Quaintrelle Weekender

Making the office party fun, loosening up, learning to jump, and roasting grapes. 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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’Bouche Party

I started what I hope will become two new habits last week.

These are not “resolutions” per se, but serendipitously materialized at the start of this year.

The first is daily stretching; I’ve linked to the five minute hip and back routine I do every morning while waiting for my coffee to brew. It’s only been a week – maybe only 6 days – but already I feel like this is a game changer for my creaky bones and tight muscles.

The other is a morning meditation practice. This is about the 3,290,487th time I’ve tried to establish a meditation ritual, but as the saying goes, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. It’s really, really hard. Comically so. I mean, I can completely tune out for entire work meetings, yet when I try to silence my thoughts with intention, I immediately begin mulling over how weird it is I will never see my own face without a mirror. Still, I persist. I’m only committing to five or 10 minutes a day, and open to longer if the urge takes hold (so far it hasn’t), but the small demand on my time makes it much more likely to happen. Plus, I’ve never heard anyone say they regret meditating that morning, so onward I forge in the name of inner peace.

And I carry on with my one new adventure a month. You might remember last fall’s foray into mushroom foraging, watercolour painting classes, and Pilates. This month, my sister and I have signed up for a croquembouche workshop. Because we will both be making our own towering pyramids of cream puffs, or at least that’s our expectation, we are hosting a ’bouche party after class. We will spend the evening feasting on pastry, with complimentary insulin shots in every guest’s grab bag.

What new adventures are you undertaking this month?

Hosting Q of the Week

All Around Good Wine

“Can you recommend a white and red wine that’s always available and reasonably affordable to serve my guests?” Louise D.

Why yes, Louise, I can.

I’m based in Toronto, Canada, so what’s available to me, may not be exactly what’s on your local wine store’s shelves, so I’ll avoid brand names, and talk more about general wines and grapes.

I recommend wines that are lean, fresh, and bright for serving a crowd. These styles have more food flexibility, please most palates, and generally offer good value.

For whites, I like wines that are nuanced in flavour, lighter in body, and have fresh acidity. Think Muscadet from France’s Loire region, Soave from the Veneto in Italy, or Assyrtiko from Greece. Pinot Grigio also fall into this category, but does seem to polarize wine drinkers. These wines will easily go with everything from creamy cheese and dips at cocktail hour to seafood, chicken, and buttery pastas at dinner. Great bottles can be found in Ontario for $20 and under, and if you are based in Europe or the US, much, much cheaper than that.

For red wines, I look for the same bright, fresh styles. Reds that are lower in tannin, with juicy fruit flavours and vibrant acidity. Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais (I recommend finding the top-tier Cru wines such as those from the appellations of Morgon or Fleurie, not the Village level); Barbera from Piedmont in Italy, young Tempranillo from Spain, Frappato from Sicily, and Pinot Noir from Oregon, New Zealand, Ontario, or France all fall into this category. Price points vary widely depending on place and producer, but generally, good value bottles can be found in most of these areas. These fresh reds can be served slightly chilled (place the bottle in the fridge for 15 minutes), and can be served with everything from baked ham to roast salmon, tomato-based pastas, and beef dishes of all kinds.

PS, Louise, I’m hosting a wine and food pairing class next week downtown Toronto. I think you’ll find it really useful if you can make it!

Do you have a question about hosting? I’m all ears!

Move It or Lose It

Back and Hip Stretches

My late Oma, who died a year and a half ago at age 97, lived her life almost entirely strong and healthy. Sure, in the end, the time had come to “transition” her into a care facility, but, the bull-headed woman she was, she chose to die the day before she was set to move. She saw your transition and raised you one.

Anyway, I saw both the good and bad in her health; up until around 90 or 91, she was fiercely independent, admirably strong for her age, and reasonably self-sufficient. And even though she continued to live alone, she grew more and more reliant on her children as she needed a walker, quickly ran out of energy, and rapidly lost her memory. She basically spent the days at the end of her life, happily, in her comfy chair alternately reading and dozing.

When I suffered very minor health challenges last summer (I now have been diagnosed with low-level arthritis in my feet. Sexy right? It turns out all those years of strutting my hot self around town in towering stilettos wasn’t advisable, strictly orthopedically speaking. Speaking from a young lady getting drinks sent to her from almost-eligible men, it was a fabulous thing to do.) But then I also got a bum hip – nothing that shows up on x-rays, luckily, but stubborn muscle tightness that requires regular visits to my acupuncturist and chiropractor.

Me, at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013. My feet couldn’t take it anymore, hence the glamour of reclining on a curb in a parking lot behind Roy Thompson Hall.

Thinking of my grandmother, and her example of before-and-after health, it took me all of 3.6 seconds to realize there’s no turning back the clock, and while in some eyes I could still be considered young (bless everyone who thinks that), I better get on with it if I want to literally remain footloose and fancy free.

As if the gods had smiled upon me, or perhaps it was just Meta tracking my every move, a video popped up on my Instagram with incredibly helpful stretches. I began doing the exact moves I’ve linked to above, and wouldn’t ya know? I feel incredible!! It takes all of five minutes, but the investment pays back in spades. Admittedly, my ouchies are minimal, and my flexibility is still very, very good, but I have no intention of losing it due it neglect. These stretches are now part of my morning routine and I no longer spend half the day hobbling around like a centenarian goblin. (Although, is that young for a goblin?)

(I was telling my fellow Substacker

Lolly Martyn

about this. It turns out she’s a certified yoga instructor, and she generously shared a link to her YouTube channel where she shows poses that will help ease hip tension. I don’t think she’ll mind me sharing the video with you as well.)

This is not me.

Jump On It

BCAN Foldable Mini-Trampoline

After fairly non-extensive research on rebounding (the cool rebranding of jumping on a trampoline), I bought a pint-sized one for my condo last year.

It’s reported (with varying levels of authority) that it does all kinds of miracles from lymphatic drainage and hormone balancing (questionable) to building bones, muscles, and heart strength. (More likely.)

All I can say is it’s an absolute blast. I dare you to jump on a trampoline and be in a bad mood. It also adds up those daily steps, works up a sweat even at a moderate exertion, and gets that heart pumping.

I go for a quick bounce when the day’s chaos becomes a little too much; if I find myself sulking for no good reason (or even if I have a very good reason); or if I need to get a quick energy infusion. I’m a big, big fan.

Quick Snack of the Week

Roast grapes with ricotta

I’ve been making Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat on repeat. It’s crispy potatoes topped with a chickpea curry sauce, that is described as a northern Indian street snack. It’s compulsively delicious, layers upon layers of mind-blowing flavour, but I think it’s so hearty, it works as a meal. The recipe is coming later this month for premium members, so stay tuned.

When I think snacks, I think quick, delicious nibblies thrown together in casual decadence. I always, always have grapes lying around (see this recipe for pickled grapes), and when I find a bunch that might be juuuust past prime, into the oven they go. Sweet and sour and juicy, I dollop these little gems on ricotta crostini (though mascarpone is a luxe upgrade), and you could just as easily lay them alongside a cheeseboard

Makes: as much as you would like (I think 1 bunch works as a decent snack for 4-6 people)
Chef level: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of red grapes

• 2 tsp rosemary, thyme, or sage (pick your favourite. I like rosemary).

• 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

1. Set the oven to 425°F

2. De-stem and wash the grapes. Toss them with olive oil, herbs, and salt and pepper.

3. Lay the grapes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the hot oven.

4. Roast until they just begin to split, about 5-10 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Keep a close eye as you don’t want them to completely split and ruin.

5. Allow to cool slightly and serve with crostini and/or cheese.

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.