Quaintrelle Weekender
Pickled grapes, stylish pyjamas, and how to manage party guests' expectations. Four ways to a better weekend
Welcome to Quaintrelle Weekender.
This is a short list of things I am currently loving to make eating, drinking, and hosting easier and a lot more interesting.
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In a few hours I’m meeting a friend for lunch.
Tomorrow evening, I’ll host a wine and cheese tasting for an insurance company and then head directly to another cheese and charcuterie event sponsored by California produce. The day after, I’m meeting with a modern furniture company to complete the finishing details on their holiday customer appreciation.
Tis the season.
Yesterday, I took a moment to breath a few deep breaths and remind myself I love this time of year. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the tinsel and merriment of it all. Carefully laid plans can come crashing down like an ill-built gingerbread house.
Consider this your permission slip (if you even need one) to excuse yourself from whatever you can’t manage this season. Baking fresh cupcakes for the school Christmas assembly (buy them.) Making an ugly Christmas sweater for the office luncheon (you’re way too cute to pull off ugly.) Attending your second cousin once removed’s invitation to her holiday open house (send a poinsettia with your regrets.)
As they say in the Tony Robbins-inspirational-keynote-speaker world: if it ain’t a hell yes, it’s a hell no.
Today’s four things (plus bonus) celebrates everything you can’t do. Ixnay the à la minute potatoes in favour of make ahead, proudly streamline your bar to only a few offerings, and proudly greet your friends and family in sounding joy.
Hosting Q of the Week:
“What of someone wants something other than wine? Alcohol-wise, can we just provide wine? I’m not a bar.”
This Q came from a private client who is hosting a holiday wine and cheese for his colleagues next month.
My answer was exactly this: “This is a wine and cheese and if someone orders a Negroni, there's a lovely bar right down the street where they can get a great one.”
The key to hosting stress-free holiday bashes is to manage your guests’ expectations. This includes how much food will be served, so they know whether they should make dinner plans for before or after, the end time of the party (it can be so awkward for exhausted hosts to kick people out), the parking arrangements, and even if children are invited to take part in the festivities.
Together, my client and I crafted a festive email that spread joy but also let his colleagues know the setup: no dinner, no kids, there’s a planned activity, and when they can expect the evening to end (stated TWICE).
I’ve included the email here. Feel free to take it for your own holiday invites.
Subject: Deck the Halls!
Email:
Please join [my wife] and me on [this date, at this address] from 6pm to 9pm for a light and bright holiday wine and cheese.
As a special treat, we will be joined by Erin Henderson who will lead us on a structured wine tasting from 6:30-7:30, followed by mixing and mingling until 9.
Please let me know by [this date] if you will be able to join us for a little Christmas cheer.
Street parking is available, but please don’t drink and drive.
Have a question about food, drink, or hosting? Lay it on me!
Sour Grapes
If you are someone who doesn’t want to drink, I never question it. There could be any reason for avoiding alcohol and none of them are my business.
However, the recent admonishing of self-governing adults with a healthy relationship to alcohol enjoying wine has put a bee in my bonnet.
Health Canada is just one organization demonizing wine to such an extent, it no longer feels like health advice, but condemnation of a moral sin. I remember when buying condoms was done in the cloak of darkness, now it’s a bottle of Cabernet for the shame and embarrassment we of low virtue and a debaucherous lack of discipline are made to feel.
When I saw this smart article from Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s most respected and pedigreed wine writers, pop up on me feed I crowed with satisfied delight.
“Much of the explanation lies deep within the O of the WHO. Felicity Carter is a journalist who works harder than most of us at getting to the truth. After considerable investigative work, she finally reported on 1 April 2024 in Wine Business Monthly, tracing the surprisingly close links between temperance groups and several of those advising the WHO on alcohol policy.”
If you are someone who is at all on the fence about enjoying a glass – or three! – of wine, due to guilt of health risks and societal damnations, well, just spark up a joint walking down the street as everyone else does without impunity read Jancis’ brilliantly insightful, balanced, and emotionally levelled article.
Pyjama Party
There’s a very good chance our family Christmas will be held at my parents’ this year. My ma will change her mind 84 times between then and now, and overthink each decision, but my money’s on headed to Dave and Babs’ for the holidays. If not, Christmas will be held at my sister’s house, as it’s been for the last 15 years. Either way, I need something festive and elegant for the Christmas Eve movie marathon and the Christmas morning unwrapping. So, when it comes to donning my gay apparel, I will be wearing my favourite PJs. I bought this set in teal nearly two years ago and love it: it’s stylish, soft, and comfortable. I’m in my hot-all-the-time era, so I can not endorse it for being cooling, but I can’t endorse a bathing suit for being cooling, either. What I will recommend is sizing down as it stretches out quite a bit.
Hot Potato
This is a bonus.
I included the link in last Wednesday’s post for premium subscribers. These mashed potatoes are the neutral base of the recipe for my blue cheese mashed potatoes, which I pair with everything from wild mushroom bourguignon, as I did on Wednesday, to prime rib.
But, seeing as the holidays are upon us, and in the spirit of giving, I wanted to share this make-ahead mashed potato link from Food & Wine for everyone since it really is the best recipe I’ve seen for sturdy, delicious mashed that can be made days in advance.
Another bonus – these are perfect for easily turning into croquettes (recipe coming to premium members soon) with the leftovers.
What a Pickle
Pickled grapes
As I am built of British and German blood, my devotion to the pickle runs deep. And this includes weird stuff you mightn’t think to pickle, like cherries and grapes.
Pickled grapes are unexpected and so delicious on a cheeseboard. Their zesty, juicy sweet and sour flavour counterbalances the rich cheese and meats.
Makes: 1 litre
Chef level: easy
Ingredients:
Seedless red grapes, stemmed
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
¼ cup white sugar
2 Tbsp salt
How to Make It:
Fill a clean, heat proof jar with fresh, washed grapes.
In a saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, water, sugar and salt, stirring to dissolve.
Carefully pour the hot vinegar into the jar with the grapes, filling to just below the brim.
Allow to cool on the counter to room temperature, then close and place in the fridge where grapes can last a few weeks.
Thank you for reading Quaintrelle.
This newsletter is written by me, Erin Henderson, journalist-turned-sommelier-turned-entrepreneur. I literally drink and throw parties for a living, and every Saturday, I share some of my favourite finds for better weekends.
On Wednesdays, a post with recipes, cocktail inspiration, and wine recommendations goes out to the premium membership. If you would like to upgrade, you can click below.
Regardless of your membership level, I am so grateful you are part of this community. If you enjoyed reading this post, please click that heart, and consider sharing Quaintrelle with all the party hosts, wine lovers and cooks you know.
That article was amazing and so well researched! Thank you for linking !
Pickled grapes! I've never heard of these but as someone who likes to preserve food at home I'm intrigued. I feel like these might be lovely on a charcuterie board? Must investigate further.