Thorny Rose Wines, Learn from The Fun People of Hollywood to Entertain for the Holidays

 

By Laura Medina

Thorny Rose Wines made a splash in the heart of historical Hollywood.

Let's get over of the assumed myth of "The Beautiful People of Hollywood."

That night wasn't one of them.  The Thorny Rose Wine party was all about "The Fun People of Hollywood," ...

  

the influential taste-makers...literally...letting their hair down, dumping the pretentiousness and the pompousness back home, bowling in The Roosevelt Hotel's inner Spare Room (a Twenties Speakeasy with a bowling alley), and getting silly playing Jenga while nibbling on gourmet snacks and sipping delicious Thorny Rose Wines of :  Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Blend, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

The menu of : Grilled Cheese & Beef Short Rib Sandwich, Fresh Ricotta Bruschetta with Fig, Truffle Risotto Balls, Chicken Empanadas and Mini Creme Brulee Pear Tarts for dessert fits the bill.

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich stuffed with shreds of Beef Short Ribs was a match for equally decadent Cabernet Sauvignon.  The crunchy-on-the outside and gooey-in-the inside Truffle Risotto Balls, the hearty Chicken Empandas, and the light and crispy Fresh Ricotta Bruschetta flatbread go all-around with the Sauvignon Blanc.

The Chardonnay was an easy quaff with the airy Pear Tarts.

Can't forget these are the holidays, it's not the holidays 'til there is punch.

Thorny Rose Red Blend Punch, concocted at The Spare Room, had taste-makers guzzling.

You and your guests can guzzle this exact same punch with this recipe...

 

Thorny Rose Red Blend Punch

1 bottle Thorny Rose Red Blend

16 oz fresh brewed black tea that has been steeped with dried Mirabelle plum and safflower 

8 oz Cognac - any good V.S, will do

4 oz vanilla bean/ cinnamon syrup*

1 orange and 2 lemons cut into half moons

3 organic plums cut into half moons

To prepare:

Combine all ingredients and chill overnight - serve in a large punch bowl with club soda

*Heat 12 oz (1.5 c) water to boiling point, immediately reduce to medium low heat, add two cinnamon sticks and
simmer for 15 minutes, add the paste from one scraped vanilla bean and 12 oz sugar, dissolve and simmer for an additional ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool and bottle - makes 16 oz syrup. You can use the remaining syrup from your sangria preparation to mix with club soda for those at your party who do not partake in alcohol. Enjoy.

 

 

Check before with your local bowling alley but The Spare Room is a bar with a bowling alley, the antidote to the staid club scene dotting Hollywood Boulevard.

Fueled on gourmet bites and yummy vanilla & Red Blend punch, taste-makers let loose and got their game on at the bowling alley.  They loved it.

A more possible party idea, for the holidays, is to dig up those old boardgames then set them up through out the place, like Thorny Rose Wines setting up Jenga tables with wine and bites.

Whether you rent out a bar, a club, a bowling alley (again, check with your local bowling alley), or set them up in your back yard or porch, it never hurts to hire a live band.

The famed indie pop band, the White Arrows, kept the party fresh by performing a live set, to the delight of party guests.

By following the basic, generalized tips and hints from Thorny Rose Wines' Spare Room party, you can gleam some ideas in how to throwing a rockin' holiday, especially for New Year's Eve.

Here is a cheat sheet in the unique characteristics of each Thorny Rose Wine:

The rich, deep Cabernet Sauvignon goes well with roast beef, duck, and venison.

If you want an all-around red wine, can't go wrong with Red Blend.  Follow the Thorny Rose Red Blend Punch recipe above, you'll have a crowd pleaser which means "no brainer."  If it is easier on you, it'll be easier on your guests.

Going Italian for Christmas and want to celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes because you're needing a break from all that rich game meat yet dying for something fancy, say grilled scallops, lobster, oysters, clams, and expensive fish swimming in rich butter sauce, or you're stuck roasting turkey or ham?  What to do!?

No fear, Sauvignon Blanc is here to the rescue. It goes well with gravy-drenched turkey, oyster stuffing, honey-glazed ham and that fancy seafood feast of scallops, lobster, mussels, and any excuse for Oyster Rockefeller, Lobster Thermidor, or any ornate stuffed shellfish.

But what about dessert?  The delightfully airy and sweet Chardonnay cuts down on the richness of butter cookies and pear/lemon/key lime tarts...more reason to nibble and sip.

Thorny Rose Wines is kind enough to offer another holiday snack is that easy to prepare sans oven or microwave then suggest a Pinot Grigio for the cooking impaired and the wine novice.

Here is a list of easy wine pairings that take everyday snacks out of the ordinary...

 Turn any ole jelly doughnuts into a holiday treat by simply pairing them with Cabernet Sauvignon, your guests will think you're fancy.

 Repurposing red velvet cake (or any type of cake) with jam and cream then layering them in a glass bowl and calling this "trifle," a traditional British dessert...why not?!

Serving scoops of this cream, jam, and cake treat with Red Blend Wine or/and Punch, your in-laws with be in awe, especially your mother-in-law.

Pizza for the holidays?  "Why not"-Thorny Rose Wines.  You can either chop your thinnest pizza into squares then serve them on buffet trays or you can go gluten-free then take the ordinary mushroom (remove the caps first) then stuffed them with everyday tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese then transform them into something special by either microwaving them or toasting them in a toaster into special gooey vegetarian treats.  If you pair these gluten-free mini pizzas with Cabernet Sauvignon, the neighborhood folks, your buddies, and in-laws will you're a chef. 

If you follow the tasting notes of each wine, the above party snacks can be done and cooked ahead of time that you can easily transport to any location for any type of party, a potluck or a neighbor's party or your own, Thorny Rose Wines is here to help.

Not only can they suggest food and wine hook-ups, if you can check and book your local bowling alley or help out a friend's rock/jazz band (as always...check with your local community board rules about noise and parking) by hiring them out for the holidays, you can have "Hollywood Cheers" worthy of an InStyle Magazine Issue.

Gleam a tip from Thorny Rose Wines, before you'll know it, you'll entertainment the local neighborhood snob.  She will be impressed...or jealous.  But isn't that the point of the holidays, whoever out-shines or out-glams is the one who shares holiday cheers the most.