Mustard Soft Pretzels and J Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Mustard Soft Pretzels from Cynthia Nims' new cookbook, Salty Snacks

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and if you're looking for fun things to do that weekend, come to our Kick Off the Season at J event, where we'll be welcoming the holiday season with three fun-filled days of food and wine pairings. 

On Friday, November 23rd, Saturday November 24th, and Sunday, November 25th, the J culinary team will be serving a delectable array of hors d'oeuvres paired to your favorite J sparkling and varietal wines. One day event passes are available for $30 or $15 if you're a Club J member.

Among the treats we're planning for this event are appetizers from Cynthia Nims' latest cookbook, Salty Snacks, so today as a preview we're featuring her incredibly delicious recipe for Mustard Soft Pretzels from the cookbook. 

We love that this recipe calls for baking some grainy mustard right into the pretzels. It calls for malt, too, which has a thick, creamy quality that pairs beautifully with our 2010 J Russian River Valley Chardonnay — in particular its tasty Bosc pear and green apple flavors. This delicious Chard also has hints of guava, vanilla, and hazelnut, so there's a complexity that works well with the more straightforward pleasures of the pretzels. 

These pretzels, of course, make perfect party fare and it's fun to serve them with a nice cheese fondue. We asked Doralice Handal of the Cheese Shop in Healdsburg which cheese she'd choose for this recipe and she immediately responded with James Ranch's Mature Belford. James Ranch is in Durango, Colorado and the Belford is its signature cheese. It's "very creamy with a lovely tang" and has a lovely golden color. 

Doralice also said that a Swiss Appenzeller would work well as a fondue for this dish. Appenzeller is a raw cow's milk cheese with great melting quality.  

To pick up either of these cheeses, visit the Cheese Shop in Healdsburg — a fantastic place that you really need to make a regular part of wine country sojourns. It's located at 423 Center Street in charming downtown Healdsburg, just three miles from the J Visitor Center.

Speaking of which, we look forward to seeing you for the Kick Off the Season at J event on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of this month! This event is almost always a sell-out, so we recommend picking up your tickets today. 

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