12/06/07 Simple & Fun

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. The holidays are in full swing and I have already had a couple of small soirees. I hate to be stressed about the evening so I like to go fairly simple. Today - let's talk simple and fun and of course the wines that go with it. Many of us experience the Holidays as a stress test rather than a wonderful season for celebration and sharing with our friends and family. Last night I had a wonderful evening with about 10 people who work with my husband. I made a big pot of Chicken Stew tossed a salad and toasted some bread all set up as a buffet in the kitchen. Each guest served themselves and then we headed to sit at the dining room table. It was easy and so satisfying to just sit and enjoy everyone's company. I opened bottles of wine and the formula I used was based upon knowing that a bottle contains about 5 glasses of wine. We were together for about three hours so I estimated one glass of wine per person every 45 minutes to an hour. So I opened seven bottles of wine and ended up with about a half of a bottle left over at the end of the evening. What a cinch that was. The conversation was relaxed the food was simple and satisfying and the wine was just enough. Focus on enjoying your guests and not fussing over them. It leads to less stress and more relaxation during the holidays. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.