As summer starts to wind down, it’s the perfect time to have friends over for an easy-to-prepare late afternoon happy hour. Since I don’t like to stress too much about party planning, I try to choose appetizers and snacks that I prepare ahead of time. I want to focus on spending time with my guests, not in the kitchen! What’s the fun of happy hour if you can’t hang with your friends and enjoy a nice glass of wine?! 🙂
I enjoy pairing a nice red wine with my appetizers, since I usually serve a selection of cheese and other items that go so well with reds like JaM Cellars Cabernet (check out the Wine Finder HERE to see where you can find it!)
What to Serve at Your Happy Hour
As I mentioned above, I love to serve easy-to-prep appetizers. One of my favorite things to do is make a cheese plate that I can prepare ahead of time. Making a cheese plate is seriously one of the simplest apps to serve. Head to your local grocery store (or specialty gourmet shop) and choose 3-4 cheeses you would like to serve. I like to do a cheddar, a brie or stilton, and then a gouda or havarti. The possibilities are endless!
When you have your three cheeses, arrange them on a cheese board (or cutting board) or a slate cheese plate. I love my slate cheese platter, because I can label the cheeses with chalk rather than making little labels! 😊 Garnish the cheese plate with fresh herbs (I usually use rosemary), grapes, strawberries or any other fruit you desire!
Other easy to purchase and prep appetizers are marinated olives, hummus and pita crisps or a veggie and dip platter. The beauty of a happy hour is that you don’t need to go crazy with food prep, just grab some classic appetizers that pair well with wine and you’re good to go!
About JaM Cellars and JaM Cellars Cabernet
JaM Cellars founders, John and Michelle (the “J” and “M” in JaM) are second-generation vintners from Napa Valley, California. In their own words: “We take our wines seriously; we just don’t take ourselves seriously!” The winery makes three delicious wines: Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling.
The JaM Cellars Cab is berry-licious and the perfect summer red! At under $20 it’s a great choice for easy summer entertaining or to bring to a friends’ house for dinner. With hints of ripe berries and plums, it’s the perfect accompaniment for summer dining. I love the vanilla notes as well (thanks to the aging in JaM Cellars unique oak blend!). It’s a great wine to pair with just about anything you have this summer, from a backyard BBQ to a picnic on the beach!
What are you waiting for? Find out where you can purchase JaM Cellars Cabernet HERE, and click HERE for more ideas and to download a summer chilling playlist.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Jessica, your cheese plate looks delicious! There’s nothing like a glass of JaM Cabernet to unwine-d and enjoy time with your guests. Not in the kitchen! Cheers!
It was PERFECT! 🙂