Who can resist savory mushroom pastry shaped to look like love letters and paired with Brandborg Winery Pinot Noir? The perfect make ahead Valentine meal.
Mushroom and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pastry
If the way to your lover’s heart is through his/her stomach then these delicious, love letter shaped savory pastries (sealed with heart-beets) will do the trick. The best part is you can make them ahead, stick them in the fridge, and bake them for your dinner date – leaving you plenty of time to primp for your romantic evening.
- 1 roll puff pastry
- 3 cups chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 3 Tbs. sherry - Tasting Pour used Osborne Amontillado
- 2 tsp.. fresh thyme
- add salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz. goat cheese - room temperature
- 1 red beet
- small heart shaped cookie cutter
- Wrap beet in foil and roast in 350 degree oven until cooked.
- Allow to cool. Slice thin. Use cookie cutter to make heart shapes
- Melt butter in saucepan.
- Add mushrooms, onion, and cook over medium heat until they being to soften.
- Add salt, pepper, thyme, and sherry.
- Turn heat to low and cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Combine mixture with goat cheese in a separate bowl.
- Make a pattern with a piece of paper. It will look like a tall house that is 6 inches wide and 7½ inches tall with the peak of the "roof" two inches taller.
- Cut puff pastry into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll out each piece just big enough for your pattern.
- Lay the pattern on top and cut around the edge with a pizza wheel.
- Measure 4 Tbs. of the mushroom filling and spread in the upper part of the "house" leaving a 1 inch border along the sides.
- Fold the bottom part of the pastry up to cover the filling, sealing the edges with a fork.
- Fold the "roof" or envelope flap down and seal with water.
- Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Cool and "seal" with a heart beet
A Love Story
The best wine and food have a backstory. This is the story of Terry and Sue Brandborg of Brandborg Winery. It is a story of second chances and maybe a bit of love at first site. Terry, a California winemaking boy destined to put down roots in Oregon, met Sue – a girl from Wyoming. It was a wine sales trip, and to be honest a fishing expedition, that brought Terry to Wyoming. He met Sue at a wine tasting and discovered she knew his wines – teasing her a bit that she must have been looking for him. Both were “single again” and began a long distance friendship through old fashioned letter writing which allowed them a safe space to open up and get to know each other.
Sue sent Terry this funny little magnet with a red headed girl (probably from Wyoming) and blond haired boy on a ferris wheel. The caption read “Love Puppets on a Ferris Wheel.” Terry remembers, “For whatever reason, that sealed the deal for me and we started to visit one another.” Sue eventually moved to San Francisco, the two married, and they searched for two years for a place of their own to start a vineyard and winery. Then they discovered their perfect spot in Elkton, Oregon. Terry recalls, “We stopped at the bottom of the property and I turned to Sue and said ‘This is it.’ It was love at first sight – again.”
They named their vineyard Ferris Wheel and one of their Pinot Noir Love Puppets. The love letter pastries were served at a winemakers dinner – doesn’t that sound kind of fabulous?
These custom-made Love Puppets were a gift from one of Brandborg Winery’s employees
The 2013 Brandborg Winery Love Puppets Pinot Noir was a delightful pairing with the mushroom goat cheese pastry. Oregon’s Pinot Noir manages to be present a wonderful balance of Pinot’s earthy savory side and her pretty fruity profile. This wine was no exception. Red fruits of cranberry, red cherry, and raspberry, fabulous acid and can you call it a finish when the sensation and flavor last so long they just meld seamlessly into the next sip, next bite, and the overall experience? Mark has a naughty wine term – “mouth orgasm.” I sipped first and warned him – yet still the look on his face and the exclamation of “Ho – lee Cow!”
Needless to say if you are looking for a great story and stand out wine – Brandborg Winery delivers. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Samples provided by winery and enjoyed by wine writer and photographer.
For more romantic food and wine pairing ideas see how my Wine Pairing Weekend friends are celebrating Valentines Day.
Jeff from Food Wine Click – Perfect Wine for a Sparkling Valentine’s Day Celebration
Martin of Enofylz Wine Blog – Valentine’s Surf and Turf with a Twist and Champagne Pairing
Nancy from Pull That Cork – Shepherd’s Pie and Burgundy: A Cozy Valentine’s Day Pairing
Kirsten of The Armchair Sommelier – My Squashy Valentine
Jennifer from Vino Travels – Sparkle Your Valentine’s Day with Brachetto from the Roero with Demarie
David of Cooking Chat –
–Cauliflower Kale Soup paired with Pinot
-Sweet Strawberry Cream with Chocolate and Wine Pairing
Michelle from Rockin Red Blog – Valentine’s Day in the South of France with #WinePW
Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere – Gougeres (French Cheese Puffs) and Blanquette de Limoux
Cindy from Grape Experiences:
– A Valentine’s Gift: Elegant Anaba Wines
–Cava and Crave Worthy Chocolate Cookies for Valentine’s Day
Lori from Draceana Wines – Need a Valentine’s Wine? As You Wish.
Diana from Wine Pass shares – Valentine Risotto and Rich Chocolate Beet Cake with Brachetto d’Acqui
Valerie of Girls Gotta Drink – A Moscato Food Pairing: Moscato for Breakfast Anyone?
Wendy from A Day in the Life on A Farm – Asian Tuna and Noodles with Rodney Strong Pinot Noir
Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla :
-Cherry-Glazed Chicken with Hahn’s Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
-Barley Stuffed Acorn Squash & Zesty Crayfish with Landmark Vineyards’ Overlook Chardonnay
-Wild Boar Mushroom Pot Pies with Landmark Vineyards’ Overlook Pinot Noir
-Seared Venison Medallions with Justin’s Cabernet Sauvignon
-Rosé-Cured Salmon with Balletto Vineyards’ Brut Rosé
-Epoisses, Crackers, & Cremant de Limoux
Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva:
-Valentine’s Day Steakhouse Dinner at Home
-50 Oysters a Day & Other Tales of Seduction
-Pick a Picpoul de Pinet for Your Valentine
-Apple of My Eye Pork Chops & Pinot
What a fun idea! I love the heart beets!
Ooh, mushrooms and pinot go so well together! This looks great, nice photos! Haven’t tried this Pinot…yet!
I love this Valentine’s pairing and story. So sweet. The art of “love letters” seems lost.
Oh those love note pastries are divine! Couldn’t resist those!
This sounds delicious . . . and so SUPER cute! We love Brandbourg — one of our favorite Oregon wineries! Their Pinot Gris is particularly memorable! Cheers!!
Cute story, Jade. Love Brandborg Pinot Noir and the heart beet thing is too cute for words. Nice Valentine’s Day post!
I love a good love story! Your pastries look great, and Pinot and mushrooms are a match made in heaven!