While mum was visiting, we thought it would be fun to conduct a blind tasting between a wine from America and one from France, after a dinner we had recently attended following the same format, celebrating the 1976 “Judgement of Paris”

Two wines were concealed within bags, and we sipped a sample of each in glasses side by side, with appetizers, dinner, and then while watching the movie “Bottle Shock”. We found it difficult to establish where the individual wines were produced, and each taste changed depending on whether it was with food, or taken by itself.

 

– the wrapped bottles before the blind tasting

Both were lovely, and once the bags were removed, it was determined that chocolate pairs very well with red wine, no matter the country of origin.

– the wines revealed

PEANUT BUTTER PAISLEY BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter chips

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-by-13 inch pan.

Beat butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add sugar and brown sugar, beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix into peanut butter mixture, blending well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread batter in pan, spoon syrup over top and swirl with a knife for a marbled effect.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Hershey’s Kitchens

https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/en_us.html