When it comes to winemaking, tradition is deeply rooted. Whether it is the type of barrel you use for a certain variety or how you age the wine, there is a history and purpose that dates back hundreds of years. With the upcoming holidays, we are reflecting on tradition - not just in winemaking, but with the people we love most. Because Thanksgiving is a special time here at William Chris, we wanted to share a few of our favorite family recipes with our fans.
Chris, co-founder of William Chris, and his wife Katharine host Thanksgiving right here in Hill Country with family and friends. They have a smaller gathering with 10-12 loved ones at their home. Staples on their menu include seasonal veggies, a smoked turkey, quail and a very special sweet potato casserole from his mother-in-law’s recipe collection. Check out the recipe below!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed with a fork
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup butter
1/3 cup milk
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
Directions:
Add ingredients to sweet potatoes and mix well. Put in a greased casserole dish. Mix topping and crumble on top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
Naturally, lots of wine is flowing at the Brundrett household, and he loves to pair our Cinsault Rosé with his mother-in-law’s sweet potato casserole.
Rachael, Wine Club Manager at William Chris, and her husband PJ celebrate Thanksgiving here in the heart of Texas as well. With her family in Chicago, she brings a bit of home to the table with Mama Pat’s Layered Salad as detailed here:
Ingredients
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 box baby small peas – thawed
2 bunches green onion – chopped
Cauliflower thinly sliced
1 large bottle of Bacos – covered layer, but not thick
Salad seasoning (shilling or McCormick brand)
Parmesan cheese – a good thick layer
Hellman’s Mayo
Directions:
Layer in order – cover and let stand overnight.
Rachael prefers light, citrus notes with her salad, so our Blanc du Bois is the perfect pairing!
Josh, our production winemaker, enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter over the holidays. He brings tradition to the table by using one of his grandmother’s old recipes, Sweet Corn Bread Pudding:
Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced fine
1-ounce unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 (15-ounce) can creamed style sweet corn
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, whole grain, stone ground
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 cups cubed French bread
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Sweat onions with butter and herbs in an oven safe skillet until translucent. Combine corn, cream, eggs, baking powder, cornmeal, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add cubed bread and fold to combine. Pour batter into skillet, right on top of the onion mixture. Bake 50 minutes, or until set. Cool slightly before serving.
The richly textured core of our Vermentino complements the sweetness and texture of the bread pudding.
It’s our sincere pleasure to share a few of our traditions and hope you get to enjoy a few of your favorites with the ones you love this Thanksgiving! We’d love to see what you are cookin’ up, and of course, what you’re drinking—share with us by tagging #williamchristradition