Island Bocadillos (Bites) at the Gilbert's house

We'd just come back from Isla Mujeres and were crazy about their Tikinxic! This local recipe for fish is amazing. Obviously I couldn't quit match it, but I gave it my best shot.

Aperitivos:
Guacamole
Shrimp Salsa
Tortilla Chips
Mango and Pineapple with Chili Powder

Cena:
Tikinxic Fish Street Tacos and Spicy Mango Slaw
Sliced Mango

Dulces:
Paletas

The wine was a Malbec. I don't remember who brought what, but the 2012 Kaiken Ultra won, The 2012 Lambert Bridge came in second and the 2015 Layer Cake came in third. It just goes to show you that Argentina knows how to make malbec!

Shetler's; Cold International Supper

I'm late on posting for the Wine Tribe! This dinner party was at the Gilbert cabin, but it was the Shetler's turn. The temps are usually high in the summer, so Mark planned a cold, refreshing meal. Of course that meant it was cool that weekend.

Appetizers (Italy)
Crostini with three spreads
~Olive and Caper
~Almond Tomato Parmesan
~Fig Rosemary

Gazpacho (Spain)

Carrot Slaw (Asia)

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich (India)

Frozen Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Banana Loaf

They called for a red blend. We won with a Calaveras 2014 Blend from Allegorie, The Wades came in second with a 2015 Seven Deadly Red, the Shetlers came in third with a 2014 blend by Brandlin called Prince & Pedro. Over the weekend we polished off a few bottles.

For the Love of Friends

This is a great title for our gathering at the Wades. For many years now we have fellowshipped around food once a month, and I absolutely never grow tired of it. This time they called for a Cabernet Sauvignon. When I saw the food I understood why!

Appetizers
Savory Sausage Meatballs
Garlic Roasted Mushrooms

Crostini & Cheese with Rombauer Chardonnay-Soaked Raisins

Salad
Wedge Salad with Bacon, Point Reyes Blue Cheese and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Main Course
Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola Butter
Creamed Spinach
Bacon Potato Rosettes

Dessert
Snickers Brownie Truffle

Wine Competition Winners...
Gilberts take home first place with a Palisandro 2011 Cab,
Wades came in second with Justin 2014 Cab,
Shetlers came in third with C.G. Arie 2011 Cab 

French Food, California Style

French recipes are my favorite to prepare for some reason. I think it's the savory flavors... I love Allspice, Herbes de Provence, and lavender. This time I prepared a repeat dish, Tourtiere. The meal just seemed so old-fashioned and elegant, I dug out my wedding china from the eighties. It fit just right.

HORS D'OEUVRES
California Caviar (Sturgeon)
Creme Fraiche

Baked Brie
et Craquelins

SALADE
Spiralized Zucchini, Carrots, and
Tomatoes with Olives Oil Spritz
and Truffle Salt.

SOUPE
Sherry Tomato

PLAT PRINCIPAL
Tourtiere with Sauce Aux
Champignons (Mushrooms)
Puree de Pomme de Terre
(Creamed Potatoes)

DESSERT
Glace a la Vanille Avec
Puree de Mangue (Mango)

Un Assaggio di Toscana at the Wade's

Look at this beautiful Tuscany table setting! The Wades produced a lovely night of delicious wine and food paired with friendship. They called for an Italian wine for the competition. Check out this menu!

ANTIPASTI
Assortimento di salume e formaggi con i cracker
Olive e peperoni
Pate' di fegato Toscano con bruschetta

PRIMO PIATTI
Pappa al pomodoro

SECONDO PIATTI
Ragu' di manzo brasato con pappardelle

CONTORNO
Insalata di arancia e finocchio

DOLCE
Biscotti al cioccolato con pistacchi
Biscotti arancia e ricotta
Ricciarelli
Vinsaanto
Cappuccino
Amaretto

We finally won the competition! It's been a long time. Joe and I brought a Sicilian wine--Mario Ercolino, Saserello, 2013. Second was Renieri, Brunello di Montalcino, 2011. Third was Modus, Ruffino, 2012

California Dinner (Celebrating Cheese)

It always takes me forever to post our own dinner party, especially if we lost the wine competition... which we did :(  But it was still a blast! Joe and I had been gone for a month down in Puerto Escondido (check out my travel blog: http://dashingboldadventure.blogspot.com/), and our dinner was scheduled for the Friday after we got home. Less than a week! So that's my excuse for making my fall-back spaghetti. I called for Zinfandel.

Snacks:
Cheese Drizzled with Olive Oil
Black Finger-Olives
Crunchy Parmesan Wafers
Marcona Almonds & Dates

First Course:
Caprese Salad

Main Course:
Roasted Carrots,
Spaghetti with Spicy Meatballs,
Olive Cheese Bread

Dessert:
New York Style Cheesecake with Kona/Caramel Sauce and Berries

Wine competition:
Wades 1st place with Opolo, Mountain Zin, 2014 (Paso Robles)
Gilberts 2nd with Dobra Zemla, Zin, 2014 (Amador)
Shetlers 3rd with the prettiest bottle of Poizin, Zin 2013 (Sonoma)

A Visit to Peru at the Shetler's

I just don't know how these people do it? Mark had a procedure to his shoulder the week of their dinner party, yet he still managed to prepare a feast (with a lot of help from Melissa of course). She'd given him a Peruvian cookbook for a present, so there ya go... he made a Peruvian dinner. Naturally that called for a Cabernet Sauvignon from South America :)

This time we did something a little different. We brought our house-guests from Italy, Gianluca and Egle. We don't usually have additional guests at our parties, and this is the first time we invited them to compete... they came in second place!!!

We started with Chilcanos:
Chilcano de Pisco and Sauvignon Blanc (no photo)

Then we had three different types of Ceviche:

Ceviche Clasico

Ceviche de Mango

Ceviche de Champinones

Then an Aperitivo:
Pastel de Chocio

Plato Principal:
Papas Rellenas

Pechugas de Pollo con Salsa de Quinua

Ensalada de Vegetales

Postre
Alfajor Clasico con Dulce de Leche
Helado de Canela y Coco

1st - Cruz Alta 2012, Argentina (Wades)
2nd - Medalla Real 2012, Chile (Fersinis)
3rd - de Gras 2013, Chile (Gilberts)
4th - Mascota Vineyards 2013, Argentina (Shetlers)






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Texas BBQ at the Wade's

My mouth was watering in anticipation of this one, and I wasn't disappointed. But first we had to be properly welcomed to the Wade Family Ranch by their 4 year old granddaughter, Mina. She had us sign in on her Frozen magnetic drawing board, then she escorted us outside to the "dining area."

They had called for a Red Wine Blend so I dragged one from the cellar from the cabin :)

Rustic Cheese Board with Assorted Crackers
Texas Sweet Tea (This was a cool idea of putting the tea in mason jars with the lids on, in a bucket of ice... clever)

DWs Texas Smoked Brisket

Mom's Potato Salad

Southern Coleslaw with Granny Smith Apples

Mom's Best Baked Beans

Sweet Corn Bread

Sloughhouse Corn-on-the-Cob

Ol' Fashioned Peach Cobbler A La Mode with Haagen Daz Vanilla Ice Cream

The Shetler's won with a bottle of One Armed Man  The Wades came in second with their favorite wine, Stephanie. We trailed in last with Hatcher Meritage. That tells you how good the wine was if a Hatcher came in last!