“Christ has died Christ has risen, Christ will come again”

Every year in honor and remembrance of Jesus Christ, Christians celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday’s date changes each year due to the March Equinox, which is in direct correlation to the first day of spring. This year, Easter falls on April 20th. Easter has family and the Lord at its forefront, giving all a chance to come together. This holiday is the first one of the year giving all a chance to celebrate, appreciate Spring, the warmth, and the spring flowers in bloom. Please honor all of the important people in your life this holiday by enjoying a special meal and each others company.

To make your family’s Easter special, I have hand picked two high quality French wines. One red Bordeaux and one white Burgundy. I also have provided a few special recipes that pair exclusively to the holiday and the wine. Not to mention how to properly make a hardboiled egg!

My Wines of choice! One of each bottle, plus free shipping, for only $35!
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2009 Chateau Bourdicotte Bordeaux Superior

This beautiful ‘09 single vineyard Bordeaux is truly a treat, best reserved for special occasions. The red grape blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec is able to stand up to the full variety of flavors expected at an Easter dinner.

Tasting Notes - The aroma of this wine is extremely welcoming and home like, with notes of prune, black currant, nutmeg, clove, cardamom, orange and vanilla. On the palate, the black currant, cardamom and vanilla really shine through. Additional flavors of black cherry, cinnamon bark and cacao nibs create a truly splendid complex wine. Mild tannins, medium acidity and no residual sugar

Food Pairing - This classic Bordeaux, with its plumy, deep characteristics compliment the herbed Cornish hens and dried cherry stuffing entirely (recipe below). The herbs of the hen bring out the minty and nutmeg notes in the wine. The dried cherry in the stuffing bring out the dark berry and chocolate notes in the wine.

2010 Domaine Dupres Macon-Villages Reserve Special Bourgogne

Most wine produced in this region is typically aged in stainless steel vats and meant for immediate consumption. That is not the case for this small estate blend, aged in French oak. The chardonnay base in this wine has a much richer flavor compared to the burgundy Chablis due to the warmer climate in the southern region.

Tasting Notes - On the nose, this wine is bursting with notes of ripe golden apple, toast, apricot marmalade and wet stone. On the palate this medium plus bodied blend has notes of lemon zest, toast and flint minerality. The Domaine Dupres has bright acidity with a medium long finish and no residual sugar

Food Pairing - Enjoy with your Easter appetizers, like crab deviled eggs. The acidity from the wine paired with the acidic zip from the deviled eggs is perfect. The wine also cuts through the fat and really allows the crab meat to shine through.

Lump Crab Meat Deviled Eggs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 Large eggs

4 oz container lump crab meat- Drained

1 Tbsp sliced scallion

1 Tbsp Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Sour cream or Plain Greek yogurt

1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Juice of one large lemon- seeds removed

1 t Salt

¼ t Pepper

Paprika to garnish

In a medium sauce pan place eggs on even layer in bottom of pan.Method:

1. Cover with several inches of cold water
2. Place on stove top on high, monitor, once water is boiling turn off heat and cover. Set timer for 10 minutes
3. Once timer is up, shock eggs in ice bath and start peeling off the shells.
4. Once all of the eggs are de-shelled, cut in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Place yolks into mixing bowl
5. Crumble yolks with hands and add the remaining ingredients, other than the crab.
6. Whisk to combine till it s smooth and creamy. Add crab meat and taste, adjust seasoning if necessary
7. Pipe or spoon filling back into each egg white half and garnish with paprika.

Herb Roasted Cornish Hens with Dried Cherry and Pork Sausage Stuffing
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cornish hens, patted dry

½ cup dry acidic white wine (I used the Domaine Dupre)

1 tsp minced rosemary

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced thyme

1 tsp minced sage

¼ tsp red pepper flake (optional)

½ lb ground pork sausage6 Tbsp olive oil

¼ c diced yellow onion

½ c diced celery

½ cup dried cranberries

2 cup cubed dried seasoned bread

• You can use store bought stuffing or create your own by cubing your choice of bread, dusting with garlic salt, Italian herb seasoning and toasting in the oven at 425 5-7 minutes. ( until golden brown and crispy)

2 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a medium sauté pan, on medium high heat, brown the pork sausage. Break up into penny sized pieces. Add in celery and onion halfway through.
3. Once cooked through remove from heat and set into mixing bowl, add in the dried cherries and the cubed bread.
4. Heat 1-cup chicken stock until boiling, add butter, pour over the stuffing ingredients and stir to combine. Taste- add salt and pepper as needed.
5. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, olive oil, salt, red pepper flake, and pepper.
6. Clean out cavity of bird, stuff the cavity with the stuffing mixture.

* If you do not like stuffing in the bird you can place stuffing into casserole pan and place a squeezed lemon halve inside the cavity instead.

1. Cover the Cornish hens with the herb oil mixture including under the skin of the breast.
2. Place in roasting pan on roasting rack. Pour ½ cup white wine and ½ cup chicken stock in bottom of pan.
3. Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
4. Cover with tin foil and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes,

To serve- Split hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears, keep stuffing intact. Arrange birds skin side up on plate. Pour over remaining juice from pan.