Eagerly anticipated every year, our Lumière de Vie (Light of Life) wines are classic favorites. This month we introduce a bright, clean, off-dry Rosé; a semi-fruity white blend with a dry finish; a rich medium-bodied Petit Verdot and an easygoing, dry Merlot. The sophisticated personalities of these wines can lend themselves easily to night life, music and fun, bringing to mind the era of New York supper clubs and café society. Why not liven up a cold February night and enjoy these delicious wines with an uptown menu and your own café society inspired gathering?

Café Society – the lost world of swanky supper clubs, jazz clubs and New York hot spots in the 1930s-1950s. This is where the elite came to meet – socialites, movie stars, columnists and wannabes came to see and be seen. Your celebration can be just as glam or as casual as you like. It is always extra fun to have tablecloths/candles/decorations. Serve dinner or make it a buffet with small plates and desserts. Our Lumière de Vie wines are versatile crowd-pleasers and work well with so many dishes.

 

Pairing Ideas

Create your very own supper club menu with these classic recipes paired up with the perfect wines.

 

Caramelized Onion Soup

Savory and soul-satisfying, it’s a forever favorite

Caramelized Onion Soup
Servings: 6

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie Merlot

INGREDIENTS: 

3 tablespoons olive oil or butter, divided
3 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla or Maui, halved, thinly sliced and divided
12 medium shallots, sliced
4 cups vegetable OR beef broth
2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
Salt to taste
McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground to taste
6 1/2-inch slices sourdough or French bread
1 1/2-2 cups shredded Gouda or Edam cheese (6 ounces)
Sliced green onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 4- or 4-1/2-quart Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil (or butter) over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sweet onions, spreading in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until brown, stirring occasionally. Remove onions; drain on paper towels.

2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Stir in the remaining sweet onions and shallots. Cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; cook about 5 minutes more or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and, if desired, wine; heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Place bread slices on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for about 1 minute or until light brown. Turn bread over; top with cheese. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese begins to melt.

4. To serve, ladle soup into bowls; add the cheese toast. Top with the reserved 1/2 cup sautéed sweet onions and, if desired, sliced green onions.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Spiced Shrimp Cocktail

Served hot or cool, plump and spicy shrimp rule

Old Bay Spiced Shrimp Cocktail
Servings: 8

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie Réflexion

INGREDIENTS: 

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Old Bay® Seasoning
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, leaving tails on
1 cup McCormick® Original Cocktail Sauce for Seafood

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix vinegar, water and Old Bay Seasoning in medium saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat. Gently stir in shrimp; cover.

2. Steam 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Drain well.

3. Serve immediately or, if serving cold, plunge hot shrimp into a bowl of ice water until ready to serve. Enjoy with your favorite cocktail sauce.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Grilled Filet Mignon with Herb Better & Texas Toasts

Tender, juicy, butter-smooth and surprisingly quick to fix

Grilled Filet Mignon with Herb Better & Texas Toasts
Servings: 4

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie Merlot

INGREDIENTS: 

1 tablespoon whipped or regular butter, slightly softened
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, or shallot
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
3 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram, or oregano, divided
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, (1 minced, 1 peeled and halved)
1 pound filet mignon, about 1 1/2 inches thick, trimmed and cut into 4 portions
4 slices whole-grain bread
4 cups watercress, trimmed and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Mash butter in a small bowl with the back of a spoon until soft and creamy. Stir in 2 teaspoons oil until combined. Add chives (or shallot), capers, 1 teaspoon marjoram (or oregano), 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and place in the freezer to chill.

3. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, 2 teaspoons marjoram (or oregano), 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, rosemary and minced garlic in a small bowl. Rub on both sides of steak. Rub both sides of bread with the halved garlic clove; discard the garlic.

4. Grill the steak 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Grill the bread until toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Divide watercress among 4 plates. Place 1 toast on each serving of watercress and top with steak. Spread the herb butter on top of the steaks and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Twice Baked Potatoes with Caviar

Everyday spuds dress up with creamy sauce and caviar

Twice Baked Potatoes with Caviar
Servings: 4 (or use 8-10 small potatoes and double all other ingredients)

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie Revelation

INGREDIENTS: 

2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, divided
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
2 teaspoons caviar (or more if you feel generous!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Pierce potatoes in several places with a fork. Bake directly on the center rack until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave on Medium, turning once or twice, until soft, about 20 minutes.)

3. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

4. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop the insides into a bowl. Place the skins in a small baking dish. Add 1/4 cup sour cream, milk, horseradish, chives, chopped dill, salt and pepper to the potato insides. Beat with an electric mixer or mash with a potato masher until smooth; divide among the potato skins.

5. Bake the stuffed potatoes until the filling is hot, 15 to 20 minutes. (Or microwave until hot, 2 to 4 minutes.)

6. To serve, top each half with 1 tablespoon of the remaining sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon caviar and a dill sprig.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Peach Melba Puffs

Feather-light pastry with peachy creamy filling (make extra!)

Peach Melba Puffs
Servings: 15 

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie Revelation

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup almond paste (about 1/2 of an 8-ounce can)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons McCormick® Pure Almond Extract
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
2 cups fresh or frozen loose-pack raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. For puffs, combine water, butter, almond paste, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling, breaking up almond paste with a spoon. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into 30 mounds about 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake in a 400°F oven for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet. Cool on wire racks.

4. Meanwhile, for peach filling, chop peaches. Combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and amaretto or almond extract in a chilled medium mixing bowl. Beat with the chilled beaters of an electric mixer on low speed until soft peaks form (peaks curl). Fold in peaches and sour cream. Cover and refrigerate.

5. Cut off the tops of the puffs. Remove any soft dough from insides. Spoon a generous 1 tablespoon filling into each puff. Replace tops of the puffs. Puffs may be covered and chilled for up to 2 hours.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Chocolate Cream Pie

Sometimes sinful is okay, so go chocolate all the way

Chocolate Cream Pie
Servings: 10

PAIRS WITH: Lumière de Vie 2016 Petit Verdot

INGREDIENTS: 

7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies, (about 32 small cookies)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons low-fat milk

FILLING
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
2 large eggs
4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

TOPPING
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
Chocolate curls for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

2. To prepare crust: Process chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Add oil and milk; pulse until combined. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

3. To prepare filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk milk and eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk into the sugar mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Cook, stirring vigorously, for 2 minutes more. Strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Whisk in chocolate until completely melted.

4. Pour the filling into the crust. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a “skin” from forming. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

5. To prepare topping & decorate pie: Just before serving, beat cream and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Smooth any lines on the pie’s surface with the back of a spoon. Spoon or pipe (with a pastry bag) 10 dollops of whipped cream around the edge of the pie. Garnish with chocolate curls.

*Recipe and Photo Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

 

Set the Scene With a Swinging Playlist

Cafe Society Playlist

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