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Cocktail Corner: Cajun Martini at the Palace Grill

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A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

Cajun Martini at the Palace Grill in Santa Barbara

Cajun Martini at the Palace Grill in Santa Barbara

It’s always Mardi Gras at the Palace Grill (8 E. Cota St., 805/963-5000), the closest you can get to New Orleans while staying in Santa Barbara. With Mardi Gras coming up on Tuesday, I’ll be getting into the spirit of things here in town with one of my favorite cocktails: “The World Famous Palace Cajun Martini.”

The first thing you need to know is that this puppy is strong.

Seriously strong. This is not a cocktail for wimps.

There’s a good reason why the Palace limits guests to just one Cajun Martini. Trust me, one is more than enough!  The vodka is chilled and marinated in the freezer with fresh Jalapeños and a kiss of Vermouth. Spicy hot, ice cold and strong, it’s a perfect accompaniment for the Cajun Crawfish Popcorn, which is so delicious that just typing those words makes my mouth water.

It’s served in a Mason jar, over ice, with a Martini glass and cherry peppers, so you can pour your own and pace yourself.

The food at the Palace has been consistently fabulous since they opened back in 1985. I’ve never had a bad meal there, and since I discovered the Cajun Martini, I’ve also never failed to order it.

Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé at the Palace Grill (courtesy photo)

Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé at the Palace Grill (courtesy photo)

If Martinis are not your thing, I hear from reliable sources that the Palace Caribbean Rum Punch is also very tasty.

The other thing I never fail to order at the Palace is the Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé. I don’t normally bother with desserts that aren’t chocolate, but this tasty blend of soufflé and bread pudding, laced with Grand Marnier and raisins, and served piping hot with whiskey cream sauce is amazing.  Trust me, this is one dessert that’s well worth the calories.

Don’t fret if you can’t make it to the Mardi Gras celebration this Tuesday. The Palace celebrates Fat Tuesday every Tuesday night with the lively accordion sounds of Michael Guttin and Mardi Gras beads for all (ask anyone who’s ever visited New Orleans what you usually have to do to get those).

P.S: If you do end up overindulging in Cajun Martinis, we’ve got four Cajun Kitchens in town with homemade biscuits and delicious country breakfasts to soak up that well-earned hangover. Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on February 8, 2013.

 

 

Cocktail Corner: Red Carpet Cocktails

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A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

The Academy Awards are on Sunday. My money’s on Argo to take home the biggest prize of the night—and firmly cement the Santa Barbara International Film Festival as the must-stop red carpet event to strut your stuff on the way to the Oscars. I’m still marveling at how many Oscar-bound stars made it to the festival this year.

Meanwhile, for those of us who won’t be at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre this weekend, the competition for Oscar-inspired libations is every bit as fierce as the race for Best Picture. Here are some red carpet cocktails to make your home viewing party a hit!

Do your favorite films and your favorite cocktails match up? You’ll have to watch—and try—them all to make an educated decision.

Amour

While beautifully shot and acted, to say this movie is a downer is the understatement of the year. However, CookInDineOut.com’s version of The Amour cocktail is a sparkling champagne cocktail designed to invoke the earlier romance of the movie’s couple. Plus, a few sips of this might help you brace yourself for the intensity of the movie.

Argo

Bacardi USA mixologist Manny Hinojosa (how’s that for a cool-sounding job title?) has come up with a delicious-sounding Argo-inspired Scotch-Campari cocktail with elderflower liqueur, basil and ginger ale, The Diplomatic Escape.  Certainly one of the most purely entertaining movies in the bunch, a little Scotch can only help this film go down even smoother.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Cajun Lemonade is a great treat to celebrate this bayou-themed beast. This spiked version from Food & Wine includes a generous splash of Vodka (or Rum), but nine-year-old star (and nominee) Quvenzhané Wallis—who gives an amazing performance in this haunting film—should probably stick to good old lemonade.

Django Unchained

Grey Goose Vodka did a whole series of Oscar-inspired cocktails, but this Coco Django is a standout—it even alludes to a quirky coconut drink that one of the characters has in a pivotal scene.

Les Misérables

The Les Misérables Cocktail from Cocktail.com, featuring French brandy, is worth taking your time to absorb, just like this sprawling, epic movie set in 19th-century France.

Life of Pi

The Citrus Seas, from Dallas’s SideDish Magazine,  is sublime and sea-worth salute to Ang Li’s beautiful film. They recommend Shellback Silver Rum, but like the Cajun Lemonade, this one would be equally tasty with Vodka.

Lincoln

Basil Hayden’s Bourbon pays tribute to Lincoln with this take on a traditional cocktail, Lincoln’s Manhattan, mixing Bourbon, both sweet and dry vermouth, and maple syrup. They had me at Daniel Day-Lewis.

Silver Linings Playbook

Word on the street is that Robert De Niro loved this Purity Silver Linings Playbook Martini at the Weinstein Company’s Silver Linings Playbook event. Another one of my favorite movies of the year … and there’s certainly not much to dislike about a pure Vodka and spring water cocktail!

Zero Dark Thirty

The Drake Hotel in Chicago has come up with Zero Dark Worthy, a “heavy martini made from Vodka, Cherry Brandy and Dark Crème de Cacao to commemorate the very heavy substance of the film. The title of the Zero Dark Thirty is, as director Kathryn Bigelow explains, “a military term for 30 minutes after midnight, and it refers also to the darkness and secrecy that cloaked the entire decade-long mission (to capture Osama Bin Ladin).”

Pass the popcorn! Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on February 22, 2013.

 

Cocktail Corner: Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai

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Chuck's Famous Mai Tai (courtesy photo)

Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

A lot of places slap the label “famous” onto a cocktail, but Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai is one “famous” libation that’s ready for a “legendary” label.

It’s not quite as good as a trip to Maui, but it’s pretty darn close.

Chuck’s of Hawaii (3888 State St., 805/687-4417) makes its own super special secret saucy Mai Tai mix—I don’t know what the proportions of orange, pineapple and limes are in there, but I do know that when mixed with three different rums (and always a red Maraschino cherry, lemon, green Maraschino cheery, orange skewer) this marvelous Mai Tai is guaranteed to put you in an island state of mind.

And it’s good for you too. Continue reading →

Cocktail Corner: A Bit of the Blarney About Dargan’s

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Dargans (courtesy photo)

Dargans (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

Irish eyes are always smiling at Dargan’s, one of my favorite downtown pubs (18 E. Ortega St., 805/568-0702). Of course the place will be rocking this weekend in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s a great place to tipple any time of the year. Try a specialty pint, like the Black & Tan (3/4 Ale topped with a 1/4 “hat” of Guinness) or the Snakebite (1/2 Cider and 1/2 Harp); or choose from an impressive list of Irish Whiskeys, including Clontarf, Knappogue Single Malt and Tullamore Dew, along with all of the usual suspects.

Owned by third generation pub-meister Paul Dargan, who has mastered the art of keeping the atmosphere upbeat, casual and friendly, Dargan’s is a kid-friendly place to boot. Continue reading →

Cocktail Corner: Cheers to Spring at the Ty Lounge

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Four Seasons Biltmore's barrel-aged Negroni (courtesy photo)

Four Seasons Biltmore’s barrel-aged Negroni (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

A great spot for cocktails just got even better. The Ty Lounge (at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara) has always been a beautiful place to drink in the priceless view of the Pacific, but now mixology pro and manager Chris Nordella has introduced a lively selection of spring cocktails.

Premiering for the first time is a barrel-aged Negroni, blended and barreled in-house by Nordella. The classic cocktail combines Plymouth gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, with all ingredients aged together in French Oak for six weeks. Other new handcrafted cocktails also take us on exotic journeys of taste, like the Sencha Caipirinha, Sencha green tea-infused Sagatiba Cachaca with lemongrass syrup and lime.

Ty Lounge at Four Seasons Biltmore (courtesy photo)

Ty Lounge at Four Seasons Biltmore (courtesy photo)

Then there’s the Macchu Pisco, with Barsol Pisco, Aperol, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and Kirschwasser, and the Rhubarbarita, mixing Patron blanco tequila with rhubarb puree, house-made grenadine, lemon and Grand Marnier. No one can seem to agree whether rhubarb is a fruit or a vegetable, but I’m guessing you won’t care much when you taste this delicious twist on a favorite Margarita.

Along with these fresh seasonal libations, executive chef Alessandro Cartumini has created a tasty new tapas menu for Ty Lounge. Selections favor the savory, including saffron paellacroquetas, patatas bravas, black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo, and some heartier choices such as merguez sausage with piquillo pepper stew and marcona almonds.

Ty Lounge's black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo (courtesy photo)

Ty Lounge’s black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo (courtesy photo)

There are also a handful of delicious new sweets, like the tarta Alicante, which features layers of almond sponge cake and lemon curd topped with meringue, and the borracho, which is “drunken” rum cake served with a milk chocolate cream and coffee sauce. Yum!

Playing off the Spanish influence of the Biltmore’s beautiful architecture, the revamped cocktail list also features two types of sangria (“it’s just a given when you think of tapas and sun,” says Nordella), as well as classic Spanish cocktails, cava and quality wines representing key Spanish varietals and growing regions.

Happy hour is every Monday – Thursday from 4–6 pm. Enjoy $5 off all menu cocktails, $2 off beers on tap, $7 appetizers and $8 featured wines by the glass. With Chris Fossek playing Spanish Guitar on Wednesdays, Lois Mahalia playing jazz on Fridays and a DJ on Saturdays, there are lots of great reasons to toast spring at the Ty Lounge these days. Maybe we’ll see you there. Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 22, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Cheers to Prosecco

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A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

As Don Ho sings:

Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles)
In the wine (in the wine)
Make me happy (make me happy)
Make me feel fine (make me feel fine)

OGIO prosecco (courtesy photo)

OGIO Prosecco (courtesy photo)

Just thinking about bubbles makes me smile: bubble baths, Wonder Bubbles, Bubble Up, Champagne and more recently, Prosecco.

I had my first taste of Prosecco just a few years ago, when a friend brought a bottle of Mionetto IL Prosecco to accompany our sushi at one of the summer concerts at El Capitan Canyon.  It was delicious, bubbly and tasted good with potato chips too.

Prosecco—which is an Italian sparkling white wine—is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds these days, particularly with the trendsetting 21-something crowd. According to the beverage industry research website, just-drinks.com, “Growth in sparkling wine of the non-Champagne variety has been a somewhat unheralded success story of the global wines and spirits market during the past ten years, and the product which typifies the sector’s progress—and the star performer to boot—is the northern Italian fizz, Prosecco.”

Unlike many wines, Prosecco is designed to be consumed when it’s young, and the majority of Prosecco is meant to be light and fresh on the palate. Most of it is produced using the less time-consuming Charmat method (refermentation of the base wine in pressurized tanks, as opposed to bottles) and the taste just keeps getting better.

I recently tried a bottle of OGIO Prosecco DOC, which was delicious, light and not overwhelmingly sweet, with fruity notes of peach and green apple. As the company describes it, “an approachable, friendly and easy-to-drink wine for those who want to have a conversation over a glass of wine, not about a glass of wine!” That pretty much fits the bill for me.

In addition to the traditional Bellini, there are loads of other great mixed drinks you can create with Prosecco. Here are a few that would be perfect for a warm spring weekend:

Sgroppino, an Italian cocktail from Giada De Laurentiis, with Prosecco, vodka and lemon sorbet. Fruit Fizz, from Nigella Lawson, combines Prosecco with lemon, mango, raspberry and blackcurrant sorbet (are you sensing a theme here?)

Martha Stewart’s Prosecco Cocktail has Angostura bitters, a liqueur infused with herbs, roots, and bark, and Ruffino Prosecco has an interesting recipe for The Fresco, using Prosecco, cucumbers, lime, hot sauce and sea salt.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on April 19, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Cheers to The Pan

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Citrus & Spice Cocktail at The Pan (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

Citrus & Spice Cocktail at The Pan (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

I’m a big believer that variety is the spice of life. If I could tipple “cocktail flights” for every happy hour and nibble appetizers for every meal, I would be doing a happy dance for the rest of my life.

I still haven’t found a place that has “cocktail flights” on the menu (sharing sips with friends is the next best thing), but I have found a great small bites place just a hop, skip and jump from the office: The Pan.

Located in the restaurant row at 18 E. Cota St., this retro cool place serves comfort food “tapas“: small plates of yummy favorites like chicken pot pie, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, tater tots, cobb salads, mini burgers and more. The small plates and straightforward atmosphere make this a great place for families as well as anyone else who wants some light bites or a few different tastes to make a meal out of. Everything on the food side of the menu is between $3–$6, so it’s an easy decision to order a few things and share them.

Favorite small plates from The Pan include cheeseburgers, tater tots, chicken pot pie and cobb salad (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

Favorite small plates from The Pan include cheeseburgers, tater tots, chicken pot pie and cobb salad (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

This includes desserts. I don’t usually bother with anything that’s not chocolate, but the Apple Crisp at The Pan is just like how you wished your mama made it!

And of course—I probably should have said this first—the cocktails are fabulous. They have all the modern classics, including Old Fashioneds (featuring Bulleit Bourbon), Sazerac and the Dark and Stormy, among others. They also have a “healthy and organic menu” for cocktails, including Margaritas, Cucumber-Lemonade Chillers (with gin) and my personal favorite, the Citrus & Spice Cocktail featuring jalapeño-infused organic vodka (that counts as a vegetable serving, right?), King’s Ginger liqueur, organic fresh orange juice, grapefruit juice and passion fruit puree.

There is one downside to this place, however. It’s only open Thursday (5–10 p.m.), Friday and Saturday nights (both 6 p.m.–midnight).

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on April 26, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Kentucky Derby Day Drinks

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Early Times makes the official Mint Julep of the 2013 Kentucky Derby. (courtesy photo)

Early Times makes the official Mint Julep of the 2013 Kentucky Derby. (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

It’s Kentucky Derby time this weekend, and although all I know about the leaderboard is that Orb is favored to win, I know enough about Kentucky Derby Day traditions to know whichever horse your money’s on, y’all should be cheering ’em on with a Mint Julep.

This ice-cold cocktail is generally made with fresh mint leaves, sugar, a little bit of water and a whole lot of Bourbon. It’s kind of hard to go wrong with that combination, but here are a few fun recipes I found to share with you.

The “official” drink of the Derby (and how can you not love a sporting event with its own official drink?) is the  Early Times Mint Julep, which features Early Times Kentucky Bourbon served in a commemorative silver cup. You can also purchase the pre-made versions of this cocktail in a limited-edition Early Times Mint Julep artist bottle. This year’s bottle (pictured) features the work of Celeste Susany, one of the nation’s premier equine painters.

Esquire has a recipe for Brandy Julep, made with Cognac and Rum. Drinksmixer.com has a Rum Julep recipe that uses simple syrup, which is also recommended by many mixologists as a timesaver if you’re serving a crowd.

Emeril Lagasse makes a Mint Julep Martini with Belvedere Vodka, which sounds pretty fabulous, not to mention refreshing, as does this Frozen Mint Julep, from the official Kentucky Derby party planning page.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on May 3, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Popping the Cork for Mother’s Day

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© Pac | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

© Pac | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

One of my favorite things about Mother’s Day is that it’s a terrific excuse reason to have Champagne for breakfast.

Of course, you can do this anytime you want—and pretty, pretty please invite me over!—but on Mother’s Day, unless you’re visibly pregnant, no one looks at you strangely when you order a bottle of Champagne with your Eggs Benedict (which is a fabulous pairing, by the way).

But here’s an even better reason to toast mom with some bubbly this weekend: new research has just come out that three glasses of Champagne a week can help to improve your memory!

I have to say, this is probably my favorite Mother’s Day gift yet!

As reported by the international edition of The Drinks Business, “Scientists at Reading University say that a regular dose of bubbles can help in the fight against brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

They quote Jeremy Spencer, the biochemistry professor who led the research as saying, “Dementia probably starts in the 40s and goes on to the 80s. It is a gradual decline and so the earlier people take these beneficial compounds in champagne, the better.”

The earlier the better is right! Why wait till Sunday when you can pop that cork right now?

Apparently it’s the phenolic acid in the grapes that provides the memory boost.

This isn’t the first time that Champagne’s health benefits have made the news. Sheknows.com reports that in 2009, research from the British Journal of Nutrition found that champagne has health benefits similar to those often attributed to red wine. “Sipping a few glasses of champagne may lower blood pressure and potentially reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease.”

And as early as 2007, an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported findings that identify Champagne as a source of brain protection that may help protect the brain from the injuries common with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and stroke. (www.blogcritics.org)

As if we needed yet another great reason to toast our moms this Mother’s Day, cheers to your health … and your mom!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on May 10, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Thirsty Birds Flock to the Canary for Wine Tasting

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View from the Rooftop Fireplace at the Canary (courtesy photo)

View from the Rooftop Fireplace at the Canary (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

One of the most exquisite—and exclusive—360-degree views of Santa Barbara is from the rooftop at the Canary, and it’s also a great place to taste local wines this summer.

Quite frankly, the scenery alone is enough to make me leap at any invitation to visit the roof, add in some terrific wines and nibbles and there’s no reason not to start your work week with a smile. You can sip and swirl at the Rooftop Perch at the Canary Hotel every Monday night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. through mid-October.

Beckmen Vineyards (courtesy photo)

Beckmen Vineyards (courtesy photo)

Up this Monday (June 10) is Dragonette Cellars, whose delicious 2012 Rosé, Happy Canyon will most definitely put a bloom in your cheeks; followed by our friends from Beckmen Vineyards (June 17), whose innovative biodynamic practices we wrote about in SEASONS back in spring 2012 (From Biodynamic Vineyard to Brilliance in a Glass).

In addition to wine tasting, guests can also sample yummy bites from new executive chef James Siao of Finch & Fork restaurant downstairs. Tickets for the tastings can be purchased in advance or the evening of at Finch & Fork, and frequent tasters can bring back their reusable glass for a discount.

The rest of the winery lineup includes:

June 24: Semler

July 1: Fess Parker- Epiphany

July 8: Sanford

July 15: Carr

July 22: Kessler-Haak & Flying Goat

July 29: Jaffurs and Presqu’ile

August 5: Stolpman

August 12: Summerland Wine

August 19: Zaca Mesa & Palmina

August 26: Verdad

September 9: Demetria

September 16: Deep Sea-Conway

September 23: Margerum

September 30: Melville

October 7: Andrew Murray

And October 14 is the Grand Finale, featuring some of the favorite wines from throughout the season.

Sounds like Monday’s going to be Fun-day after all. The address is 31 W. Carrillo St., and FYI, now you can finally enter the building at the corner of Carrillo and Chapala Streets. For more information, call 805/879-9100 or click here.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on June 7, 2013.