By Meg Barkley
Summer is officially here in Napa Valley. The vineyards are lush with green vines. Menus highlight fresh produce like strawberries, blueberries, and fava beans. Patriotic colors of red, white, and blue dot the Main Streets of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga. And dazzling sunsets finish long sunny days.
At Clif Family, we have four easy and simple 4th of July dishes to help you wow your crowd!
AM Sparkle
For those heading out for early parades and festivals, start the day with some red and blue. Clif Family Organic Blueberry Preserves and Organic Pluot Lavender Preserves provide a little extra flair for the breakfast table. We suggest adding them as a topping to pancakes, waffles, bagels, or English muffins. For a healthier option, put together a yogurt bar with a selection of nuts, granola, and fruit, paired with a dollop of the preserves.
Our Clif Family Mendocino Rosé of Grenache is always a great breakfast wine pairing, too.
Haute Dog
Check out our twist on the traditional hot dog you see at most backyard BBQs! We suggest starting with a pretzel bun and adding a spicy chicken sausage (or a regular dog or veggie dog would do). For condiments, add fresh chopped white onion, sauerkraut, and yellow or spicy mustard. Instead of pickles add a big dollop of Clif Family Organic Green Pepper Jam. And of course, don’t forget the ketchup!
Pair with a glass of Clif Family Rte Blanc Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc or our Bici Rhône-Style Red Blend.
BBQ Brie
Fun and #trendy is what this dish is all about! Take a wheel of Brie like Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam and score the top of the cheese with a pairing knife. Place it in a greased baking/serving dish. On top of the cheese spread a heaping dollop of Clif Family Organic Red Pepper Jam. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and add some chopped Clif Family Organic Barbequed Walnuts & Smoked Almonds on top and pop back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes. Once the cheese has melted slightly and starts to ooze, remove it from the oven and drizzle with a spoonful of Clif Family Solar Grown™ Hot Honey with Cobanero Chili. Place the dish on a trivet and alongside a fresh baguette so folks can dig in.
We recommend pairing it with a glass of our Clif Family Le Colline Vineyard Estate Zinfandel.
Red, Red Pepper Jam
The easiest of appetizers harkens back to a dish you might have had at your grandma’s house. All you need is cream cheese, a jar of Clif Family Organic Red Pepper Jam, and Ritz crackers (or a version of the classic). Or if you want to elevate this easy snack, select fresh goat cheese, and serve it with crostinis instead. So much flavor!
We suggest pairing it with our Clif Family Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc.
Be sure to check out more easy summer entertaining recipes like Pepperoni Spice Stuffed Peppers, Red Wine & Blue Cheese Skirt Steak Roll-Ups and Green Pepper Salsa Verde found on our blog.
Happy 4th of July!
