Showing posts with label cocktail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cocktail. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Dinner at Fogo de Chao Featuring the New Brazilian Inspired Cocktail Menu
The salads, meats and cheeses were fresh and delicious...and they paired perfectly with our cocktails. Michael opted for the Superfruit Lemonade, and I had the Passionate Caipirinha. The Superfruit Lemonade is flavored with Veev Acai Spirit, Grand Marnier Rouge, lemon, and fresh strawberries or blueberries. Caipirinha is a classic Brazilian cocktail made with sugar, lime and a sweet rum called Cachaca. Add some passion fruit puree, and youve got a Passionate Caipirinha. As you can see, both of drinks were fruity, refreshing and delicious!
We finished our drinks and were given a round card that was green on one side and red on the other. Our hosts explained that when we were ready for the meat to start arriving, we were to put the green side up. When we needed a break or were done for the night, we simply had to turn the card over to red to signal no mas. It was so much fun to learn about the different cuts of beef, pork, chicken and sausages that the various servers came by to offer us. They expertly sliced the meat to our preferred degree of doneness and provided us with a lot of great information about the cooking techniques history in Brazil. Michael is a meat lover, so this kind of dining is right up his alley!All of the meat was perfectly roasted and so juicy. However, our favorite cuts of meat were the Filet Mignon, Alcatra (sirloin) and the signature Picanha (top sirloin) cut. They were full of flavor and seasoned just enough to let the natural flavor of the meat shine through. We took our time enjoying each cut of meat, and we even opted for second helpings of our favorites. Because its one price, we were able to do that.
The Fogo de Chao menu price includes a variety of delicious side dishes that are served family style. We especially loved the warm, gooey cheese bread and the fried polenta fingers. We sampled a few bites of each of the sides, but we tried to save most of our room to enjoy plenty of the delicious meats!
Of course, we save thismuch room for a shared dessert. Our server recommended their creme brulee. I have to confess that Im pretty picky about my creme brulee, but our server was right. It was perfectly creamy and rich! Michael and I battled for the last bite and agreed it was some of the best creme brulee weve ever eaten. It was the perfect ending to our meal.
We left Fogo de Chao full and happy! We felt that they charge a very fair price, considering both the quality and quantity of food that is served. Friendly, knowledgable staff...delicious food...and an all-you-care-to-eat policy make Fogo de Chao a great place for the carnivores in your life. For those who dont eat meat, they can order just the salad bar for a reduced price. With 30+ items to choose from, theyll find plenty to fill them up as well.
Disclosure: Fogo de Chao provided us with two complimentary dining experiences, along with cocktails and dessert, to facilitate this article. The opinions expressed are my own. All photographs are copyright Michael K. Garcia; they may not be copied or shared without prior permission.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Kicking Off Summer with a Summer Kiss Cocktail and a Pina Colada Fizz Mocktail!
Just in time for the three-day Memorial Day weekend, I’m sharing a couple of fun and refreshing Summer-inspired beverages with you today. One is an adult’s only fruit-infused cocktail, and the other is a fizzy family-friendly mocktail. Both beverages are flavored with fresh Summer fruit, and theyre perfect for any BBQs or other outdoor parties you have planned this long holiday weekend...or all Summer long! First up is an original creation, my Summer Kiss Cocktail, which is flavored with juicy fresh raspberries. I absolutely love the vibrant pink color they brought to my finished drink! The Summer Kiss Cocktail features two of my favorite cocktail ingredients: Skimpy Mixers and Pinnacle Tropical Punch flavored vodka.
Skimpy Mixers are made in Dallas, and they really help keep the calories down in your favorite cocktails while delivering a bright punch of flavor. For this Summery cocktail, I wanted a tart citrus backnote…so I used Skimpy Margarita mixer. It has just 20 calories per serving, and it contains real fruit juice. If you haven’t tried Pinnacle flavored vodkas, they have a great line of infused vodkas in lots of fun flavors. The Tropical Punch flavor provides just the fruit punch flavor that my cocktail needed. For fizz, I added sugar-free citrus soda, along with some cream of coconut for a tropical nod. Add some ice and blend the ingredients up, and you’ve got a fantastic cocktail to kick off Summer!
Summer Kiss Cocktail
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients (makes two cocktails):
- 2 ounces Pinnacle Fruit Punch Vodka
- 4 ounces Skimpy Mixers Margarita
- 4 ounces sugar-free citrus soda [NOTE: I used Fresca]
- ½ cup fresh raspberries (approx. 8-10 raspberries)
- 1 ounce cream of coconut
- 1 cup crushed ice
Directions: Add the crushed ice to the bottom of a blender container. Add the vodka, Skimpy Mixer, sugar-free citrus soda, raspberries, and cream of coconut. Cover and blend until the ice is completed incorporated, then pour into two cocktail glasses. Garnish with maraschino cherries if you like. NOTE: For an even icier cocktail, freeze the raspberries.
This cocktail is so delicious! I loved the tart background flavor from the citrus soda and Skimpy Margarita mixer. The tart, juicy raspberries provided a gorgeous color...and their flavor paired really well with the Tropical Punch Pinnacle Vodka. The little bit of cream of coconut provided the perfect coconut flavor and aroma that says Summer is here! Using sugar-free mixers helped keep the overall calorie count of this cocktail down too. This one’s a keeper, folks. Speaking of keeper…wait until you see the fun mocktail I’m sharing today!
As a hostess, I am understand that not everyone wants to partake in an alcoholic beverage...and the little ones like to enjoy a fun tropical drink too! My Pina Colada Fizz Mocktail is my idea of a perfect alcohol-free warm-weather beverage to enjoy poolside. It features all the flavors of a tropical pina colada, with the addition of a refreshing fizz. The fizz in this mocktail comes from adding sugar-free Coconut Cascade Ice before blending. Cascade Ice Sparkling Water has zero calories, and it comes in a ton of yummy fruit flavors. I buy this product nearly every week, so I was really excited to create a special beverage featuring their product! This mocktail is a breeze to make, and it tastes SO good. The smell of the coconut will immediately remind you of being at the beach...even if you live miles inland! Trust me...this one’s going to be in regular rotation at my house all Summer long.Pina Colada Fizz Mocktail
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients (makes one mocktail):
- 1 cup frozen organic pineapple chunks
- 8 ounces Cascade Ice Coconut sparkling water
- 2 ounces cream of coconut
Directions: Add the frozen pineapple chunks to the bottom of a blender container. Add the Cascade Ice Coconut and cream of coconut. Blend until the ingredients are completely blended and smooth. Pour into a tall glass and serve with a straw – paper umbrella is optional!
This mocktail is a taste of the tropics! The addition of fresh pineapple provides a fruity punch of flavor, and the cream of coconut amps up the coconut flavor from the Cascade Ice. I loved the fizz that the sparkling water provided...it makes the pina colada light and refreshing. This is a beverage that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike...and it’s perfect for sipping by the pool or around the grill!
This mocktail is a taste of the tropics! The addition of fresh pineapple provides a fruity punch of flavor, and the cream of coconut amps up the coconut flavor from the Cascade Ice. I loved the fizz that the sparkling water provided...it makes the pina colada light and refreshing. This is a beverage that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike...and it’s perfect for sipping by the pool or around the grill!
Disclosure: Skimpy Mixers, Pinnacle Vodka, and Cascade Ice provided me with samples of their products to facilitate my recipe development for this article. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Wendys Tropical Escape Cocktail Inspired by Glades Seasonal Room Fragrances
For a burst of fragrance, I paired the Let Loose candle with the Playful Paradise scent from Glades line of premium room sprays. This fragrance combines fruit and floral scents, including: watermelon, peach, freesia, and a hint of vanilla. It was light and refreshing...and it combined really nicely with the scent form the candle to transport my mind to past vacations on the beach in Cancun! All I needed was a tropical drink to keep the fantasy going. I went into the kitchen, pulled out my blender and created a tropical-inspired cocktail that I call Wendys Tropical Escape. One sip of sweet, fruity cocktail -- combined with the awesome room fragrances from Glade -- and I was enjoying memories of the tropics right in my living in Texas! I love using scent to create a relaxing atmosphere, and this little experiment worked perfectly.
My original frozen cocktail creation combines two kinds of fresh fruit, a generous helping of coconut-infused rum, and POM Wonderfuls yummy POM Hula juice blend. It contains a blend of both pomegranate and pineapple juices, so it worked really nicely with the rest of the ingredients in my tropical drink. Not only does it taste good, but it packs a healthy punch as well! If you prefer a non-alcholic drink, simply substitute coconut water for the coconut-infused rum. Youll still be able to enjoy the subtle coconut background flavor thats essential for a drink thats inspired by the beach.
Wendys Tropical Escape
a Weekend Gourmet Original
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries, frozen
- 1/2 cup diced pineapple chunks, frozen
- 2 ounces coconut-infused rum
- 1 cup POM Wonderful Hula juice blend
- 1/3 cup simple syrup (I love using Not So Simple Syrups blackberry-infused simple syrup here!)
- 1 cup crushed ice
Directions:
Step 1: Add the frozen strawberries and pineapple to the container of your favorite blender. Add the rum, POM Hula juice blend, and simple syrup.
Step 2: Add the crushed ice on top. Cover and blend until the ice is thoroughly crushed and incorporated into the other ingredients. Pour into drink glass(es). Garnish with a tropical silk flower, if desired, and enjoy!
Not only is Wendys Tropical Escape fruity and delicious, its a gorgeous shade of purplish pink too! The silk flower garnish is totally optional, but its an easy and fun way to complete the tropical escape theme! I whipped up one of these cocktails one evening this weekend and breathed in the heavenly Glade scents that were wafting around my living room. It was the perfect mini-escape that I needed...and it cost a whole lot less than a plane ticket to a tropical paradise!! I hope youll try out these new Spring scents from Glad...and that youll whip up a batch of my fruity cocktail.
Disclosure: Glade provided me with a selection of candles and room sprays from their two seasonal Spring lines. POM Wonderful also provided me with complimentary bottles of their POM Juice Blends to facilitate cocktail experimentation. All opinions expressed are my own.
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