POSH 101 | Set up the Bar

Just a taste of what POSH has to offer in glassware. Rows from top left: Crystal Champagne Coup, Classico Flute, Pure Flute, Silver Floral Lace Flute, Valencia Etched Glass Flute / Balloon Red Wine, Classico White Wine, Red Chloe, Purple Stella / Classico Pilsner, Gold Scroll Pilsner / Irish Coffee Mug, Classico Old Fashioned, Brandy Snifter, Elise Cut Crystal Double Old Fashioned / Classico Cordial, Gold Leaf Cordial, Gold Floral Lace "Hot Toddy" Demitasse. Note: Blue circles indicate new items.

Mixologists, craft beers, and specialty cocktails are on the rise in Dallas. As the holiday season kicks into high gear, we're brainstorming on how to incorporate the best beverages into our parties. Of course, presentation is everything, so here are a few tips on picking the perfect statement stemware for an impressive displays come cocktail hour.

Serve your SPARKLING WINES in flutes, tulips, and coups. Fun fact: The original cocktail was served in a coup as is making a big comeback thanks to vintage inspired bars and movies like The Great Gatsby. Build a champagne tower of crystal coups or serve up some bubbly in shimmering etched flutes, like our Valencia Etched Stemware or Silver Floral Lace Flute - perfect for toasting the holidays or bringing in the New Year!

WINES are meant to be enhanced by their stemware. We offer everything from Riedel's award-winning linen of stemware to fun alternatives in bright pops of color and whimsical patterns. Our favorite new addition? The purple Stella goblet - it's sturdy with a wide mouth, perfect for pouring and sipping throughout the night. 

Serve straight liquors in their specific glassware. We offer everything from shot glasses and cognac and brandy snifters to martini glasses and old-fashioneds. We love the idea of a seasonal warm beverage served in our Hot Toddy demitasse or Irish Coffee Mug. For dessert wines, pick a cordial that serves just the right amount for such a sweet liquor. 

What else do you need for the perfect bar? How about a perfect ride. We love UBER for their posh ride, plus you can drink and dance the night away without worrying about driving.
 

Abilene // Chef Derry's Italiano

Chef Tiffany Derry's authentic Italian menu shown with its paired plate. Blue + White Salad Plate, White Classic Catering, Gold Rimmed Glass Charger and Blue + White Dinner Plate, Parisian Flatware, White Rectangle Plate, all POSH.

Our West Texas friends came together for good with an evening of fine wining and dining at a private ranch in Abilene, Texas, to raise money for the Pregnancy Resources of Abilene.  The hostess committee, led by Danna Oliver, handpicked everything from the chef to the entertainment.  With the idea of a Tuscan feast in mind, they picked the fan favorite Top Chef alum and Beaumont, Texas native Tiffany Derry to create an authentic Italian feast, which was served family style and paired with five Italian wines. This magical night under the stars also included musical pairings with each course thanks to the award-winnings singer/songwriters Caryl and Scott Parker from Nashville (also Abilene natives).

 

Chef Tiffany Derry goes over the menu. / POSH Place Settings / Breaking bread with friends for a good cause.

Chef Derry’s  menu was printed around an Italian Deruta pattern by Tinyah Hawkins for GoofididtyDesigns. Danna and friends hand-picked the tabletop for the evening. We everything served family style, they still wanted to showcase the presentation of each course as well as play with the bright whites and blues of the evening. Courses were then served on either a traditional blue and white china plate or classic catering white china. To further personalize the place settings, Parisian Flatware was selected for its mixture of silver and gold, White Chloe Goblets provided another pop of bright white, and the Pure Stemware was a perfect choice for enhancing the wine selections. Thank you for allowing POSH to be a part of such a special evening, Abilene!

Images courtesy of Danna Oliver / Waitstaff by Zodiac Hospitality Service and Staffing / Paper Goods by Goofidity Designs /  Entertainment by Caryl and Scott Parker /

POSH 101: The Rules of Wine

Wines of France recently came to Dallas for a progressive wine dinner, four stories of wine tasting with delicious foods by Michael Ehlert with wines paired by Jennifer Jaco (you may know her from Del Frisco's or Al Biernat's). With society season around the corner, we figured this is the perfect time to brush up on your wine skills. Whether you're a neophyte or an oenophile, a fine wine connoisseur or a thoughtful hostess, we've compiled a few protocols that are often expected with these flavorful goods. POSH provided the background for this tantalizing feast for the senses with a treat for the eyes with our barware, Blue and White China, and Exotic Bird China collections.

No.1 Start with Sables d'Azure, Gassier en Provence Rose 2011. Served with summer melon soup, poached rock shrimp, foie gras torchon, brioche, blood orange crudo of halibut, and grapefruit. / No.2 Chilled salad of Texas peas with truffle-egg focaccia and baby lettuce paired with Chateau de la Grave, Bordeaux Blanc 2011, on our Blue and White China. / No.3 Grilled vintage striploin with anchovy butter, Texas peaches, smoked potato and watercress paired with Chateau Fourcas Dupre, Listrac-Medoc 2007, on our Exotic Bird China. / No.4 End the evening with Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, Brut Reserve served by Jennifer Jaco - in the act of sabering. / No.5 A perfect setting with our Villa O Chairs and red Chiavari chairs.

 TIPS
~ Serving wines at proper temperature is dire for optimal tasting. White wines are served best at 48 - 54 degrees F., while reds are served best at 57 - 68 degrees F. (Note: Chilling takes about ten minutes.)
~ Uncork red a hour beforehand to begin the oxidation process, which will give you the full flavor and aroma of the red.
~ For presentation purposes, pour on the right side of the guest so they can see the label, never touch the bottle to glass, and master the twist of the wrist to avoid dripping.
~ Decant red; the chemical reaction releases a whole new dimension within the wine.
~ If the wine has bubbles (hello, champagne), pour slowly down the side of the glass. Otherwise, pour in the middle of the glass, and never more than 1/2 to 3/4 of the glass.
~ Serve reds in wide rimmed glasses (like decanting, it serves the purpose of letting the wine breathe). Serve whites in more narrow, smaller rimmed glasses.
~ Always hold wine by the stem. Wine temperature is important, and you don't want to change the wine's temperature with your own.