Holiday Tips - Stock your Pantry

We all (almost all) look forward to the holidays.

We share time with friends and family we don't get to see all the time. We suspend the rules, indulge ourselves and offer gratitude. A little planning, stocking your pantry and you are ready. Everything from a casual drop-in, stop-after, to a full-on party scene can be handled gracefully with a little McEvoy in your pantry. Add a quick stop at the bakery and the cheese shop and you are ready to impress yourself and your guests. Charcuterie boards large and small are the current rage for a reason. They are beautiful whether lavish or simple. You can tailor them to your taste and your guests can make choices based on their diet and dining preferences. Here are some thoughts:

• Spicy Green Olive Tapenade mixed with mustard and goes perfectly with sliced ham or salumi.
• Black Olive Tapenade on top of soft luscious cheese pairs perfectly with Pinot Noir.
• Artichoke Lemon Bruschetta mixed with fresh goat cheese provides a quick dip for crudites or pita chips.
• Classic Italian Bruschetta makes the perfect crostini - with or without cheese!
• Our savory jams; Savory Fig, Smoky Sweet Tomato, and Spicy Sweet Pepper are all best friends with any and all types of cheese. They are pretty too!
• Honey drizzled over blue cheese is a classic - especially delicious with Pt. Reyes Bay Blue.
• Olives - we have Sicilian Spiced and Lemon - belong on every charcuterie board.
• Olive Oil for bread dipping - don't forget!

Pantry power! Don't forget to pick up some of McEvoy's elegant small production wines to go along for the party!