PLANNING ADVICE: HOW TO BUY WINE FOR A PARTY OR WEDDING

Every savvy host knows that almost half of their overall party budget will be directed to food and beverages and wine can be a significant part of that expense. Wine is not only expensive, it is intimidating. There are thousands of choices and so many new labels; it is easy to make a mistake or worry you are going to make a mistake when selecting wine and champagne for a large crowd. Even experienced party-givers and industry professionals are a little intimidated when it comes to selecting wine. I don’t pretend to be an expert in this area. I know a little, but I prefer to rely on the real experts to guide me. It’s their job to be up on the latest, best, and best priced wines in the market so I go to them for help. Any large wine seller will have an in-house expert. Give them a budget and they should be able to recommend several wines to meet your needs.

Here are the most questions I am most frequently asked about wine:  

How much wine do I need for my party?

The basic rule of thumb for calculating consumption is 5 glasses per standard 750 milliliter bottle of wine. Many glasses are oversized but don’t be tempted to over-pour. Five ounces is considered the correct amount per glass no matter how large the glass.

Dinner Party: Estimate four glasses per guest for a four hour dinner party or about one glass per hour. For example, if you have ten guests for four hours, you’d serve forty glasses of wine which would be about 8 bottles. You’ll have to determine the ratio of white to red based on your menu and guest list. (Add 20% extra like the caterers do, especially if you have some heavy drinkers on your guest list.)

Cocktail Party: Estimate three glasses per guest every two hours. For example, if you have ten guests for 2 hours that would be thirty glasses of wine which would be six bottles of wine. Determine your ratio of white to red wine based on the time of year, the time of your party, your menu, and your guest list. Why? Because women will usually drink more white wine than red and men have a tendency to drink more red wine. In summer, typically more people will drink white wine than red. For a party in the afternoon, more people will drink white than red to keep things light. At an evening affair, red is almost always the more popular choice but that could vary depending on the menu. If your guests list includes more women than men and your party is on a summer afternoon, you’ll need a greater percentage of white wine than red. If your party is in the fall, most of your guests are men, and the guests arrive at seven in the evening, you’ll likely serve more red wine than white. Are you completely confused? 

How much should I spend on wine for my party?

There are so many good wines available in every price range you can find something to serve that is easy to drink and easy on your pocket, too. I have no trouble finding good wines under $15 per bottle. A few good ones are listed below.  

Do I need to rent or buy special glasses?

Anything goes, but if you are having a large party, renting glassware is an easy solution. You can mix and match, too, but that isn’t what wine snobs would tell you. For a large event, you aren’t likely serving high value wines so you don’t have to use the perfect wine glass. Champagne, however, is best served in a flute. Target, Pottery Barn, and Pier 1 all have boxed sets of affordable wine glasses that come in a sturdy box for storage. Buy several of these and you won’t have to worry about renting. I don’t like serving wine in plastic but will occasionally use it for the right occasion—like at the beach where glass is prohibited, for example. 

What wines do you recommend?

Since wines are always changing, it is difficult to recommend one. It seems as if every time I go to my favorite wine store, I don’t recognize half of the brands on the shelves. I do have a few “go-to” favorites for different occasions. What I buy depends on the size of the crowd. For small, intimate gatherings, I tend to spend more per bottle than I do when there is a large crowd. Also, I will spend more on wine if the emphasis of the party is on the food. If we’re having a big party with lots of beverage options, I don’t spend a lot on the wine; I like to keep the price around $12 per bottle.

If I have a party coming up and want to be sure of what I’m buying, I will stop into Whole Foods or a wine shop where they have wine tastings to sample wines that will work for my event. They typically have a price break during these events so I try to stock up.

WEDDING ADVICE: WHAT'S YOUR WEDDING STYLE?

Let me guess. Like many couples who have just gotten engaged, you've been bombarded with questions about your wedding plans. Where, when and most importantly, what kind of wedding you are planning. Most newly engaged couples have never planned a major party or special event; their wedding will be their first. They have no idea where to start with planning or even have an idea about the style of wedding they want. Even if they have some idea about the degree of formality and number of guests, what comes next is a complete question mark. Answer the questions below and you’ll have some idea about the type of wedding your personal style defines.

Take out a pen and jot down the answer that best describes you. When you are finished, you will have a description of the wedding you want to plan!

1. When you close your eyes, what do you envision for your wedding?

a.   outdoor, casual setting

b.   beach

c.   hotel or ballroom

d.   country club

e.   hip loft

f.    historic setting or city landmark

g.   alternative venue

h.   no idea

2. How would you describe your personal style?

a.   hip, cool

b.   traditional, conservative

c.   bohemian, hippie

d.   eclectic, diverse

e.   modern, sleek

f.    sophisticated, elegant

g.   dramatic diva

h.   country, casual

i.    other

j.    don’t know         

3. What is the one thing that is a must for your wedding?

a.   a unique space, something different than my recently married friends had

b.   completely delicious and unforgettable food

c.   incredible entertainment that makes the party happen

d.   film quality video and magazine quality photos

e.   a to-die-for couture gown for my big day

f.    flowers and décor that make your guests gasp when they enter the room

g.   a cake that people talk about for years

h.   something else

i.    don’t know

4. How would you want your décor to look?

a.   hot, bright and fun: hot pinks, bright greens, orange

b.   cool, calm and serene: aqua, brown, white, turquoise

c.   traditional: pinks and spring flowers

d.   all white

e.   seasonal: Autumn, spring, winter

f.    pretty and soft: feminine colors and lacy touches

g.   striking and bold: red, black, metallics, brown 

h.   follow a theme: farm, summer, 4th of July, beach, etc

i.    over the top and elaborate: use your imagination

j.    funky: Chinese lanterns, lots of pillows, colorful linens

k.   trendy: mood lighting, fabric drapes, conversation pits, etc

l.    highly styled: massive flower arrangements, each element coordinated

m.  monochromatic: one color theme throughout

n.   no muss, no fuss- like no effort was made: long banquet tables, lots of candles 

o.   something else

p.   no idea

5. I would want our food to be

a.   buffet style with lots of choices

b.   seated and served by waiters

c.   passed and served

d.   interactive stations

e.   champagne and dessert only

f.    a combination of these

g.   something else

h.   don’t know

6. I want our party to be

a.   an all out bash, dancing ‘til they throw us out

b.   elegant and timeless

c.   fun for all ages

d.   piano bar style

e.   big band

f.    orchestra

g.   wedding band

h.   just classical background type

i.    interactive DJ with games

j.    club DJ with hip tunes

k.   a combination of these

l.    something else

m.  don’t know

7. I want my guests to remember

a.   our personal touches, the sentiment and how special the day was to us

b.   the rock star party we threw

c.   how fantastic I looked

d.   our “Dancing with the Stars” moves during our first dance

e.   all the details and planning that went into every moment

f.    how much fun we had

g.   all of the above!

If you wrote down your answers, you should have a better idea of what you really want (affording it all is a different story) for your own wedding day.

For example, if your answers are 1. a, 2. a, 3. c, 4. b, 5. a, 6. j, 7. f, the description of your wedding would be: an ultra cool and trendy outdoor party decorated in aqua, turquoise, brown and white with an amazing band that played until the wee hours where our guests dined on multiple choices of food and beverages and everyone can’t stop talking about how much fun it was!

Now fill in the blanks to create a “mission statement” for your own wedding!

RECIPE: A LOWER ALABAMA STYLE SHRIMP BOIL

You can put just about anything in a boil. It is one of the easiest and most fun dishes you can serve for a big party but the key is to use the best quality (fresh or frozen) shrimp you can find and not to overcook it. Serve with crusty bread and cold beer and you’ve got a party! Some people add mushrooms, oysters, fish, crab, and peppers but I prefer this classic recipe.

That one time, when I auditioned for Food Network Star, I had to make a dish to take to the call back the next day. I was in a hotel so I did not have a kitchen. It is a long story but after trying everything I could think of, I went to a fire station and they let me use their kitchen. I made them this same dish (without the beer since they were on duty) and they loved it- they had never had it before.

Gulf Shrimp, onions, corn, and potatoes and a huge pot are the standards for a shrimp boil

LOWER ALABAMA SHRIMP BOIL

Skill level: Easy

Prep Time: 15   Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

6 lemons, halved, squeezed

1 cup Old Bay seasoning

1 ½ cups New Orleans style crab boil seasoning like Zatarain’s (use liquid or powder)

2 bottles of your favorite beer

4 large white onions, cut in quarters

3 pounds red potatoes, skin on. Cut in half if they are large

10 ears fresh corn cut into 3-4”pieces

3 pounds smoked sausage (I always use Conecuh sausage but use your favorite)

5 pounds whole fresh shrimp 21-26 count/ in the shell

¼ cup kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter

½ cup hot sauce-optional

 INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse fresh shrimp well with cold water. Set aside. Fill a large stockpot ½ full with water-about 3-4 gallons. Fit the pot with a strainer if you have one. Bring to a boil. Add the first 6 ingredients. And bring back to a full rolling boil. Add potatoes and onion. Put the lid on and cook 10 minutes; bringing the pot back to a full boil and the potatoes are not quite fork tender. Add corn and sausage. Cover and cook 5 minutes until the corn is almost done. Make sure the pot is again at a boil and add the shrimp. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring the pot frequently to keep the shrimp moving around until they turn pink and curl. Lift the strainer from the liquid or strain the contents from the liquid. Add the butter. Check the seasoning and add the salt and hot sauce to taste.

Don't keep cooking once the shrimp are done--- they will get tough. Once they are done, remove them immediately, drain well and serve.

 *You can double or triple this recipe but if I do, I cook in stages, adding each to a large, sanitary cooler. Keep the lid shut to keep the steam in. The corn will keep cooking so cook it just slightly underdone. Next cook the potatoes and onion and put in the cooler. Again, keep the cooler shut to keep the steam in. Since they will continue to steam, also cook the potatoes slightly underdone. Lastly, cook the shrimp and add it to the cooler. Put the butter in at the end and stir everything together carefully so you don't break up the potatoes. If it is a bit dry, add another stick of butter and toss.

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Some people dump their boil out onto a table covered with newspaper or brown craft paper. I prefer to leave it in the cooler and use a large scoop to serve into paper bowls or plates. That way, it stays hot longer.