The Restaurant Guys

Strawberry Daiquiri Party

Friday Night Cocktail Party Strawberry Daiquiri (Kind of)

The ingredients of a daiquiri are Lime, Sugar, Rum! * Papa Hemingway is credited with the addition of Maraschino * Then someone with a bad mustache and a Hawaiian shirt added strawberries and a blender. (I'm hoping David Wondrich is reading this email and corrects me with the real origin of the strawberry daiquiri) * Some large corporation then made a strawberry daiquiri mix, with lots of chemicals and preservatives. * Then the cocktail revolution happened and real daiquiri's re-appeared, sometimes containing fruit! While we don't like generic strawberries in our daiquiri, we find that local strawberries go VERY, VERY well in the daiquiri formula. It's not a true daiquiri because we also add an egg white. This really adds this wonderful fluffy character to the whole thing and opens up the flavors like no blender ever could! It's going to be a very, very short season for local strawbs this year. The rain pretty much washed out the first 65% of the season's crop. We got some great ones in yesterday and they are destined for your cocktail glass Friday night, and as long as they last through the weekend! Come see us. On Friday evening at The Cocktail Bar at Catherine Lombardi, we will offer NJ Strawberry Daiquiri (kind of) for $9.

Hors d'Oeuvres will be passed until 9 PM. The most tasteful cocktail enthusiasts of The Garden State will be in attendance, as is their custom. We hope you will join us!

Caol Illa 30-Year 1980 (Alchemist Selection) Scotch Whisky; Islay Bottled 2010

Tonight, Thursday June 7 - The Spirits Project at Catherine Lombardi will feature Caol Illa 30-Year 1980 (Alchemist Selection) Scotch Whisky; Islay Bottled 2010 Suggested Retail Price is $225

We will pour one ounce for $7.00 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. This is a "merchant whisky." Gordon Wright, whose family owns Springbank and who is lately behind the rebirth of The Bruichladdich, is the driving force behind The Alchemist line of merchant whiskies. So while the name "Alchemist" may be new, it's got the history and expertise of a veteran Scotch family behind it as well as the most controversial and forward looking whisky artisan in Scotland: Gordon Wright brings both of these to the table and it's thrilling!

Next Week in The Spirits Project Caol Ila 1984 (Scott's Selection) 23 yr so we can compare to this week's how cool is that?

Live Radio Play! June 8th in Stage Left

Casablanca: A Staged Radio Play

In the Dining Room

by Raconteur Radio

 

"...all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, and she walks into mine."

                                                                                    --Rick Blaine

 

Perhaps the greatest movie of all time, Casablanca celebrates its 75th anniversary, while we celebrate Stage Left's 20th.  Our friends at Raconteur Radio will stage an old time Radio Play in The Stage Left Dining Room on Friday, June 8. 

This WWII classic takes place in war-torn Casablanca and tells the tale of mysterious nightclub owner, Rick Blaine, his old flame Ilsa Lund and Victor Lazlo, her husband and the daring leader of the Czech underground.  Skeletons keep falling out of closets in this epic tale of spies, Nazis, unrequited love and...well...a fabulous cocktail bar.

 

Rick must decide in the end what counts more, personal happiness or the countless lives and liberties that hang in the balance of the last Great War.  Of course, there's no reason not to drink Champagne and wear really swell outfits while you're deciding!

 

If you've never witnessed a live radio play, you should.  If you have, then you know it's time to do it again.  We'll gather for light hors d'oeuvres and Champagne Cocktails at 7.  The "On-Air" light will come on at 7:30, and the play will commence. Dinner is immediately following.

 

First Course

Lobster Vichyssoise (Chilled)

White and Green Asparagus with a Parmigianno-Reggiano Creme Brulee

Rich Oyster Pan Roast with Sherry and Champagne

 

Entree

Merguez Stuffed Lamb Loin with Mint and Moroccan Spices

Dayboat Black Bass with Pistou, Peas and Summer Sorrel

Organic Chicken Roulade with Anson Mills Polenta

 

Dessert

House-Preserved Nectarine Melba

   with Preserved Strawberries and Orange-Thyme Biscotti

Moroccan-Spiced Creme Brulee

Crepes with Spiced Strawberry

 

$79 plus tax and service

Includes Radio Performance, Pre-Show Champagne Cocktail & Dinner.

Cash bar is open during performance.

 

RaconteurRadio.com