Real Clever Moms

You need some good wine and good cheese.

Don’t let that overwhelm you. Pick your favorite three or four wines, and your favorite three or four cheeses, and be sure when you’re choosing to create some variety. If you live in the central Texas area, head to Sam’s Club, Whole Foods or a Central Market. You’ll find a great selection. Some perennial favorites are fresh mozzarella, smoked Gouda, and Danish Havarti. Go ahead and start sampling cheese a few weeks in advance. This may save you some unpleasant surprises. Start to stock up on wines early, as well. It will be easier on your pocketbook, and you can always sample that, too. If you don’t know where to find good wines… you should probably pick a different party to host.

If you want to make the whole proposition more manageable, invite all of your guests to bring their favorite wine and cheese, or try to focus on wines and cheeses from one particular country or region. With a little research, the evening can be an educational as well as enjoyable experience.

If you don’t host wine parties often, be sure you have enough wine glasses.

You’ll want at least one glass for red wines and one glass for white wines for each guest. Without getting too snobbish about it, the shape of the glass really does make a difference, so consider buying a wine tasting set. You’ll also need a good wine opener. Some other serving pieces you’ll want are cheese slicers or knives, and a cutting board or cheese plate.

You may also want to use some system to mark the wine glasses. There are countless commercial wine glass markers and charms available, but you might also enjoy these ideas:
Give each guest a different colored ribbon or string to tie on the stems. Write guests’ names on the glasses with colorful grease pencils. Buy the supplies to make basic wine glass charms using beads, buttons or charms, and have everyone make a set of their own at the party.

Some final suggestions:
You’ll need a selection of crackers, breads or toast for the cheese. Fresh fruit, olives, nuts, chocolate, and cheesecake will also complement your cheese selections. Be sure to let the cheeses sit at room temperature for at least three hours. Decant the red wine, and chill the white. Get a good mix CD, or if you’re feeling swanky, hire a jazz duo. If your feeling really generous, get some dinner party gifts for your guests. Put on a party dress, and get ready to enjoy the evening. Creme brulee with vanilla is always a hit too.