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Wine Dinners: Caribbean Dream

Top your drinks with tiny umbrellas and break out the tropical tunes because tonight we're island-hopping, Caribbean style.

Enjoy hand-picked specialties from three of the larger Caribbean islands, along with cooling wines for this often fiery cuisine.




Cuban Feast

A fruity California Zinfandel will play well with the beefy ropa vieja and should be just as nice with the sofrito sauce and beans and rice. If it's a hot night and a warm red doesn’t sound so appealing, try a chilled Spanish rosé.


Jamaican Me Hungry

Sauvignon Blanc will handle both the spicy and the fruity flavors in this meal; it will be nice with the avocado and cilantro in the salsa; the lime juice, ginger and jalapenos in the jerked chicken; and the deep-fried fritters! Keep it an all-island affair with a nice young Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. And if you're not in the mood for wine, you can't go wrong with a cold Jamaican lager.


Puerto Rican Party

With these Puerto Rican dishes, try Gewürztraminer or Riesling. Riesling is a classic pairing with roasted pork. And Gewürztraminer, besides also working well with the pork dishes, should be an exciting match with the fried plantains and green banana salad. You can find inexpensive versions from Washington state and Alsace, France.


More Tastes of the Tropics

Generally speaking, any of the wines described above (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer) should be a reliable match with the exotic, often spicy flavors of Caribbean cuisine. A cold lager beer always hits the spot, as well. If you want something non-alcoholic, try a tongue-tingling ginger beer.


Party Tips for Paradise

  • Choose a warm summer evening for your Caribbean getaway (or take the chill off winter) and ask your guests to dress the part.
  • For extra style points, create treasure map invitations sent in mailing tubes with a sprinkling of sand and a seashell.
  • Fill vases with palm fronds. Arrange shells, dried sea stars, or sand dollars against the inside of a large glass bowl, fill the bowl with sand and dot with tea lights.
  • Use bamboo or rattan trays, placemats, and other accessories.
  • Stamp plain paper napkins with palm trees, shells or parrots.
  • Set up a craft area with shells, fake pearls, googly eyes, glue, etc. and let guests create their own clam shell critters.
  • Light up the night with solar-powered tiki torches and dance off the rum.
  • Shell-shaped chocolates and miniature bottles of Caribbean hot sauce make perfect party favors.

    Comments
    Susie 
    Jul. 30, 2009 11:51 am
    Being one of the biggest Parrottheads alive (18 concerts so far) I can really appreciate this whole Island Idea!! Have done many o'Key West themed blow outs and have always recieved great reviews. Between the conch salad, jerk chicken and margaritas ..... well ....need I say more? Stay cool "mon" !! susie !!!
     
    ALEX0596 
    Aug. 27, 2009 9:33 am
    Awesome Susie, That is actually what I am looking for is a new dish for tailgating at Alpine!! Third year tradition for us!! gonna try the rum punch for my boozy fruit this year!! Fins Up!!
     
     

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