I'm having a wine tasting dinner for about 20 people. I need ideas for Appetizers.?

Question

First I serve a sweet white wine with Appetizers. Usually I serve a cheese plate,grapes,crackers and french bread. I need a few other appetizers also.
Then we have a wine tasteing.
Then we have dinner with the rest of the wine.
Next is Salad
Then Desert.
Thank-you for your help.

Answer 1

Traditionally, you want to cheeses that compliment the wines, and fruits that have flavors similar to the wines.

For example, goat cheese goes very well with a tannic red wine.

Instead of just grapes, why not provide fruits that help your guests identify the various fruity flavors in your wines. Chardonnay can have notes of apples, or peaches, or figs, or pineapple, or pear. Merlot can have notes of blackberries, raspberries, cherries, currants, raisins, etc. So try serving those kinds of fruits for comparison with the wines.

As far as other appetizers, I would suggest regional dishes from the same geography as the wine. For example, if there are wines from Alsace, serve an Alsatian onion tart or mini quiches. If serving a sauternes, then a Bordelais pate fois gras would pair well.

On a side note, I would caution you not to use a vinegar based salad dressing as this will ruin the palate for wine appreciation.

Answer 2

Traditionally the cheese course follows dessert and is served with port and chocolate.
Rather than a sweet white wine, I would start with a aperitif or a champagne. Then the dessert wine and port will shine without comparison to the first glass.

For appies, if you are doing all the cooking make something that can be prepared in advance.

Crab cakes.. Easy to prepare in advance and quick to fry.
Stuffed cherry tomatoes

Answer 3

I don't know anything about wine but I have an appetizer you will die for.
Take a few boneless skinless chicken breast and dice the meat while still raw. Sautee in skillet until cooked through then add chopped green onion, microdiced carrots, microdiced potato, 1 can bean sprouts (fresh if you choose) and about 3 tablespoons soy sauce and about 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix well then remove from heat.
Get some egg roll wrappers and cut in 4 equal squares. spoon chicken mixture into the middle of each square and wet the edges and fold into triangles then deep fry until golden brown.

These are so tasty and a lot easier than it sounds. Will make about 50 triangles and you will wish you had more because they are so good.

Answer 4

this isn't a fancy recipe or something, yet an recommendations-blowing idea i imagine! If there'll be wine, you should convey a extraordinarily cheese and fruit tray. that's uncomplicated and everybody continually loves it. basically comprise some extraordinarily end result, like grapes, berries, figs, etc. Then another ingredients like walnuts, pistachios, olives..and then some high-quality cheeses, like brie, gouda, bleu, etc. And an collection of crackers! you would possibly want to comprise a cheeseball and some sparkling herbs too.

Answer 5

place foods that go well with the wine. try placing reisling with popcorn and smoke salmon with a wine that goes with that. if you want something gamey with a nice red, try ground lamb or beef stir fried in garlic, herbs and served on an endive leaf. serve strwberry and brie as they are a perfect complement.

try an antipasto plate with great marinated olives, articokes, procuitto, salami, roasted peppers, marinated mushrooms etc.

wrap proscuitto around peices of melon, pear or figs. little canapes would be nice too.

little cut peices of toast topped with pate or tapenades like olive or bean topped with a little red pepper and parsley or roast beek with horseradish and a swiss cheese.

baby potatos roasted, cut in half with the bottom cut off to sit nicely, sprinkle a tad of sea salt, top with sour cream, chives anf fresh ground pepper.

individual nachos: place on each chip some salsa or guacamole, chopped jalapeno, black olive, and shredded cheese. place under broiler until cheese is melted.

hope this helps

Answer 6

Hearts of Romaine filled with a mixture made up of shredded chicken, Philly cream cheese, Ranch dressing and a dash of hot sauce (you heat and mix on the stove top).
Crab-stuffed mushrooms.
A fondue-style sharp cheese dip for the french bread.
Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.

Answer 7

for appetizer cheese plater is a good idea, you can try brie or blue cheese (danish or gorgonzola), serve it dried fruit like raisin and kiwi, but serve but berries is also nice, if you want to use crackers, dont use cheese flavoured crackers, use plain crackers. Other appetizer such as bruchetta is also a good idea.

for salad, i might suggest simple greens (romaine lettuce or mix lettuce) with vinagrate dressing (italian or french), serve it a cherry tomatoes and anchovies.

for main course
Fish:
grilled tuna steak can be a good match for red wines,
and pan fried tiger prawn with garlic butter sauce is an exellent match for white wines

meat and poultry
Tenderloin sirloin with blackpepper sauce, can be a very good match for red wines, chicken breats fillet steak or chicken kiev is a good one for white wines.

for dessert:
chocolate chip ice cream is nice, or maybe tiramisu. but if you want to stay healthy, fresh fruit is an exellent idea.

goodluck....

Answer 8

If you really want to surprise people, try traditional Spanish Tapas. I just got back from Spain not too long ago and know they will work. I would look up some combinations online but they are very easy to make.

Anything with Jamon Serrano (spanish ham) rocks.

Answer 9

How about some nice Italian bread with either a bruschetta or some nice olive oil spiced with black and red pepper?

Answer 10

Tortinos pizza rolls

Everyone likes pizza rolls it was even endorsed by the Lone Ranger in its hayday

Hope this helps..... & yes i am serious

Thanks, SS