2008 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir & The Oscars - Take One

Cheers It's Friday!  I am celebrating the arrival of Friday evening with a 2008 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir and an appetizer rehearsal for the Oscars on Sunday - take one.  The wine is a WINNER.  It was a rough week and I splurged on the wine ( I told myself I deserve it).  Just when I thought $15-20 got me a great wine, I spend $10 more and this one not only WOWED me, but proved it is worth every penny.  Check out the web site at http://www.duttongoldfield.com/ for the wine maker's notes and reviews.   And once again thanks to my wine merchant for suggesting this wine, not the one I was searching for, but I am a new fan of Dutton-Goldfield Winery.

The appetizer rehearsal includes Dorie Greenspan's cocktail nuts, once again I was WOWED tonight.  I used a mix of pecans, cashews and almonds mixed with a little egg white and tossed with spices to suit your wine or taste buds, bake and - PERFECT! To the appetizer mix I added Cheddar Gouges made with Seaside Cheddar, (the Seaside Cheddar was a pairing eureka with the Dutton Pinot Noir) and finally a few Kalamata olives.  A rough week is ending on an up note and the Oscars to look forward to on Sunday!  Cheers It's Friday and take one for the big show on Sunday!

Oscar Night Cocktail Nuts
adapted from Around my French Table
2 cups of nuts (I used a mixture of pecans, whole almonds, and cashews)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon  cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 large egg white

1.  Preheat oven to 300F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  Combine nuts in a medium size bowl. Combine sugar, salt and spices in a separate bowl.
3.  In a small bowl, mix egg white with a fork.
4.  Pour the egg white over the nuts and coat them evenly.  Sprinkle spice mixture over the nuts and mix to combine.
5.  With your hands, lift the nuts out of the bowl wiping excess egg whites on the side of bowl, place nuts on the baking sheet and separate them.
6.  Bake 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and break the nuts apart.