Pinot Noir gets the nod of approval of (from left): Helen Phillpotts, Andrea Bowes, Shereen Welsh, Debbie Taylor, Marilyn Bennett, Peter Gregory, Marvia Williams and Nicky Quallo. (Photos: Bryan Cummings)

What to cook on a Tuesday?

How about stew peas with pig's tail and beef along with suitably shelly rice?
But why stop here?

Select a bottle of wine to complement it all, rent a DVD, call up a few friends and turn it into Tuesdays at the movies. This, by the way, is what one brave male called Peter Gregory and a group of his female friends did Tuesday evening,
The result?

A new respect for stew peas, a passion for wine and the Californian wine country, thanks to the movie Sideways; lots of hearty laughs and plans for which wine to choose for the next movie evening where the featured fare will be oxtail and beans.

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Gregory and most of his friends are passionate about wines, so the selection of the movie was a major factor. Sideways, the winner of two Golden Globe awards, takes us on a wine-tasting road trip through California's famed Central Coast. The cinematography is breathtaking, the language a veritable juxtaposition of the bitter-sweet embrace of life as a vineyard owner. There was more than the pouring of wines and picturesque landscape, however; the movie speaks to friendship and relationships.

The movie dinner. stew peas and rice.

What's on the menu?
When entertaining, keep it all as simple as possible. Most importantly, do what you do best. Stew peas and rice is what's done best in this household.

Plates were set up, knives and forks wrapped in napkins, and guests were free to help themselves whenever they felt the urge.

Dessert came at intermission.

Wine & Dessert
Debbie Taylor was assigned to cover this task and chose a light but suitably exotic lychee gateau from Colin Hylton's Guilt Trip. "After the stew peas I figured a light gateau was the best bet," she says. "Indeed it was, with even the chocolate-obsessed amongst us applauding the choice.
Although Sideways was shot in California, Taylor sought wine inspiration from New Zealand with Drancott's Pinot Noir. "The pouring wine just had to be a Pinot Noir," shares wine buff Marilyn Bennett. There is, in fact, a now famous wine line in the movie that literally tripled sales of Pinot Noir overnight in the United States (we won't spoil your fun by giving it away).

Buy or rent the DVD - it's a must for every wine lover.

Who came?

Helen Phillpotts, Andrea Bowes, Shereen Welsh, Debbie Taylor, Peter Gregory, Nicky Quallo, Marvia Williams and Marilyn Bennett.

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