Take your wine pairing event to the next level with a themed menu. Explore the flavors of a particular region or dive into a specific food genre. Your guests will love the unique and delicious journey.
My sample menus are based on different themes. Take a look to percolate some ideas for your own party.
Paddy Party Theme (Seasonal)
When you have an event on St. Patrick’s Day, there is little choice but to work it into the wine menu theme. To be frank, most of this theme was in the green accent decor.
One key “Paddy Day” element on the menu was the Guinness Braised Corned Beef, which I now do every year because its absolutely the most delicious way I have had corned beef.
Molecular Magic Show Theme (Food Genre)
While a very creative, this was one of the most technically challenging events I did. I treated each course like an act in a magic show and featured at least one molecular gastronomy technique.
I was so jazzed at first and enjoyed developing the menu items. But then getting all the special ingredients, equipment and timing aligned was a bit rough. There’s ton of great ideas to try- though it would be very ambitious to do it all in one night.
Southern Hemisphere Theme (Regional)
Often overlooked, regions south of the equator have some terrific wines. Plus they are often at a great value for the quality. We included Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile and South Africa for this wine menu theme. Then I leaned in on researching the types of dishes from those regions to inspire the menu. I also discovered lots of fun facts.
Did you know both New Zealand and Australia claim the Pavlova as their national dessert? This inspired my Mini Lemon Pavlovas and gave me an option to try dessert wines from both countries.
Wonderful Washington Theme (Regional)
There’s over 1,000 licensed wineries in Washington, the state I call home. I have fond memories of treking in the snow to Walla Walla for Winter Wine Barrel Tastings. And Woodinville is not far from me, so it was a lovely time exploring the conveniently local tasting rooms. While known for deep red wines, we found some unexpected whites as well.
For the dishes, I focused on Washington flavors but done in some non-traditional ways. A big hit was my Apple Gazpacho starter.
Old World vs. New World Theme (Regional)
An exploration of traditional European wines compared to more modern counterparts (which is anywhere not Europe). Each course had two wines of similar variety (or close as possible) to try old world vs new world. No one was keeping score though, but you could bring that into the party.
For the menu, I looked at traditional dishes from each Old World country and then looked to infused a modern take on it. For example, I made a traditional German potato pancakes and served with a spicy apple chutney.
Some Percolating Ideas
Some of my themes come from requests by the hosts I work with. And some come from just looking around at ideas of others (hey, Pinterest). I tend to stick to how to enhance the wine or food experience.
My next wine event focuses on HyperLocal. For this idea, we are trying to find our sources from our local community. This includes wine from local tasting rooms or wine shops as well as key ingredients from farmers markets or local “fresh from the farm” stores. The idea is that what we serve, our guests could also get for themselves and support local business.
More Than Food Ideas
On a final note, there’s opportunities to explore themes beyond the menu.
Trivia: Our parties include a bit of trivia throughout the evening. Some general wine trivia, but with a theme you can delve into fun facts about a region or culture. You could make a game of it with prizes.
Accessories: You can also expand the theme into the dining space. Fun cocktail napkins or table runners. The plates themselves could be of a theme.
Decor & Props: Set the scene with decorations around the theme further. Posters, pictures, sketches, posters or postcards around the area. You can often get little flyers about the wine (from stores or at tasting rooms) – or print out ones. Use props such as books, world globe, map pics or other items express your theme.
Being creative and having fun with that is all a part of what makes an experience special, for yourself and your guests. Happy Pairing!