Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016 - 28

EMBRACE SEASONALITY

When I'm decorating for a party, I focus on using local flowers
that are at their peak at the time of the event; if you work within
seasonal guidelines, you are guaranteed a higher-quality flower
with a longer life. Sonoma County floral season is at its height from
June through September, giving me access to different types of
dahlias, roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas and more. During fall and
winter, I shift toward using hardier foliage and foraged flora, such
as tree moss, branches and leaves. Fruits and vegetables on the
vine can also become a focal point of place settings. One of my
favorite things to do is incorporate a cluster of cherry tomatoes
on the vine into each guest's place setting. I simply take a handful
of fresh herbs, a single flower for a pop of color and a tomato vine
and wrap them together with a piece of raffia or ribbon.

PAY ATTENTION TO DÉCOR

I always want our tablescapes to look as if I didn't slave over them
all day. That means keeping décor fairly simple. Centerpieces can
be easily over-thought or over-touched. Don't be afraid to only
have four bud vases in a straight row on your dining room table-
that's very clean and simple. It can be striking as well. Often the
best components of classic décor are right in front of you-in
your yard, on the side of the road. Magnolia leaves are a perfect
example. They're fun to work with because they're big, sturdy
and retain their shape and freshness for days. I also love oak
branches, Spanish moss and blossoms. I'm a big fan of bringing
nature to the table. Leaves and branches make for a great filler in
floral arrangements, and they're free. I've simply placed clusters
of magnolia leaves down the center of the table like a runner,
added in a few votive candles and gardenia blooms floating in a
bowl of water as the centerpiece, and it completes that natural,
wine country look.

28

GET CREATIVE WITH PLACE CARDS

Place cards are always a nice touch for seated meals, and you
don't have to toil over a craft project to create something wine
country chic. Sometimes I'll use a gold pen and write my guest's
name directly on a magnolia leaf, turning it into a natural place
card. I also like working with the small manila tags typically used
for mailings; those are really wonderful to tie around something
elegant like a little bouquet of flowers, herbs or even a tree branch
with flower buds. I used cherry tree twigs for our A Taste of Spring
Dinner place settings because the pink buds are so beautiful and
give a minimalist, elegant look. I've even done parties with petite
succulents as place cards. For those, each person has a tiny pot,
and I stick a small skewer into each pot with the person's name.
These are all little fun ideas that we do at the winery and anybody
can replicate at home.

CRAFT A MENU AROUND THE WINE

At Jordan, the key to a memorable party is the marriage of food
and wine. Choosing wines and dishes that elevate each other's
flavors is the most important part of a chef's job, and my husband,
Todd Knoll, our Executive Chef, is constantly challenging himself
to find new pairings for Jordan Winery meals and culinary events.
We always serve older vintages of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon at
meals to showcase the wine's ageability, and library wines from
commemorative vintages often find their way onto tables for special
occasions-year of a first date, graduation, wedding or a child's
birth. Mature Jordan Cabernets, as their fruit begins to soften, tend
to express more earthy characters, and serving braised dishes,
usually with herbs and mushrooms in the sauce, are a wonderful
way to accentuate the charms of older red wines. The best braised
meat for older vintages of Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon is Sonoma
lamb, and it's perfect for a dinner party. Two racks of lamb create
an impressive presentation and feed three couples.
Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jordan Estate Tales - Volume 11, 2016
