RVANews

Chef to Chef: Kevin and Todd

Genevelyn Steele — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:00:35 +0000

The concept of Chef to Chef is simple: two local chefs (uh, obviously) meet up to to get acquainted, talk shop, and answer a few questions posed by the lovely Genevelyn Steele. Special thanks to Morton's The Steakhouse for hosting!

This time I get together with Kevin Roberts, chef and co-owner of The Black Sheep and Todd Richardson, Executive Chef of The Boathouse, both veterans of the line with forty years of experience (and friendship) between them. Both chefs have spent time in New Orleans, but it is their local ties that are most recognizable.

The breakdown

Kevin began washing dishes at the Bamboo Cafe before moving to the Frog and the Redneck, and later, Acacia and Amici. Todd also started behind a sponge at another fan spot before moving on to Havanna 59, Patina Grill, and Verbena, where he was the chef and owner. These two have known each other for decades.

We begin

At Morton's, during social hour with birdbath sized martinis, blue cheese stuffed olives and a couple of plates of bar bites: cheeseburger sliders and sweet, sweet, morsels from the Happy Hour Gods, mini-crabcakes.

Todd: (to Kevin) Happy Birthday, again.

Kevin: Thanks, it was great. (he points outside to a red Honda parked in front of Morton's) Check out my birthday present from my girlfriend. It’s a hauler, for price clubs, PFG (Performance Food Group) market runs.

Todd: PFG, could they make it any harder to pick up product? The window opens at noon and 5:30.

Kevin: Prime time -- don’t forget about Saturday at 8am. That used to be bedtime.

(The bartender delivers more drinks.)

Kevin: Where are you going out to eat now?

Todd: I live in Carytown, so I go places I can walk to. I like Secco and Can Can, which has some of the best ice cream in Richmond. Unusual flavors, like black pepper or raspberry chocolate chip.

Genevelyn: How did you guys meet?

Todd: We worked at Kuba Kuba together.

Kevin: I got started in the restaurant business at the Bamboo Café as a dishwasher for Manny before he opened Kuba Kuba, when I was in art school. I used to do every Sunday brunch at Kuba. I vowed each time that I’d never do Sunday brunch again once I got out of there.

Todd: I said the same thing at Verbena. I am The Boathouse about 7am on Sundays now.

Genevelyn: What is going on at The Boathouse?

Todd: We have a Chesapeake Bay Foundation box on the menu. All the sales from that section directly benefit the foundation.

Kevin: How’s Jimmy (Sneed) doing with that?

Todd: Jimmy is not involved anymore.

Kevin: How did you like cooking with him?

Todd: I learned a lot from him, but he wasn’t directly cooking side-by-side with us.

Kevin: He’s older. It’s too hard on your body, your joints, being back there all night. Kitchen breaks (referring to cocktail breaks) for me should include glucosamine.

Genevelyn: That’s a great drink idea, vodka and glucosamine shots for aging chefs.

Kevin: Or an Ensure White Russian.

Genevelyn: Todd, the current menu at The Boathouse, is that yours or his (Jimmy's)?

Todd: Partly Jimmy’s, partly mine -- it’s transitioning.

Kevin: Did you interview with him for that job?

Todd: Yes, it was like a two-day interview. The first meeting he told me he had nothing for me. Then we met over coffee and I was offered the job after that meeting.

Kevin: I remember my interview with him at The Frog and the Redneck. I wore a dress shirt and wingtips. I was still in art school. I rode my bike downtown on a really hot day, sweat was pouring down my dress shirt when I walked in. He took one like at me and said “Wingtips, huh?” I don’t think I even knew what wingtips were. I learned a lot from him -- like keep my head down and work hard.

Todd: I learned salt. Real Salt from Utah is what he was into at The Boathouse. It is from when the earth was covered with water and is pulverized, not processed. It’s not quite white.

When I interviewed with Jimmy I hadn’t worked in six months. I had just sold Verbena and wasn’t really looking. One night I was at Can Can and I ran into Kenny Bendheim (Anything Goes Cafe & Catering, former owner of Graffiti Grille -- like Jimmy Sneed, if you start talking about Richmond restaurants, this name will pop up) he asked me what I was doing.

Kevin: Were you eating ice cream? Was it like blackberry goat cheese or some shit like that?

Todd: Yeah. Something like that. Then, a week later I met Jimmy. When I interviewed I had a beard and dressed casually. My girlfriend asked me if I was going to change.

Kevin: He likes clean shaven, clean nails.

Genevelyn: All the better to feed you with. He is one of the late, great kitchen role models and shape shifters of RVA. I am interested in to see what happens at Fresca, the vegan model resto he’s opening with his daughter. It’ll be thoughtful. There will be salt.

Where does the 1970s little boys rec room décor in The Black Sheep come from?

Kevin: Thrift shops, antique stores, estate sales, gifts. Living in Richmond, I have a connection to two things: the Civil War and cheesy décor. It kills me when customers ask to buy the salt and pepper shakers. I say “no” and am usually pressed about it, so then I have to say “no, I’m sorry they were a gift” and then they get stolen. Wow. So you loved your experience so much that you had to steal the salt and pepper shakers. Fuck.

Genevelyn: The pizza question: Your girlfriend is bringing home takeout. Where would you like her to stop for pizza?

Kevin: Mamma Zu.

Todd: You can’t print this, but I like the deep dish Sicilian from (place rhymes with Lisa the Slut).

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Chef to Chef: Jason and Walter

Genevelyn Steele — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:55:51 +0000

The concept of Chef to Chef is simple: two local chefs (uh, obviously) meet up to to get acquainted, talk shop, and answer a few questions posed by the lovely Genevelyn Steele. Typically they meet at Morton's The Steakhouse, but tricky schedules put them at Full Kee for this round. They'll be back at Morton's next time.

A couple weeks ago Jason Alley, chef/owner of Comfort, and Walter Bundy, longtime chef at Lemaire, got together over dim sum at Full Kee to discuss duck tongue, pickle chicken sandwiches, visiting superstars, and new restaurant plans.

Walter: I don’t get to come here much, I’ve got two little kids. How about [we order] the duck tongue?

Jason: You’ve had it?

Walter: Not here, we used to serve it at the French Laundry.

I don’t have to ask a thing. Both chefs have a lot on the calendar and though good friends, they haven’t seen each other in a little bit. They get to catching up. Jason is fixated on developing ideas for his new restaurant, Pasture, in the old Montaldo’s building on Grace Street.

Jason: The building is a historical building, 4,000 square feet and it will be something new for me. If I see another crooked neck squash I’m going to kill myself. Not that I don’t love my food [at Comfort] but I like creative growth. Pasture will be small plates, still Southern, more composed, but we’ll also have house-ground burgers. I’m working with Bill Chapman, as a consultant. Bill managed Europa, Havana 59, and has an on-line development group. It’s a historical building, and I’m working within the boundaries of a historic space.

I like to see a mission statement. I like to know what a restaurant is going for. Like, I love Julia’s new place [Secco]. It’s awesome. You walk in there and you know what’s going on. On the flip side of that, you know exactly what you’re getting into at Sidewalk too.

Walter: If you bend to everyone’s whim, you lose your identity. It’s all been done before -- choose your path and stick to it. I’ve always hunted and farmed. The Bundy Farms [listed on the menu at Lemaire] started in my yard and moved to the parking lot of the hotel. The Bundy Farms ratatouille is on the menu now and the specials are handwritten, stuff from the garden; herbs, kohlrabi, corn, okra will be coming soon.

Next weekend is the Rappahannock Oyster tasting and Virginia Living shoot. I’m excited because my father and family have a place in Deltaville.

Jason: Wednesday [August 4] is going to be a blast. I’ll be in Atlanta for a patron’s dinner with Todd Richards [Rolling Bones BBQ] and Jim Shirley, the host chef and owner of Atlas Oyster House. This dinner is just after the Florida Scallop Festival [in the third week of July].

Genevelyn: I have to ask. Eric Ripert was in town and he visited both of your restaurants within hours. Jason, he went to Comfort twice. Spill.

Jason: I’m good friends with [writer and food stylist] Angie Mosier. She and I are both involved in the Southern Foodways Alliance. Angie is also a photographer for Avec Eric [Ripert’s culinary travelogue on PBS].

Jimmy [Sneed] made a reservation at Mamma 'Zu, and the crew [of Avec Eric] was like, fuck that, we live in Manhattan, why are we going to eat Italian food in the South?

Walter: Eric Ripert was Jimmy Sneed’s sous chef at Watergate. He dined by himself at the bar [Lemaire] and didn’t get mobbed. We have a mutual DC cooking connection. When he was in town he toured Urbana and went to Surry to visit Edwards [Virginia and “Surryano” ham].

Jason: I think he ate with us before he ate with you. He came back another night and waited for a table.

Genevlyn: David Chang admits to craving Popeyes fried chicken, Anthony Bourdain cravenly desires KFC’s drive-through mac'n'cheese. Do you have a junky food lust?

Walter: Ice cream every night. I also make this pickle chicken sandwich [modeled after] Chick-Fil-A. I soak chicken in pickle juice for three days first. It’s a staff meal. It’s awesome, but I never want to put it on the menu, because that’s all I’d make.

Jason: The McRib and Krystal Burgers

Walter: The McRib, they bring it back every ten years -- you missed it.

Jason: I didn’t miss it.

Fifth Quarter: Lardo

Genevelyn Steele — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:00:23 +0000

The fifth quarter, or butcher’s cut, is offal traditionally kept by the butcher for home cooking. Often inexpensive and always tasty, RVA’s monthly column, Fifth Quarter, offers less-traveled recipes that are both good and offal.

The sixth installment of Fifth Quarter utilizes pork fat, which can be found for a couple of bucks a pound, or sometimes, free. My source gifted me the fat on Craigslist.

Basically Italian fatback, this cured pork product should be made with the best quality pork back fat you can find. Factory-farmed pork will not have the layers of flavor and depth of taste that humanely raised animals offer. The fat needs to be at least an inch thick and should be kept away from light and temperature changes while it cures.

After curing, lardo should be sliced tracing paper thin and served just below room temperature, with only a crisp cracker to contrast its obscene richness. But, if the idea of eating pure, melt-in-your-mouth-fat bothers you, you can use diced lardo in place of American fatback when cooking summer vegetables, such as beans or squash.

I like lardo best shaved on top of pizza with garlic, red pepper, and a little olive oil. This is an easy, “no cooking” summer recipe that won’t warm up your kitchen. It will be ready to enjoy in October, when the nights are chilly and a sensual layer of fat is sexy under the covers.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs homegrown pork fat, either from a farmer or Belmont Butchery
3/4 lb Kosher salt (about half a box of Morton’s Kosher Salt)
1/4 pound sugar
1/3 cup chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/8 cup cracked black pepper
1/8 cup dried thyme or 1/4 cup fresh thyme
2 star anise pods (internet or Penzeys in Carytown)
12 crushed bay leaves
1/8 cup juniper berries (you'll probably need to track these down on the Internet)

Procedure

Mix the salt and sugar together in one bowl, then mix the herbs and spices together in a separate bowl.

Cover the bottom of a large glass baking dish with the salt mixture. Then add a layer of the herb mix. Next add your pork. Cover with another layer of salt, then spices.

Wrap the dish with two layers of plastic wrap, and then put a heavy plate on top of the wrapped pork that is smaller than the top of the container. The plate should just cover the pork, put not leave an air gap. Place canned goods or barbell weight (something heavy) on top of the plate to weight it down. Let this cure for two weeks, flipping the pork every few days, in the back of your refrigerator.

Continue the refrigerator curing of the meat for three months. After three months, remove the pork from the brine and rinse well. Pat it dry, slice it thin, then and serve it on crackers, pizza, bread or as part of a salami plate with cheese, olives, and other cured meats.

Note: This recipe is even better, and less salty, if you are able to hang the meat half-way through the brining process. For convenience, I modified the recipe. But, if you have a dark room that never gets over 60 degrees with about 65% humidity, then give hanging the pork a whirl. Instead of leaving the pork in the back of the fridge for three months, take it out after a month, rinse the brine, pat pork dry and poke a hole in the pork. Slip twine or natural string through the hole and let the meat hang in your dark, humid room for another month.

Fifth Quarter: Brasato al Barolo (Beef braised in Barolo)

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:00:30 +0000

The fifth installment of Fifth Quarter utilizes beef shoulder, which can be found for $3 to $4 a pound.

It’s true: it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity. I’ve just returned from a trip to northern Italy, where every day was in the 80s, but bugs, sweat, and tears were nonexistent. In the tiny, hilly town of Serralunga d’Alba, located in the heart of Piedmont, and only a few grapevines away from Barolo, I dined on the regional beef specialty: Brasato al Barolo. Bellissimo.

One might think braised beef in red wine is too wintry for a summer evening, but it wasn’t. Maybe it was the country (Italy), the company (Anna Abbona, proprietress of Marchesi Di Barolo winery) or her chef’s handiwork, but on a week-long trip of eating and drinking, this was by far the best piece of beef I have had.

For this dish, Piemontese use a cut from the neck of the cow called “tenerone”, meaning “big tender”, but the chef at Marchesi di Barolo used a shoulder cut for his version. The meat was rich from absorbing one bottle of Barolo per pound of meat and also from the bits of tendon striating the working cut.

In my version, I cut back just a touch on the wine. I recommend Barolo for the wine, but, if cost is an issue and you still want to give this recipe a whirl, try a Spanish Mourvedre or another dry, full-bodied red wine. Buy the best you can afford and make sure to have plenty left over for the meal.

Adapted from dinner at Marquisi di Barolo and Romancing the Vine: Life, Love & Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo by Alan Tardi

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
3 pounds of beef shoulder, tied (available at Big Apple Grocery on Jeff Davis, $3.50lb)
2 medium onions diced
2 carrots diced
5 ribs celery diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Bay leaf bundled with 3 sprigs of rosemary (tying them together makes them easier to remove later)
3 cloves
7 black peppercorns, whole
1 cinnamon stick
2 or 3 bottles of Barolo
Nob of chilled butter
Splash of veal stock, chicken stock, or water

Procedure

Heat the olive oil in a heavy roasting pan not much larger than the size of the meat. Add the beef and cook on high heat until browned on all sides. Add the garlic, bay leaf, veggies, and season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the veggies brown. Add the wines, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. The level of the wine should almost submerge the meat, but not quite. Boil over high heat for five minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low to low, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, turning the meat from time to time so it will absorb as much Barolo as possible. Add a splash of water or stock to just cover the meat and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan and braise for two hours, turning the meat every half hour or so. The meat should be fork tender.

Remove the meat from the liquid and cool the beef before refrigerating. Let the cooking liquid cool and remove the bay leaf. Strain the liquid through a strainer lined with cheese cloth or food mill with a small fitting. Season the liquid and refrigerate. This dish tastes better if made a day or two ahead of serving. But, if you are making the dish to serve on the same day, please be sure to cool the meat thoroughly before slicing it for best results.

Serving

Remove the string from the meat and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. Put the slices in a heavy skillet. Add enough of the chilled, reserved cooking liquid to cover the meat and simmer until the meat is warmed. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of stock or water. When the meat is warm, place it on a serving platter. Add a knob of butter to the remaining liquid in the pan and allow it to thicken before saucing it over the beef. This is, as you can imagine, a saucy dish. Have lots of bread at the ready for sopping.

Chef to Chef: Jannequin and Ellie

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:00:38 +0000

Jannequin Bennett is a transplanted Brooklyn/Manhattan chef whose resume includes The Kitchen in Soho and Pastiche (now defunct) in the theater district, where she cooked for Martin Scorsese, CBS, and Vogue. She moved to Richmond 11 years ago to head TJ’s at the Jefferson before becoming the executive chef of Ellwood Thompson's -- she has since left. Her specialty is vegan and macrobiotic menus, and she is the author of two cookbooks, Very Vegetarian and The Complete Vegetarian Kitchen. Jannequin is finishing her third book devoted to gluten-free recipes. She is also currently a Reiki healer.

Ellie Basch was born in Indonesia and raised by Chinese parents (her grandmother was one of the last generations to have bound feet) who owned a catering company. She grew up in the kitchens of Indonesia before moving to the United States to further her education. In college, Ellie studied English and literature while working in the front-of-the-house waiting tables. After graduation, she decided to get serious about her culinary career and apprenticed at The Southern Inn in Lexington, Virginia and tried out Richmond’s The Frog and the Redneck before opening her own catering company. She currently heads up Savor Café in Manchester where she is an owner. In her spare moments she runs extreme marathons and coaches a marathon training team in Richmond.

Let's see what they had to say...

You both are active in forming a Richmond chapter of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR), so please answer the obvious: Do you see any differences in male and female chefs?

Ellie: Women chefs are more focused on cooking, less on drama. Generally, we have calmer kitchens.

Jannequin: I don’t know, in New York, I was THAT chef. The one who reduced grown men to tears.

However, Jannequin stresses that her leadership style has changed since then.

Our drinks arrive. Jannequin has a caipirinha and Ellie a ginger Nojito (non-alcoholic Mojito). We order garlic green beans and beefsteak tomato appetizers, which our server offers to have prepared vegan style.

Ellie has just returned from DC. As a member of WCR, she was invited to attend Chefs Move to Schools , a food movement to begin in school cafeterias, fronted by Michelle Obama and launched over two days in Washington.

Tell us more about Chefs Move to Schools.

Ellie: WCR is kicking off this event, having one chef communicate with a local school kitchen, and (looking to Jannequin) I just assumed you’d agree to this and volunteered you to help.

Jannequin: (laughing) Of course.

Ellie: One chef adopts a school, but with the power of WCR and other local chefs behind them, to answer questions that may arise about special diets, logistics, training, and planning. Feed More already has an after school snack program in place, but this will be a much larger project, working with cafeteria cooks and school administrators, as well as the students, who ultimately vote with their palates. So far, 1,000 chefs and 5,000 schools have signed up for the Chefs Move to Schools initiative and the White House is asking for ten billion in funds for the project. Michelle Obama has asked chefs to call or write their congressional representatives to pass this bill -- now. The voting is next week. We are lobbying for better food to be served to our children at school.

I notice Michelle Obama has received a little flack for “riding on Jamie Oliver’s chef jacket”, by refusing to help with his show in Huntington, West Virginia, then essentially doing the same thing one year later.

Ellie: Maybe she didn’t want to be beholden to TV.

Jannequin: Well, it’s not exactly an original concept. Alice Waters had the Edible Schoolyard for years. Jamie Oliver is from England, not a local. I think the concept is to utilize local farmers, chefs, and ingredients and to change the supply chain. This is something that would be hard for someone that doesn’t live here full-time to do.

Ellie: This is a grassroots effort. Beyond the announcement, we don’t know what the repercussions will be. Our meeting in DC (last week) was to provide a model for schools to follow and to rally other chefs to help. Going back to what was said (in DC) you have to get everyone one involved. Ultimately, you need a wellness program in the schools. One thing I discovered (at the event) was that the White House has added a beehive to their garden.

Jannequin: There is a house on Floyd with a beehive—right in the front porch railings, they have honeycombs, swarming with bees. I love Alfredo’s honey [from Goochland] at South of the James Market.

Did you go to Broad Appetit?

Ellie: I went with a group of five. We had a plan. We all identified different plates we’d like to try and shared. Six Burner’s pork belly was my favorite dish. I saw much more variety this year.

Jannequin: Except for the ubiquitous slider, this was the year of the slider.

Ellie: Well, sliders have won the last two years...

Interested in finding out more about WCR or Chefs Move to Schools? Join Ellie, Jannequin, other female industry professionals (and guys supportive of women chefs and restaurateurs) this Monday from 5:30 to 6:30pm at Acacia for a membership drive for a new WCR Richmond chapter. The event is free and will include appetizers from a few chefs involved in the cause. There will also be a cash bar available.

Fifth Quarter: Grilled pork liver

Genevelyn Steele — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:00:16 +0000

The fourth installment of Fifth Quarter utilizes pork liver, which can be found at Latin groceries for $1 a pound.

Sunday after church meant an afternoon of two things: burning trash and grilling. The piles of trash were usually yard waste, though “accidentally” throwing a polyester something from the nearby clothesline into the 60-gallon drum, raging black smoke, was fun too. Ah, the joys of living in the country, 30 years ago.

My uncle worked for Valleydale Sausage in the 80's, and one of the perks of squeezing pork into casing day-after-day for a decade was receiving rolls of pressed pig and other pig-parts. The part he most prized from the pig was its liver. He’d unwrap the plump, glistening liver like it was a newborn, cut it in half, and walk next door to the Greek family to trade one half of the liver for caul fat, which they kept in a chest freezer on the back porch... along with frozen carcasses of goats, pigs, and (I suspect) dogs. My uncle freaked out anytime Sarge, his beloved German Shepherd, got loose, and their yard was the first place he looked. The second place was their freezer.

When invited to a BBQ now, I expect hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, chicken, or kielbasa, but not pig liver. And that’s a shame. Fresh pig’s liver is rich, earthy, and flavorful. Taste-wise, it is not as lucullan as cow liver and not as earthy and grainy as chicken liver. Pig liver is the perfect medium for the grill.

Grilled Pork Liver with orange, fennel and bay leaf

(Adapted from a Salem, Virginia meatpacker)

Ingredients

2 pounds of fresh pig liver (available at Big Apple Grocery on Jeff Davis), cut into 12 pieces
1 lb caul fat (available at Belmont Butcher)
1 lemon
1 tablespoon fennel seed
Zest from large orange
6 bay leaves
Kosher salt and black pepper
Serve with crusty bread, salad and a dish of good olive oil.

Procedure

Clean the caul fat by soaking it in water overnight with the juice from one half of the lemon. Change the water and add juice from the other half of the lemon and soak for a couple of hours more at room temperature. Drain the caul fat, pat dry with paper towels. Divide the caul fat into 12 pieces. You will wrap the caul fat around the liver.

Soak 24 bamboo skewers in water. While the skewers soak, mix the orange zest, salt, pepper and fennel seed together in a bowl. Dip each 1/2-inch thick piece of pork liver in the mixture, top with half a bay leaf, and wrap with caul fat. Insert two bamboo skewers into the pork liver, lengthwise, so that the liver will hold its shape on the grill. Plate the liver and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Prepare a charcoal grill with hardwood charcoal. Make sure to light the grill with a paper towel soaked in olive oil, not lighter fluid, which will ruin the taste of the liver.

Once the coals have turned white, put the liver on the grill and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until the caul fat dissolves and the liver strips get crispy. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, bread, dish of olive oil and a large field green salad.

A drink for Grandmother Eve

Genevelyn Steele — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:53:52 +0000

I’m not the first person to discover how to bring the dead back to life. Arguably the most famous person to do so was Proust. The smell of a cookie did it, transporting him to childhood. More evocative than food or sex, one’s sense of smell travels time and awakens the dead.

The importance of a trademark scent was innate to my grandmother. She wore Chanel No. 5 in the day and Lanvin My Sin at night. The two scents are similar in the middle notes (they both rely on roses for the body of their odors) but their top notes are as different as night and day. Chanel is much spicier initially, while Lanvin is softer, with a delicate entrance that grows subtly spiced as it fades into the fabric of its wearer.

Both of these perfumes have changed over the years in formula. Chanel No. 5 uses less of a preciously-expensive rose, grown just for the company in the South of France, and Lanvin My Sin is no longer made in its original form at all. The right to the name My Sin was sold in 1988 to Long Lost Perfumes by Irma Shorell Inc., but its formula, developed by a famous French “nose,” or perfume creator, in the 1920s was never part of the sale (noses for big perfume houses have gone the way of the tussy-mussy). That original recipe remains a memory, one that can be found in dusty black lacquered boxes of My Sin soap or within the bulbous atomizers of the parfum found at estate sales.

I have such a thing, a box of My Sin soap scavenged from eBay that dates from the 1940s. It has never been used. About once a week I open its lid (adorned with the golden silhouette of a mother and daughter dressing for a costume ball) and inhale the sensory-image of my grandmother’s shoulders. I bring her back. I think about her sitting at a dressing table dusting her shoulders with this scent before leaving for the evening, or, how she would spray a cotton ball with the perfume and tuck it into her bra, in order to keep the aromas of carnation, iris, bergamot, sandalwood, and roses close to her heart.

This is a drink in memory of my Grandmother Eve. It is woodsy, floral and packs a wallop, unexpectedly of course. Just like my grandmother’s wit, style and embrace, most of the time I miss it sneaking up on me.

Most of the time, I just miss it.

My Sin Cocktail

Ingredients

2 large jiggers of Citadel Gin (a slightly spicy, boldly herbal gin)
1 small jigger of Rose Liqueur or Rose Water (available at a gourmet grocery)
Large orange
Cloves
Fresh Rosemary Stick (to garnish)

Procedure

The day before, or the morning of, if you forget to plan ahead like me, stud a fresh, heavy orange with cloves and refrigerate. To make the cocktail, pour the gin over ice in a cocktail shaker and stir. Add juice from 1/4 of the orange, then the rose liquor or rose water. Stir once more and strain into a cocktail glass. Remove a large piece of the orange peel, take out the cloves, and twist the peel, holding it over the surface of the drink while lighting the outside (orange part) of the peel with a wooden match. You want to ignite the peel briefly to release its oil, not the bitterness of its pith. See the oil from the orange on the surface of the drink after it atomizes from the lit peel? Good.

Garnish with a twig of rosemary, which doubles as a stir stick and launches an herbal attack while you sip. Make two if you’re drinking with your mother, three if you’re not.

Chef to Chef: Andy and Chris

Genevelyn Steele — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:00:38 +0000

Welcome to our newest column, Chef to Chef, a conversation where two local chefs (uh, obviously) get together to get to know each other, talk shop, and answer a few questions. Special thanks to Morton's The Steakhouse for hosting!

Two chefs get together over drinks at the Morton’s bar, escaping their respective kitchens to dodge the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune on a Monday night in Shockoe. What do these guys do when they aren’t at work? This isn’t usually it. But Andy Howell, chef/owner of Café Rustica, and Chris Rubinstein, the blogging chef at Grace Street’s Ipanema Café, agree to meet up and offer a glimpse into their lives, both inside and outside of their kitchens. I hope that a little liquid, social lubricant would help... but one of the chefs is a vegan cage fighter that doesn’t drink. This will be the first time crab cakes and booze hasn’t come to the rescue in Richmond.

(One word about drinking at Morton's: service. The bartender would pour chilled gin down your throat and pre-chew your food, should you tire of lifting your arm to your mouth. I think I’ll ask him to next time.)

First, pleasantries and bios are exchanged; neither knows the other well. Next, fundamental questions are answered: to blanche, or not, to blanche? The night ends with promises of backyard pizza and another meeting, this time without me.

The questions were provided by me and EHarmony—hey, it’s my first time, and I mistakenly thought they’d have questions prepared for each other.

Here’s what they said...

What are you reading these days?

Andy: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Chris: Tokyo Vice.

Favorite local restaurants?

Andy: Six-Burner.

Chris: Mekong, Gutenburg, 821.

Is there a seasonal ingredient you’re excited to cook with?

Andy: Asparagus.

Chris: Swiss chard.

Any changes coming at your place?

Andy: Our spring menu is rolling out this week. Asparagus, that’s where veggies belong, by a hunk of meat.

Chris: Mother's Day high tea with Carytown Tea.

Biggest customer pet peeves?

Andy: "I’ll have this, this and this-- with that" and then they say your menu sucks. That’s YOUR menu, bitch.

Chris: Agreed. I had a guest sub white for black beans, because they didn’t like black. The dish didn’t turn out and they sent it back. Apparently we are a health food restaurant. I didn’t know. Some of the unhealthiest people I know are vegan. I love the smoking ban, I was tired of the complaints about smoking at the bar from customers.

What do you do when not cooking professionally?

Andy: Fire up the wood burning oven in my backyard and open a bottle of wine.

Chris: Jujitso and muay thai, a style of thai kick boxing. Cage fighters and chefs are the rock stars of today. I can’t believe I just said that.

Any future projects you’re dreaming about as you drift off to sleep at night?

Andy: I’m making tomato gravy. Homemade ketchup from a tomato patch I’ll have out in the country, bottled for purchase.

Chris: Travel to the East.

Be sure to check back regularly for future installments of Chef to Chef. And if you have a question you'd like to see any of our future chefs answer, send them our way.

Fifth Quarter: Fish Head and Bean Curd Soup

Genevelyn Steele — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:00:33 +0000

The third installment of Fifth Quarter utilizes fish heads, which can be had for free if asked for sweetly.

If you think that I am that type of person that has an arsenal of fish head recipes, you’re wrong. Perhaps, if I’m lucky, I’ll discover some locked in my genetic memory... or (more likely) via epigenetic inspiration. The more I cook and try and fail and succeed and ask questions, the more success I’ll have with fish heads. You will, too. As the great Louisiana seafood chef Paul Prudhomme might say, “It’s Guaran---teed. “

My first try making fish head soup turned out, but, by the third attempt, it turned out good. I had help: a Cantonese recipe, modified several times, and someone that knew what they were doing when asked to clean and provide fish heads. And what a fish head that last one was -- this baby was 4lbs of rockfish front-to-end. You probably have a person like that too. A fisherman, cook, or fishmonger who has a little extra time and temerity to aid a novice.

Don’t be afraid to try, fish heads are free (or inexpensive) and will forgive your mistakes. One of my fish heads actually came with this note encased in a fortune cookie: It doesn’t matter, who is without a flaw?

You’ll need...

Ingredients

Large fish head (1-1/2 lbs or more)
Several strips of bacon
2 leeks, cleaned and slivered
Large cake bean curd (I used Twin Oaks tofu from Louisa, available at Elwood Thompson)
1 1/2 Tbs. Canola oil
6 slices of fresh ginger
3 pts of chicken stock
Medium bok choy, slivered

Method

Rinse and clean the fish head, making sure any traces of blood are washed away. Cut the bacon into 1/2 strips and the tofu into bite-sized cubes.

Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan. Add the bacon and cook for a minute or two. Add the fish head and fry in the hot fat for a couple of minutes on each side. Add the ginger and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the leeks, bok choy and bean curd pieces. Bring to a boil for a minute and then simmer for fifteen minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a splash of sake, if you like.

Fish heads are built for experimentation. Sub out the chicken stock for water and dry white wine, add a touch of tomato paste or marinara, and, instead of tofu and bok choy, add mussels, thinly sliced onion and a few crushed tomatoes. Switch the ginger for garlic—and presto— fish head zuppa Italiano.

Irish Mist: Green beer it is not

Genevelyn Steele — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:00:53 +0000

Irish Mist, Irish whiskey laced with heather and clover honeys, herbs and aromatic spirits, has roots in one of fiction’s most popular plot lines... it was created when a stranger came to town.

In the 1940s, a man named Desmond Williams showed up in Tullamore, Ireland with a tattered manuscript detailing the lost recipe for heather wine, the libation of Irish lords, whores, chieftains, and scoundrels for over a thousand years before the recipe disappeared in 1691. Tullamore Distillery snapped up the recipe for this liquid bildungsroman and began bottling Irish Mist shortly thereafter.

Irish Mist liqueur is a little sweet, a little smoky and very, very heady. My first introduction to the spirit was mixed with Coca-Cola and a squeeze of lime and you can try it this way too, if you like. But I haven’t drunk this liquid panty remover with anything except more whiskey or ice since George Michael was straight and I was underage.

Ditto that for green beer and Irish Car Bombs, icky drinks to raise to St. Pat, but popular with the fake id crowd. We’re adults now, readying for the second most popular plot-line in fiction: someone dies.

Let’s drink to fiction, plot lines, St. Patty’s Day and a stranger coming to town this year and say no to green beer.

Black Nail

Derivative of the classic Rusty Nail (Scotch and Drambuie) but with a bite of coal- smoking honey, this drink hates green food coloring.

To make:

Pour equal parts Irish Mist liqueur and Jameson’s Irish whiskey over ice. Serve on the rocks and garnish with a lemon twist.

Fifth Quarter: Chicken Littles

Genevelyn Steele — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:57:49 +0000

The fifth quarter, or butcher’s cut, is offal traditionally kept by the butcher for home cooking. Often inexpensive and always tasty, RVANews’s monthly column, Fifth Quarter, offers less-traveled recipes that are both good and offal.

The second installment of Fifth Quarter utilizes chicken livers, which can be purchased for $3 to $4 a pound.

The cocktail hour tradition of hors d’oeuvres, a word whose meaning loosely translates to “outside the main work,” is reappearing at Richmond restaurant bars, such as Six Burner and Acacia. Smart bar patrons want just a bite with their bourbon. In my grandmother’s time, little bites were Bridge fare, served alongside a Bloody Mary instead of lunch.

These tidbits were often requested by her card-playing guests, who were from an era when no one grimaced at the word “liver.” I loved these hors d’oeuvres as a kid, but, of course, had no idea what I was eating.

This is an adaptation of a recipe, torn from a 1982 edition of Cooking with Bon Appetit, which she kept taped inside her cupboard. It’s a quick and easy recipe and can be made for cocktail parties or when it’s your turn to cook. Have a cocktail or glass of semi-dry Riesling at the ready and practice the lost art of conversation over comfort food while tossing a salad or putting the finishing touches on dinner.

If serving children (or squeamish eaters) I suggest you just call these bites “Chicken Littles” as my grandmother did.

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1lb. chicken livers, trimmed of visible green or black spots, coarsely chopped
Large bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
9 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 c. capers, rinsed, drained and chopped fine
4 anchovy fillets, fork-mashed
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Large loaf of bread, toasted and cut into small slices
Dozen quail eggs, hard boiled, peeled and cut- in- half (optionally added at “fancy” occasions -- my grandmother used hard-boiled chicken eggs, yolks only, in her version)

Method

Melt butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Add chicken livers, herbs and capers. Cook until livers lose their rosy pink color. Add vinegar and anchovies and cook another minute. Spread on the toast rounds and top with half a quail egg.

Fifth Quarter: Roman Holiday Oxtail Stew

Genevelyn Steele — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:00:41 +0000

Why do we call comestible cow tails "oxtails"? Oxen have disappeared from the landscape; they no longer pull ploughs and carry cargo across the plains. And it is only in the last two hundred years that cows have been raised specifically for beef and not for farming or transportation in the rest of the world.

One answer to this culinary mystery can be found in the maxim “all roads lead to Rome,” specifically Testaccio, a slaughterhouse district in southern Rome that is known for their slow-cooked comfort food. Historically, slaughterhouse workers in Testaccio were paid in ox skins and tails. Traditional Testaccio cuisine centers on this toothsome fifth quarter cut.

Oxtail, just like the rest of the cow, tastes like beef -- really concentrated, really rich beef. The key to this meat is long braising on low heat; the longer it cooks, the more tender the cow tail. A staple of Jamaican cuisine, but popular in Spanish, French and South African cuisine too, oxtail takes a Roman holiday in the first installment of Fifth Quarter.

Roman Holiday Oxtail Stew

(Loosely adapted from Cooking the Roman Way: Authentic Recipes from the Home Cooks and Trattorias of Rome by David Downie)

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb. oxtail, trimmed of fat and cut into pieces
12 celery stalks
1 clove garlic
1 carrot
1 large white onion
4 ounces fat back
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
2-plus tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup dry red wine
2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
3 cups boiling water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 cloves
3 bay leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Whole nutmeg for grating*

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the oxtail under cool running water and trim away excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels, salt and pepper both sides, place on a large baking pan and allow meat to come to room temperature while you chop the onion, garlic, carrot and celery.

Small dice 1 celery stalk (remove stringy bits first) and reserve the rest of the celery. Small dice the fat back. Small dice the garlic, carrot and onion. Combine the diced vegetables with heaping tablespoon of parsley.

Over medium-high heat, sauté the fat back in a dutch oven or large casserole dish, which you’ll also use to braise the oxtail. Add the minced vegetables and garlic and stir with a wooden spoon until the onion sweats and turns translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add a little olive oil if needed.

Rub a little olive oil on the oxtails. Put the oxtails in the preheated oven to render some of their fat, about 20 minutes.

Pour the wine in the casserole with the diced veggies and fat back and bring to a low boil. Crush the tomatoes by hand by squeezing them over the casserole mixture and add the can juices.

Remove the oxtails from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 300. Deglaze the baking sheet with the boiling water. Pour the liquid into the casserole and add a little more boiling water (or wine) if the oxtail bones are not completely covered with liquid. Add the cloves, bay leaves, pine nuts, red pepper and raisins. Lid the casserole or cover with aluminum foil

Cook for three hours in the oven or 6 hours in a crockpot on low. The oxtails will be nearly done. If fork tender, large dice the remaining celery stalks and add to the dish with the rest of the parsley. Continue to cook for another 45minutes to an hour, until the celery gets soft.

Pick out the cloves and bay leaves and top with the rest of the minced parsley. Grate a little fresh nutmeg into the dish. Serve in soup bowls and round out the meal with salad and bread.

Serves five to six guests.

If you have squeamish eaters, cool the oxtail stew, skim the fat from the sauce and remove the meat from the bones. Use the meat and the sauce to dress or stuff pasta. This dish, like lasagna, is better on the second day.

*Some recipes for oxtails Roman style call for a bit of dark bitter chocolate or a pinch of cinnamon instead of nutmeg to finish the stew and to add an extra layer of sweet, spicy and savory.

Bee Box #12: Crumb Snatcher Cocktail Party

Genevelyn Steele — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:58 +0000

Here is how to host a low-fuss cookie swap party for the holidays. Hold this gathering after Christmas/Chanukah to catch up with your friends and loved ones. Tacky holiday sweaters and R&B Christmas covers optional.

Invite 12 to 20 guests, divided into two groups: savory and sweet. Half of the invitees will make savory treats, such as cheese straws or sausage balls, and the other half will make sweets, such as peppermint bark or chocolate covered reindeer pretzels. But give your guests one hard and fast rule: no chocolate chip cookies (else you’ll be serving Toll House and little else).

Send invites via email with the subject heading “savory” or “sweet” and then clue then in as to what the hell you are talking about in the body of the email or Evite.

Ask your guests bring two-dozen homemade treats, copies of their recipe to share, and a couple of empty tins or boxes they can use to pack up their cookies and mini quiches they will receive at the party. Definitely let your guests know that they should do their baking a day in advance so that they aren’t scrambling at the last minute. There are some kick ass cookie recipes here .

The day of the party, set the table buffet style. Make sure to include cocktail napkins, plenty of ice buckets for the sparkling wine, champagne glasses, and cups for eggnog (see recipe below). If you don’t have ice buckets, empty the kitchen sink or bathtub and fill with ice. Now you have an indoor ice chest.

This leads us to the drinks. Pick several inexpensive sparkling wines, such as a Cava, Prosecco, or an American sparkler, such as Domaine St. Michelle from Washington State or Thibaut Janisson Brut from Monticello, Virginia. You can find these wines for about $10 to $20 each. Plan on having one bottle of sparkling wine for every two guests. The dry sparkling wines are for the savory foods—NOT the sweets. For sweets, you need a either a sweeter drink, such as eggnog, or coffee. Or you could combine the two ideas, coffee and eggnog, and make a Tom and Jerry Punch Bowl. Sparkling cider or juices are great for the kids and the designated drivers.

When guests arrive, have them leave their offerings on the buffet, offer them a glass of sparkling wine, a little nosh, and then sit back and admire the tree. Your work is done. When they pack up to go home, have them fill their extra containers with the leftovers. Now they have nibbles, recipes, and warm memories of a happy holiday with friends.

1958: Eggnog

This recipe appeared in the New York Times in an article by Craig Claiborne many decades ago. My mother has a torn, yellowed copy of it that she still references every New Year’s Eve. It is my go-to eggnog recipe and very adaptable. In addition to the bourbon and Cognac, I usually pour out the last bits of bottles of other brown liquors (such as scotch or Grand Marnier) that are lurking in the back of my bar, demanding to be finished.

It is critical to use farm-fresh eggs (they will have very orange yolks) and really thick, rich cream. You can cut the recipe in half for a smaller guest list.

Ingredients

12 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup bourbon
1 cup Cognac
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 pints heavy cream
Grated nutmeg
1 to 2 cups milk (optional)

Instructions

In an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick.

Slowly add the bourbon and Cognac while beating at slow speed. Chill for several hours.

Add the salt to the egg whites. Beat until almost stiff.

Whip the cream until stiff.

Fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture, then fold in the beaten egg whites. Chill 1 hour.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the top with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve in punch cups with a spoon.

If desired, add 1 to 2 cups of milk to the yolk mixture for a thinner eggnog. Makes about 40 punch-cup servings.

Bee Box #11: Notorious Hitchcock Party

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:45:58 +0000

Alfred Hitchcock was a well-known, formidable dinner party host on the Hollywood circuit in the 1960s. At one dinner party/social experiment that reflected his sense of humor (and love for messing with other people’s heads), Alfred Hitchcock had his chef prepare all blue foods for few close friends, including blue martinis, blue meat, blue mashed potatoes, and blue peas. Very little food was actually eaten, and guests were put-off by the deep blue steaks, blue-black mashed potatoes and dark- blue pebbly peas served.

In this modern update, you’ll serve “blue” foods buffet-style that are significantly more visually palatable, along with a cupcake guessing game and Hitchcock movies on the small screen. Ask your guests to dress the part and relax with blue cocktails.

To wear

"Suspense is like a woman. The more left to the imagination, the more the excitement.”
--Alfred Hitchcock.

Invite guests to wear something from the era of their favorite Hitchcock film. For ladies, this means anything from a ‘40s inspired suit to a full-skirted dress from the sixties, ala June Cleaver. For men, a suit paired with a skinny tie does the trick. For both sexes, a vintage hat is quite suggestive and sets the mood.

To serve

Blue (very rare) filet mignon, sliced thinly
Blue potato chips w/ bluefin tuna sashimi
Smoked bluefish pate
Blue cheese
Concord grapes
Blueberries
Blue food coloring frosted cupcakes (topped with movie symbols, see movie list with suggested symbols below)
Blue M&Ms

To drink

Prosecco Blue Royale (flute of prosecco and a splash of blueberry juice)
N by NW Cabernet, made by King Estate, available at local wine shops
Jones blue soda, for the kids

To rent

See below for a few suggestions for easily- found movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock; have these playing on all of your TVs throughout the evening. For dessert, make a batch of cupcakes and top with a tiny symbol from a Hitchcock movie, and then ask your guests to name the movie and how its symbol is an integral part of it. To get you started, I listed some ideas in parentheses after the movies below.

Notorious (wine cellar key)
North by Northwest (microfilm)
Spellbound (spiral painted lollipop)
The Birds (tiny bow, to symbolize the birthday party scene)
The Lady Vanishes (mini train car or whistle)

To Buy

Hitchcock Shower Curtain
This is fun to hang up in the bathroom and use for a photo backdrop to capture pictures of your guests.

To set the mood

Bee Box #10: Day of the Dead

Genevelyn Steele — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:35 +0000

Fast becoming an “American” tradition, this party memorializing the departed by celebrating their lives is dead-easy to do at home. The Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in central and southern Mexico on November 1st (All Souls’ Day) and 2nd (All Saints’ Day). Families spend lots of time, energy, and money preparing altars to the dead, making food, and playing music for elaborate parties held at their homes and at the local cemeteries. Graves are gussied up with red, orange and gold flowers, incense is burned, and upbeat music drives the fetes. This is not a maudlin event. The belief is that Heaven opens up October 31st and allows the souls of children to reunite with their families for one day, November 1st. On November 2nd the souls of adults are allowed the same privilege.

Here’s how to recreate the Day of the Dead at home...

Choose the day you’d like to host the party. If you choose November 1st, this is the day to honor the souls of children, and offerings should be in miniature and suitable for a child, such as miniature tea cups filled with milk, chocolates, pop bottles (tops off) and toys. If you decide to host November 2nd the day for adults, miniature bottles of alcohol (tops off), cigarettes, and handmade tortillas or breads are appropriate altar gifts.But remember, no food may be eaten from the altar until Nov. 3rd—the spirits must have their fill first.
Create an altar to honor your dead. Clear a mantle or upturn a large box and cover with fabric. Place offerings to the dead - flowers, sugar skulls, candles, little bars of soap (for the deceased to freshen up with), miniature liquors (to revive their souls), and pictures of deceased loved ones - on it. Be sure to include items that personalize each of the deceased. For example, my recently passed mother –in- law was a painter, so I will include miniature paint sets, purchased at a party supply store on my altar. After the party concludes, I’ll invite the kids to take them home in her memory.
Decorate the entrance way of your home with paper marigolds. To make the marigolds, layer small squares of orange and red tissue paper (about 8 inches or less), fold them like an accordion, and affix with a pipe cleaner. This is a fun activity for children to complete either before the party or as they arrive. Marigolds are the traditional flower for Day of the Dead; their vibrant color and strong aromas call the dead home.
Be sure to include plenty of sugar skulls in your décor. The best, easiest-to-follow recipe for sugar skulls is found here . If you don’t have (or want to buy) a sugar skull mold, take a skull votive candle holder from the Dollar Store and mold the sugar on its outside. But check out this sugar skull supply web site first for inspiration on decorating your sugar skull and creating your altar.
For the skulls, ask guests for the names of their dead in advance and inscribe those names on the homemade skulls. Or, provide blank skulls and icing pens (found at the grocery store) and make this a party activity. Then, invite your guests to “eat their own” by ingesting the skulls with their loved ones name on it.
Serve favorite foods of your loved ones. This will bring them back to the land of the living (and your party) in spirit, if not in actuality. Some typical Mexican foods include day of the dead bread, a highly decorated loaf, and candied pumpkin for dessert. Both of these dishes are easy to make and recipes can be found on the web.
Music! Music should be upbeat. Mariachi music is bueno, but any fun compilation of tunes will work.

This year, November 1st falls on a Sunday, making this a good Halloween hangover cure party to host. If you like, make it a bring-a-dish affair and have your guests bring something that reflects the lifestyle and tastes of their family members they are remembering.

If you have Monday off, switch out your “children’s” altar of soda and chocolate at midnight, open the little rum drinks and smokes for the “adult” altar, and let the party roll through the next day.

Bee Box #9: Germanstyle

Genevelyn Steele — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:00:43 +0000

When the topic of Germany comes up, a few ideas oompapa to mind---beer, sausage, jack boots and the polka-- pretty much in that order. Put all of those thoughts together, add 10+ million people, four million quarts of beer, a million sausages, 400,000 roast chickens, and fifty tons of fish and you’ve got Oktoberfest in Munich.

Oktoberfest in Germany begins the second-to-the-last Saturday in September and continues for sixteen days, ending the first week of October. The first beery revelers lifted their steins in 1810, to celebrate the October 10th marriage of Crown Price Ludwig I to Therese of Bavaria, and this tradition of welcoming fall with beer and grilled meats has continued ever since, with a couple of breaks for war. All this hoopla from a one day party, two hundred years past, that ended in divorce.

To get down Bavarian style, you will need three things: food, beer and music. If you know the polka, even better, but knowing how to dance and lederhosen are not requirements.

For the beers

For variety, I recommend three from Munich, one from just outside the town’s limits and one from the United States.

Left Hand Oktoberfest

Hands down one of the best Oktoberfest beer brewed in America. Make sure to serve it in a pint glass to enjoy its creamy, caramel-rich foam.

Hofbrau Oktoberfest

The Hofbräu-Festzelt alternates between being the biggest and the second biggest beer tent at Oktoberfest. The name, Hofbräu, roughly translate to “court-brewery house.” Owned by the state, yet they have a twitter feed. Crazy.

Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen

This is the “Budweiser” of Oktoberfest marzen. Named after the founder of the Mendicant order, Francis of Paola, the Paulaner brewery produces a classic-style marzen primarily for U.S. beer drinkers.

Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest

This beer is brewed by the 200 lb. gorilla conglomerate of Hacker and Pschorr. Even though it is made by a giant, Hacker-Pschorr still uses spring water and a centuries-old strain of yeast unique to the brewery, resulting in tasty suds.

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen

This beer is made 25km outside of Munich, therefore making it unwelcome at the "official" Oktoberfest, where only beer from Munich is allowed. Ayinger just throws their own party during the season at their place, with shorter lines and killer beer.

For the Music

The polka, Bohemian in origin, has mutated and migrated to Ireland, Mexico, Peruvia and the United States, though it is most often associated with Poland and Bavaria. The U.S. “experten” on the music is Joseph Siedlik, host of “The Big Joe Polka Show”, which has been on the air since the mid-sixties. The show is best described as Lawrence Welk does the polka.

For the Food

This is the easy part! Assemble your grills and your friends’ grills and pick up some fall comfort foods, such as homemade sausage from Belmont Butchery, whole chickens for beer can (or grilled) chicken, white fish, cabbage and apples, and coat with olive oil and seasonings before grilling. It is crucial to have three or more grills going at once and lots of cold beer for the chefs.

Prost!

Bee Box #8: Potluck Madness

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:29 +0000

Frugality and gourmands go together like backyard mint sauce and free-range lamb —and both notions are on the front burner, with the “recession” and all. The popularity of “Julie and Julia” at the box office and the “simpler” times of “Mad Men” return us to the 60s and tie up the idea of cooking and entertaining at home with a butchers twine bow.

(Sidenote to fellow “Maddicts”: Was Draper really shocked last week to see Salvatore Romano nearly get his junk waxed by the bell boy? I think not.)

Overworked, underworked, empty wallets or not, we still want to party, and to eat and drink well. Potlucks are the answer. This month’s party theme is a “Mad Men” inspired potluck, a la Betty Draper’s attempt at an around-the-world dinner party in the Heineken episode (otherwise known as Episode 8, “A Night to Remember”).

Here’s what Betty served:

Gazpacho
Bacon wrapped scallops or Rumaki (60s favorite, popularized, along with tiki drinks, by Trader Vic’s)
Leg of Lamb
Spaetzle (she used egg noodles, but this is easy enough to make)
Heineken
Red Wine, such as pinot noir or inexpensive Bordeaux

Here’s How to Host It:

Shoot for a total of 6-8 dinner guests and ask them to bring a dish from the list above, or another international sixties favorite (updated please!) that transports easily. Ask the guests that are too busy to cook (or just plain hate to) to bring the beer and/or wine.

For a casual party, set the table buffet-style and eat in front of an episode of “Mad Men” or other retro-classic, such as “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie”.

The Host should make the leg of lamb and provide martinis and Utz potato chips to start. For the leg of lamb, I suggest Julie Child’s grilled version in her cookbook “Julia Child & Company”, a dinner party tome of easy recipes and menus for company. If you don’t have this cookbook, a version of the recipe can be found here.

Break out the crystal, silver and china - dinner parties were fancy in the 60s and homemakers were judged on the table they set. Make sure to include tea or coffee cups so guests can walk around and sip the gazpacho easily if hosting a buffet-style party.

Table clothes, linen napkins and flower arrangements were not just for Thanksgiving, so bust out those wedding presents. But, there is no need to spend money on these things if you don’t already have them; use your best or borrow. Starched and pressed bed sheets can double as table clothes, and flowers and greenery can be found outdoors. Get creative. Basil is in flower, and hosta leaves are dramatic when placed in skinny vases.

And of course, recall Draper’s words on life and happiness. They apply to dinner parties too: “Whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay.”

Bee Box #7: How to drink in public this Fourth of July (and not get caught)

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:00:54 +0000

If you are considering a July picnic then count me out. I can’t think of a scenario, other than familial obligation or masochism (same thing), that would end with eating in a park after July 1st.

Except this one: No fireworks at the Diamond. If you live near Byrd Park or know someone that does, you won’t care that the Northside will be a rolling pyrotechnical blackout this year, but if you don’t have access to a zip code ending in a 0 or a 5, plan on clawing for a spot to watch the waterfalls and wagon wheels.

Suddenly, picnicking is romantic; a wholesome slice of Americana served with a side of yesteryear, a nostalgic escape to a time before cable, the Internet and ahem, Twitter. Though I expect plenty of pithy Tweets this 4th—including, “Wow that was awesome @bigdaddy" and, the RVA mating tweet; “Who’s @ Buddha? @ChokeyChicken."

There are two kinds of people that will need to hide a little picnic hooch: parents, who don’t want their children to know they are breaking the law by drinking in public and picnickers under the age of 30 still enjoying the police magnet years. Please allow me to show you the way.

Presenting, the Rum Soaked Watermelon and the Jello-Shot Orange Slices - easy-peasy to make at home, and jake at the park.

Boozy Watermelon

Buy a large watermelon. No, it doesn’t have to be local or organic, but it should be firm to the touch and smell like a ripe melon. Look for one that is slightly flat on one side to prevent it from rolling around in the fridge. Clean the rind with a damp cloth and then wipe it dry.
Cut a small hole into the top side of the fruit. Push the end of a funnel down in the hole and pour vodka in. I prefer rum, but if you are really looking to remain on the DL, vodka is less aromatic. Stop pouring when the vodka /rum backs up in the funnel. Place the melon in the fridge with the funnel still inside.
Allow the alcohol to settle in the melon and repeat step two until you get all of your vodka in it. A large melon should hold at least a 5th of vodka, though it may take several rounds of funneling to get it all in. Once full, your watermelon is ready to slice and pack up for the park.

Orange Peel Jello Shots

You will need:

Red and Blue Jello
Chilled booze of choice
Large bag of navel oranges

To prepare:

The empty orange peels will be the bowls your Jello sets in. To make the bowl, cut the oranges in half and remove the inside of the oranges, leaving just the peel. Dry the peels and set aside.
Make the Jello according to package directions at first (the part the uses the stove). i.e. for each 3oz box of gelatin, you will add one cup of water to the crystals and bring to a boil.
Remove the Jello from heat and stir in 1 cup of cold booze. To get to the 1 cup measurement, I prefer a ratio of 1:1 stronger alcohol, such as Stolys, to a clear cordial, such as Grand Marnier.
Pour the mixture into the orange rinds and refrigerate overnight. Once the Jello has set, slice the “oranges” into wedges and serve.

Bee Box: Fete #6 Summer, Salmon, and Skoal

Genevelyn Steele — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:29 +0000

It’s a mild 20 degrees in Sweden right now. That temperature is in Celsius, but double that 20 and add 30, and you get its rough equivalency in Fahrenheit. (I can’t believe I remember this from elementary school.)

The only place it’s 70 degrees in Richmond is inside. But who wants to have an inside party in the summertime? That means way too much cleaning. It means missing the opportunity to snap bathing suit photos of your BFF cavorting in a whale-shaped, blow-up swimming pool. No ice luge, no grain and Kool- Aid popsicles. I think I’ve made my point.

If that elementary math problem has you expecting a family friendly kid party plan —stop reading now.

The idea behind a Skoal party is to take a simple toast and personalize it with as many people as you can. Skoal-ling is a Scandinavian toast to health, life and aquavit (or vodka).

Here is how to do it:

Locate drinking partner
Fill shot glass
Make eye contact with your partner, say “Skoal” without breaking eye contact, toss whole shot back

The initial, cheesy feelings will go away after a couple of shots and then the toasting gets fun. Try variations on how you toss back the shot, different accents while saying “skoal”, and hone your best to-the-bedroom stare. Then move away as soon as you make the shot. Locking eyes with another person and communicating non-verbally is a high of its own.

There are a few things you’ll need to set the mood:

Fill your iPod with a range of Scandinavian music from the trippy Bjork to the guitar-heavy Hammerfall.
If you are serving shots, make sure to serve food. Gravlax is perfect with spirits. (I make my own. It’s much cheaper.) Serve with good quality dark bread, such as whole wheat, rye or multigrain and farmhouse butter.
Several flavors of freezer- chilled vodka on ice stands (I ask guests to bring a bottle and if they aren’t traveling far, give them the instructions below in advance.)

How to make an ice stand

You will need:

Fifth of booze ( I stick to savory flavors, such as pepper, caraway or lemon- infused vodka, but subtle fruit vodkas, such as currant, are fun too. )
Empty 12 oz coffee can

Procedure:

Fill clean, empty coffee can 1/3rd full of water and freeze. This will be the frozen “base”
your booze will rest on, so make sure it freezes evenly. If you want the ice to appear clear when frozen, use filtered water. Once frozen, insert the bottle of vodka into the coffee can and fill the can to the 2/3rds point with water. Make sure to leave some room at the top for expansion. Freeze again.

To remove the icy vodka from the coffee can, dip the can into hot water. The bottle and ice block will pop right out.

Skoal!

Bee Box: Fete #5 Immemorial Day Fun

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:30:17 +0000

You’re smart; you understand that summer goodies will soon go the way of the lightening bugs, and you’ve been building your backyard oasis for weeks. The 4-foot inflatable swimming pools disappear from stores (as if by legislation) as June peeps around the calendar’s corner, as do Slip ‘n’ Slides, bocce and badminton sets. Predictably, the cheap ‘n’ trusty Weber grills vanish, leaving only the highfalutin’, but less-desirable, gas ones at the hardware store. If you already have your kettle-shaped cooker, then it’s time to slather its cooking grate with elbow grease, or buy a new grill top, while you can. Forget easily finding replacement parts for a Weber in July.

My preference for Weber aligns with my preference for the taste of hardwood charcoal, such as Cowboy Charcoal, over the taste of re-rocked briquettes, such as Kingsford. Hardwood coals burn hotter and impart food with the kiss of a campfire rather than the chemical taste of the dry cleaners. Another foe to grilled food is lighter fluid. Use a paper towel soaked in olive oil instead of lighter fluid to start the coals and notice how your burgers taste. Better, No?

Having a difficult time keeping the fire burning? Hit it with a hair dryer. Determine the wind’s direction, stand upwind of the BBQ, and point the dryer at the coals. Caution: Sparks will shoot out of the grill like a RPG, and the neighbors will think you’re touched when they see the hair dryer. Offer them a drink (like the one below, perhaps), let them hold the dryer, and keep cooking.

The Waterloo

This cocktail is named for the “birthplace” of Memorial Day, Waterloo, NY. It’s a concoction of Tangueray Rangpur (a limey gin), iced tea, and mint simple syrup that will complement chimichurri the way chimichurri complements smoky, seared foods.

Ingredients:

Tangueray Rangpur
Pitcher of chilled iced tea
Mint simple syrup

To make mint simple syrup:

Bring 2 c. of water to a boil, reduce heat and add 2 c. of sugar.
Stir until completely dissolved (you can’t see sugar crystal on a metal spoon) and remove from heat.
Add a handful of washed mint to the cooling syrup.
Once the syrup has cooled to room temperature, strain the mint and funnel the simple syrup into a glass bottle.
Keep refrigerated and use to sweeten iced tea.

To make the Waterloo cocktail:

Over ice, in a tall glass, add 2/3 parts mint sweetened iced tea to 1/3 part Tangueray Rangpur.
Garnish with fresh mint and cucumber slice.
Have several before you hit the Slip ‘n’ Slide.

Bee Box: Fete #4 Tricky Wickets

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:30:35 +0000

Dit-dit-dit-thwack

Crack

Awww, shi-it—missed the wicket –shot way too long—the red ball hurdles over the turned-on sprinkler and lands in the woods at the edge of suburbia. A member of the cool team, a cutie, follows me to the woods to ball hunt. My hot teammate watches from the court.

Guerrilla croquet, a variation of the classic 6 or 9-wicket game, is played with two teams: the “hot team” plays the warmly- hued balls (the reds and yellows) while the “cool team” plays the cooler colors (the blue and black balls). Nine wickets are set up ruggedly in long grass, woods, parks, drainage ditches, cemeteries, or abandoned construction--any place that a 100x 50 foot course can be laid out. But mostly, guerrilla croquet is played on backyards littered with lawn furniture, with the added difficulty of oscillating sprinklers dit-twacking water in the players’ faces as they concentrate on moving their ball through the wickets.

To get started, first refresh your memory of Backyard Croquet.

Then, forget the picky details involved in measuring out an evenly-spaced playing field. In guerrilla croquet, the helix shape of the course is borrowed from traditional croquet, but the wickets are not a set distance apart. Instead, they are placed willy-nilly and in challenging spots. Courts set up in public parks should incorporate both hills and trees if possible. Placing a group of wickets in a cluster of trees makes the game much more interesting.

Next, fish out the croquet set in the basement or buy a set. Crafty players will tire of flimsy, commercially available wickets and make their own, sturdier wickets from pvc pipe or metal. For ideas, visit the Extreme Croquet Organization. This group of players uses a metal “double wicket” for ultra play and gives diagrams for court lay-outs in varied terrains.

The best part of guerrilla croquet? Its informality- players should drink, swear, and never wear all-white.

End your day of guerrilla cricket with this tasty cocktail...

The Sticky Wicket

A lubricant for tight spots, tricky wickets and woodsy thickets. To create this drink, first infuse your own cognac with vanilla bean and fresh ginger.

Vanilla-Ginger Infused Cognac

1 bottle of good quality Cognac (I like Remy Martin for this)
1 vanilla bean, split open but NOT scraped (the pods add lots of flavor)
1 whole, washed, thumb-sized piece of ginger

Procedure:

Put all ingredients in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in a cool spot out of direct sunlight for two days. Whew. Flip the jar and let macerate two days more. Taste. Continue to macerate the cognac for up to 2 weeks according to your taste. It will grow increasingly spicy. Once ready, strain the vanilla pods and ginger and funnel the liquor back into the Cognac bottle.

For each drink:

Pour cold prosecco in a champagne flute and float about 1 TBSP. of homemade Vanilla-Ginger Cognac on top. Add a splash of bitters and garnish with twist of orange peel or piece of pickled ginger.

Bee Box: Fete #3 How to Get Lucky on St. Patrick’s Day

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:52:16 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day is a three-century tradition of church by day and merriment by night. Melting pot that we are in the good, ol’ RVA, we’ve bastardized the original intent of the holiday, taking it to a green gutter filled with colored beer and cheap shots. But is this so wrong? Maybe. Just in case, here’s how to make your own lucky charm and drink to it.

Grow your own Shamrock

What you’ll need:

Peat pellets
Clover seeds
Lidded tray, casserole dish, or seed starter tray (you can buy a combo kit at the hardware store that includes peat pellets)
Soil-filled flower pot

Procedure:
Germination is the name of the game. Soak the peat pellets in water for a day. Place in the tray. Press clover seeds (red or white clover works well) into the peat pellets, gently, so the seeds are nestled in the now fluffy peat. Sprinkle with a little potting soil. Cover and keep damp in a warm, sunny spot and wait for signs of green. Once the seeds have germinated, remove the cover and pot the peat pellets. Continue to keep the plant moist and warm and wish. Though most of your seedlings will have three leaves, you might get lucky with a fourth.

To Drink

Green Machine

Named in honor of Irish-Americans who can swing the political pendulum—makes a good eye-opener.

1 shot Irish whiskey
1 shot each tomato juice and beef bouillon
Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery seed and pepper to taste

Pour over ice and shake. Strain and serve straight up.

Erin Go Bragh-less

Named for an American lass who wished she had a little Irish in her.

1 shot Irish Mist
Splash of Pernod
Dash of Orange Bitters

Serve all ingredients on the rocks and fill with freshly squeezed orange juice. Green food dye optional.

Daniel Day Delicious

A mix of the English and the Irish, named for the lugubrious Irish sexpot in “My Left Foot."

8 oz each Guinness and Harp
½ oz each Irish Cream liqueur and Irish whiskey

Mix and serve in a pint glass.

Bee Box: Fete #2 Party Melt

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:30:48 +0000

Today’s feature is the second installment in our monthly party planning column by Genevelyn Steele, Bee Box: Thrifty Fetes to Throw at Home. Read the first guide here. Check back each month to see what clever ideas she’s come up with next.

Food is twinned with two, often inseparable concepts: plenty and poverty. In times of plenty, the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans - on the national radar after Hurricane Katrina - was home to crawfish boils and backyard BBQ s. And in recent, harder times... well, as one man stated after the flood walls broke, “When I can go fishing, my neighbors will have fish."

European cuisine has its own history of making lemonade from lemons. Southern Italy has cucina povera, and the Swiss have fondue. The origins of Swiss fondue stem from hard winter months in the mountains. Based on two readily-available foods, fondue is fundamentally bread and cheese. In one of the great “aha” moments of history, the Swiss discovered that scraps of hardened cheese could be melted and mixed with wine and herbs for flavor. And hey! We have hard bread, too... and it gets softer and tastier in the hot bubbly cheese. As often noted, misery loves company - I mean, a party - and the fondue pot became a communal social event to warm those chilly evenings. This shared supper gained an American following after WWII when Switzerland (known as a hot spot where Americans could get loaded on Kirsch and bloated on cheese) taught ex-GIs to dip. A decade later America, awash in communal activities, marched into the 70s, and fondue became mainstream... along with key parties if you believe Ang Lee’s suburban noir, The Ice Storm.

Now in 2009, the world is financially less-than-idyllic, and many of us wish for simpler, cheaper times to share with friends. Instead of key parties, there’s the internet, but we can still dip into fondue for inexpensive, easy food love.

Fondue is a snap to make and assemble. All that is needed is a ceramic pot and a source of heat to keep it warm. For chocolate fondue, use a traditional ceramic fondue pot and Sterno, or ceramic bowl placed on a heated brick or hot plate. (Ceramic is key. Metal pots are for oil or broth-based meat fondues, not cheese or chocolate, which will seize when held in a metal pot. ) For cheese fondue, use a crockpot to keep things hot and bubbly. Fondue pots tend to be a little small for big gatherings. A fondue pot is sized for 4-6 dippers, whereas a crockpot is sized for 10-12. For dipping, provide plenty of disposable wooden skewers, plates, and napkins. To keep the party economical, the host should provide the cheese and chocolate fondue, a bottle of eau de vie, such as Kirsch or Poire William, and hot black tea. The guests should bring one item to dip and a bottle of wine. Drinking water is a no-no; it causes digestive problems when combined with cheese.

Classic Cheese Fondue

1 clove peeled garlic
1 cup dry white wine or dry cider
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb EA. Gruyere and Emmentaler cheese, rinds removed and remaining cheese shredded
1/3 lb. Appenzeller Cheese, cubed
3 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Kirsch (can sub Poire William eau de vie)
Grated fresh nutmeg and cracked, black pepper

Rub the inside of a large saucepan with garlic; ditch the garlic, add the wine and lemon juice, and bring to a simmer. In a large bowl, toss the cheeses with the cornstarch, then add this mixture one cup at a time to the simmering liquid and stir until incorporated. Repeat until all the cheese is simmering in the saucepan. Let it bubble, but not boil. Add the Kirsch and season to taste with nutmeg and pepper. Transfer to warmed fondue pot or crockpot. Serve immediately with….

Blanched veggies: Asparagus, fennel, snow peas, button mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli. To blanch: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, cook the vegetables in individual batches briefly, until their color just darkens.
Roasted: Fingerling potatoes, chicken, ham, sausage
Cubed bread, freshly cut to prevent drying out
Pickles

To drink: Cru Beaujolais, Alsatian white wines, dry hard cider, black tea, eau de vie, such as Poire William.

Classic Chocolate Fondue

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
24 oz. good quality, bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. kirsch, brandy or Irish Cream liqueur

Microwave the cream until steaming hot, but not boiling, 2-4 minutes on high. Add the chocolate and let it sit in the cream until the chocolate is softened. Add liqueur and stir until smooth. Transfer to heated fondue pot or crockpot. Serve immediately with small pieces of biscotti, strawberries, pineapple, banana, marshmallow, and/or dried apricot.

Trivia: Women who lose a morsel in the fondue pot must kiss the closest man. Men must pour a round of drinks. Second offenders host the next fondue party.

Bee Box: Fete #1 Zodiac Killer

Genevelyn Steele — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:54:25 +0000

Editor's note: Today's feature is the first installment in our newest column by Genevelyn Steele, Bee Box: Thrifty Fetes to Throw at Home. Check back soon to see what clever ideas she's come up with next.

There are 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac. Each sign is represented by an animal that either won a race, or had dinner with Buddha, depending on which line you believe. In Chinese astrology, knowing your sign is like knowing how to use Mapquest - it’ll get you from point A to point B, with a few chosen stops along the route.

Why else you should know your sign? Monkeys make excellent surgeons and hairdressers. Rats should marry a Dragon late in life. Silly rabbits love the pig, but fear the cock. In short, knowing your sign determines your fate and happiness. This year, it’s good luck for the Ox, in the Chinese rock block.

The year of the Ox begins January 26th 2009. Originally a planting festival, the New Year marks an early break in winter’s chill. Practicing Chinese celebrate the holiday at home with spring cleaning, a joy-luck decorating jam, and visits from friends and family. Traditionally, the festivities last about two weeks, and include both public and private celebrations. This year, RVA joins in with a public party, its first-ever Chinese New Year parade.

After the parade, channel your inner animal and host a zodiac party to scare away bad spirits for the rest of the year.

Get Ready

Lucky, Lucky, joy, joy ---invitations are free and easy at Evite.

Here you’ll find invitations, greeting cards and ideas for a Year-of-the-Ox party. Besides giving the logistical details, your invitations should include wardrobe ideas, such as dressing in red and gold to attract wealth and good fortune. Or you could ask your guests to wear something symbolic of their zodiac sign.

Get Set

Clean your home like Martha Stewart’s jail cell. The idea is to sweep away the dirt from the previous year and reduce clutter to prepare for new things in the New Year; the cleaner the house, the luckier the year. Don’t clean or use scissors the day of the party— or risk bad juju.

Next, decorate your space with images of the zodiac signs. You can download these from the internet. Or, head to Tan-A market for decorations, chopsticks, and noisemakers to scare away evil spirits during the shindig. Display bowls of oranges and tangerines to channel happiness, and fresh chrysanthemums, which symbolize longevity. Red, gold and orange are lucky colors—use ‘em.

You can buy placemats in these colors with all the zodiac signs represented here.

Go

Chinese meals are tidbit affairs, a little of this and a little of that. With this in mind, build the base of your buffet with steamed dumplings surrounded by pickled bamboo shoots, lotus flower, potted shrimp in red pepper paste and whatever else grabs your fancy at the Asian market. For dipping, gather soy, ponzu, siriacha, and red wine vinegar for the seafood dumplings. Arrange the steamed dumplings on a platter blanketed with shredded cabbage and lettuces, which symbolize good fortune in the coming year. Plunk the sauces and pickled whatnots into little cups and arrange around the platter.

Make the cocktail hour dead easy with a punchbowl...

Chrysanthemum Zombie Punch
A good punch must be kept cold, but not become diluted. To achieve, make an ice float.

Step I: Make a batch of chrysanthemum tea (available at Asian groceries) and freeze it into a large block. An empty, quart-sized juice carton works well for a mold.

Step II: Add 3 parts rum (light and dark), 2 parts apricot brandy, 2 parts tangerine juice and large splash of grenadine or pomegranate juice to a large bowl. Decorate the punch with sliced oranges.

Step III: Keep the punch cold with your ice float and serve.

“Gung Hay Fat Choy!" (Happy New Year)