How to Plan a Wine Menu

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean your green thumb has to wither up and die. Turn your nurturing and love inward with these houseplants that will keep your urban jungle growing even in the depths of winter. If you want more gardening inspo, check out this episode recorded with gardener and creator ABeautifulNestTV all about the book “The Garden in Every Sense and Season” by Tovah Martin. @BriBooksPod’s Houseplants in @TheBriGarden Pilea peperomioides - The pilea peperoioides has circle-shaped leaves and prefers well-draining soil and partial light. Indoor herb like basil or cilantro - I repotted and over-wintered the basil and cilantro growing in the garden. Choose an herb you love and plant it on your kitchen windowsill for an instant injection of freshness. Small parlor palm - Preferring 55-70 degrees, moist soil and filtered sunlight, the small parlor palm adds density to any indoor garden. The mini-trees create a faux forest look. Pothos - Pothos is arguably the easiest of all houseplants to grow and the most recognizable houseplant. It does well in rooms like offices, dorm rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens (yes, it even grows under fluorescent lighting). Pothos tend to vine, so I love to use them to take up area and create a living web of plants. Philodendron - Philodendron plants like bright, indirect sunlight, and regular fertilization to grow into its best self.  

How many times have you gone into a wine shop, perused bottles and labels with glazed-over eyes, and left unfulfilled and over budget? Here are four categories I consider when planning what wine to bring to an event, serve to guests, or buy for myself: 

Brionna’s @BriBooksPod Wine Menu Tips 

1. Bubbles or no? (shoutout to Sarita of The Swirl Suite podcast for always encouraging bubbles to kick off the night)

2. Learn the rules, then break them. I choose wines based on my own flavor principle: the lighter the flesh, the lighter the wine. Hence white wine with fish and creamy pasta dishes, red wines with tomato dishes and red meats, and Rosé flows best with vegetables. From there, I forget everything I know and opt for a left-of-center pick such as Pinot Gris in place of a classic white wine or an orange wine in lieu of Rosé. 

3. Pick up a wildcard--perhaps a liquor--that you can use to create quick cocktails

4. Think about analogous and complementary flavors relative to the meal

Brionna’s @BriBooksPod Wine Menu Recommendations 

1. Bubbles recommendation: Vigneto Luciano Saetti Rosso Viola Lambrusco Salamino, 2018 ($20-$23), available at Simple Syrup Wine and Spirits in Brooklyn 

2. Meal pairing recommendation: Meinklang “Mulatschak” Weisser Pino Gris ($17-$20), available at Simple Syrup 

3. Easy, delicious red to compliment every dish recommendation: Adega de Penalva Idigena Branco, Dao ($13-$15), available at Simple Syrup 

4. Wildcard: Letherbee Charred Oak Absinthe Brun ($38-$40), available at Simple Syrup