Appetizer & Wine Tip from EWCo

Essential Wine Company has given Get Up Girl their favorite holiday appetizer and a wine tip of the week. We are going to try them both out this year.

Whether you call them appetizers, hors d' oeuvres, mezes, antipasto, zakuski, lěng pán or just plain "starters" (our preference because who can spell hors d' oeuvres, right?), one thing is certain: you can't start a party without 'em.

In the spirit of the gift giving season, we're sharing our favorite starter with our fellow Get Up Girls. Our party ignition dish is "essential" since it's classic and elegant yet economical and simple to make. Pull out your stopwatch. We think you can make this in under two minutes:

Essential Wine Co.'s Elegant Cheese Spread
4 oz. Ricotta cheese
4 oz. Chevre (goat cheese)
1-2 tablespoons Branches Raspberry Flower Honey from the Napa Valley
-- Combine cheeses in a bowl, mash together until well mixed.
-- Place on serving dish. (use rubber spatula to create a 'mound' or shape it with wax paper).
-- Drizzle with Branches Raspberry Flower Honey.

Presentation Options:
On a bed of bay leaves or thinly sliced apples or pears, or
decorate serving dish with fresh or dried fruit such as figs, apricots, pear, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, chopped lemon peel, candied ginger,chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or
lightly dust the Spread with cinnamon

Serves 4-6 people. Double to serve 8-12 people.
EWCo. prefers Branches Raspberry Flower Honey as it possesses floral scented overtones with a distinctive fresh raspberry finish. It is a unique instance of the honey tasting like the fruit of the plant. It pairs splendidly with the mildly tart Cheese Spread.

EWCo's Wine Tip of the Week: "BLIC"
The next time you're tasting a wine of interest for the first time at a Holiday Party, take a moment to evaluate it using the BLIC method (Balance, Length, Intensity, Complexity). Is there a good balance between the fruit, acidity and alcohol? How long do the "pleasing" characteristics linger on your palate? Do the characteristics of the wine jump out at you or do you have to search for them? Do you discover different characteristics of the wine throughout its tasting (or is it just one brief note and done)?

Essential Wine Company is located in Camarillo Village Square at 2390-F Las Posas Road. 805.445.4424

We are excited to get our "BLIC" evaluation started!