Hello my fellow mums. I know I haven’t been as active lately, and to be honest, with the hectic being-a-devoted-mom schedule that basically dictates my every day, I haven’t really had time for anything. But let me not bore you with baby food and diaper rashes today; this post will address something more fun – entertaining with wine.

As unbelievable as it may sound, I do find time in my overbooked calendar to entertain. Occasionally that is. Getting together with my family and friends gives me that much-needed respite from reality called balancing motherhood and career. Plus, my husband and I are not really Martha Stewart-style hosts, our parties are super simple. It’s either barbecue in the backyard or wine & cheese party. No dressing the table, creating place cards and arranged centerpieces, just white wine and cheese or grilled ribs, sausages and burgers. So if you are looking for techniques to help you plan a party from start to finish, look elsewhere; here I can offer you basic yet useful white wine pairing tips.

One of my favourite white wine pairings is chilled 42 Degrees South Sauvignon Blanc and goat cheese. The fresh and zesty texture, soft and creamy flavours and tropical fruit aromas of this wine and creamy goat cheese are such a great match. The wine is crisp and elegant and its medium acidity perfectly compliments the acidity of the cheese, making this white wine pairings well balanced and refreshing. Or the way I like to put it, a symphony in your mouth.

Of course, no wine and cheese platter is complete without crunchy, salty crackers. From plain to grain, sesame, corn and mazo, there is about any flavour you can dream up, but I prefer to make my own. If you haven’t ever made your own crackers, try it. It is the easiest culinary project; all you need is a baking sheet, a rolling pin and few ingredients you most likely have in your pantry. My two most liked recipes are semi-homemade baked tortilla chips and 15-minute salty sesame crackers (scroll down for recipes). Once you try them, you will not stop snacking. 😀

Another favourite white wine pairing of mine is Sauvignon Blanc and grilled turkey burger. The tangy texture and the layers of playful citrus aromas of Sauvignon Blanc wine amp up the flavour of the incredibly juicy turkey burgers my husband makes. Believe me, they are the real deal. Usually turkey burgers are dry, but not the ones my hubby makes. The secret – Italian turkey sausage and Worcestershire sauce.

Wine & cheese parties are fun. Remember, it is not about impressing your guests, it is about showing them a great time. So, do not stress, just have fun!!!

Semi-Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

• 12 flour tortillas

• sea salt

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp chili powder or paprika

Heat oven to 200°C. Mix the last five ingredients (without salt) to create almost paste-like mixture (if too dry add more olive oil). Brush both sides of each tortilla with the olive oil and herb mixture and sprinkle with sea salt. Cut tortillas into triangles, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes.

15-Minute Salty Sesame Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sea salt

• 1 tsp regular salt

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 3 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup corn flour

• ¼ cup olive oil (or any other vegetable oil)

• ¾ cold water

Heat oven to 220°C. In a bowl, mix all-purpose and corn flour with salt, sesame seeds and chili powder. Add oil and water (little at a time) and kneed the dough until it becomes soft and pliable (if dough is too soft, add few more tablespoons of flour). Flatten dough on a parchment paper with rolling pin to 2 mm thickness. Cut dough into squares, poke each square with a fork, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for about 10 minutes.