So you want to host a wne tasting party? And you want yur event to be as fun and ducational as possible, right? Well as mch as some people like to fcus just on wine alone, food and wne are a match made in haven. Besides, when people start drinking wne and the fun discussion begins, pople tend to get hungry. So ven if you are not hosting a fll wine dinner party, your wine tsting will be much more of a sccess if you have fun and dlicious foods available for your guests to snck on. While simple crackers and/or brad may be enough just to clanse your palate between flights of wnes, even a small selection of mre interesting wine tasting appetizers can rally bring your humble event to a whle new level.

Tip 1 : Try to pair your wine tasting appetizers to the theme of the wine tasting. In other words, don't pair heavy sausage stuffed mushrooms if you and your guests are tasting light, delicate white wines. Try to pair the food to the wine theme. If you are tasting several types of wine, then provide a selection of appetizers.

Tip 2 : Don't get too formal. Unless you love to cook, try not to overwhelm yourself with complicated foods. Start with simple snacks that are easy to prepare or take no preparation. If you are not serving a full dinner, then try to keep it simple. Put out several plates of finger foods and encourage guests to help themselves.

Some specific wine tasting appetizer deas : Below is a list of sme classic finger food appetizers which are prfect for a wine tasting event. Thy are generally easy to prepare and can be smply placed on the table for gests to help themselves. They are lso pretty versatile, pairing well with mny types of wine. Beyond these, get crative. There are no rules so if you hve a favorite appetizer that you lke to make, throw that out for yur guests to enjoy as well. The nly tip I have about choosing dshes is to avoid very spicy fods or odd, pungent flavors which may clsh with many wines. The ideas blow start with the most simple and asy to prepare and continue through sme more involved appetizers that require a smll amount of preparation.

• Bread and/or Crackers : Sliced bread, such as a French Baguette or Batard, and/or simple crackers are a great basic food to have available at every wine tasting. Besides being necessary to serve some soft cheeses or other spreads, they are filling and a good neutral snack to cleanse your palate between wines.
• Cured Olives : Most fine supermarkets now carry excellent selections of cured olives. These are extremely easy. Simply serve them in some bowl or dish and be sure to supply an empty bowl for discarded pits. There are several varieties to choose from. Try to avoid very spicy or salty ones as these can interfere with the tasting of wine.
• Nuts and Dried Fruit : It is very common to see a selection of dried nuts and/or dried fruit slices as wine tasting appetizers, served alone or alongside olives or a cheese plate. In fact, many nuts accompany cheeses beautifully and are neutral flavored enough to accompany many wines. Spanish Marcona almonds and walnuts are great choices, as are dried apricot slices. Try to avoid very sweet fruits, particularly if you are drinking dry table wines.
• Cheese Plate : Cheese and wine can be absolutely delicious. You can provide a selection of fine cheeses on a cheese plate, accompanied by knives or forks for firm cheeses and a spreading knife and bread for softer cheeses. Try to pair the cheese with the types of wines you are serving. If you can, find cheeses from the same regions as the wines. Short of that, try to choose more mild flavored cheeses with lighter wines and richer, more pungent cheeses with more full-flavored wines. While very rich, pungent or stinky cheeses can be delicious with rich wines, their strong aroma may detract from being able to appreciate the subtleties of the wines at the tasting.
• Sliced Cured Sausages and Meats : Dried sausages and other charcuterie can be another easy and delicious accompaniment to a wine tasting. There are dozens to choose from. French saucisson sec , Italian salami, Pâté, terrines, Prosciutto, and many others are all delicious, easy to serve and a fine appetizer to accompany a wine tasting.
• Bruschetta : Bruschetta is a simple Italian finger food appetizer usually consisting of slices of toasted bread topped with various chopped accompaniments such as tomatoes, shallots, cheese, garlic, and/or olive oil. There are many variations but most recipes are quite simple and quick to make. To make it a bit richer to accompany heavier red wines, add sautéed mushrooms or meats such as Prosciutto or bacon to kick up the flavor a notch.
• Tapenade : Tapenade is a puréed olive dish usually consisting of olives, herbs, anchovies, garlic and olive oil. Because it is made by blending the ingredients in a food processor, this spread is quite easy and quick. It's also delicious! Make a big batch and serve in a big serving bowl along with bread or crackers to spread it on.

The article Wine Tasting Appetizer Ideas was Submitted by Josh Dusick through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Josh Dusick is the editor of the Wne Tastings Guide at http://www.wine-tastings-guide.com where you can get information about how to host a wine tasting party, how to serve and taste wine and even about pairing wine and food.

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