SomruS Indian Cream Liqueur Pairing at Thali New Haven

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I've always loved the subtle spices and flavors from the Eastern hemisphere.

Flavors like saffron, nuts, cardamom, tumeric, mints, and more ... so I was beyond pleased when we received an invite to a cocktail and food pairing, featuring a new Indian Cream Liqueur, SomruS,  that was being held at Thali on Orange Street in New Haven's Ninth Square.

Although this wasn't my first time sampling SomruS Indian Cream Liqueur, it was my first time eating at Thali, despite having met Chef Prasad Chirnomula at the Greenwich Wine and Food Festival and being totally enamored with his passion for cooking.

After our group had assembled we got to learn all about SomruS' inception by an Indian businessman who realized that the existing cream liqueurs, while good, didn't have the beautiful light and subtle flavors of his background, and hence the development of Somrus Indian Cream Liqueur, that blends cardamom, saffron, almonds, pistachios and rose, which results in an all-natural, gluten free and Kosher liqueur.

Learning about SomruS, the original Indian Cream Liqueur from the SomruS marketing team

SomruS, a rum based liqueur, whose name translates to "Nectar of the Gods" is delightfully light and smooth, with a slightly sweet and aromatic quality.

What a perfect compliment to the exotic flavors from Thali Restaurant!

We started our pairing with SomruS on the rocks. Here's where we could truly appreciate the unique flavors developed and infused in this liqueur. On just the right side of sweet, it's truly a wonderful accompaniment to Eastern cuisines.

SomruS - On the Rocks

Paired with our "Somrus on the Rocks" we sampled Gobi Manchurian and Samosa.

Thali-Orange Street New Haven CT
Gobi: Cauliflower in a spicy cilantro garlic sauce
Samosa: Amchur potatoes and green peas in a handmade pastry shell

For our second course we sampled the Somrus Kama Sutra, a more bold mixing of flavors meant to enhance our light seafood served with it. While this was tasty, I think I'd prefer it without the Green Chartreuse, whose heavy blend of spices overpowered the light flavor of this SomruS cocktail.

Kama Sutra
Somrus Indian Cream Liqueur, Chambord Raspberry Liqueur, Green Chartreuse

The Kama Sutra otherwise paired well with Shrimp Kabob with Saag. The bold cocktail had a great balance with this light and flavorful course.

Thali, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
Shrimp Kabob with Saag: Shrimp sauteed with butter over a bed of Indian style spinach.

Our third course paired a variety of Thali dishes with the SomruS Mayan Rickshaw, a mixture of SomruS with Casamigos Reposada tequila.

Somrus Mayan Rickshaw
Somrus Indian Cream Liqueur and Casamigos Reposado tequia

Our dishes were Chicken Tikka Masala, Kadai Ghost, Rice, and warm flatbread.

Here's where we really experienced the pairing at its finest. The hearty cocktail enhanced and elevated the spicy and flavorful accompaniments. This was my first time eating Kadai Ghost, which was goat in a spicy sauce. Sooo good!

Thali, Orange Street, New Haven, CT
Chicken Tikka Masala: Chicken, ginger, garlic and cayenne in a creamy tomato sauce
Kadai Ghost: Goat roasted with toasted spices and peppers

For dessert, we paired a Somrus Chai with Sormus Rice Pudding. This was another successful pairing. The black tea and spice with SomruS - and the rich rice pudding illuminated why SomruS truly is  ... the "Nectar of the Gods".

SomruS Chai
Somrus Indian Cream Liqueur with Black Tea

This rice pudding was so good, brothy, flavorful and aromatic due to the infusion of SomruS. That's right! You can cook and bake with Somrus too!

SomKheer: Indian Rice Pudding sith SomruS

SomruS is now available in Connecticut! Look for it in fine dining establishments and spirit shoppes!
Find a merchant near you ==> http://www.somrus.com/where-to-buy.php

I can't wait to come up with my own recipes for cocktails using this exotic liqueur. 

Sompriya Premium Spirits Company 

(makers of SomruS Indian Cream Liqueur)
http://www.somrus.com/welcome.php

Like them on facebook ==> https://www.facebook.com/EnjoySomrus
Follow them on instagram ==> https://instagram.com/enjoysomrus

Thali - New Haven

4 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 777-1177
http://www.thali.com/restaurants.php

How about you?

What would you pair SomruS with?

Disclaimer: We were invited to Thali for a Somrus Cocktail Pairing by members of Sompriya's  marketing and management teams. However, all opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Mystic Aquarium South African Cocktail Party

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Ocean Blue Catering and Mystic Aquarium are hosting an annual South African Wine Dinner. Always a sell-out, they have extended the festivities with the introduction of the South African Cocktail Party, allowing guests to enjoy a ‘bite’ of the experience!

The menu will feature passed and stationed ‘mini bites’ of the items served at popular dinner like Peri-Peri Shrimp Crustinis, Sosaties, Melktert, and more, plus a selection of South African wines. The complete menu is available upon request.  There will also be live music and a cash bar.

The guests of honor are none other than Mystic Aquarium’s South African penguins!

They are among our most popular species. And while, they are a fan favorite, the presence of African penguin at Mystic Aquarium is important to the survival of this endangered species. Mystic Aquarium invites you to learn more at mysticaquarium.org.

Tickets for Mystic Aquarium’s South African Cocktail Party are priced at $34.95 per person and must be purchased in advance by visiting mysticaquarium.org or by calling Reservations at 860.572.5955 ext. 520. Guests must be at least 21 years of age.

Some of the best wines come from the South African region. Here's your chance to try some of them, along with hors d‘oeuvres, and maybe even meet one of their ambassadors - a South African penguin! 

You know they'll come dressed for this one of a kind event!

Live music will add an extra dimension to your evening!

Ticket price of $34.95 includes one glass on South African Wine. 

Click here to get yours now!

Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd. Mystic CT

Thursday, April 16th, 2015

6:30pm - 9:30pm

**Must be 21 or older to attend.**

Little Barn for Casual Dining in Westport Connecticut

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Last month we traveled up to Westport CT to visit Little Barn, a great new place that is quickly becoming a "must" dining spot in Fairfield County.

Little Barn - Westport CT

We arrived just in time to enjoy a cocktail and appetizer under the stars on the Little Barn patio while we still could, as CT's fall weather means temperatures are dropping.

I loved the oversized pretzel and the two dipping sauces - and the cocktails were equally delicious! We sampled a few from their specialty cocktail menu, the Blackrock Lemonade, the Pumpkin Mojito, and the Smokey Margarita.

Little Barn Patio
Pretzel with Dip
Blackrock Lemonade, Pumpkin Mojito, Smokey Margarita

We then moseyed inside to the charming dining room to enjoy some appetizers and dinner by a roaring fireplace.

We started with a tuna block, a pan seared sesame crusted Ahi Tuna over smooth roasted jalapeno-avocado puree, topped with grilled pineapple pico de gallo and a bit of sriracha on the side.

Tuna Block

My absolute favorite of the night were the Chicken Thai Lettuce cups made with baby bibb lettuce,
chopped peanuts & hot chili sauce

Chicken Thai Lettuce Cups

We also sampled both the beef and chicken tacos made with different salsa or pico di gallos. Also available are tuna and pork tacos.

Beef Tacos

And although the Kale Salad didn't photograph well...it was crazy good and made with the tenderest leaves of kale I've ever had! The salad was mixed with shaved fennel, dried cranberries, candied pecans and mixed with a zesty red wine vinaigrette.

Kale Salad

The Brussels Sprout Salad was also a winner, made with shaved brussels sprouts tossed with toasted pumpkin seeds, granny smith apples, and dried cranberries in a whole grain honey mustard vinaigrette, and topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Then we moved on to our main entrees, sampling the Meatloaf, the Bratwurst from the Oktoberfest special, the Chicken Pot Pie, and the Ahi Tuna dinner.

Meatloaf Dinner with mashed potatoes and corn

We loved this bratwurst and the tangy red potato salad and cole slaw.

Bratwurst, on a pretzel roll Red Potato Salad, and Cole Slaw

Another winner was the Chicken Pot Pie - chunk full of chicken and vegetables!

Chicken Pot Pie

And the Ahi Tuna was also a hit with the side soba noodle salad.

Ahi Tuna crusted with sesame and wasabi
over a warm soba noodle salad with sweet soy, scallions, and a bit of sriracha. 

We ended the night with some delicious desserts, pumpkin pie, fresh cookie dough bites in chocolate sauce, and an incredible fudgey brownie, all served with a decadent vanilla ice cream.

Desserts at Little Barn

With a menu chock-full of options from salads, to savories, to classic Americana comfort food,

Little Barn is a wonderful place for to meet up for cocktails and great food with friends.  

Little Barn 

1050 Post Road East

Westport, CT 06880

(203) 557-8501

On the web: http://littlebarnct.com/  

Follow them on instagram: http://instagram.com/littlebarnwestport

Like them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlebarnct

Disclaimer: We were invited to this menu sampling by members of Little Barn's public relations and management team. However, all opinions are our own.

Rizzuto's Stamford CT - A Sports Bar and More!

Tastemaker's Sampling

Rizzuto’s Restaurant Group expands their Italian inspired restaurant and gathering places throughout Connecticut with the addition of Rizzuto’s, Restaurant-and Sports Bar in Stamford CT, a fun and casual sports oriented restaurant featuring Rizzuto’s terrific food and delicious beverage offerings. 

Rizzuto’s Stamford’s menu caters to sports fans and families alike with a wide variety of choices. 

There's truly something for everyone at Rizzuto's!

Fans of this popular locale can attest that Rizzuto's traditional and favorite stone-oven fired pizza, pasta and Italian specialties can still be enjoyed, now alongside classic American sports bar fare.

Rizzuto’s boasts NFL Sunday Ticket and Red Zone programming and its new Tailgate Menu, Rizzuto’s version of a football happy hour menu served during ALL, yes, you read that right...ALL NFL games.

There are 15 large HD Screen TVs throughout the HUGE bi-level space accompany and classic sports fare such as: a variety of chicken wings; sliders done with classic cheeseburger, meatball parm, BBQ pulled pork, sausage-n-peppers and spicy buffalo chicken with blue cheese; smoky chipotle bacon mac 'n cheese; slow-roasted baby back ribs; and stone oven baked nachos. 8” Half Back pizzas include; 'Sunday Morning Pie’ topped with two sunny side eggs, bacon, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; and  Fig Barbecued Chicken pizza covered in caramelized onions, hot cherry peppers and Rizzuto’s fig barbecue sauce; and more!

In addition to featuring televised sports events, Rizzuto’s is also the only Stamford location for World Tavern Poker, America’s #1 poker league. It’s free to play and cardholders can win some great prizes.

We had the chance to meet owner Bill Rizzuto, (no relation to Phil Rizzuto) who explained, "We’re excited to offer our customers an exciting and comfortable place to hang back, bring the family, meet with friends and watch the game while enjoying some great food and drinks, all at a real value."

We loved the many Creative “Game Day Cocktails”, such as 'Spicy Sunday Morning Bloody', Bloody Stella, Mimosa and Sunsplash variety and come with half price refills. 

Here's some of the items we sampled at our Tastemaker's Sampling.

Pizza at Rizzuto's Stamford CT

Top Left Buffalo Chicken, chicken breast, hot buffalo sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola topped with blue

cheese dressing and shaved celery out of the oven

Bottom Left: Meat Lovers 

Sausage, Pepperoni, Meatball

 Right: Margherita 

fresh mozzarella and basil with EVOO

Bacon Mac and Cheese with Chipotle

Smokey Chipotle Bacon Mac 'n Cheese

penne pasta with house-made queso,slow-roasted bacon and smoked chipotles

Meatball Sliders

Meatball and Mozzarella

with marinara sauce and fresh basil

Cheeseburger Slider and Spiked (yes! SPIKED!) milkshakes

Classic Cheddar Cheeseburger

with sliced pickles and red onion

Gorgonzola Chopped Salad

made with romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, salami,

red onion, olives, artichokes, cucumber, gorgonzola, balsamic

Southwest Salad

shrimp, bibb lettuce, romaine, avocado, corn, 

black beans, cheddar, pico di gallo, crisp tortilla ribbons,

chipotle ranch dressing

Wings and Garlic Fries

served with celery and carrot sticks and blue cheese dip

Pictured (Mild Buffalo) also available: Hot Cherry Pepper

Hot Buffalo, and Rizzuto's Fig Barbecue

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs

1/3 rack with house-made barbecue sauce and crispy shaved onions

Desserts
Tiramisu Cake, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Cake

Rizzuto’s, Restaurant-Bar-Sports in Stamford is the ideal place to meet with friends or family to enjoy great food and drink, and most importantly, have a fun time!

Part of the Tastemaker's Group
Photo Credit Brooke from 914 Social

Rizzuto’s, Restaurant-Bar-Sports is located on the Stamford / Greenwich border directly off of I-95. Its family friendly atmosphere and multiple dining spaces make it an ideal place for post-game celebrations and team meet-ups. There’s also a private second floor dining and viewing room that can be reserved for up to 20 people.

Rizzuto's Restaurant and Sports Bar

1980 West Main Street

Stamford, CT 06902

www.rizzutos.com

 Phone 203.324.5900

 Link to the==> Tailgate Menu

Disclaimer: We were invited to this menu sampling by members of Rizzuto's public relations and management team. However, all opinions are our own.

Farm to Trumbull - Farm to Table at the Parallel Post in Trumbull CT

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The second Farm to Trumbull dinner event for 2014 at the Parallel Post in the Trumbull Marriott was a rip roaring success! From cocktails to appetizers to entrees this farm to table eating extravaganza did not disappoint!

Farm to Trumbull - Farm to Table
The Parallel Post at the Trumbull Marriott

We started the night with some amazing cocktails prepared by mixologist extraordinaire "Bootleg Greg"! There were two special drinks in honor of the Farm to Trumbull theme, the first, a Carrot, Wheat, and Soy Extract and the second a fresh Cucumber Fresca. The best thing about both beverages was that you could enjoy them with or without alcohol and they were equally good each way!

Carrot, Wheat, and Soy Extract Cucumber Fresca
Spicy Bison Tartar and Coffee Cured Salon

The cocktail hour took place outside, on the Parallel Post's patio and hotel grounds. The weather was perfect for enjoying a warm spring evening and taking in the lush green garden views. Simply lovely! Accompanying the cocktails we enjoyed passed appetizers, consisting of a slightly Spicy Bison Tartar with Farm Fresh Eggs, and a Coffee Cured Salmon on Flax Seed Bread with CT Farm Cheese. When Chef Dean James Max explained his focus on staying local, he told the group that he found this beautiful salmon and prepared it with a "local" twist by curing it in Trumbull's own Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters gourmet coffee!

Folks, that's what keeping it local is all about! Supporting your local town's businesses and merchants!

After the cocktail hour, our intimate but lively group moved inside to a private room with two community tables where we could still enjoy the outside views away from the bustling restaurant.

Our first course included:

Parsnip Soup with Norm Bloom Clams Salad, that we mixed ourselves being served the salad first, and then the warm creamy broth was poured over the delicate clams and greens.

Gilbertie's Green Salad, Early Summer Watermelon Radish, Soy-Ginger Mushrooms, Wasabi Green Vinaigrette

Crispy Soft Shell Crab, Pea Shoots, Cayenne Ramp Aioli

Soft Shelled Crabs

With dinner we were served two selections of wine, a sweet white by Jam Jar, and a fruity light red by Route Stock. You guessed it, I loved the sweet white wine, of course!

Our entree course was accompanied by four sides:

Grilled Asparagus, Frissee, Manchego Cheese with Sherry Vinaigrette, Warm Purple Potato Salad, Baby Kale, Roasted Walnuts Feta Cheese, Pickled Apricots, and Fiddle Head Ferns.

Top L Purple Potato Salad, R Fiddle Heads
Bottom L Asparagus, R Baby Kale and and Pickled Apricots

Our proteins for our entrees were:

A Grilled Pork Chop with Lima Beans, Mustard Greens, and Bacon Jam

Grilled Pork Chops

And a Montauk Roasted tuna English Pea Puree, Roasted Fava Beans, Pearl Onions drizzled with a Wheat grass Vinaigrette.

Montauk Roasted Tuna

For dessert we were treated to a house made Campari and yogurt popsicle spritzed with absinthe, a warm strawberry crostata with a goat cheese crumble, a SoCo Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, and Gilbertie's Lavender Crème Brûlée.

After dinner the crowd gave the chefs a much deserved round of applause for a wonderful meal, prepared thoughtfully, elegantly, and creatively. A true Farm to Trumbull success!

Executive Chef Chris Molyneaux, Chef de Cuisine Ali Goss, Chef Dean James Max

From start to finish the Farm to Trumbull event was a fun occassion The communal dining made for a friendly gathering, and many items were served family style. All dishes were plentiful and both chefs and staff were available to answer any questions regarding preparation or ingredients.

Bonnie, Greg, Ali

Among my favorite sides from the meal were the mildly spicy tartar bite, the creamy light parsnip soup, the purple potato salad and the baby kale with pickled apricots. Each blended wonderful with their fellow ingredients and provided unusual pairings with each other. For dessert, hands down, my favorite was the berry costata. The warm doughie textured pastry accompanied by the slightly sweetened strawberries and the tart cheese was a party in itself. I could eat it everyday and be happy.

The venue itself is warm and modern and I've never been disappointed when visiting. Parking is plentiful, and the lounge and dining area are roomy and comfortable

Additional scheduled dates for Parallel Post’s Farm-to-Trumbull 30-person dinner series include Sunday, August 10 and Wednesday, October 8.  Tickets to the Farm-to-Trumbull dinners are available for advance purchase at $75++ per person. To RSVP for upcoming events, please e-mail farmtotrumbull@gmail.com.

For $75 per person (tax and 18 percent gratuity not included), guests can warm the palate with a welcome cocktail and sampling of small bites, and a family-style dinner consisting of the season’s finest local ingredients, wine pairings and select cocktails as well as desserts, are inclusive.

The menus for the series - much like Parallel Post’s weekly-changing restaurant menu – focuses on localism and follows the philosophy that natural and sustainable products, and responsible farming, are the key components in ingredient selection.  The menu will be inspired by the farms’ fresh offerings of the day and as such, patrons will be invited to embrace their adventurous side with the Farm-to-Trumbull menu being revealed that evening.

Parallel Post believes in strengthening the farming community and engages local purveyors for a majority of its ingredients – seafood from Norm Bloom & Sons in Norwalk, Conn. and Foley Fish in Boston, Mass.; meats from Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury, Conn.; organic cheeses, milk and ice cream from The Farmer’s Cow in Lebanon, Conn.; and greens from Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens in Westport, Conn.

I hope to see you at the next Parallel Post Farm to Table Event!

Parallel Post Restaurant

180 Hawley Lane, Trumbull Ct 06611

Phone/Reservations  203-380-6380

Located in the Trumbull Marriott Merritt Parkway

On the Web: http://parallelpostrestaurant.com/

Like them on facebook https://www.facebook.com/ParallelPost

Follow them on twitter: https://twitter.com/ParallelPostCT

Disclaimer: I was invited to the June Farm to Table event by members of  the Parallel Post's Management and Marketing Team, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are my own.