Girls nights in are the new clubbing nights out, right? Or at least when you’re much closer to 30 than 20 they are.
This past week I turned 28. I used my birthday as an excuse to get all my friends to come out (aka my favorite part about having a birthday) and I ate dessert for pretty much every meal (not on purpose, just was a busy day and people kept giving me cake so I wasn’t going to complain nor turn it down). It was a great day and looking back, 27 was a great year. I got a new day job where I’m learning a ton, locked in a new manufacturer for Bon Aprontit that has been a game changer, enjoyed my first year as a married woman and spent more time being in the moment with friends and family. Not too shabby of a year but 28 is another story. For starters, I have big goals for 28 (get ready!) and secondly, I’m having a reality check that 30 is slowly inching up on me.
Seems like yesterday (it probably was) that I heard someone say they were 31 and in my head I thought “oh that’s why they’re so mature, they’re much older than meâ€. Wrong, that’s going to be me in three years. Now I’m not one of those people who say “ew 30 is so oldâ€. No, not at all. I actually think 30 is the new 20 minus the fact that my bathroom cabinet has doubled in face creams/lotions and my knee reminds me after only ten minutes of jogging that I can’t run like I did in college anymore but other than that, I’m excited about inching up to 30. The older you get, the more people you meet, the more places you go and the more things you experience. Oh and the more acceptable it is to stay in on a Friday or Saturday night.
For me some of my favorite nights are spent at home hosting my girlfriends and catching up over wine and cheese – aka the two essentials of a girls night. (I should say two of the three essentials as you need your girlfriends there too, but you get the point). Hosting my girlfriends for a wine and cheese night has become a monthly tradition. It’s the one night a month we get together (sweatpants and makeup free sometimes) and just talk for hours. No tv and no cell phones, just hours of catching up, eating too much cheese and drinking wine while we chat the night away.
So whether you’re 28, 38 or 22 (just have to be over 21) I’m breaking down my essentials to the perfect girls night in!
Step 1: The Wine
The most important part of a girls night is serving good wine. I always suggest offering at least one red and one white option and if it’s summer a rosé or something sparkling is always nice to include as well. For my wine nights I prefer wines produced in Germany, one of the world’s most northern wine regions where it is known for producing wines that thrive in cool climates. Why? Because cool climate wines tend to be lower in alcohol, but more aromatic and fruitier with refreshing acidity, which makes them perfect for pairing with food and great wines to enjoy all night long. Germany is famous for its Rieslings of all styles, but they also produce other varietals, from white and red to rosé and sparkling. I personally served the 2016 Kruger-Rumpf Riesling Trocken from Germany’s Nahe region – a great option for a clear, crisp, and dry Riesling – and the 2015 Wittmann Spätburgunder Rotwein Trocken from Rheinhessen – a well-balanced dry Pinot Noir.
Step 2: The Food Pairings
If you’re drinking good wine, you need good food to go with it. I love getting creative with cheese/snack boards when hosting guests and this time of year it’s fun to throw in some fresh fruit to give your board some pop of color and healthy snacking options. Here are my summer cheeseboard essentials:
- 3-4 different cheeses (I try to do a brie variation, a sharp cheddar, gouda and then something with added flavors like truffle or chives)
- 1 fresh fruit (ideally a type of berry) and 1 dried fruit
- Grapes
- Almonds
- Olives
- Variety of crackers
- Variety of carved meats (a lot of stores sell variety packs of these)
- A topping: pending on your cheeses you could do honey, ground mustard or something different. I went with a lemon preserve for this one.
- Fresh herb (optional for garnishing)
If cheese boards are not your cup of tea be sure to check out Wines of Germany for more food pairing ideas, click here.
Step 3: The Setup
It’s always fun when hosting to set up a little designated area for your guests. For this, I placed a white table cloth on the floor to create more seating and keep the vibe more casual. I also picked up some fresh peonies from the store. I put some in a vase and for the remaining cut the stems off and garnished the area with them. Lastly, I put out some of my favorite games and a few cushions for people to sit on.
This post was sponsored by Wines of Germany. All opinions and photos are my own. Thank you so much for supporting my favorite brands that help keep Blog Appétit up and running!