Girls Night In
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My girls nights have drastically changed in my 30's and I am completely okay with this! I mean there is a time and place for everything but a night in with my besties is my ideal idea of a grand time. I mean how can you possibly go wrong with reality television, fashion mags, beauty scrubs, self mani's, cozy clothes, vinyl records, cheese, and lots of wine?!
My friends and I are obsessed with wine and fromage of all sorts. And we take turns providing the wine and cheese and I really love this because I am often introduced to new things and new pairings.
I was recently in Texas visiting my family and picked up some bottles of Callie Collection wine. They pay tribute to the beautiful California Central Coast ( I love the West Coast) where their wines are sourced. I adore the packaging. I mean hello gold glam, florals, and I adore the little dragonflies and butterflies. I am such a girly girl! And the flavors of the wine are fantastic. They have a bright Pinot Grigio, a balanced Chardonnay, and a fresh Red Blend. AND my absolute favorite thing about Callie is the easy twist off/twist on cork. I cannot use a wine opener to save my life. I seriously can't. Ask my friend Jenifer. Anyway, they are the first to the US market to feature this Helix closure and I am so intrigued. And I know what you guys are thinking...Sam, just they do make wines with screw caps, you know?! Yes, I know but I love the sophistication of the cork. And Callie Collection provides the sophistication of the cork but with the convenience of the screw-cap. Brilliant, right?!
Callie Collection helped me host my amazing girls night in with a wine and cheese pairing and I am thrilled to share with you everything that you will need to host your very own girls wine and cheese night.
Shopping list
Although this girls gathering is primarily focused on wine and cheese, I like to also pick up fresh fruit, some nuts, and some dark chocolate. Here's a sample shopping menu that's full of great variety for you and your girl gang.
Fresh berries. (I am a seasonal shopper to grab what's in season)
Any nut variety. (nuts are pricy so I like to see what's on sale and go from there)
A few meats, like prosciutto or spicy salami (if the group is vegetarian, you can skip this part)
Dark chocolate (I love dark chocolate almond clusters)
Varieties of cheeses (see below)
Now as far as cheeses, you want to pair certain cheeses with the red wine and certain cheeses with the white wine. To simplify the strategy I love how The Wine Enthusiast divided the cheese into four major categories.
Bloomy: Creamy, decadent cheeses, with a soft rind.
Hard: Stiff cheeses, which are often sharp and/or salty. They can also be aged.
Blue: Pungent, often salty cheeses, with a blue tinge.
Fresh: Soft, often spreadable cheeses that can be tangy or mild. They are not usually aged.
Just as with any food pairing, it helps to think of either complementary or contrasting flavors. A lush wine works well with a triple-cream cheese, while an acidic wine will cut the cheese’s sweetness. As you begin to experiment, taste the cheese first by itself, to get a sense of its character, and then put another bite into your mouth with some wine to see how they mingle. Many experts say that white tends to pair better with cheese, but a light-bodied red and cheese pairing is still possible.
Creamy Camembert, Brie or other soft, surface ripened cheeses pair so much better with white wine. Callie Collection Chardonnay shines with these types of cheeses. Anything from a steely Burgundian Chablis to an unoaked or moderately oaked style works.
Aged Cheddar, Cheshire, aged Gruyere, aged Gouda, Pecorino, Manchego, and Asiago ..really any harder cheese is going to love a tannic red. Their nuttiness really compliments the Callie Collection Fresh Red Blend wine.
And I love a nice Ricotta with the Callie Collection Pinot Grigio wine.
Our girl’s nights are a blast and I treasure this time with the special babes in my life. Time stands still for us in these moments with our Callie wine and cheese and fun and we get to just take some time for ourselves. It's so important. I tend to say that friendships are really like romantic relationships or marriages. You have to give them water and love for them to blossom and grow. That being said, I am so happy to have a few good friends over 100 acquaintances. I love my circle! (just look at how much fun we have??) The night sometimes ends in impromptu photo-shoot dress up sessions.....
Do you have anything special you do for your girls night in?! I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
Xo
Sam