Cordial Catering & Concierge

Catering for Oregon Pinot Camp

2007-06-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised to when Cordial Catering was asked to cook a luncheon for the guests of "Oregon Pinot Camp" a four day invitation only event for wine industry professionals, restaurateurs & other "cork dorks" (I mean that affectionately, of course)

This is serious business for wine aficionados.

4 days of intensive seminars, blind tastings, workshops, fabulous dinners & more... I was honored to be a part of such a great representation of Oregon & it's wonderful wine & food...

Lunches were served on biodegradable plates, creating less stress on our fragile valley and much of the information given concerned sustainable growing practices, two causes very important to me.

for more info: http://www.oregonpinotcamp.com/

Since the focus of this event is the wine, I was careful when planning my menu not to use ingredients such as vinegar or asparagus that have a tendency to make wine taste off.

I created a menu of Mexican flavors using farm fresh local Willamette Valley produce, meats & cheeses.

Oregon Pinot Camp Luncheon

Walnut City Wineworks
Sunday, June 24

Aperitivo:
savory corn cakes topped w/cold water shrimp & chipotle crèma

Ensalada:
torn romaine lettuce w/ local bacon, white hominy & scallions

Torta:
spice rubbed carlton farms beef sandwich
w/caramelized walla walla sweet onions, cotija & shredded cabbage

Tamal:
vegetarian black bean & goat cheese tamales w/ancho mole

Dulces:
mini tres leches cupcakes
sweet pinot noir macerated munoz farms strawberries

Bebida no alcohólica:

jamaica agua fresca “hibiscus tea”

Thanks to the staff at WWO for their assistance & to OPC director Sue Horstmann for inviting me to be a part of this exciting event!

Sparkling Brunch & Walking wine tour

2006-07-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday I hosted a lovely brunch and wine tour for a group of ladies.

To make it official we talked about how bubbly is made, "methode champenoise" and what grapes are used to make Champagne & other "frizzanti's" from other areas. Then I popped some open. This month's brunch we compared a drier '00 "Cremant" style from St. Innocent (OR) -VS- a sweeter style (NV) like, Celebrate from Kramer vineyards (OR) a semi-sparkling wine made from Muller-Thurgau grapes.

For brunch:

Eggs Benedict and perfectly ripe melon w/prosciutto

Crepes w/fresh cream & raspberries..

After we wrapped things up, we set off for Panther Creek, one of my favorite "urban wineries"http://www.panthercreekcellars.com/

We tasted a lovely Pinot gris, their Cuvee Pinot Noir, and then through their '03 single vineyard selections. I really loved Nysa & Shea, but Freedom Hill was also popular with my tasters!

Martha was a great & knowledgeable guide and gave my ladies special attention in the tasting room & with a tour of the facilities. We had a wonderful time & some great wine!!!!

Private Party on the Patio

2006-07-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

I catered an exclusive after hours elegant dinner for four on the Erath patio this weekend for a very lucky lady! As Andina in Portland is one of her favorite restaurants I chose a menu with "Latin flavors"

Lobster Ceviche

Classic Caesar salad

Carlton Farms spice rubbed Fillet Mignon
Oregano fingerling potatoes
Sautéed red chard & grilled summer squash
Accompanied by chipotle butter

Raspberry crème Brulee
w/Hibiscus syrup

It was a beautiful night & my food paired nicely with Erath's '05 Pinot Gris & finest Pinot Noirs, La Nuit Magique

Appetizers for foodies, no pressure?

2006-05-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

I had been asked a few weeks ago to deliver some appetizers to Erath Vineyards for a barrel tasting, easy enough right? As I perused the Erath website I realized that the snacks would be for guests of their chef series featuring Cathy Whims & her menu looked amazing.

I searched all of my resource material to find something new & exciting, but finally decided simplicity would be best.
Viridian Farms delivered me asparagus & strawberries that had just been picked and I focused on cheese and fresh bread.

Cheese Board & Assorted Artisan Breads
Pecorino Roasted Asparagus Tips
Crostinis of:
Pinot Noir & Peppercorn Braised Carlton Farms Beef Cheek w/ Gorgonzola
Figs, walnuts, & local bacon w/Alsea Acre fresh goat cheese
Roasted Red Pepper & Herb w/Alsea Acre fresh goat cheese.
Chocolate Dipped Local Strawberries

Erath is hosting a pretty cool lineup of Chefs this summer, check it out at www.erath.com

Meet me in Oregon wine country Memorial Weekend

2006-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Erath Vineyards has just secured Cordial Catering as a food vendor for Monday of the Willamette Valley's big Memorial Weekend Tasting event.
This is a great weekend to taste wine, enjoy the country side and have lots of fun!
Erath will be sampling a large selection of their whites & pinot noirs, of course and I will be serving wine friendly food "alfresco" It should make for a great time!! Any blog reader to visit me at Erath will receive a 20% discount on any food purchase.

The Menu

Bahn Mi:
Vietnamese sandwiches:
Choice of lemongrass chicken, charcoal beef or roasted vegetables, served on a French roll, with cucumber, carrot & cilantro
Jade Noodles:
Noodles tossed in a ginger, sesame, soy marinade with shitake mushrooms, Chinese broccoli & sesame seeds. Add Lemon grass chicken or charcoal beef
Citrus & ginger glazed pound cake: w/ fresh northwest berries.

I hope to see you all there!!!!

So many great pinots so little time!!

2006-03-10T17:58:00.000-08:00

Biodynamic Oregon Wine & Truffles from Heaven .

For those of you interested in self sustaining agriculture and lifestyle, I highly recommend a trip to the Erratic rock/Bellvue area.
I first visited Maysara winery and was given a guided tasting by James Michael, who was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Maysara Winery, is located 2 miles west of the Lawrence Art Gallery, off of HWY 18. They are a certified Biodynamic Vineyard, with a relatively small production of 4,500 cases. They sell the vast majority of their grapes to growers throughout the Willamette Valley, such as Domaine Drouhin, Andrew Rich, Eric Hamacher, Penner-Ash, Ponzi, Francis Tannahill, J.K. Carriere and many others
....Biodynamics shares a foundation with the organic movement. However, it requires a much more in depth understanding and consideration of the farm as a whole.
As a living organism, a Biodynamic farm should be self-sustaining. Therefore, the goal of any Biodynamic farm is to reduce the amount of outsourced inputs, and eventually eliminate the need all together. This is especially important with wine, as the maintenance of a unique sense of place is essential in maintaining the vineyard’s sense of terroir......
The wines I tasted had a lovely burgundian style to them, and Maysara's care and commitment to respecting their terroir is so admirable. For more info check out www.maysara.com

From there, you could stop at the Lawrence Gallery to check out the art, have some lunch, or taste more wine at the "Private Reserve".
They also have a nice sculpture garden & picnic area, it was snowing, but these lovely ladies didn't seem to mind!

My next stop was the Brigittine Monastery. The monks are dedicated to a life of prayer and are completely self-supporting. They also make some of my favorite truffles and fudge, with local nuts & only the best, freshest ingredients. You can buy directly at the monastery, or the monks are online at www.brigittine.org
Their confections are "divine".

For a great day trip from McMinnville: I would start in Amity, perhaps at Cohelo or Amity Vineyards, from there follow the Bellvue Hwy to the monastery, then continue to Maysara which is consistently open for tasting. You could then taste some wine and grab some snacks at the Bellvue market & if you are up for an easy hike "The Erratic Rock" has a good vantage of the Willamette Valley, and is a pretty cool picnic spot surrounded by vineyards.

Guided tours, please inquire.

2006-03-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

A "High End" Oregon wine country experience.

The Willamette Valley is a lovely place. We have terraced vineyards that produce world class Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and more. First rate restaurants who feature the best seasonal & fresh fruits, produce, meats, game, seafood, artisan bread and cheeses. But, Napa Valley this is not.

Leave your jewels at home darling, the area hotels do not have room safes. Jeans and Gore-tex are more in vogue than Prada or Armani and things here are thankfully more relaxed than some other wine destinations.

With so many things to get out and see and do, so many different experiences within an easy drive, spending your entire visit at a "destination" resort would be a shame.
Portand, the Oregon coast, Mt. Hood, The Columbia Gorge are all a little over an hour away. Hiking, Fishing, Skiing/Snoboarding & Mt. Biking/Cycling, Rafting/Kayaking are year round sports. A local REI will rent you all the "gear" you need for any adventure.
If that is not your thing however, we do have high end shopping, and to all you who love sparkles and baubles our jewelry stores are tax free.

Touring the beautiful countryside should not be missed.
However, if you do not wish to have your "ride" splattered with the red earth that lines many of the vineyard driveways, there are plenty of great urban wineries, tasting rooms & lodging that are right off the pavement.

The Steiger Haus is a comfortable relaxed "Country Inn" located right in McMinnville and walking distance to dining, shopping & tasting. You have a very good chance of sharing of the dining room with; visiting college professors, wine & food enthusiasts, and we are a favorite of several very interesting wine writers, who stay with us frequently on research trips and have delighted many of our other guests breakfast conversations.

But if "High End" is what you seek, the area has two very lovely inns; Black Walnut & Youngberg Hill. Expansive views, high thread counts, and a more all-inclusive feel.
There really is something here for everyone.

2006-02-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Wine Tour Tips:

When I tour or taste, I like to pick one favorite winery and then if time allows visit other wineries in the nearby area, this cuts down on time spent in the car.

One of the first tours I hosted through the B&B was to the southern portion of the "Northern Willamette Valley". I called the "Eola Heights Tour"

The tour was planned around an appointment at Bethel Heights, so we went there first with fresh palates. My favorites here were: '02 Reserve Pinot Gris at $10 tasty, crisp & a great deal, (the long neck bottle was not popular with retailers) & '03 Freedom Hill with great fruit & structure was a hit at IPNC, I can see why.
Bethel Heights has great wines, friendly knowledegable staff and an elegantly simple tasting room that blends into the lovely Eola hills.

Additional stops in this area could include:
Witness Tree, Cellarmaster Mark Pape's quick wit and industry background makes this a fun stop.
Cristom, perfectly polished pinot.
Amity, founded in'74, Myron is a pioneer in the industry. A pleasant tasting room experience, nice picnic area with a great view. Fun Pinots & the Dry Gewurtztraminer is a perfect accompaniment to Spicy Thai or herbed turkey.
Larry and Kinsey Miller are among the kindest owners I have met yet, Stangeland makes nice, food friendly wines & an interesting dessert wine from Chardonnay called "Decadence."

If you are planning to tour this area, consider buying picnic provisions in McMinnville at Roth's or Harvest Fresh. The dining options out here are pretty slim.
You could cut over to Hwy 18, on the Bellevue Hwy, from Amity. The Cafe at the Lawrence Gallery serves lunch or you could continue tasting at The Bellevue Market, they sell snacks and our guests rave about Patrick's expertise.

Personal Wine Tours and Arrangements made, please inquire.

2006-01-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

Interactive Wine Tasting & Scavenger Hunt

This was the theme of a party I hosted in November.
Each Guest was assigned a number and sent the following menu/instructions.

Guest #1 Please Select: “A Dry Sparkling Wine”,
from any region you choose, except Champagne.
To be paired with: Deviled Eggs w/ Cream & “Caviar”.
Guest #2 Please Select: “An Off Dry White Blend from Alsace”
To be paired with: White Bean Toasts w/ Spicy Cucumbers.
Guest #3 Please Select: “A Full Bodied Merlot with Velvety Tannins”
from any region except CA or, WA
To be paired with: Grilled Potato and Shitake Perogies.
Guest #4 Please Select: “A Full Bodied, Spicy Red Blend”
from any region, south of the equator.
To be paired with: Little Pork Tamales w/ Red Chili Sauce
Guest #5 Please Select: “A Sweet Dessert Wine” Late Harvest or “Asti”
To be paired with: Cranberry Pear Tartlets

The guests were instructed to have fun & utilize their favorite Wine Steward or Specialty Wine shop to find wines from any wine growing region & any price level. They were also asked to bring their selection in an anonymous brown paper bag.

Everyone had a great time but, the results were mixed.

Guests 1&2 shopped together, with the help of a wine steward they brought a '99 Argyle Brut from Oregon, a good choice, but very safe. Their next purchase was a '04 Lucien Albrecht Pinot Gris which was from Alsace, but not the blend I had requested.
Guests 3&4 also shopped together at an "upscale" grocery chain, they had someone call for the wine steward, but no one came to assist them. So on their own with basic wine knowledge they came up with an '03 Concha y Toro Merlot from Chile (not the hit of the party) & an'03 Bodega Norton Malbec from Argentina, while not a blend, was a fun choice.
Guest 5 had the assistance of the most qualified wine steward, who selected an '04 Jackson Triggs Canadian Ice wine, that everyone liked.

For the decor: I set up the table like a formal tasting, lots of glasses, a tasting sheet for notes, crackers, water, and dump buckets, which no one used, of course.
I gave a little background and information on the wine/region as I poured each wine and served each course.
This would be a fun party for novices or experienced wine lovers.

This party can be yours! Interactive Scavenger Hunt and Tasting menu, Recipes, Tasting Sheets, Invitations all customed designed for you and your guests tastes and level of wine knowledge. Visit my profile and e-mail me today.

2006-01-29T15:39:00.000-08:00

Sparkling Brunch and Walking Winery Tour

I post upcoming events on this very informative site, find me under
"other Oregon"
the Sparkling Brunch & Tour is something I will be conducting the last Sunday of every month, It should be a great time & no driving involved!! A different Oregon sparkling producer and different wineries will be featured, so each months tour will be different.

LocalWineEvents.comhttp://www.localwineevents.com/Wine and Food events by city, worldwide. Spirits and Beer events as well. Post your own event or sign up to be notified when new events are posted to your area.

2006-01-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

"Official Business & Food"

I hosted the "City of McMinnville" for dinner and a meeting.
The Steiger Haus is a very good venue for business retreats, I think people feel more relaxed in a homelike environment.
The menu I created for this party I called "Latinesque"
Avocado & chipotle shrimp tostaditos
Roasted red pepper and potato soup w/ chili infused crema
Wine braised pork & wild mushroom tamales
Spiced yam puree, roasted asparagus
Chocolate spice cake, Mexican wedding cookies, Flan

Music on random: classical guitar instrumentals and Cesaria Evora
Decor: I wrapped juice glasses in some of the leftover cornhusks from the tamales & tied with a wine colored ribbon for candles, I used wine colored linens and covered the table in brown craft paper, followed by a wine runner.
I scattered assorted dried chilis on the dinner table and dessert/app table.

I did all the cooking and serving without staff, I would not recommend this unless you have background in the restaurant business. A family style party would be an easier option.
Most of this menu can be done ahead, and for sanities sake should be.

This particular party opted to bring their own wine.
If I hosted a similar party for pleasure I would have on hand: A bucket of icy cold Negro Modelo's with lime & a south of the equator syrah, (Errazuriz is pretty consistent) Or, if they were really good friends: Tyrus Evan, a Ken Wright label, makes a great "Claret" blend of Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc, & Malbec with some fun spice, try Del Rio "03. Or, Herradura Silver for some scratch margaritas.

This party can be yours!
For Sale, Latinesque Party:
Recipes, Shopping list, Timeline, 5 cd's worth of theme music, Cocktail ideas.

2006-01-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings!
Welcome to Oregon Wine Country.

The goal of this blog is to:
Showcase a beautiful region, interesting people, stunning wine, produce and meats raised by friendly neighbors.
A lifestyle rich but unhurried.
Insight and tips for guests from near and far.

Based in McMinnville Oregon at
The Steiger Haus Bed and Breakfast, www.steigerhaus.com
A perfect base for touring the Willamette Valley, whatever your pleasure: wine, food or friends.

My background in the hospitality industry includes:
Winebuying, Bartending, Service and Kitchen.
No serious paper credentials or diplomas.
Just a love of good food, good wine and good living. Lots of time to taste and tour and a professional kitchen to practice in.

If you would like to arrange a private wine tour or host an event
please e-mail me direct.