Category Archives: Spirits/Cocktails/Beer

Wine Cocktails — Not an Oxymoron

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Pretty in Pink -- my own take on a wine cocktail.

Are you so over chocolate martinis and Cosmos?

Then, take a sip of the newest in cocktail creations — ones made with wine.

Scan the bar menu of some of the hottest restaurants in the Bay Area, and you’ll find more and more cocktails incorporating white or red still wines such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gamay.

Far from old-school sangria or the wine coolers of your youth, these new wine cocktails are a mix of seasonal fruit, fresh herbs, and house-made bitters and syrups — all designed to complement the inherent flavors of various varietals.

Take a taste of them at Camino in Oakland, Flora in Oakland, Frances in San Francisco, Bar Tartine in San Francisco and Starbelly in San Francisco, among others.

Read all about how and why mixologists are mixing it up with wine in my story in today’s East Bay Express.

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Hello, Limoncello

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Hello, my citrusy , boozy friend that looks like summer sunshine in a glass.

Have you made the acquaintance of everyone else out there? Allow me to make the introductions.

Everyone: Say “hello” or rather “hellocello” to Limoncello di Sonoma, which landed in my mail box recently as a sample.

This traditional, artisan Italian liqueur is home-grown from Sonoma. It’s made from organic lemons, organic agave syrup, and grappa.

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A San Francisco Treat and A San Jose One

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In San Francisco:

Whether you have guests in from out of town or want a magical only-in-San Francisco experience, yourself, head to Luce restaurant in the InterContinental San Francisco for “Dinner & Cocktails With A View,” in conjunction with the Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins.

Every Wednesday through Saturday evening, diners can indulge in a 3-course dinner at Luce created by Chef Dominique Crenn, then two classic cocktails at the Top of the Mark on the 19th floor with jaw-dropping 360-degree city views. Or vice-versa, as you can also choose to have the cocktails first, then the dinner afterward.

Price is $80 per person and includes dinner at Luce, with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, and two classic martinis at the Top of the Mark. The price also includes complimentary access to the Top of the Mark, as well as a taxi voucher.

Reservations are required by calling either Luce at (415) 616-6566 or the Top of the Mark at (415) 616-6916.

In San Jose:

In the mood for brewski? Then, Morton’s The Steakhouse in downtown San Jose is the place to be, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. June 11.

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Persian Pub Grub, Whoopie Pies, Pig Galore & More

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Persian Pub Grub

Leave it to Iranian-born Chef Hoss Zare to reinterpret pub food with bold Persian flavors.

Tonight through Saturday at 8:30 p.m., he will team with Syre Piorkowski (a “beer sommelier”) and Ryan Corbett from the Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco to present special beer and wine pairings with Persian-style pub food at his Zaré at Flytrap in San Francisco.

Because pub grub doesn’t really exist in Iran, Chef Zare promises a most memorable meal, including sumac couscous salad with Dungeness crab; and chicken wings “Fessenjoon” with pomegranate walnut sauce. Each of five dishes will be paired with a different beer, and sometimes alongside a wine, as well.

Price is $75 per person, which includes the wine and beer. For reservations, call (415) 243-0580.

Time for Whoopie Pies

That would be gourmet ones from Marché in Menlo Park, which will be sold at the restaurant June 4-5.

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Scenes From the 23rd Annual Star Chefs & Vintners Gala

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For foodies, it was indeed a starry time on Sunday evening at the lavish Star Chefs & Vintners Gala at Fort Mason in San Francisco.

About 1,000 folks turned out to don their finest and to support Meals on Wheels of San Francisco, the city’s oldest and largest provider of home-delivered meals to seniors.

The Bay Area’s top chefs and vintners provided an impressive spread of eats and drinks for this annual event, which raised $1.1 million last year for this worthy organization that serves 16,000 meals to home-bound seniors every week.

Yours truly was invited to be a guest at the gala, which started off with a bang with an expansive walk-around hors d’oeuvre and wine reception, where chefs and vintners manned stations to pass out tastes of their finest.

It was quite crowded in the Festival Pavillion, but well worth the effort to jockey for position for such stellar eats.

I had a chance to sneak back into the kitchen area to see the chefs scurrying about to get the first courses ready for dinner, as an army of servers lined up in formation at the ready to ferry the dishes to the dining room.

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