Showing posts with label libation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label libation. Show all posts
Every time I visit Miami,  Barton G is a must! We usually make early reservations so we have plenty of time to get ready to fete after dinner. The food is delicious and the presentations are always creative. We dined in their outdoor dining space which is set in a lush tropical garden. The wait staff is always very knowledgeable and patient as you try to figure out the menu. Since this is our umpteenth visit, I had an idea what I wanted. 


I always started with a Sabrinatini...their signature martini. It's a refreshing martini with Belevedere Orange and Watermelon Pucker, adorned with a Nitro-Champagne swizzle sick and the best part... a chocolate chimp. When it arrives, its smoking. It's to die for!



Juliette had the "B" Breeze. Bacardi CoCo, Island Blue Picker over ice with pineapple juice. I usually help her finish her second one.

Next, we had the Bucket of Bones: Beef and Pork Ribs, Baby Lamb Chops and Chicken Wings. Cucumber Cole Slaw, Onion BBQ Sauce and Cornmeal Onion Rings.




I usually get the steak special which is a huge ass steak that lasts me 2 days. I swear it's like 100oz of pure goodness. My other favorite is the Good Ol' Southern Fried Chicken. This time I suppressed my carnivorous desires and got the Summer Snapper: Whole Yellowtail Snapper with Baby Vegetables.  It was good but I think I'll stick on one of my ol' faithful next time.

Juliette had the Sizzling Brick Chicken: Grilled Double Breast of Chicken Rubbed in Tuscan Herbs with Arugula, Tomatoes, Pecorino-Romano Curls and Roasted Sweet Potatoes. It was served on a brick and all she kept saying was how moist the chicken tasted.



We always have the Mouse Trap Mac & Cheese. We were obsessed with this  and have tried to recreate it at home several times. This is a MUST!



The Damage! It was soooo worth every penny...it was plenty pennies.


I ended my rough work week at Flip Burger Boutique last week Friday. It was yummy albeit I was sick. We had:

Philly Burger: Caramelized onions, green peppers, ketchup and American cheese foam (real)

Turkey Burger: Avocado, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, pomegranate ketchup

Rice Krispy Milk shake

Peach Sweet Tea: Firefly sweet tea, vodka, peach schnapps, sour, sprite


Everything was great. The decor was nice...very modern, the menu was delish...very eclectic and the cocktails did their job...put me to sleep. I momentarily forgot I was sick.
While in Grenada, we went to dinner at Water's Edge at Bel Air Plantation in St. David. Besides the mosquitoes, it was beautiful. It was a quiet night and the service was exceptional.


Starters: 
Callallo Tartlet: puff pastry filled with callaloo in a vermouth sauce and topped with parmesan cheese

Chicken Satay: marinated chicken, gently grilled and served with a spicy peanut sauce

Main course:
Grenada Rum & Ginger Chicken: grilled boneless breast of chicken flamed in rum and served in a ginger cream sauce with roast potatoes/ Basmati rice and seasonal vegetables

Grilled snapper and  Basmati rice
I had a rum punch that was delish. Our server doubled as the bartender. She made us a fruit punch that was to die for. I swear she pulled out a Jack LaLanne juicer and juiced all fresh fruits. It was soooooo freakin' good. We also had dessert: pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate pie with ice cream which we devoured before I could pull out my camera.
Johnny Walker and 7up was my father's drink, I'm sure it still is. Now Black Label with ginger ale, 7up or coconut water is my fav. 
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch Whisky owned by Diageo and produced in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country with yearly sales of over 130 million bottles.
100 million of those must be sold in the Caribbean...lol. Here is some info on the different Labels offered:


Johnnie Walker Red Label is the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky. It’s renowned for its bold, characterful taste – balanced to shine through even when mixed. It’s a flavor the Walker family has never compromised on.
Red Label is enjoyed in a variety of ways worldwide – neat, on the rocks or combined with your favorite mixer.
Each bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label is two decades in the planning, draws whisky from the finest distilleries across Scotland and is aged in the finest whisky casks. Each whisky is matured in a slightly different way, due to the intricacies of wood, climate and location. The Master Blender’s skill is in blending these whiskies together to create a whisky with an extraordinary range of flavor.
It can be enjoyed on its own, with a dash of still or sparkling water, or with soda or ginger ale as a long drink.
Johnnie Walker Green Label is a rich blend using only malts drawn from the four corners of Scotland – the naturally vibrant flavors provide unparalleled depth, substance and intensity. Each of the malts is specially selected by the Master Blender to create the perfect balance in the whisky. Each malt whisky is matured for a minimum of 15 years to deliver rich, full layers of flavor. 
With its rich gold amber appearance, this medium-full malt summons up a multiplicity of complex natural aromas. It starts on the seashore and drifts inland over moist moss and through evergreen forest. Then come the exotic notes of orange peel, stewed peaches, cooked black fruits and sour cherry.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label was blended to celebrate the first 100 years of the House of Walker in 1920. A well-kept secret, it’s only been available outside the company since the 1990s. Its palate is rich and broad with full malt flavors and honeyed spices with almonds and marzipan, which leads to a distinctive creaminess.
There are notes of soft raisins and toffee, fresh malt and light cream – Gold Label is as enticing as it is sensuous. The finish is multidimensional and satisfyingly long.
The character of Blue Label is truly unique; it is complex, powerful, incredibly smooth and retains the Johnnie Walker signature smokiness. No other whisky house comes close to the spectrum of flavor that forms the basis of the extraordinary character of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
The signature serve represents the best way to fully appreciate the extraordinary taste of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It’s a slow, intense, rich, deep and multilayered experience. Start by serving Blue Label neat in a tumbler, nosing the whisky carefully.
The layers of flavor develop and unfold and the finish continues with more and more flavors developing. Then there’s a rich and uniquely long and satisfying finish of smoke and pepper, ending with a glorious touch of spice.
Bottle 750 ml $225
Bottle 1.75 Liter $550
Johnnie Walker Swing was originally created by Sir Alexander Walker, Master Blender par excellence and grandson of John Walker, during the golden age of travel in 1932. On transatlantic voyages, barmen desperately stowed loose bottles onto racks to prevent breakages caused by the unrelenting pitch and roll of stormy weather on the high seas. Its unique glass decanter allows it to swing to and fro on a convex base. And cradled within this bottle lay a blend of Scotch whisky with a light yet luxurious depth of flavor.
Up to thirty-five individual whiskies are used in the creation of Swing. Ideally, Swing is served on the rocks, neat or diluted with water. Its nose is complex and sophisticated with almost perfumed sweetness. Unquestionably soft and accessible, you are sure to notice the fanciful vanilla and sherry-cask wood notes wafting through. Its palate is smooth and sweet. But its light freshness cloaks a deeper fruitiness, with some smoke and restrained flavors lingering beyond. Finally, a lengthy and rich finish, reverberating with sweetness, completes the movement.

I need to step up my Uncle Johnny game.
I went to NYC last weekend...yes, again. It's my favorite city that I love and hate at the same time. I obviously love it wayyyyyyyy more than I hate it.

On Saturday, my friends and I went to see Race on Broadway (I'll tell you about that later) and then planned on going to SOB's to see Fay-Ann Lyons.  We got to the Village early and decided to grab something lite to eat before heading to SOB's. Not familiar with the area, we decided to just walk down Bleecker St. and see what we stumble upon. Cafe Espanol was our first stop. While glancing over the outdoor menu, 2 guys said "the sangria is really good." I saw that they had passion fruit sangria and it was a done deal. 
Welcome to CAFÉ ESPAÑOL The combination of over 50 Tapas dishes, delicious menu specials, paellas and wide range of Spanish wines and beers served in our warm and colorful surroundings, make it a truly unique experience. Our friendly staff is eager to serve you and your family our delicious Spanish dishes. Stop by today at our Bleecker Street location in New York City.
Cafe Espanol, located in the "Heart of Greenwich Village"on Bleecker Street, offers patrons a wide variety of authentic Spanish cuisine. Specialty items include paella flavored with real wild saffron, imported Spanish manchego cheese and Serrano ham or imported pulpo, all to highlight the diner's experience! 
Cara had shrimp in garlic sauce.


Juliette and I had guacamole and chips.

The best part of our experience at Cafe Espanol: Passion fruit sangria. 



This passion fruit sangria was so good. We sat there for almost 2 hours and had a pitcher and eventually a half pitcher. I can't vouch for the food, but this was the best sangria I've ever had in my life! By the end of the night, the server was our friend and he shared the recipe:

Passion Fruit Sangria at Cafe Espanol
Passion fruit juice
Cointreau
Red Wine
Brandy
Club Soda
Splash of Sprite or 7up
Chopped or sliced apples and oranges (I'm sure you can use whatever fruits you like)
Ice
Pitcher/Carafe/Punch bowl with a wooden spoon
Good friends

I hope I didn't forget anything, especially after a pitcher and a half of  passion fruit sangria. I'm going to try to recreate this during Memorial Day weekend. Wish me luck!