Archive for the ‘Drinks’ Category

Grand Gourmet Package at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Features Cooking and Mixology Classes, Tequila Tasting

Complementing the gourmet experience offered by its four specialty restaurants, the “Beyond All-Inclusive, Beyond All-Compare” Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is offering its first ever Grand Gourmet Package. The unique package features a private two-hour cooking class with chefs from a selection of its Italian, Mexican and French restaurants, Lucca, Frida and Piaf, as well as a tequila tasting and private 45-minute mixology class. Gourmet welcome amenity and private VIP airport transfers are also included.

Guests enjoy all-inclusive features of the AAA Five Diamond resort including luxury suite accommodations, a la carte dining at a choice of gourmet restaurants, premium branded beverages, 24-hour in-suite service, taxes and gratuities The package is available now through December 19th, 2013, with rates starting at $379 per person, per night based on double occupancy. Minimum stays apply and rates are subject to availability.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit has not only revolutionized the luxury all-inclusive concept and set the bar for other resorts, but its four signature restaurants offer gourmet á la carte dining on par with restaurants in the world’s top culinary destinations. Served at the swim-up Aqua Bar and in the resort’s signature restaurants, guests enjoy the Signature Margarita Menu, a special selection of 12 delightfully unique cocktails. The lauded menu includes the Cocoa Signature Margarita, which uses chocolate directly from Chiapas fused with an orange essence, as well as Clamato Chilli Pepper, Tamarind Mint and Avocado Pistachio flavored drinks.

For reservations or more information, please call 1-877-398-2784 or visit http://www.vallarta.grandvelas.com.

Each Ticket includes:

• Wine Tasting + sampling of gourmet “bites”
• 100% of all ticket sales and a portion of wines sales sold at the event will be divided among the charities of the winning teams.
• More VIP fun such as meet and greet with owner/vintner Kathryn Hall.
• Vote for your favorite dish in the People’s Choice category

How to Purchase Tickets – This event sold out last year.  Reserve your tickets through our online store today. A confirmation will be sent by email. Tickets will be charged the week of the event.

Participating Chef Teams - Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ,  Ca Momi, Carpe Diem, Culinary Mercenary, Cuvee, Feast, La Condesa, Market St. Helena, The Grill at Meadowood, Napa Valley Biscuits, Oenotri, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering

Professional Judges - Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani – Terra; Chef Ken Frank -  La Toque; Chef Brandon Sharp – Solbar

For more information go to: www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff

Questions? Contact Diem Doonan at 707.967.2673 or ddoonan@hallwines.com

Launches in 4th largest U.S. Market with Top Retailer

The Killer Buzz® line of Energy Drinks and RTD Iced Coffees containing Giant Hornet Amino Acid (GHAA), is expanding distribution into the Dallas/Ft. Worth market and has been authorized in QuikTrip in the Dallas region.  QuikTrip’s Dallas division recently celebrated the opening of their 100th store in the region.

“This is a great way to kick off our newest distribution partner, Kimball Distributing Inc., who distributes Killer Buzz® in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area” stated Jeremy Friedman, Marketing Director for Killer Buzz®.  “And we are very excited about partnering with QuikTrip in Dallas”, Friedman Continued, “QuikTrip is a top quality retailer and we hope this partnership is one giant step toward national distribution with the QuikTrip family of stores”.

For more information visit  www.killerbuzz.com / www.kimballdistributinginc.com

Also Casting in N. Carolina, Rhode Island, Virginia and W. Virginia…

What are they are looking for?  Restaurants with great food and great reviews, but the customer service may be lacking a bit.

• Does your wait staff, managers, host/hostesses need to be tweaked or trained?
• Is your revenue not where you’d like for it to be?
• Is your food getting rave reviews, yet your customer service is struggling?

If so, The Food Network and Willie DeGel from the hit show Restaurant Stakeout are here to help!

How to Apply:

• Send an email: Restaurant@rrstaff.com and cc: Twinsworld1@aol.com
• Please put : restaurant name/city in subject title
• Be sure to put:
• Owners names
• Name and address of restaurant
• City /State
• Your name (if you are not the owner)
• Contact phone number(s)
• Email address
• Number of employees
• Seats in restaurants

Tell us your story of why you want our help.  The more information you share, the better.

Thanks and good luck!

Cucina Antica Chef/Owner Neil Fusco will be at Kings’ Cooking Studio in Short Hills, New Jersey from 3pm-6pm this Friday, September 28th. During his cooking show, Chef Neil will show customers how to cook several recipes with his Cucina Antica Cooking Sauces.

The Cooking Studio in Kings Food Market in Short Hills, New Jersey plays host to many special guest instructors and chefs, including Chef Neil Fusco, who will be a featured chef on Friday, September 28th. From 3pm to 6pm, Chef Neil will be using his Cucina Antica Cooking Sauces to show customers how to prepare household favorite recipes, such as Eggplant Parmigiana, Pasta alla Bolognese, and Salmon alla Vodka. Through demos like these, Chef Neil hopes to increase recognition of the Cucina Antica brand, but more importantly wishes to spread his love of food “as an inspirational approach in bringing family and friends together.”

Cucina Antica Foods Corp. is a family owned and operated company located in Westchester County, New York. For over 14 years, Cucina Antica Foods Corp. has provided families with all-natural, fresh sauces as well as organic dressings and ketchup, imported Italian pastas and extra virgin olive oil. Recently, Cucina Antica has introduced Tuscany Pumpkin Pasta Sauce to their all-natural line of cooking sauces. For more information, please visit www.cucina-antica.com.

For more information regarding this event, please visit www.kingsfoodmarkets.com.

Botskis’s new collection of miniature-sized neckties designed for any bottle allows gift-givers to say goodbye to ordinary greeting cards and boring gift wrap! Whether it’s a thank you gift, birthday present or hostess gift, bottles everywhere will be blinking and singing with festive messages! Priced super affordably at only $9.99, Botskis Bottle Ties are the perfect way to add more fun and celebration to any gift for any occasion.

Launched earlier this year, the Botskis line of bottle ties are the ideal way to dress up bottles for home entertaining, party favors and gift giving anytime! From dressing up wine, sparkling juices or cooking oils for women to a bottle of spirits, beer or gourmet sauces and marinades for men, Botskis instantly adds a touch of personality to any bottled gift. On a favorite bottle or simply as a stand-alone gift, Botskis are sure to be the hit of any party or gift-giving occasion…more

In Napa Valley in St. Helena, California, I had the opportunity to experience Charles Krug Winery and the Peter Mondavi Family toasting the season’s grape harvest at their annual tastings.

As this was my first time of attendance, I had no expectations with the exception of tasting amazing wines!  The winery’s signature event, now in its 61st year, was held on Saturday afternoon September 8, 2012.  It had all of the makings of a spectacular event: amazing wines, phonenomenal food and fantastic music!  The Charles Krug Winery’s Great Lawn is adjacent to the estate’s historic Carriage House. Founded in 1861, Charles Krug is Napa Valley’s first winery and represents the birthplace of the Napa Valley wine industry.

The setting was picturesque.  The sun sparkled so brightly out on the luxurious green lawn, yet perfectly shaded by the huge assorted shaped oak trees. The temperature ranged in the high 70’s which made the day feel perfectly comfortable; not too cool or warm.  In the background music was performed by the Steely Dan tribute band, Steely Scam. Across the lawn wines were paired with a bountiful Country feast catered by Knickerbockers’ Oak Avenue Catering, who also dished up pizza from the on-site wood-fired ovens.

The lawn was set up in several stations; White Wine – 2011 Sauvignon Blanc and 2011 Chardonnay Carneros with grilled thai prawns covered with sweet chilli sauce and fava bean puree with lemon and thyme on crostini.  The chilled 2011 Sauvignon Blanc hit the spot for the food and afternoon.   Red Wine – 2009 Pinot Noir Carneros, 2009 Wine Club Selection Zinfandel, 2009 Merlot, and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon enjoyed with slow braised duck, caramelized onions, wine forest mushrooms, smoked mozzarella and provolone.  The 2009 Wine Club Selection Zinfandel made huge impression on my palate.

Indoors of the Carriage House, guests had the opportunity to sample aging wines directly from the oak barrels, and to meet members of three generations of the Peter Mondavi Family who signed wine bottles.   Upstairs in the ballroom the Peter Mondavi Family delved into their cellars and open special library wines.  The limited release consisted of the following; 20120 Dr. Galante Pinot, 2009 Zinfandel, 2009 X Clones Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2007 Rocky  Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon served with Toscana aged cheese and baguettes.

If you get the opportunity to be in Napa during the Tastings on the Lawn, take the time to go north to St. Helena.  You won’t be disappointed.  It is truly an amazing event.  One that I will definitely attend again next year!

All the best,

Kenneth

Kenneth Reed

Basil MAGAZINE, Drink Editor

k.reed@basilmagazine.com

The Madrona Manor is a nice classy wine-country inn located in Healdsburg, CA moments away from Sonoma’s wineries.  On a Sunday afternoon late in August, I had the pleasure of taking the experience of indulging at their onsite restaurant…

The menu was a host of cocktails & confections.  We started with a cocktail called “Lola”  the balsamic and watermelon flavors comes through very refreshing to the palette with a hint of mint. A nice drink to have on a nice sunny and lazy afternoon; it’s not as sweet as a margarita cocktail.  “Cheese Please”,  a light dessert that mimicked the flavor of a glazed donut as an almond truffle wrapped up in sheep milk which appears as glass.  And was followed in by another light dessert “Milk and Cookies” dehydrated milk crumbled and crushed in small bowl.  The taste was very cold like a milk cookie.  White cookies set aside made of the dehydrated milk very light.  Now that was a fun dessert!

As if all of that wasn’t good enough, then there was “Pearsuasion.”  Pearsuasion had floral flavored estate-grown pears, ginger infused Junipero gin, lemon, Tempus Fugit Violet Liquor and Rose water.  Then, another great play on names came along “Snap, Crackle, Pop!” which had great texture and flavors of jasmine, puffed wild rice, orange blossom and rice ice cream; which might I add was a real winner!

The big hit of the day was the “Chocolate”  that was comprised of basil and almonds on an authentic tree bark platter.  The presentation was simply phenomenal if I do say so myself!   My afternoon ended with a cocktail called “Casagrandes”; a whiskey of house-made Limoncello, ginger, infused simple syrup and ginger beer.  The great thing about this cocktail was that it wasn’t so strong.  It was definitely a cocktail that a non-traditional whiskey drinker would like as it was more smooth than powerful.

The staff at Madrona Manor consisted of newly recruited Pastry Chef: Manny Fimbrez, Executive Chef Jesse Mallgren and Mixologist Pam Bushling.  In addition to the dining and cocktails, the Madrona Manor had stunning grounds and amenities.  A place I would certainly recommend and return to.

The Madrona Manor

1001 Westside Road  Healdsburg, CA 95448
(800) 258-4003

www.madronamanor.com

About The Madrona Manor

Nestled in the hills above the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County, Madrona Manor is an exceptionally lovely Victorian estate surrounded by eight acres of wooded and landscaped grounds.   The Mansion, built in 1881, has been a destination for discerning guests seeking a stay in the gracious wine country of northern California since 1981.

Enjoy a romantic meal in their acclaimed restaurant, engage in quiet conversation with drinks on our veranda, or relax by a cozy fire in the winter or at the pool in the summer. At the end of the day, a peaceful night’s stay awaits you in any of their elegant rooms.

Kenneth Reed

“Drink” Editor

Basil MAGAZINE

k.reed@basilmagazine.com

I am not a whiskey drinker, so I don’t confess to be too knowledgeable of whiskeys.  I spent the afternoon with a whiskey expert and Glenfiddich Ambassador who introduced me to a limited edition. Glenfiddich is unique because it is ‘doubled matured’ in two different casks – traditional oak and Sherry.  The taste of Glenfiddich Malt Master’s Edition is of zingy sherbet, which slowly turns to spicy and tempting flavours of plum and cherry with hints of toasted almonds and wedding cake.  With that being said the taste experience was lively and vivid. On the nose it’s damp earth and whisky-soaked wood intermingle with deep vanilla and smoky embers.

For you true hearted whiskey drinkers take note the release will be limited to only 18,000 bottles in the United States and will be available nationwide this September 2012.  I understand the bottle will be about $80.00 per bottle.

Have fun with it; glasses up!

Kenneth