New Years Eve dessert bar and cordials 7pm to whenever.
The tasting is tentatively scheduled at Team BJ's (depending on how stable Indy is doing).
Tasting Design 2012
Starting January 2012 we roll 2d6 on a world map to determine the alcohol and regional theme of the monthly tasting. Everyone is asked to brink the chosen beverage and a food pairing.
| Die Roll | Tasting Beverages |
| 2 | Sake |
| 3 | Vodka |
| 4 | Mixed drinks |
| 5 | Tequila |
| 6 | Wine |
| 7 | Beer |
| 8 | Wine |
| 9 | Rum |
| 10 | Whiskey |
| 11 | After dinner |
| 12 | Wildcard |
Bluecheese, Pecan and Cranberry Tart
So this was supposed to be a cheesecake but I couldn't find my 9 inch springform pan so I used an 11 inch springform tart pan instead and changed the cook time to 40 minutes at 350.
I stole this recipe from Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup bread crumbs (seasoned or plain)
5 tbsp butter, melted
Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups crumbled blue cheese, at room temperature, divided
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp flour
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cups chopped toasted pecans
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of fresh cracked pepper
Garnish
Blue cheese crumbles
dried cranberries
pecans
Serve with crackers or toasts, optional
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again.
Mix the bread crumbs and melted butter in a bowl and press into the bottom of the springform pan. Do not press up the sides, just on the bottom. Bake for about 10 minutes until it just slightly starts to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.
Increases the oven temperature to 425 degrees,
In large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup of the blue cheese. Add the remaining blue cheese, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the mixture off of the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, flour, salt and pepper. Beat until combined. Fold in the dried cranberries and pecans. Pour into the pan.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR and lower the oven temperature to 325 and bake for a remaining 45 minutes. Bake until the top of the cheesecake is slightly browning and the middle doesn't jiggle when you move the pan.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Cool in the pan, to room temperature before removing from the pan. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Sprinkle with the garnish of blue cheese, dried cranberries and pecans.
*The refrigeration allows all the flavors of the cheesecake to mold together and become very dense. Which is a good thing!
To serve, place a knife with the cheesecake and allow people to cut little slices off to spread on their crackers and little toasts.
November Tasting
Scotch! I am not sure who's idea that was but it has lead to drunken silliness and cigars on the front porch. Our menu for the night consisted of:
- Blue cheese, cranberry, and pecan tart with Glenmorangie (12 year sherry casks) ( (Team BJ)
- Twice baked potatoes with asparagus and Old Parr (Team M)
- Carnitas with Glenmorangie (Team K)
- Shepard's Pie with Auchentoshan (Team D)
- Shortcake and fresh whipped cream with Glenmorangie (12 year port casks) (Team N)
- And then Laphroaig well a couple people drank that, some people decided it tasted like eating a fireplace log.
All and all a success.
More importantly we came up with a plan for next year. Rather than calling our months based on birthdays we are rolling for a theme. Team N is going to make a set of dice and a map and next month we roll for January 2012's theme.
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