A C== SN a Elegant Entertaining On A Budget: Food And Wine Experts Reveal Ways To Save (NAPSA)—Entertaining fam- ily and friends can certainly lift the spirits, but with dismal eco- nomic news coming almostdaily, hosts and hostesses need to be smarter than ever to throw a great soiree that doesn’t break the bank. The secret is to use wines and food that offer exceptional value for the dollar and to know when to splurge and where you can save when planning your menu. Wine expert David Mirassou, sixth-generation member of America’s oldest winemaking family, and David Katz, Napa Valleybased chef, caterer and food and wine pairing expert, provide these tips on how to throw a spectacular celebration without breaking the bank. For more budget-friendly food and wine tips, visit www.mirassou.com. 1.) Plan ahead—Review the recipes and create your shopping list, making careful note of potential substitutions that can stretch your food budget. For example, depending on the time of year, frozen sweet corn may be an inexpensive and time-saving substi- tute for fresh corn in recipes. Chef Katz recommends also reviewing food ads to determine where you can get the best deals on these ingredients. 2.) Plan to offer your guests both a red and a white wine— “You can’t go wrong serving Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,” says Mirassou. Mirassou Chardonnay has wide appeal becauseit is light on the oak with more fruit-for- Stretch your entertaining dollar with food and wine that offer exceptional taste and value. ward flavors to maximize food pairing options. Pinot Noir is currently a trendy wine choice and also has great versatility in food pairings. 3.) How much wine should you serve?—When allocating how many bottles of white versus red you should purchase, consider three things: the length of the event, the season of the year and the tastes of your friends and family. A general rule of thumbis to plan on about one glass of wine per person for each hour of the gathering. 4.) Stretch your wine dol- lar—Now is the time to take advantage of price breaks for purchases of six-plus bottles at select supermarketchains. For an event, the savings can really add up.
