Wine Dinner 2008: Part 2

I have realized that in my recent frenzy of healthy and/or Asian recipes, I have neglected to give the rest of the report on December's multi-course wine dinner.

After a refreshing salad and refreshing rosé wine, it was time to get down to some heavy-duty eating.

Fifth Course: Rich Mushroom Soup
I paired a creamy soup made with three kinds of mushrooms and infused with Amontillado Sherry with an Oregon Pinot Noir. The earthiness of the wine and the earthiness of the mushrooms complemented each other perfectly. (Don't forget to float a crisp crouton of bread in the center of the bowl!)

Sixth Course: Roasted Lamb Shanks
Rustic was the theme for this course. Lamb shanks slow-roasted with vegetables. Paired with a rustic (but refined) Spanish Rioja Reserva. Enough said.

Seventh Course: Cheese
To accompany a nice bottle of vintage Port I received as a Christmas gift last year, I served several cheeses. Walserstolz, one of my perennial favorites. A Farmer's Cheddar from England. And the classic pairing of the course: Stilton. Yummy.

Eighth Course: Chocolate Chunk Bread Puddings
This was a make-your-own pairing. Folks had their pick of wines we'd already had...Prosecco, the big Rioja or the Port to go with this decadent bread pudding made from sweet Hawaiian bread and good-quality chocolate. As a good host, of course I had to try all the pairings. They all worked.

Watch for these recipes and others from the first courses soon.