EASY ENTERTAINING

Get a taste of this Local flavor adds to wine-sipping party plans

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Kristina Morgan and Deandra Brooks

The colors and crisp air of fall in Northeast Ohio turn thoughts to the harvest. Our favorite harvest product? Wine, of course. But forget California -- here in Ohio, a vibrant and unique wine industry thrives. The climate allows vintners the special opportunity to produce both vinifera (chardonnay, cabernet, etc.) and hybrid (vidal blanc, catawba) varieties. What does that mean for you? A fabulous party opportunity. You can support local commerce and present your guests with a broad selection of wines for an intimate wine-tasting party for six.

And remember, above all, enjoy yourself! Wine tastings can be technical fact-finding missions or simply novices involved in exploration together. Enjoy the wine, the decadence of the chocolate and, most importantly, the local bounty.

The writers are the founders of the Society of Recovering Sorority Girls, an elite organization devoted to a life less ordinary. Check out more easy entertaining ideas at www.recoveringsororitygirls.com.

Decorations

Set out elegant table linens and provide adequate glassware; plan on having one glass per wine and one glass for water.

Provide a water pitcher and a plate of sliced baguette rounds so that guests can cleanse their palates between wines, if they chose.

Finally, select an attractive notebook for a wine journal. Start each entry with the label information about the wine. Circulate the journal among the guests to create a record of impressions.

Menu

First, the wine. Try for six wines -- two whites, two reds and two local "hybrids" from a selection of Ohio wineries. We like a chardonnay, a riesling, a vidal blanc, a pinot noir, a cabernet and an ice wine. In general, taste from white to red, dry to sweet in the whites and from lighter to fuller bodied in the reds, with a dessert wine acting as the grand finale.

Most state wineries have limited distribution at grocery or wine shops, but to get the best choice and variety for your guests, go straight to the source. Markko (www.markko.com), Ferrante (www.ferrantewinery.com), Harpersfield (www.harpersfield.com) and Laurello (www.laurellovineyards.com) all offer direct shipping in the state of Ohio and have great Web sites to support online or telephone shopping (go to www.ohiowines.org for a full list of Ohio vineyards). If your budget allows it, treat yourself to a Markko "Reserve" selection and the Ferrante Ice Wine -- two of our favorites.

Since you will be trying so many wines, don't struggle with food-wine pairings. Simply close the evening with a grand dessert.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

7 ounces semisweet baking chocolate

¼ cup, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

5 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch cake pan with waxed or parchment paper. Grease paper with butter. Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool.

Separate the eggs. Beat the whites with an electric mixer with a wire whisk attachment until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes on high speed. Slowly stir the egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, cocoa powder and salt into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture. Add approximately ¾ of the egg whites and stir. Then transfer the mixture into an electric mixer bowl and add remaining egg whites. Combine on low speed for approximately 2 minutes.

Begin heating 2 cups water to boiling. Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Place pan in the center of a large oven-safe skillet or on a jelly-roll pan. Pour enough boiling water into the skillet or pan to reach halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake pan from the oven and water bath. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Lift up the paper lining to remove cake from pan and allow to continue cooling on the paper, on wire rack for 10 minutes. Gently turn out the cake from the paper onto a plate or serving platter.

Raspberry sauce

12-ounce package of frozen, unsweetened raspberries, thawed

1/3 cup sugar.

Blend frozen raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Top cake with sauce.