The Pantry

"Wine in the right glass
Is set beside the right plate."
--I Ching, 29 Water: 4

Mexican Style Dinner

Margaritas
Mexican Pot Dish
Baked Tostitos
Black Olives, Jalapeno Slices, Salsa, Sour Cream
Apple and Avocado Salad
Sweet Pastry with Nuts
Vinterra San Juan Cabernet Sauvignon

The Mexican theme of this menu is echoed in the fiesta colors of the dishes, which make an appealing visual presentation. Red tomatoes, black beans, white corn, and orange cheddar combine colors in the main dish. The white shoepeg corn offsets the color of the cheese better than yellow corn would. In addition, the crisp shoepeg corn adds textural interest in the main dish, combined with the other softer ingredients. In the salad, the dark green skin of the avacado wedges plays against the red and yellow colors of the apple wedges. The pale green cocktail, with a red and green garnish, supports the ambience of the meal.

Recipe for Margaritas

Can of Bacardi frozen margarita concentrate
Bacardi white rum
Twenty-four ice cubes
Large perfect strawberries
Kiwi fruit

Put six ice cubes in large blender. Add can of frozen concentrate on top of ice cubes. (This helps hold them in place for crushing.) Pulse blender on "blend" setting until ice cubes are crushed. Add 1/4 can of rum and six more ice cubes. Repeat pulsing. As necessary, turn off blender and push ice cubes down into the slush with a spatula until they are completely integrated. Add remaining ice cubes six at a time. If you add too many at once, it makes them harder to pulverize. This drink is also delicious as a non-alcoholic cocktail without the rum. Garnish with a strawberry and a slice of kiwi fruit if desired.

Recipe for Mexican Pot Dish

Bag of Morningstar Harvest Crumbles, thawed
Can of white shoepeg corn
Can of black beans
Two firm tomatoes, diced
About 6 ounces of medium cheddar, cut into small cubes

Just add all these to one large pot, mix thoroughly, and serve. This dish is very easy to make and is quite tasty. Garnish with your favorite salsa, ripe black olives, sour cream, and jalapeno peppers. Serve with baked tostitos, available from most supermarkets.

The dish can be used for a summer lunch by combining all ingredients at room temperature. Notice that the harvest crumbles, a vegetable protein substitute for cooked ground beef, do not require cooking. This time-saving feature, together with the attractive presentation, makes this an ideal menu for vegetarian entertaining. If a warm main dish is desirable, as in colder weather, combine only the first four ingredients first and heat in a warm oven. At the last minute before serving, stir in the diced cheese. Then the cheese will not melt and lose its firm texture and distinctive visual contribution.

Recipe for Apple and Avocado Salad

Red apples, cored and cut into wedges
Yellow apples, cored and cut into wedges
Dark green avocado, pitted and cut into wedges
Poppyseed salad dressing

Arrange wedges in a circle on the salad plate, alternating colors. Drizzle salad dressing in a circle around the plate in the middle of each wedge.

Recipe for Sweet Pastry with Nuts

Flakey whole wheat pastry
Honey
English walnut pieces

Cut pastry into 1" cross-sections. Place each piece in center of dessert plate and drizzle with honey. Top with a handful of walnut pieces.