The Restaurant Guys

A Hopped Up Beer Pig

 This Sunday Featuring Three Hoppy Beers Perfectly Suited To Our Pig: Anderson Valley Hop Ottin on Draft Uinta Hop Notch & North Coast ACME IPA

We'll Toast the Pig with these excellent beers And we'll have specials all night long!

Every Sunday this summer, heaps of Jack Daniels barrel charcoal are laid upon a perfectly seasoned whole pig sometime in the late morning. Around 6:15, we'll remove from the roasting box, a perfect porcine. There is nothing quite as tasty as pig roasted whole. It's a celebration of life! We call our summer Sunday events "Pig Toast" rather than "Pig Roast" because we always raise a glass of something special when the pig comes off the coals.

This Sunday: A Whole Berkshire Pig! This Sunday July 1, we will roast a very special pig indeed. We have a whole Berkshire pig from Andover New Jersey. In the United States, the American Berkshire Association, established in 1875, gives pedigrees only to pigs directly imported from established English herds or to those tracing directly back to such imported animals. Berkshire pigs are said to be "Britain's oldest pig breed", originally bred around the market-towns of Faringdon and Wantage, in the Vale of the White Horse in the English county of Berkshire. Today's animals descend from the herd maintained by the British monarchs since the early 18th century. Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavor and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for long cooking and high-temperature cooking And that's exactly what we intend to do! Now you never can be exact with a whole pig under charcoal, but we can assume he'll be ready to go around about 6 PM. At that time we'll remove him from his box, give him a parade fitting his noble sacrifice (the squeamish will be given fair warning to remove themselves from the arena) and all present shall Toast The Pig.

There will be at least one round of complimentary brewskies to all revelers present at the moment of unveiling!

Make a Reservation at [email protected] or 732-828-4444

European Holiday

European Holiday

 

 

Here's an invention from our own barman Chris Stanley.  He took ingredients from several different European countries and came up with a wine based cocktail that is absolutely perfect for the summer.  Riesling, Elderflower, Aperol, Grapefruit, Americano are combined and served over ice in a wine glass.   Wine-based cocktails are an oft-overlooked category.  They're perfect in the summer, especially when based in Riesling!

 

At our Cocktail Party this week, The European Holiday will be offered for a mere $10 and the most tasteful cocktail enthusiasts in NJ will be in attendance, as is their custom.  Feel free to stay for dinner.  Complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be passed Friday night only.

 

In a departure from our common practice, this cocktail will also be available Friday at Stage Left, in the dining room or in our lovely sidewalk cafe.

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva "Rum Cask Finish" 21 yr

 

The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi - Thursdays
Making the experience of super-luxury spirits crazily affordable and accessible!

 

Every Thursday at precisely 6:30, we open a different bottle of a luxury spirit behind the Catherine Lombardi Bar. We will serve 1-ounce portions at cost. The idea is to offer opportunities to enjoy extraordinary spirits, and to further great taste in spirits. This is an ongoing project and an ongoing conversation. Join it. We open one bottle at 6:30. When it's gone, it's gone.

 

Thursday June 28 - The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva "Rum Cask Finish" 21 yr

Suggested Retail Price is  $149    We will pour one ounce for $5.75

 

The return of the name Gran Reserva to Glenfiddich's 21-year after a few years under different titles is also accompanied by an upgrade to its packaging. It is still finished in rum casks for 4 months, but it now has a more elegant presentation, as befits its position towards the top of the distillery's range. The rum cask adds a certain level of roundness and sweetness to the classic Glenfiddich whisky.

 

Thursday evening at 6:30, you will have the opportunity to sample just such a bottle.  I do hope you can join us.

 

Next Week in The Spirits Project

Highland Park (Alchemist Selection) 19 yr 1992-2011

Francis is back from Bulgaria!

Hi There! I'm Back!

I'm back from Bulgaria with some wines in my pocket! Follow me on twitter @RestaurantGuys because I will be tweeting sometime this week the where and when I'll be opening 4 bottles of surprisingly great and totally interesting wines from The Balkans impromptu!

We had a busy little dinner service Tuesday night before the Diana Krall concert and I wound up having a late dinner and a couple of al fresco cocktails in the cafe late last night with Mark. I do love to travel the world, but I also love to come home. After all the other diners had gone, I enjoyed a non-Cuban cigar (there are some things better in Sofia) and noticed, in the cool breeze of a summer evening, that our oleander has bloomed. How lovely.

In a moment, I'm going to tempt you with this Sunday's Beer Pig Roast and our Fourth of July Picnic on The Sidewalk with Pisco Porton, this week's spirits project and some great cocktails. But first I would love to call your attention to our radio show.

It's been suggested that I try to keep you more up to date with the fantastic guests we're interviewing every week. Eric Ripert visited us just recently. He is just the nicest guy! Jim Lahey from Sullivan Street Bakery is there. Michelin-starred Paul Virant from Chicago joined us recently. The amazing Ron Cooper, King of Mezcal, talked with us about Zapotec Indians, Mezcal and Sotol. Grant Achatz joined us from his Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago.

www.restaurantguysradio.com

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes!

Give a listen: You won't be disappointed. Tell all your friends: We won't be disappointed!

Warm regards,

Francis Schott

@RestaurantGuys

Sunday Pig Toast with LIV

Summer Sunday Pig Roasts

Summer Sunday Pig Toasts!

 

 

Beginning June 24th and every Sunday this summer, the air of New Brunswick will be perfumed with the scent of roasting pig!  How delightful!  Every Sunday, heaps of Jack Daniels barrel charcoal will be laid upon a perfectly seasoned whole pig sometime in the late morning.  Around 5:15, we'll remove from the roasting box, a perfect porcine.  There is nothing quite as tasty as pig roasted whole. It's a celebration of life!

We call our summer Sunday events "Pig Toast" rather than "Pig Roast" because we always raise a glass of something special when the pig comes off the coals.

On June 24, we're thrilled to have Richard Stabile, founder and owner of Long Island Spirits.  LIS is Long Island's only distillery. They produce Long Island Vodka (LIV), Pine Barrens Whiskey and the wonderful limoncello-like Sorbetta of Strawberry and Sorbetta of Orange. 

These are quality spirits all, and the Pine Barrens Whiskey, in particular, is one of my favorite new American Whiskeys.  The whiskey is actually distilled from a finished beer: Blue Point’s Old Howling {word that means child without a father and I can't use because it will get the message flagged as spam}!  We'll be making some cocktails from all of these and the whiskey will be offered by the glass.  The owner of the distillery will be here himself to partake in the porcine pleasures!

Now you never can be exact with a whole pig under charcoal, but we can assume he'll be ready to go around about 5 PM.  At that time we'll remove him from his box, give him a parade fitting his noble sacrifice (the squeamish will be given fair warning to remove themselves from the arena) and all present shall Toast The Pig. 

There will be at least one round of complimentary round of libation to all revelers present at the moment of unveiling!

 

Make a Reservation at [email protected] or 732-828-4444

Friday Night Cocktail: The Rear Window

Several years ago, I was charged with coming up with a cocktail to go along with a showing of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. I rooted around in my head for a cocktial with some connection. I had almost drawn a blank when I remembered a great little cocktail by West Coast bartender Duggan McDonnell. It's called The Vertigo, which is of course the title of the other great Alfred Hitchcock/Jimmy Stewart film.

I've rejiggered the ingredients and presentation a bit to come up with a drink I call The Rear Window. It's a cool refresher. Fresh lemon juice is mixed with sugar to make a lemonade poured over crushed ice and then topped with a float of Averna, the excellent Italian Amaro. The bitter notes of the amaro is off-set by the sweetness of the sugar and the tartness of the lemon. It's just magic and unbelievably refreshing on a warm summer evening.

Don't use a straw. You drink it from the top, sipping the refreshing lemonade through the bitter amaro. As the amaro float sinks into the ice and the crushed ice melts and dilutes the cocktail, the flavor evolves. It's delicious and fun.

At our Cocktail Party this week, The Rear Window will be offered for a mere $8 and the most tasteful cocktail enthusiasts in NJ will be in attendance, as is their custom. Feel free to stay for dinner. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be passed Friday night only.

Mortlach 1989 - 22 Year (Alchemist Selection) Bottled 2011

 

 Thursday June 21 - The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature Mortlach 1989 - 22 Year (Alchemist Selection) Bottled 2011

Suggested Retail Price is $149 We will pour one ounce for $5.00

The Mortlach distillery was the first distillery in Dufftown, pre-dating Glen Fiddich by over four decades. Mortlach was founded in 1823 by James Findlater. The initial owners didn't manage to keep the distillery running for more than a decade; Mortlach was sold on to John Robertson. This marked the start of a number of purchases by different owners. Mortlach was inactive for a few years (at least as far as the production of malt whisky is concerned) - the buildings were used as a brewery and as a church.

In 1897, the number of stills was expanded from three to six, an unusually large number of pot stills in those days. The configuration of the six stills at Mortlach is unusual - and probably unique in Scotland. The 'partial triple distillation' that is used at the Mortlach distillery is a variation of the technique that is in use at Springbank and Benrinnes. One year later electric lights were added, as well as a hydraulic lift system in the warehouses. In 1923 sold Mortlach to John Walker & Sons. Perhaps you've heard of them. There was a wholesale refurbishment of the distillery in 1964. Mortlach is an extremely important component in the Johnny Walker blends, so you rarely see a single-malt bottling from this important and historic distillery.

Thursday evening at 6:30, you will have the opportunity to sample just such a bottle. I do hope you can join us.

Next Week in The Spirits Project Glenfiddich Gran Reserva "Rum Cask Finish" 21 yr

Greetings from Bulgaria!

Hello My Friends,

 

I write to you this week from Sofia, Bulgaria.  I just finished up a weekend at the Balkans International Wine Competition and what a revelation!  It never ceases to amaze me how the production of quality wine in the world is expanding.  Nothing is more thrilling, however, than finding places resurrecting centuries old traditions of quality wine.  In Eastern Europe, and The Balkans in particular, there are many such places. 

 

WWII decimated wine production here and 50 years of Communism demolished any notions of quality wherever it returned.  I am reporting to you, that those traditions are being revived by some of the most passionate, interesting, wonderful people I've met.  It's exciting here! 

 

I've spent the last few days attending tastings and master classes with wines and winemakers from Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Turkey, Romania and Greece is here too!  Who knew that Serbian Prokupac could be so beguiling?  Who knew that there were so many iterations of Vranac or that it could so clearly express different bits of the terroir of Macedonia?  And there are western varieties as well. I'm staring at a 1995 Merlot-Cabernet blend called Aurelius Barrique from Kovacevic that just blew my mind. 

 

I am really moved by some of these wines and I am certainly moved by this whole conference.  The governments of these countries have not always gotten along (understatement), but these wine people here are just amazing. They're amazing for what they're making in their vineyards. They're amazing for challenging themselves and each other and raising the bar so quickly.  They're amazing in their individual commitment to their goals of quality and local pride.  But most strikingly, they're amazing in reaching out to each other and coming together despite complex national histories and tragedies that lesser folk would allow to keep them apart.  

 

Maybe all this international appreciation for each others wines and food among the nations of the world can do a small part to help us overcome our differences and celebrate each other.  Foodies for peace, love and understanding?  I'm over-reaching I know.  But it's a nice thought, isn't it?

 

Francis Schott

Sofia

 

Follow me on Twitter @RestaurantGuys

I've only brought a few (4) bottles home and I'm going to open them and pour tastesone night next week for whoever is present at the time.  I will tweet the time and which restaurant.  When they're gone they're gone!

Friday Night Cocktail: The Nordic Fix

Aquavit does not appear nearly often enough in the cocktail lexicon. Traditionally a Norse beverage, aquavit is a clear spirit, most commonly associated with it's signature flavor and aroma of caraway. I'll admit, this can be a little strange to get used to and many of the aquavit I've encountered have been rather rough around the edges and sometimes quite hot with alcohol.

One of my favorite Aquavit in the world is actually produced right here in The Good Old US of A. Krogstad is made by the same people who make Aviation Gin; House Spirits out in Corvallis, Oregon. It's not a rustic or rough-hewn spirit at all. It's a very clean spirit. The alcohol is in check and the caraway and star anise are just beguiling on the nose and in the rather pronounced finish.

While great for sipping, it's a cocktail ingredient all unto itself. We've created a cocktail featuring the Krogstad Aquavit. The Nordic Fix is a lovely combination of Aquavit, Cognac, Lemon, Honey and Fresh Lavender. It's crisp, clean, fragrant and bracing.

Caol Illa 23-Year 1984 (Scott's Selection) Scotch Whisky; Islay Bottled 2011

 

Tonight, Thursday June 14 - The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature

Caol Illa 23-Year 1984 (Scott's Selection) Scotch Whisky; Islay Bottled 2011

Suggested Retail Price is  $289    We will pour one ounce for $9.00

 

Caol Ila is hidden in a quiet cove near Port Askaig. Situated on Loch Nam Ban, the site is ideal thanks to the abundant supply of good water.  Caol Ila (Gaelic for 'the Sound of Islay') was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson - a Glasgow businessman with a keen interest in distilling.  In 1857 the distillery was purchased by Bulloch Lade & Co. The Distillers Company Limited took over management in 1927. Production continued until 1972, when the entire structure of the distillery was demolished. A larger distillery was built in the same original architectural style, and production resumed in 1974.

 

Caol Ila Whisky is one of the lighter of the Islays; pale in color with a greenish tinge. It has a peaty nose, with distinct floral notes. It has notes of seaweed/iodine and it's lightly medicinal, smoky, salty, sweet with a dry peppery finish.

 

Last week, we poured a 30-Year Caol Illa aged by Alchemist.  This week we are pouring a 23-Year aged under the Scott's Selection label.  This should be a fantastic comparison to last week's whisky.

 

Next Week in The Spirits Project

Mortlach (Alchemist Selection) 22 yr