Quaintrelle Weekender

Deep fried ravioli (are we still resolutioning?), the formula for building a zero-proof cocktail, your mum's trick to keeping feet warm, and what to drink with beef fondue.

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.

Kaizen

By the time you read this, I will likely be elbow deep in choux pastry.

The time has come for the day-long croquembouche workshop I told you about earlier this month.

Some have asked me why I’m bothering to take the class at all; I learned how to make gougère in Burgundy, for Pete’s sake! That was years ago, and since then I have made choux pastry dozens of times, including for more cooking courses where they were part of the curriculum (such as the lesson on Parisian gnocchi.)

I’m someone who heartily believes everything is always worth a conversation. Even though I’ve made cheese puffs loads of times, as recently as last fall I suffered a spectacular disaster with one bunch that refused to rise, likely due to Ontario’s relentless humidity. I’d like to learn any clever ways to always avoid that, and, if possible, fix it when it inevitably happens again.

One of the traits I like least in a person is a know-it-all. I have a few of those in my life and I find them fatiguing and tedious. Unfortunately, I’ve also been one at times. In my early sommelier days I had absolute convictions about many things: boxed wines, wines with animals on the label, ice in the glass, specific wine openers (waiter’s only; never the amateur winged corkscrew.) In the latter case, I was forced to reconsider my ideas on the only way to open a bottle when a friend’s dad reached out to ask for recommendations on sparkling wines closed by bottle cap, as he suffers arthritis in his hands and has lost grip strength. Cork-closed sparkling wine bottles can be a real bear for the strongest amongst us, let alone those suffering reduced mobility.

Luckily for my refined somm palate I could easily detect the taste of crow in my humble pie.

Anyway, I now try to stay open to things, even the things I know already. It makes my life simpler, easier, and frankly, more interesting.

Hosting Q of the Week

“I’m going to a beef fondue party and bringing a horseradish dipping sauce and the wine. What would make a good pairing?” – Debbie, who came to Wine School last week.

If you have been to any of my wine tastings, you know I always stress pairing a wine to the strongest flavour on the plate, which is rarely the star of the show – the chicken, fish, or, in Debbie’s case, the beef.

When we say a wine, “goes great with beef” are we talking about Debbie’s beef fondue, or are we talking about spicy Mongolian beef, osso buco, or Texan beef chili? All different preparations with different sauces and spices, so that’s what we need to take into account, not the protein.

In Debbie’s case, the beef, which will be cooked in hot oil, will be fairly neutral. However, beef is naturally rich and weighty, so we want at least a medium bodied wine to stand up to the density of the meat.

But the strongest flavour here is likely the horseradish, a well known wine-killer, thanks to its nasal clearing spice. Heat does not like alcohol or tannin – think about throwing alcohol on a fire, you don’t want that happening in your mouth. So now we want a medium bodied wine with low tannin and moderate alcohol.

Luckily, Debbie is mixing the horseradish with cream, which will calm the heat of the horseradish, and a splash of Worcestershire which will add some umami depth. Ok, so now we want a medium bodied wine with low tannin and alcohol that can compliment the flavourful and (relatively) sweet and spicy cream and Worcestershire.

My recommendation is an easy going, mid-weight red. Luckily there are lots around. Crianza-level Rioja, Côtes du Rhône, village-level Beaujolais, or simple California Merlot all fit the bill: smooth tannin, moderate alcohol (aim for 13% or less), and juicy fruit flavours. And these examples are also affordable, usually less than $20 CDN in Ontario which is a nice bonus.

Have a question about hosting? I’m all ears!

Toasty Toes

Warm Your Socks in the Dryer Before Going Out

When I was a kid, I would play endlessly outside in the snow. Bundled in thick and weighty snow suits, I would come in from hours of tobogganing or snowman-building or snow-angel-making – or all three – soggy, wet, and heavy with winter. My mum would get her daily workout in by peeling me out of my sodden suit and boots and hat and mitts and scarf. She would dutifully stand my soaking boots upside down on the heater to dry out. The next day, my winter footwear was warm and toasty and ready to explore the next snow bank with dry and toasty feet.

As a stunning deep freeze struck Toronto this week, with temperatures plunging as low as -35°C at times, I remembered the old, boots-on-the-radiator trick, and decided to give my tender tootsies a fighting chance against the blistering cold by tossing my socks in the dryer for a few minutes. If anything, it gave me the warm and fuzzies before setting out across the city’s frozen tundra.

Build a Better Mocktail

The Formula for a Great NA Drink

Building a great cocktail isn’t rocket science. In fact, I’ve argued for years that cocktails are all essentially the same, you just swap out one ingredient for another to create an entirely different drink. While some bartenders have taken umbrage with this, I don’t see it as an insult. It’s like a capsule wardrobe for your booze.

As Dry January is still tediously ticking by, you may be craving ideas for drinks with a little interest. The helpful formula from Wine Enthusiast that’s linked above should help.

Quick Snack of the Week

Deep Fried Ravioli

Guys, I’m convinced you could deep fry a shoe, and it would disappear first from the buffet.

Luckily ravioli aren’t shoes.

I’ve tried this two ways: battering and breading before frying, and simply frying as-is. Both are good, but my vote goes to the frying as-is. I like the bubbly, crisp texture better, and if we’re talking fast and streamlined, it doesn’t get quicker than that.

While the oil is heating up, I make my marinara. (Never set oil over high heat… I start mine a little less than medium, and for my stove top it probably takes about 10-15 minutes to get to 350°F.)

Makes: as much as you would like
Chef level: easy

Ingredients:

• Ravioli (store bought or homemade)

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• Marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)

How to Make It:

1. Pour a couple inches of oil in a sauce pot set over med/med-low. Bring to a heat of 350°F

2. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the ravioli, a few at a time, into the hot oil. Fry for about a minute then flip to the other side for another minute.

3. Scoop out to drain on paper towels, sprinkling with sea salt.

4. Grate parmesan over the ravioli and serve with marinara for dipping.

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.

Every Saturday I share links to to a better weekend, and every Wednesday, I share a premium post with my best tips and tricks to easy, elegant entertaining.

If you enjoyed reading, please show a little love by clicking that heart ❤️, and consider sharing Quaintrelle with all the party hosts, wine lovers and cooks you know.