A Night In Portovenere

Ciao Bella

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Inspired by a recent trip to the picturesque Ligurian coast in Italy (and much "research"); we invite you to a great dining experience by the sea. 

Our last night was spent enjoying fantastic seafood at Le Tre Torri over looking the "Golfo dei Poeti"(the Gulf of Poets) with a full moon lighting up the sea. Ah, what a great experience. You know it's going to be good when you're sitting at your table in the restaurant and a fisherman in waders walks through the front door with two tubs full of the fresh catch of the day. 

So pull up a chair as we enjoy fresh grilled tuna, listening to a little Luciano and the boys while we sip on our Spritz. 

The pots are on!

The Plate...

Grilled Tuna Steak / Tagliatelle con Pesto & Sun Dried Tomato 

This is one great tasting and perfect dish for a romantic evening by the sea... or just hanging out on your back patio (cue the ocean sound machine). The combination of the smoky grilled fish with the creamy pasta is awesome. 

It's really easy and quick to make, so get busy. You may want to pour yourself a "Spritz" first. 

Boun Appetito!

What you need...

For the tuna-

2 eight oz tuna steaks (about an inch thick)
Zest of one lemon 

3 sprigs of rosemary

2 tbsp parsley

4 cloves garlic/crushed

2 tbsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup soy sauce

For the Pesto - 

3 tbsp chopped garlic (9-10 cloves)

5 cups fresh basil

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 1/2 cups olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Sun dried tomatoes for the pasta (optional)

What you do...

For the tuna - 

Place tuna in a large plastic bag and add all the ingredients.

Marinate for 30 minutes. 

Heat your grill to medium high. 

Cook steaks 3 minutes per side.

For the pesto - 

Place garlic, salt, pepper and basil in a food processor and blend slowly pouring in the olive oil. 

Add the Parmesan and puree for 1 minute.

Boil the pasta to al dente (firm to the taste).

Plate your dish mixing in the sun dried tomatoes and pesto. 

The Playlist...

A Night In Portovenere

It doesn't get any better than Luciano Pavarotti singing Caruso... always gets me. If you want to set the stage for a nice romantic evening, then this is the playlist for you. 

Opening with Chris Botti and Andrea Bocelli teaming up on "Italia" and finishing with Andrea telling you it's time to say goodbye ("Con Te Partiro"). 

And just in case you haven't heard of him, I think you're going to love Nicola Arigliano. Try out Buaonasera Signorina. 

Have another Spritz sit back and enjoy. 

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Italiano Spritz

What you need...

3 parts prosecco

2 parts Aperol or Campari (bitter orange liqueur)

1 part soda water

Slice of orange

What you do...

Pour over ice into a large wine glass and add orange slice. 

Buonasera Signorina... 

Kiss Me Goodnight!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Make It Classic

And Rock It!

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Been a long time since you Rock 'N Rolled?... Then let's get busy.  They call it "Classic", because some of this stuff just never gets old.

Today we want to take you back... meatloaf, classic rock and an ice-cream float. It just doesn't get any better kids.

Remember pulling out your records, reading the liner notes and hanging the poster on your wall? Man, I miss the good old days of vinyl. Nice to see that it's making a come back.

So, go put on your favorite old jeans, that old concert t-shirt and drag out that old vinyl. As the old DJ's use to say- "Crank it up and rip off the knob."

The Pots Are On!

The Plate...

The Ultimate Classic Meatloaf

Man, I love a good old fashioned meatloaf, especially making sandwiches the next day with the leftovers.

We're doing it a little different today... going "free-form" with bacon. Come on, everything taste better with bacon. It really does make it so moist and juicy... I think you're gonna love it.

I promise we will get back to "healthy" later. Time to rock it kids.

What you need... 

2 lbs ground beef (80/20)

1 pound ground pork

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 medium white onion / finely chopped

3 garlic cloves / minced

4 sprigs of thyme 

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 cup crushed saltine crackers

1/4 cup italian parsley / finely chopped

8 strips of bacon

What you do...

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil. 

Saute' onion, garlic and thyme with oil in a small pan.
Take a large bowl and whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.
Now add the onion mixture, ground beef, pork, cracker crumbs and parsley.
Mix thoroughly.
Put on the baking sheet and form a loaf.
Lay the bacon across the top of the loaf.
Bake until the internal temperature is about 155 degrees (about 1 hour).
Remove and let it cool before slicing. 

The Playlist...

Make It Classic

Isn't it funny how music just takes you right back to that certain moment in life.

Starting us off is the mothership Led Zeppelin and "Rock and Roll"... Oh Yeah!    Remember where you were when you first heard these guys?

We got some old favorites and some deep cuts. Some cuts (Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold") should be played with caution; especially while driving. Ok, maybe the majority of these are best played while rolling down the highway with the windows down.

So, break out the air guitars and sing like there's no tomorrow. Rock On!

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Bourbon Root Beer Float

It doesn't get any more classic than a good ole root beer float. Loved em as a kid, but this is ain't your mother's root beer float.

What you need... 

8 oz root beer
2 oz bourbon
2 scoops french vanilla ice cream

What you do...

Put the ice cream in a tall glass.
Mix the bourbon and root beer together and pour over ice cream.
Sit back and crank up the tunes.

Rock On!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Blues You Can Use

Here's To The Guitar Slingers

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Like bluesman Bryan Lee says... "Do you wanna Boogie?... I don't, I want to melt your skull!" We mention Bryan because, not only is he a great blues guitarist in his own right, but he helped discover Mr. Kenny Wayne Shepard (pictured above). At the age of 13 Bryan brought him onstage to play to play the blues. And, as they say... the rest is history. Check him out on Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile". 

This is truly some of my favorite music and food. Put on some blues, put a pizza on the grill, give me a cold libation and I'm good to go. 

Sometimes you just gotta crank it! It's kind of like primal scream therapy. It's good for what ails you.  

And, in the words of Bryan Lee... "put the pots on, cause we're cookin'!" 

The Pots Are On...

The Plate...

Char-Grilled Spicy Italian Sausage Pizza

Ok, this is so quick, easy and delicious you're going to want to make it all the time. You can make your own pizza dough or even buy pizza dough in your deli section at the store.  I really live the convenience of having it already made. And, Mama Mary's is good stuff.

You'll want to mess around with your own ingredients. We've even had pizza parties where we give everyone there own crust and set up a "buffet" of ingredients. So, play around with it and have fun.

What you need... 

1/2 lb Italian sausage / sliced

1 yellow pepper / roasted and chopped

1 jalapeño / roasted and chopped

olive oil

Mama Mary's thin & crispy pre-made pizza crust

1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese (slice and pat dry with paper towel to remove water)

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

3-4 tbsp of your favorite Marinara sauce

What you do...

Grill the sausage in a medium sauce pan until golden brown. (about 10 minutes)

Add the yellow peppers and jalapeño and cook until soft.

Heat your grill to high - 500 -600 degrees.

Brush the "top" side of your pizza crust with olive oil and put olive oil side down on the grill for 1-2 minutes.

Brush the "bottom" side of the pizza crust with olive oil and flip cooking for 1-2 minutes. 

Add the marinara sauce, then cheese, peppers, jalapeño and sausage. 

Close grill and cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts and top with Italian seasoning. 

The Playlist...

Guitar Slingers - Blues You Can Use

Every now and again you gotta let loose...  get loud and crazy.  Well, here's some "blues you can use"... guitar slingers at their best.  

Kenny Wayne, Billy Gibbons, Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray... they are all here. As usual we have some old, some new and some you probably never heard. They all have one thing in common. They can flat tear up a guitar. 

I love Billy Gibbons on ZZ Top's first album playing the "Hendrix" inspired "Brown Sugar". Not to mention Big Head Todd covering John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom"; greatest blues song ever. 

Like Stevie Ray says - "I use strings as thick as barbed wire, tune em down and play em hard".  Rock on my brothers and sisters!

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Ginger Beer Sangria

What you need...

2 oz Ginger Beer

2 oz Vodka

4 oz fruity white wine

2 oz sour mix

slice lemon 

slice orange

1 strawberry / sliced

2-3 raspberries

2-3 blueberries

• 
  

• What you do...
• Mix everything together except the ginger beer. 
• Let it set up for at least an hour.
• Pour into tall glass and top off with ginger beer.  
• 
  

Tune em Down...

And Play em Hard! - SRV

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Sky Bed

Dream A Little Dream. 

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Luxuriously self indulgent... that's what we are all about this evening. 

Just imagine laying in a bed that is hanging from an arbor, on the third floor of your beach house, listening to the ocean, enjoying the cool breeze of the night air... got it? Welcome to the Sky Bed. 

I can't think of a better way to spend an evening. Grab a cocktail, turn on some music and lazily graze on a few decadent snacks you put together earlier. Just lay back and relax... we got this.

The Pots Are On!

The Plate...

Garlic Hummus, Goat Cheese Peppadew Peppers & Strawberry Chocolate Shots

Just a little something to help pass the time as you sip on your cocktail listening to the ocean waves hit the shore. Forget about dinner. 

Sometimes you just need to gear down and enjoy the night. We've put together a little sampling of some of our favorite apps for your lounging pleasure. Just be careful with the strawberries... they are addictive. 

What you need... 

The Hummus - 
4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas / drained (keep the liquid)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup sesame paste
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tbsp of the liquid from the chickpeas
8 dashes of hot sauce


The Peppadews - 

Peppadew Peppers / (usually in the deli area or by the olives)

5 oz goat cheese

1 zip lock bag

chives / finely chopped

The Strawberries - 

Large strawberries
Chocolate bars for melting
Godiva liquor
Chocolate syrup

What you do...

The Hummus - 
Throw garlic into your food processor and mince.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and puree.
Serve at room temperature.

The Peppadews - 
Place goat cheese in a zip lock bag and cut a small hole in the bottom corner.
Squeeze the cheese into the Peppadew peppers.
Garnish with chives.

The Strawberries - 
Cut the bottom off the strawberries to make a base so they can stand up.
Scoop ou the middle.
Dip them into the melted chocolate, place on parchment lined pan and put in freezer.
When you're ready... take them out and fill with 1 part chocolate syrup / 1 part Godiva liquor.

Complete your platter with assorted cheese, crackers and maybe some prosciutto.

The Playlist...

The Sky Bed

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Lush

What you need... 

Ice

1 oz Vodka

1/2 oz Grand Marnier

1 oz Elderflower liqueur 

2 oz chilled rose' champagne

Small frozen red grapes

What you do...

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add the vodka, Grand Marnier and Elderflower and shake well.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass, top with Champagne and garnish with grapes. 

Sweet dreams. 

Keep Calm...

And Have Another Shot!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Al Fresco On The High Seas

Ahhh.... The Great Outdoors

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Hey, if you're gonna eat "Al Fresco", then let's do it right.  Dining out on the boat on the high seas... does it get any better than this?  I don't think so. As you know, I'd rather be sailing to nowhere than doing anything on land. 

Love to dine and entertain outside, but just thought we'd take it up a notch.  Just sailing around, listening to some laid back tunes and have a cocktail or two. Enjoying friends, good food and conversation. 

This week we tried to be a little healthier while we set sail. So, take a load off and come on board.

The Pots Are On...

The Plate...

Shrimp Burgers / Spicy Avocado Aioli

See... something just a little healthier for you as well as a little different flavor for your grilling pleasure. Plus it kinda fits in with the whole sailing thing. And, it's pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Of course we had to throw a little spice in there... and some awesome Avocado Aioli.

I think you're gonna like it. 

What you need... 

1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup bread crumbs/whatever kind you like
1 poblano pepper / roasted, peeled and chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 hamburger buns
3 medium tomatoes / sliced
some mix greens

for the Aioli:

1 avocado / halved pitted and peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves
1 serrano pepper / leave the seeds in if you want it hot
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

What you do...

Combine the shrimp, egg, cilantro, garlic bread crumbs, poblano, salt and pepper in a food processor.
Mix into a puree.
Form into 6 patties and set aside.
Set your grill to medium-high heat about 400 degrees.
Brush the patties with oil and grill until golden. (about 3 minutes per side)


For the Aioli:
Scoop the avocado into the food processor.
Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, serrano and cilantro.
Mix until smooth.
Salt and pepper to taste.

The Playlist...

Al Fresco On The High Seas

Just sit back listen to the waves hitting the side of the boat as you listen to Bob sing Redemption Song to you. What a great day, huh?

We put together some of my favorites to play while your hanging out on the open seas. Love Jack Johnson teaming up with Eddie Vedder and Zach Gill on "I shall be release"... great song.

Oh course we threw in some "acoustic reggae" from another favorite, Mishka... check out "Coastline Journey", very nice.

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Lola 

What you need...

2 oz Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

1 oz sweet vermouth 

2 dashes Angostura biters

Top off with Cherry Cola

Orange wedge for garnish

I Think I'm In Dire Need...

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Tailgatin'

Get Your Game On!

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Are you ready for some football? You know the party is comin' to your Ci-tay!!!

Every year about this time, we gear up for an event that may be bigger than the game itself... The Tailgate.

There's no other place that you can have a "Party in the Parking Lot". Grilling, drinking, eating, dancing and cheering... ain't nothing better.

So get tricked out. Set up your tent, crank up the tunes, haul out the coolers, get out your horseshoes, Corn Holes and Beer Pong tables... It's time to get your game on!

The Pots Are On!

The Plate...

T's Buffalo Chicken Dip & Atomic Shrooms

Ok, we're firing it up for the tailgate, so you might want to grab your cocktail or beer before you continue. Here's a couple of great apps for the pre-game that you can make ahead.

First off you can get your Buffalo Wing fix without all the mess. Simple and easy, served with crackers or on celery sticks. Saves you a bunch on paper towels and man is it good. Thanks Ms. T.

Second, we fire it up a little more with Atomic Shrooms... you know you want one, but don't stop, cause that's when the heat comes. Another easy one that you can also make ahead. Hey, we're looking out for ya' man.

Ok, grab another cocktail...

What you need... 

T's Buffalo Chicken Dip 

8 oz cream cheese (1 tub)
8 oz blue cheese dressing (enough to cover the cream cheese)
4 or so cups of rotisserie chicken
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6-8 oz Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce

Atomic Shrooms 

7-8 oz Andouille sausage
Splash of whiskey, about 1/4 cup
18 large white mushrooms
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Serrano pepper, finely chopped (seeds in hot/seeds out not as hot)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup Manchego cheese, grated

What you do...

For the Dip 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of an oven safe dish.

Shred the chicken and cover the cream cheese completely. 

Cover the chicken with the wing sauce.

Spread a layer of blue cheese dressing over the top.

Top it all of with the cheddar cheese. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

Serve with celery sticks, crackers or chips. 

For the Shrooms 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the andouille into 1 inch chunks and put them in a food processor.
Pulse until finely chopped and set aside.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Mince about half of the stems in the food processor.
Brush the mushroom caps with olive oil and set on a baking sheet.

Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the andouille.
Cook about 3 minutes.
Add the minced mushrooms and Serrano peppers.
Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add splash of whiskey to deglaze the pan.
Now throw in the bread crumbs and mix all together in the pan.
Stir in the Manchego cheese.

Stuff the mushroom caps with the filling.
Bake until stuffing is lightly browned... about 20 minutes.

The Playlist...

Tailgatin'

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

Y'all Ready?!!!

The Bar...

Sweet & Sour Saturday

What you need...

3 oz Sweet & Sour mix

3 oz Cherry Cola

2 oz Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry 

Cherries and slice of lime for garnish

What you do... 

Pour everything in your shaker. 

Shake 'em up and pour into your favorite "Tailgatin'" glass.

Garnish with cherries and lime. 

Nothing else says it's football time in the south like Southern Comfort - "Get your game on!"

Get Your Game On Y'all!

Thanks, Ms. T! Cheers!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Cochon de Lait

...and Fais Do-Do

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Where Y'at Bay-Bee?

Today we gonna go down da road to da bayou and did a Cochon de lait.  You know... a pig roast.

Then we gonna break out the fiddles, da squeeze box  and da washboards and have a Fais Do-Do... Kinda like a Bayou Boogaloo.

A cajun dance party, "Fais do-do" itself is a french term which means "go to sleep children".  The mothers would whisper this to their children, cause they wanted them to go to sleep fast so they could get to the party.

So, crank up the music, grab your partner and hit the dance floor.  You don't wanna miss out, cause everybody know that the loneliest place in the world is "bayou self" so come on... join the party!

The Pots Are On...

The Plate...

 Stuffed Cajun Cochon / Whiskey Glaze

Ok, we're not gonna do a full out "Pig Roast"... didn't think too many of you wanted to run out and buy a whole hog.  So, instead we're gonna do a little stuffed "Cochon" on the grill.

I love this... a little sweet, a little spicy and a little whiskey.  What's not to like?

As my buddy Boudreaux says - "Dat gonna be some good yeah... Make ya wanna slap ya mama!"

And it's so easy you'll be on the dance floor before you know it.

What you need... 

The Stuffing - 

1 shallot / chopped

2 cloves garlic / chopped

5-6 ounces Cajun andouille sausage / chopped

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

2-3 oz your favorite whiskey

1/2 cup cornbread / dried out and crumbled (make it easy on yourself and buy some already made)

2 tbsp parsley / chopped

The Cochon-

2 pork tenderloins

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Kitchen string

The Glaze -  

2 tbs Maple syrup

2 tbs fresh ground pepper

2 tbs Dijon Mustard

1 tbs Whiskey

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 tbs smoked paprika

1 tbs onion powder

1 tbs chili powder

1 tsp Kosher salt

What you do...

The Stuffing - 

Put the shallot and garlic in food processor and pulse to finely chop. 

Add the andouille, salt and pepper then pulse again. 

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage mixture and cook about 8-10 minutes. 

Now add the whiskey to deglaze the pan, stirring it around a little. 

Remove from the heat and add the crumbled cornbread and parsley.

Mix all together and set aside. 

The Cochon - 

Cut the tenderloins lengthwise to open and lay flat.

Pound out the meat to make it even.

Spread the mustard all over the tenderloins then add the stuffing mixture.

Roll up the tenderloins from the end (not the side).

Tie with kitchen string. 

Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Place on direct heat on the grill (about 350-400 degrees) for about 10 min.

Place on indirect heat for another 10 min. until internal temp reaches 145 degrees. 

Spread on glaze 5 minutes before taking off the grill.

Remove the tenderloins and let rest for  5 minutes before slicing. 

The Glaze -
Put all ingredients into a small pot.
Reduce over medium heat.

Dere ya go!

The Playlist...

Cochon de Lait

Ok, if you have never been to a Fais do-do or a Cajun dance hall then you need to add it to your bucket list.

Starting off with a little BeauSoleil "Bye, Bye Boozoo" just to get you in the mood. And then we rev it up a little with some Beau Jocque.  But don't worry if you can't dance.. neither can Johnnie.

And pay close attention to Boozoo's advise about letting Lula go to Bingo... Love it!

Oh course we threw in some Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. singing "Jambalaya"and my favorite "Ooh Poo Pa Doo".

And then we slow it down so you can grab your "Cher Amio" and get real close on "Les Filles de la Ville" (New Orleans Ladies). 

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar...

Gator Bite

What you need...

1 oz Silver rum

1 oz Spiced rum

1 oz Grand Marnier

2 oz Orange juice

2 oz Pineapple juice

Splash of simple syrup

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 dash of Grenadine

Orange wedge and Maraschino cherry for garnish

A "Go-cup" (you know, so you can carry it wit you)

What you do...

Put everything in the shaker. Shake em up and pour in a tall glass. Garnish with orange and cherry.

Now go get on that dance floor!

We  Gonna Pass A Good Time Cher...

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler

Please Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!