Oktoberfest

This Is Wunderbar!

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

It's that time of year kids... Time to head over to the Brew Pub... Brats and Beer for everybody!!! Nothing like you and a few million or so of your new best friends drinking and singing about beer and well... drinking.  

Starting way back in 1810 folks would gather in Munich from the middle of September through the first weekend of October to celebrate this great festival. But, hey it's never to late to celebrate drinking beer. Of course, in Munich, they celebrate for 16 days and in 2013 they served over 7.7 million liters of beer. Guess we better get started... 

And what could be better for Oktoberfest than Beer Braised Brats, some beer-hall music and let's see... oh yeah, BEER!

The beer's flowing and... The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Beer Braised Bratwurst

What's better than hanging out drinking beer and eating Brats?... How about just making brats with beer. Couldn't hurt. This is a great little recipe and if you can get 'em the pretzel rolls are an awesome addition.

What you need... 

8 fresh bratwurst
8 good hard rolls or pretzel rolls
2 cans lager or a pilsner beer
3 medium Granny Smith apples / peeled and sliced
3 onions / sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

What you do...

Preheat your grill to medium-high.
On the stove, bring the beer to a simmer in a pot with the apples, one of the sliced onions, salt and pepper.
Add in the Brats to braise, turning once (about 10-15 minutes).
Brown the bratwurst on the grill to add color and texture (about 5 minutes).

Add the rest of the onions to the oil in a skillet and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-low heat until the bottoms of the onions begin to caramelize (10 minutes).

Stir only once. 

Serve brats on a roll or bun. Add stone ground mustard and put caramelized onions over the top of the brats.

The Playlist... 

Oktoberfest

Ok, for all of you folks in the good ole USA, an Oktoberfest playlist is a lot like a tailgate party playlist. Actually, the only difference between the two is one is in a "Beer Garden" and the other in a parking lot. 

So, with that in mind, we start off with "I Salute You (Ein Prosit). This is THE song of Oktoberfest as it is played like clockwork in the beer garden every 15 minutes.  The song starts repeating Ein Prosit Der Gemutlichkeit... meaning-I salute to our friendship and good times. And the second part of the song is a countdown to G'suffa (take a drink). 

Now that you have that part down (and you're taking a big drink at least every 15 minutes)... let's continue. Basically all you need to do is throw on a bunch of sing-a-longs and some drinking music and have fun. 

Here is one strange entry... John Denver is apparently still very popular in Europe and "Country Roads" is still played every year. 

Just remember that there is never any Polka music played... Polka music is Czech and Polish. The traditional music here will be German Oompah... just saying. 

The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Oktoberfest

The Bar... 

How Bout Some "Helles"?

There are over 4000 types of Bavarian beer, so how can we pick just one. 

As a public service we have provided a guide to help you navigate through the variations to choose one that's just right. 

Just click on the link Bavarian Beer and get drinking.  

Oh Yeah...

G'suffa... Helles Is Good!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Blackwater Blues

Down In The Bayou

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

Headed way back down into the swamp this week for some traditional cajun food. We are gonna venture into the world of Sauce Piquant... a traditional cajun sauce made with the "Holy Trinity". Today we thought we'd cook it down with a little Catfish.

Yep... a little Catfish Sauce Piquant with some Blackwater Blues and then wash it all down with a little "Swamp Water" Sangria. Oh Yeah!

As my ole friend Boudreaux would say- "What we gonna did rite chere is pass a good time!"

Come on Baybee... the Pots are on!

The Plate... 

Catfish Sauce Piquant

On a recent trip to Memphis our good friend John McDonald treated us to dinner at the Second Line. Chef Kelly English does a killer job with this traditional Cajun dish. And... what a cool place done up in traditional NOLA style.

Thought we would share the recipe with all of our good friends here at PnP. Enjoy...

What you need... 

3-4 lbs of catfish filets

Cajun Holy Trinity -1 onion, 1 bell pepper and 2 stalks of celery/diced

1/2 stick of butter

1 10oz can of Rotel tomatoes

2 heaping tbsp of roux

1 8oz can tomato sauce

Chicken Stock

Salt to taste

What you do...

Take a saucepan and saute' the onion, bell pepper and celery in butter until tender.

Add the Rotel tomatoes cook down for 5-10 more minutes. 

Now add the roux (equal parts oil and flour cooked down) and mix well.

Add the tomato sauce and enough stock to make the mix thinner, but not too runny.

Simmer for 35 minutes. 

After the mixture has cooked down add the catfish and cook for another few minutes 4-5.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over hot rice.

You can use this piquant sauce with chicken, sausage, shrimp, rabbit or any meat you like. 

C'est Ci Bon!

The Playlist... 

Blackwater Blues

Listen to this and you'll know what it's like for a cajun to have the blues. Just listen to Tab Benoit talk about missing home on "Down in the Swamp" or "When a Cajun Man gets the Blues".

Of course... like our good friend Marty Nickel says- it could all just be a "Cajun Dream". 

There's a lot of cool stuff here so don't rush into anything or do anything hasty or you might end up with "Alligator's Lament". 

             The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Blackwater Blues

The Bar... 

Swamp Water Sangria

What you need...  

750 ml bottle mead (honey wine) chilled

1 cup Apple Brandy, chilled

6 cups apple cider, chilled

Juice of 1 lemon

small bunch of fresh basil

2 tbsp sugar

green food coloring

light corn syrup

What you do...

Combine the basil and sugar in a large pitcher. 

Muddle with a wooden spoon.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Add corn syrup and food color in a small shallow bowl.

Rim glass with the mixture. 

Pour in well chilled sangria.

We Gonna Pass A Good Time...

I Garontee!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Grits And Gravy

Funky Brunch

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

Time to slow down and dress up. Come on in and enjoy a funky brunch... Southern Style. Ain't nothing better than starting off the day with a little brunch some tunes and a cocktail. Hey... you can't drink all day if you don't start first thing in the morning.

Today we're bringing a Creole favorite to the table... Grits and Grillades. Throw in some funky tunes and something we like to call a "Cool Mule in a cup" and you got yourself a funky brunch.

Pull up a seat... The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Grits & Grillades 

Traditional Creole dish. Great brunch dish. Usually beef, but you can use veal or pork. Whatever floats your boat. And despite the name they are not grilled just cooked slow with a lovely roux.

It just doesn't get any more Southern than this. Ready?... Let's make a roux!

What you need... 

1 3lb chuck roast, cut into 1 inch pieces

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Garlic powder

1/3 cup of all-purpose flour (and another 1/4 cup for later)

4 tbsp bacon grease

4 tbsp cooking oil

1 large bell pepper / chopped

2 medium onions / chopped

1 cup diced celery

2 large clove of garlic / minced

4 cups of beef broth

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp of dried thyme

2 tbsp hot sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried basil

4 large fresh tomatoes peeled and quartered

1 10oz can of hot stewed tomatoes (like Rotel)

1/2 cup parsley leaves 

What you do...

Season the beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 

Dust the beef with about 1/3 cup flour and tons lightly.

Sprat a cast iron Dutch oven with cooking spray and Heat 4 tbsp of bacon grease mixed with4 tbsp of cooking oil. 

Brown the meat in the hot fat and remove to a large bowl.

Leaving the fat in the Dutch oven, salute the bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. 

Brown the vegetables and remove to a bowl. (Still leave the fat in the pot.)

To make the roux- add about 1/4 cup of flour the fat ( add more oil if necessary). 

Stirring constantly and slowly until the flour is a nice deep brown color.

Slowly add 4 cups of the beef broth and stir.

Bring to a simmer and add back the beef and veggies.

Add bay leave, thyme, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and dried basil. Keep stirring.

Add fresh tomatoes and 1 can extra hot tomatoes. 

Simmer for about an hour (stirring occasionally).

Just before you serve, remove the bay leaf and stir in 1/2 cup of chopped parsley. 

Serve over your favorite hot buttered grits. 

The Playlist... 

Grits and Grillades 

Just a few of our favorite "Funky Brunch" tunes... mostly instrumental with a few vocal jewels thrown in. And yes, as you might imagine, some New Orleans funk thrown in for sure. 

Check out "Just kissed my baby"... very cool. And of course you can't go wrong with Mr. Booker T. 

           The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Grits and Grillades

The Bar... 

Cool Mule in a Cup 

What you need... 

1 chilled tin cup
2 oz vodka
fresh muddled peaches and basil
4 oz Ginger beer
dash of bitters

What you do...

Make sure your cup is chilled
Muddle you peaches and basil add to the cup
Add ice
Add the vodka and stir well
Pour in Ginger beer
Top with a dash of bitters

They Finally Had To Cut Sally Off...

Whole New Meaning To Bottomless Mimosas!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Big City

Bright Lights

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


Ah the big city... Bright lights, a million things going on and all those great restaurants. 

There is nothing better than being in the city at an old school steakhouse, classic cocktail in hand and a waiter that's been there as long as you can remember. Whether it's across the river at Peter Luger's, over at DeStefano's or the bordello-inspired Strip House. You don't have to look far in New York to find a great steakhouse. 

Today we're serving up a juicy rare and sizzlin' rosemary and garlic New York Strip with a classic cocktail and music all about the bright lights. 

Your table is ready... the pots are on! 

The Plate... 

Rosemary & Garlic New York Strip

A big 12 oz strip steak... that's what it's all about. I promise we'll get back to healthy leaner offerings later. Well, maybe not promise, but today it's all about the great New York Strip. And we're going to do it the old fashioned way, beginning with a good sear then finishing it off with a little mixture of red wine, garlic and rosemary. 

Sounds good? Let's get grilling. 

What you need... 

2 tbsp olive oil
2 12 oz New York Strip steaks, about 3/4-1" thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp chopped rosemary
5 cloves garlic
1 cup dry red wine
3 tbsp butter

What you do...

Heat your grill to high heat.

Add the olive oil to a large cast-iron skillet and heat until the oil is very hot. 

Add the steaks to the skillet and sear on each side 2 min per side for medium rare.

Remove the steaks and loosely cover with foil.

Lower the heat on the grill to medium. 

Add the garlic with and rosemary with a little oil and butter. 

Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and let it reduce by half.

Remove from the heat.

Serve the steak with the red wine sauce drizzled over the top. 

The Playlist... 

Big City

As Norah Jones says... "New York City" such a beautiful disease. We've put together an eclectic mix for you this week. All about the big city. 

Check out our friend Mike Snowden ripping up his "cigar box" guitar while professing that he is a big city man. New York affects everyone a little different. It seems to be killing Ray, Lou likes Walkin' on the Wild Side and Michael is just leaving. Meanwhile Paul and Art tell us about the only living boy in New York. 

Whatever the case... it is a beautiful disease. 

                         The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Big City

The Bar... 

The Manhattan

A classic in the Big City.

What you need... 

2 parts whiskey

1 part sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Orange peel

Maraschino cherries

What you do...

Place ice in a cocktail shaker.

Add the whiskey, vermouth and bitters.

Rub the orange peel around the rim of a cocktail glass. 

Strain the drink into the glass.

Add 1-2 Maraschino Cherries.

Enjoy!

Here's Looking At You New York!

Please Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

The Saints Are Coming

Remembering Katrina

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

10 years ago today hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast.

Katrina...  labeled as "the storm that never stopped", it was the most devastating and deadliest storm in history.  $100 billion in damages and over 1800 lives lost, mainly in New Orleans caused by drowning. Over 300,000 left New Orleans to relocate throughout the country.

But there is cause to celebrate... New Orleans population is almost back to where it was before the storm. And... pre Katrina there were 800 restaurants in the city. Today New Orleans has over 1200 restaurants.

Not to mention that former Mayor Ray Nagin was indicted on more than a dozen charges of corruption after the storm.

Today we're celebrating with Oysters Mosca, music that "came out of the storm" and of course... a Hurricane.

The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Oysters Mosca

Love this traditional dish made famous by Manale's and Mosca's restaurants in New Orleans. 

What you need... 

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp salt and pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano and basil
12 freshly shucked oysters, drained
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

What you do...

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large black skillet. 

Add the green onions, parsley and garlic.

Cook until they are soft.

Blend in the rest of the seasonings, bread crumbs and Parmesan.

Arrange the oysters in one layer in a baking dish.

Sprinkle with the seasoned crumb mixture.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and hot.

The Playlist... 

The Saint's Are Coming

A lot of great music and benefits came out after Katrina. Some songs written pre-Katrina hit the nail right on the head. Check out John Hiatt's "feels like rain"... awesome song. 

Also love Marc Broussard's "Home"... not everybody has made it back. Vince Vance sums it all up with "I am New Orleans". 

And then we close out with "I Feel Like Funkin' It Up"... cause it's time to celebrate all those that survived and remember those that we lost. 

 The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to The Saints Are Coming

The Bar... 

The Hurricane

Of course we had to make a traditional Hurricane. So here you go... the recipe for Pat O's original "Hurricane".

What you need... 

2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp simple syrup
1 tbsp grenadine
Garnish: Orange slice and cherry

What you do...

Mix all ingredients in a shaker and mix well.
Fill 26 oz glass with crushed ice.
Pour mixture in glass and garnish with orange and cherry.

Forgotten But Not Gone!

Still So Much Left To Do.

The Saints Are Coming!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Splish Splash Bash

Dive In...

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

And we're back, and headed to the pool!

It's a summertime affair... Sun and fun in the atmosphere! Join us as we celebrate the end of summer with a pool party bash. Swimming, drinking, snacking and partying... that's what it's all about. 

Today we're partying in the pool with some Watermelon/Mango salsa, Caprese skewers, Mango mojitos and a "Splish Splash Bash" playlist. 

Come on in, the waters fine and...

The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Watermelon/Mango Salsa & Caprese Skewers

Going with something a little lighter today. I mean hey, you're at the pool. No time to get bogged down with a lot of cooking. Although a little grilled chicken would be nice to go with the Caprese skewers. 

First a little chips with a cool and spicy salsa followed by the perfect "summer time" snack. 

Watermelon/Mango Salsa

What you need... 

3 cups seedless watermelon diced small
1 mango peeled and diced
2 ripe nectarines pitted and diced
2 jalapeños seeded and diced
1 tsp fresh cilantro
1/4 cup white onion diced
Juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
Your favorite chips

What you do...

Add the fruit, cilantro, onion and jalapeño to a large bowl.

Add the lime juice, olive oil and salt.

Toss to coat all the ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate for about an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve with your favorite chips, maybe some grilled chicken or tuna. 

Caprese Skewers

What you need... 

Mozzarella balls
Cherry tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

What you do...

Thread a small ball of mozzarella, basil, and cherry tomato on a skewer.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 

Nice option- add a little watermelon and grilled chicken as well. 

The Playlist... 

Splish Splash Bash

Grab your cocktail and head to the pool. We've got you covered with the tunes. As usual we've got some old, some new and a couple of covers. Check out Shaggy's version of "In the Summertime". Also check out Los Straitjackets version of "California Sun". These guys are out of control... love it!

Whether it's Shaggy or Mungo Jerry, everyone agrees that summer is the time for sun and fun. 

And it doesn't matter if you're in the "California" sun or Georgia... it's all good. 

              The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Splish Splash Bash

The Bar... 

Mango Mojito

The perfect companion for a day at the pool...

What you need...

2 oz Cruzan Mango rum

3 oz club soda

1/2 ripe mango

1/2 lime

6 mint leaves

What you do...

Pour the rum into a shaker and add mint.

Muddle the mint.

Buzz up the mango in a blender until smooth and add to the shaker.

Add ice and shake.

Pour into tall glass and add club soda. 

Garnish with chunks of Mango and Mint. 

Life's For Livin'...

Yeah, That's Our Philosophy!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!

Conch Republic

Ahh... The Keys

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

While we're in "Pirate Mode" what say let's sail on down to the keys. Key Largo, Islamorada and of course Key West ... love em all.   And even if we can't get away to the keys, at least we can take a virtual vacation.

So let's fire up the grill and put on some Key Lime Shrimp, whip up an "Island Delight" cocktail and crank up the Conch Republic tunes.

When we're in the keys We have it all... just like Bogie and Bacall.

The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Key Lime Shrimp

Ok, this is a great summer recipe that is simple and delicious. Plus, what's better to celebrate an escape to the keys. Maybe a little Key Lime pie for dessert?

What you need... 

36 large shrimp peeled and deveined

1/2 cup Grilling Marinade (see below)

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp of Key Lime zest

Grilling Mariande-

1/3 cup white wine

3 tbsp fresh Key lime juice

2 tbsp finely chopped shallots

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp whipping cream

1 cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 tsp Key lime zest

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

What you do...

To make the marinade- combine the first 5 ingredients in a small skillet.

Cook over medium heat until reduced.

Stir in the whipping cream and cook until reduced.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring until the butter melts.

Remove from heat and strain through a metal sieve.

Stir in the lime zest and salt.

Keep warm and stir in chives just before serving.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. 

Combine the shrimp, marinade, honey and zest in a large bowl and toss to coat.

Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Drain the shrimp well before grilling.

Grill the shrimp in a grill basket for 3-4 minutes on each side.

The Playlist... 

Conch Republic 

Today we celebrate the unsung heroes of the islands, the balladeers of the beach. Here's to the local boys that help us "escape". 

Check out Michael McCloud's "Conch Republic", the national anthem of Key West. Michael is a regular at Schooner's Wharf and I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than sitting back and listen to him sing about his favorite island.

The other array of local artist like Kelly Mcquire, Howard Livingston and our good friend Marty Nickel can be found in bars from Texas to Georgia; helping you take a virtual vacation even if you can't get away to the keys. And don't forget about Brent Burns... He tells us about living the life Jimmy Buffett only sings about.

 The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to Conch Republic

The Bar... 

Island Delight 

What you need... 

2 oz Coconut rum

2 oz Pina Colada Mix 

2 oz Orange Juice 

1/2 oz Grenadine 

Ice 

Orange Slice

What you do... 

Mix rum, pina colada mix, orange juice and ice in a blender. 

Give it a buzz until thick and frosty. Pour into a glass and add the grenadine. 

Garnish with orange. 

Thanks to Rum Therapy for this cool recipe.

We Had It All...

Just Like Bogie And Bacall. 

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!