A Chef’s Tips on the Best Way to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
The best part? You already have all of the ingredients on hand.
Three Reasons We Love Nantucket Bay Scallops.
Our Chefs love cooking with this sough-after ingredient. Few seasons are as highly anticipated as Nantucket Bay Scallop season. Chefs and seafood enthusiasts alike look forward to their arrival and we’re excited that we now have scallops arriving daily from Nantucket.
They’re delicious eaten raw.
In fact, many sushi eaters swear that Nantucket Bay Scallops are second-to-none when it comes to raw bar selection. The cool waters surrounding Nantucket keep the bivalves sweet and give them their prized texture.They’re great cooked, too.
Nantucket Bay Scallops have a sugar content that’s ideal for caramelization. Chefs gravitate toward scallops for their mild taste as well as their versatility.They’re sustainably fished.
Like all of the seafood we sell and serve, our Nantucket Bay Scallops are sustainably sourced. They’re harvested by fishermen in small boats on the shores and in the bays of Nantucket Island using hand dredges. Scallops are caught live, taken ashore, and immediately shucked, resulting in ultra-fresh scallops.You can find Nantucket Bay Scallops on the menu at Chops Lobster Bar, Atlanta Fish Market, Bistro Niko, & Kyma.
Drink This: Buckhead Diner’s Crimson Heat
The Crimson Heat, Buckhead Diner’s newest cocktail, serves as a reminder that tequila should have a place on your bar cart long after Summer is over. The drink starts with a base of muddled jalapenos and fresh blood orange puree and is topped with tequila, triple sec, and served in a glass rimmed with house-made citrus salt. The result is a drink that strikes the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and salty. “The goal was to create something seasonal that uses tequila in a non-traditional way. Most people automatically think margaritas when they hear tequila, but with this cocktail we wanted to challenge the idea that to have a great tequila drink you’ve got to also have a lime base. The unexpected flavors of blood orange are really what make the cocktail, and they also let you know that you’ve grown up from a margarita so to speak”, says the drink’s creator Jessica Purdy.
Crimson Heat
2 oz Don Julio
½ oz Blood Orange Puree
1 oz Lime Juice
¾ oz Jalapeno Simple Syrup
1 half slice of blood orange (muddled)
2 slices of Jalapeno (muddled)
Splash of Sour Mix
Splash of Triple Sec
Glass: Highball
Citrus Salt: Equal parts orange, lemon, and lime zest, and coarse sea salt.
Plan a Lamb Party at Kyma!
Chef Pano’s favorite way to serve lamb is during a “lamb on the spit” party, perfect for summer and fall on Kyma’s gorgeous patio. The patio can accommodate 25 to 40 people and each party receives a whole lamb to share. The lamb is slow roasted for eight hours with spices and herbs grown in Kyma’s garden. Adding an exciting element to the evening, Chef Pano personally cuts and serves the lamb to guests. Party organizers have the opportunity to add passed Hors d’Oeuvres or plated appetizers to complete the meal. Some of the Mediterranean favorites at Kyma include the succulent wood-grilled octopus, tangy dolmades, Greek salad and cheesy spanakopita. It’s a fun and entertaining event for the whole family (or 30 of your closest friends)! Guests should contact Private Dining Manager Elizabeth Ridgeway by calling (404) 262-0702 or emailing ERidgeway@buckheadrestaurants.com to plan their Lamb Party.
Pricci Regional Menu: November in Benevento
Each month, Chef Piero Premoli of Pricci takes diners on a culinary tour of different regions of Italy. This month’s menu celebrates the fresh flavors of the coastal region of Campania and is sure to broaden your culinary horizons and further your love of Italian cuisine. Chef Piero’s menu is available every night. Three Course Menu 39. With Wine Pairings, additional 18. See the menu.
Here are some of our favorites from this month’s menu:
Medaglioni di Vitello
Chef Piero’s “Medaglioni di Vitello” is the ultimate Italian comfort food. Tender veal is marinated then perfectly charred and served alongside cheese-stuffed roasted potatoes and dressed with a green peppercorn and artichoke sauce and topped with microgreens. The exciting flavors and complex textures in this dish make it among the most addictive dishes to ever hit Pricci’s menu.
Scarpariello Pomodoro e Scampi
Chef Piero’s “Scarpariello Pomodoro e Scampi” is inspired by Campania’s coastal setting. A region prized for its fresh produce, handmade pastas, and ultra-fresh seafood, this flavorful, spicy dish makes use of fresh chilies, Mediterranean Langostino, and day-made spago pasta.
Baba
“Baba”, Chef Piero’s fresh, seasonal take on the classic dessert plays on the complex flavors of fall. Light yeast cakes are filled with silky cream, soaked in rum, then topped with apricot and rum raisin sauce and candied orange peels.
Bobby Asare is Changing Wine Culture One Glass at a Time
Bobby Asare is not your average beverage director.
He’s shaking things up in the beverage world by taking a fresh approach to wine. He’s looking in history books to decide what’s in your next glass, he’s orchestrating six-course champagne dinners, and most shockingly, he’s suggesting that you drink what you like. With Asare there’s always an element of surprise. Recently he hosted a wine dinner at Lobster Bar Sea Grille, but what guests were served weren’t strictly the crisp whites and bold reds you’d expect. It was champagne. “ People gave us these looks when we poured champagne in their wine glasses”, says Asare, “ but it was really about having people think about champagne as something that can nicely accompany food and challenging the stigma that when it comes to sparkling wine is that it’s for celebration, you pop it open on graduation day or at a wedding.” That’s not the only way Asare works to make wine accessible and enjoyable to oenophiles and novice tasters alike. Asare’s wine list spans from classic Italian reds and whites from Napa to unique bottles from regions widely considered “new” in the wine world. His top regions to watch include South Africa and Greece. No matter your taste, his list has something that will excite you. His geographical approach to pairing is one that’s got people paying attention. “ Let’s take Lobster Bar Sea Grille’s menu for example. It’s mainly seafood, so I’ll research wine traditions surrounding coastal regions whose diets have historically been seafood heavy. One example of this is Liguria which is south of Piedmonte, Italy. It’s a region that’s kept with the tradition of a seafood heavy diet, and not only that, but they have historically created wines that complement their foods, so wines from that region usually pair well with our dishes.”, Asare explains. “I like to guide people and show them something unique” he says, “but ultimately it’s about your experience. A cabernet with your dorad? Sure, there’s no wrong way if you’re enjoying it.” Asare’s passion for wine is contagious. That’s why everyone on staff at Lobster Bar Sea Grille learns about wine. “We talk about it a lot. We taste, we discuss, it’s a team effort.”, he says. Asare’s golden rule to wine pairings? “The best wine pairing is the wine you like.”
What No One Ever Tells You About Planning a Private Event
Tips from Florida’s Busiest Private Events Manager, Sherry Craig.
City Fish Market’s Event Coordinator Sherry Craig, is no stranger to creating the perfect event. At City Fish Market, Boca’s fine dining staple, she’s planned events ranging from large concerts to small weddings. For Sherry, it’s the details that make or break a private event. Here’s a Q & A with Boca’s resident event expert.
How far in advance should people start planning their event?
It really depends on the season. If it’s in season, they need around three months because the books fill up. In an off season, you don’t need as much notice, and while I always try to accommodate last minute needs, the odds are much better that your date will be available if you begin earlier. If your event is in October through May you should plan at least three months out.
What tips do you have for first time event hosts?
Gather information from various venues. Talk with friends and family members and see what they would recommend.
What tips do you have for selecting the perfect event space?
I think everyone has different needs- some people like outdoorsy, some people like bright lights. Visiting the location you’re interested in is key. You really can’t tell certain things about a space until you experience it yourself.
What tips do you have for sticking to a budget?
You’ll definitely get a bigger bang for your buck with daytime parties instead of evening events. Especially with many people in our community being retired, an afternoon party to celebrate a birthday or anniversary is just as convenient but will cost much less. You can also pick an off season for your event to further cut costs. Think outside the box- why not host a cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres instead of a full sit-down dinner? We always work with people on creating exceptional events for guests while staying within their budgets. Also, July and August are months that are ideal for smaller budgets.
How do you create the perfect atmosphere?
There’s really not one perfect vibe. Different events call for different atmospheres. City Fish Market’s vibe is all about openness, airiness, cleanliness, in a bright, architecturally beautiful space with views of water. Every private room here overlooks water.
What are the differences in planning a Power Lunch vs. a Social Soiree?
It’s all about communicating your vision to the event manager. For example, do you want it to be quick, efficient, or do you want it to be leisurely and focused on social relaxation? The pace of an event makes a huge difference and it’s important to decide and communicate what pace aligns with your vision.
How important is it that hosts visit the potential event space?
A picture can show you one thing but walking into a space and experience it is completely different. I don’t think there’s a single photo that really does City Fish Market justice.
What’s the biggest mistake people make in event planning?
Many people come to us without an idea on budget. At least having an idea of what you’re able to spend becomes really important in shaping the framework of your event. We can always accommodate different price points, but to narrow down things like decorations and entertainment, budget really helps steer the conversation.
How should hosts choose Décor and Entertainment?
It’s important to envision your event and make stylistic choices that fit the vision. Fortunately we have connections with every experience coordinator you’d ever want to work with.
What’s the Golden Rule of Event Planning?
Explain to the people you’re working with your goals for the event. The more information you give them, the easier it is for them to help you. It becomes a shared vision.