavy plastic bag and frozen. Reheat them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

    These can be frozen and reheated before serving

    Notes: boil the butter and water then add the flour, as you would for regular choux. The quality of cheddar used makes a big difference in the finished product. Do not use pre-shredded cheese as it contains a chemical coating meant to prevent clumping that affects taste and melting point temp.

  • shirl36
    2 years ago

    I know I am running late for this party but maybe for next time. A spread made with cream cheese, real bacon bits and horseradish. Real tasty on crackers or toasted baguette.

  • Sueb20
    2 years ago

    I made these pita chips last week and my family inhaled them. So easy and can be served with hummus (which I hate) or another dip.


    https://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/homemade-baked-pita-chips/


    I made them again today but used cinnamon and sugar instead of the savory spices. Yum.

  • l pinkmountain
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I was visiting a nearby town and went to a really, really nice coffee house and gift shop. They had a whole section of the gift area devoted to gourmet snacks, many of the traditional cheese or charcuterie board accompaniments. Wonder if that place will stay in business long, wonder how many local folks can afford such stuff. Wasn't in a particularly touristy area, but there are a lot of little specialty shops in the town. In fact, that's why I was there, to visit a specialty framer to pick up a piece she had conserved for me. Anyway, I pondered how many of them I could make myself. Certainly some seasoned nuts and chutneys, mustards . . .

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