A huge thanks to Iyana for hosting me on her blog today.
Although Tony and Sonia only get to enjoy a little
bit of their wine and dinner in my newest release, Dinner For Two, it would have been a travesty for me not to include
them sharing a glass of a good red wine after a frantic day in Tony’s kitchen.
A glass of wine at night is integral to helping me unwind after a particularly
stressful day.
I’m not an oenophile, just a lover of wines. I have
to admit that when I was younger and in college, the extent of my wine
knowledge basically began and ended with White Zinfandel. I cannot tell you how
much that makes me shudder thinking back on it today. Not because I’m a wine
snob (really, I’m not!) but because I’ve discovered that there are so many
other amazing wines out there that have so much more to offer than just a
simple wine that’s easy to drink. I was introduced to “real” wine during my
first backpacking trip across Europe in a small café in Avignon, France.
Avignon is a region known for their Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, which are WAY
out of my price range but Oh-So-Delicious! The wine I had that day was local
(to this day I have no idea what it was) and it was delicious. This one meal
started me on my journey of seeking out new wines and trying to discover what I
could about the different varietals.
So even though I’m not a certified oenophile, here
are some suggestions I have to make a newbie’s introduction into the world of
wine (past White Zinfandel) with some of the recipes I’ve blogged about this week
for an easier transition:
Wine
and Food Pairings:
Puttanesca or any spicy dish: To hold up against the spiciness, you need a
wine that’s not going to overpower the flavor of the spices. I highly recommend
either a Pinor Noir (which is only lightly fruity and usually allows the spices
of a dish to come through) or a Sangiovese blend (I recommend a blend because
for me, a true Sangiovese is too harsh and dry).
Italian Wedding Soup: Because this is made with white meat (chicken
or turkey), I’d suggest a lighter, crisper white wine. My personal favorite is
Sauvignon Blanc rather than a Chardonnay, only because a Chardonnay tends to be
more “buttery” and heavy and can easily overpower the subtle flavors of the
soup. This soup can also be served with a Pinot Noir since it’s one of the
lighter, fruitier red wines.
Pasta Salad: This salad screams for Sauvignon Blanc but
can also easily be served with a Chardonnay.
Cheeses or my Baked Brie: For me, fancy cheese is a personal preference
and should be served with whatever the person’s personal choice of wine is. I
love drinking a heavier red wine like Zinfandel with cheeses because I feel
like the cheese helps bring out the smokiness and berry undertones of the wine.
However, the bottom line for any wine lover is this:
Drink what you love whenever you enjoy good food. It’s your palate and your
dining experience. No one has a better idea what you’ll enjoy than you do!
Salute
~Eileen
Dinner For Two
by: Eileen Griffin
Genre: Erotic Romance
Length: Romance On The Go – Short Story
Published: December 17, 2013
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
BLURB:
Sonia Davenport has dreams of
coordinating and planning special events. When she’s given the opportunity to
plan a dinner for her boss and his shareholders, she jumps at the chance to
make everything perfect. Helping her plan the special night is the head chef of
the restaurant, Tony Mancinni, who is not only charming but goes out of his way
to make Sonia feel special during the entire planning process.
The dinner party almost turns
disastrous when an employee mixes up the orders and sets out the wrong food. In
a mad rush to save the dinner, Sonia and Tony realize their attraction to each
other when things heat up in the kitchen. However, Tony has to convince Sonia
that he wants more than just an extra set of hands in his restaurant – he wants
her to stay the night so he can convince her to stay for good.
EXCERPT:
Tony gently
rubbed his finger along her bottom lip. "I had hoped everything would be
perfect tonight because I wanted to impress you. When you came in for brunch
that first Sunday and laid out your plans, not only were you beautiful, but you
had a detailed description of what you wanted. On the catering side of things,
you have no idea how attractive that is. Then, when you came in for your
tasting, I didn't think I was going to make it through the afternoon without
asking you out. But I have a strict rule: Don't date the clients until after
the function is over. So I waited. Do you have any idea how hard it was to
wait?"
Sonia shook her
head slightly, then let her lips part. Instead of replying to him, she slid her
tongue out to meet his finger, gently caressing the tip. He hissed in a breath,
his eyes fixated on her tongue and lips. Feeling emboldened by his words, she
leaned closer and drew his finger deeper inside her mouth, wrapping her lips
around it as she laved it with her tongue.
"Sonia,"
he whispered. "You're so beautiful. But I didn't ask you up here for
this."
She leaned back,
his finger sliding out of her mouth. All the nerves and doubts she'd felt
earlier were replaced by a heat that was coursing through her. She'd felt it
all night in the kitchen with him and it was stronger now that she knew he
wanted her as badly as she wanted him.
"I'm glad you asked me up here, Tony. But if we're being
honest with each other, I think dinner can wait. You see, I've lost my
appetite. For food, that is."
BUY LINKS:
Evernight Publishing: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/dinner-for-two-by-eileen-griffin/
All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dinnerfortwo-1375536-149.html
Bookstrand:
EILEEN GRIFFIN BIO:
Eileen Griffin lives in the Southwest
but loves to travel and has spent many summers crossing Europe with nothing but
a backpack on her back. She enjoys TexMex, lives for good wine, and has a
certain penchant for purple unicorns. She loves reading all genres of books,
but her current obsession is writing M/M with lots of boykissing.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eileen.griffin
