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Host a Wine-Tasting Party: Introduce New Cultures Through Food and Wine

What You’ll Need
Platters, Table, Glassware, plates, bowls, small forks and wine bottles, Boards and marble slabs, Small containers, Scorecards: customize and print from your computer, Food: a sampling of Spanish cheeses (manchego, sheep’s milk, and a blue), crostini with toppings, meats (salami, proscuitto, pepperoni, etc.), olives, peppers, breads (bread sticks, crackers, etc.) with dipping sauces, sun-dried tomato spread and tapenade as well fruits (dried apricots, dates, figs, pears) and nuts (Marcona almonds, walnuts)Beverages: Spanish wines, water, sparkling waterMood/Decor

Go with rustic, modern and casual for your theme. Olive green, linen and cream with woods and metal should make up your color palette.

Location
In your kitchen — ideally it should have a tall, bar-type table and stools, and a kitchen island for all the wines to sit on.

Set-Up
Create several cheese sampling platters for the table by pairing small pieces of cheese with fruit or nuts. Also offer a dessert cheese/fruit nut option as well.

Make the crostini toppings with sun-dried tomato spread or tapenade. Assemble the charcuterie platter using pantry items. Arrange cured meats on several small platters, boards and marble slabs around the table.

Arrange glassware, plates and wine bottles amid the food, water and wine selection on the table.

Put bread, breadsticks and crackers in small containers so they can be placed in multiples down the table.

Give guests a scorecard to rate the wine selection.

source: Michele & Gia

Who will you vote for???

Best Picture
Atonement B
Juno A-
Michael Clayton A
No Country for Old Men A-
There Will Be Blood A

Best Actor
George Clooney, Michael Clayton A
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood A
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd B+
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah A
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises B

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age C+
Julie Christie, Away From Her B
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose B+
Laura Linney, The Savages A
Ellen Page, Juno A-

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford A
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men A-
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War B+
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild A-
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton A

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There A
Ruby Dee, American Gangster B
Saiorse Ronan, Atonement B
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone B-
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton A

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood A
Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men A-
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton A
Jason Reitman, Juno A-
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly