Understanding Ingredients and Cooking Techniques

If you're like most people, you often aren't prepared to dress up an ordinary meal on the spur of the moment -- but sometimes, things happen that require an impromptu celebration. For instance, perhaps your spouse comes home with excellent news about a coveted promotion and you've already prepared a normal dinner and wish you had a way to make it more festive. Adding candlelight, using the good china, and picking a bouquet of flowers from the garden to place on the table are all great ways to create a celebratory ambiance, but there are also certain ways you can make the meal itself more special. Following are three ideas for those looking for ways to add some last-minute pizzaz to even the most ordinary meal. 

1. Add a First Course

Any meal is going to automatically feel more special if you add a first course -- and if you have the right ingredients on hand, you can whip up a delicious appetizer course in a matter of minutes. For instance, all you need is a can of salmon, some mayonnaise, and some creamed cheese to make an elegant pate that can be served with water crackers. Even cheese and crackers served with a good wine such as Bordeaux can dress up an average meal. 

2. Add a Bottle of Bordeaux Blend

Always keeping a few good bottles of wine on hand means that you're never in a pinch when it comes to creating a festive atmosphere at dinner at the last minute. Bordeaux blends are an excellent choice because they go with a wider variety of foods than their white or deeper red counterparts because it's a fairly light and versatile red. For instance, it can be served with most seafood as well as with all red meat except for the very richest cuts. 

3. Add an Elegant Dessert

Naturally, no one has time to whip up an elegant dessert at the last minute, which is why keeping something in the freezer is recommended. You can purchase ready-to-eat ice cream desserts that are quite scrumptious, or you can freeze individual slices of cake or pie that you make yourself for other occasions. You can also keep gelato in the freezer as an upscale alternative to ice cream and add a few frozen berries and a drizzle of syrup prior to serving. 

You can also create a liquid dessert by adding cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a bottle of Bordeaux and simmering it in a saucepan until it almost comes to a boil. To learn more, contact a company like JJ Buckley Fine Wines.