| Issue #1 Summer 2009 | Issue #2 Fall 2009 |
| Issue #3 Winter 2009 | Issue #4 Spring 2010 |
| Issue #6 Fall 2010 | |
| Issue #7 Winter 2010 | Issue #8 Spring 2011 |
| Issue #9 Summer 2011 | |
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M's Winter News 2009
Issue #4
Congratulations
Chelsea Oxton of Omaha
for winning our quarterly drawing.
Look for a $100 gift certificate in the mail.
Thanks to everyone for participating, the comments are great help.
THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD OF A CARROT DOG
By Marta
What is it? Do customers really order it? How is it cooked? How is it made? Have you ever tried it? Is it good? What does it look like? These are some of the questions asked by our customers about our infamous and original carrot dog.
It is much more than just a carrot on a bun. The Carrot Dog is a whole carrot that is braised in a flavored soy sauce then grilled and served with stone ground mustard on a whole wheat bun with all the fixings. The explosion of flavor that it creates will have you talking, asking and most likely coming back for more.
It definitely becomes a conversation piece at any table. Vegetarians everywhere love it. It was removed from the menu for a while due to slow sales, but the loyal Carrot Dog fans insisted we put it back on the menu.
You could have it as an appetizer for everyone to try, or as an entrée for the one who DID try it. Anyway you choose the carrot dog is an excellent choice for any dining experience. If anything you can tell your family and friends that yes you actually have tried a carrot dog.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Restaurant Awards
M’s Pub received the
2009 Award of Unique Distinction
Five Omaha restaurants received awards for 2009 including Vivace!
Check out the February 2010 issue
Salty Doll
By Jaime Ishii
Most work places have their hazards. Some risk life and limb, others risk sanity, some just get high blood pressure, in the service industry my risk of high blood pressure came from salt one day. At M’s Pub our customers vary from the nearly everyday regular, to the once a year, while in Omaha, customer. All walks of life, all sizes, shape, color, creed, all the lovely colors of humanity’s rainbow visit, and we are lucky for it.
I was waiting on a table of such color one average evening, very pleasant ladies and gentlemen. We got along well, talked about wine and they had what I hoped was a great dining experience. As I walked up to drop off the check, I was pelted with an inordinate amount of a sand-like substance. As the stuff made its way into my mouth and eyes, I simultaneously both started tearing and laughing, realizing that what I was showered with was salt.
I had walked up behind the head of the table on his left side, just after he had knocked over the salt shaker. In a common gesture of either habit or superstition, he had gathered the salt and tossed it over his left shoulder—all over me. It was an error, of course, and we all laughed about it as I tried not to tear up involuntarily, my eyes clearing themselves of the extra, unwarranted sodium.
The salt assault got me thinking about where the source of this gesture comes from, and as one might suspect, it has many origins. Salt has historic value as a commodity, it was used as a form of payment because it was considered valuable and pure. It helped preserve and flavor food in a time when refrigerators weren’t so available. Spilling it was considered a waste, so gathering the small, pure grains and tossing it over the shoulder was meant to either temporarily appease or blind the Devil. It sure did it to me, I can’t say that I was appeased, but I was definitely temporarily blinded (and on this occasion not so devilish).
I also found reference to the salt throwing in the painting of the Last Supper. As the Thirteen were gathered and depicted in disagreement, a bowl of salt is spilt in front of Judas Escariot. Spilling this pure and valuable good was considered a portent of evil, so gathering it and throwing it away symbolically scatters the Martyr’s luck from oneself.
Cultures all over the world have some varying superstitions having to do NaCl. The English think it represents future tears, Germans see the waste of salt as an act influenced by the devil. Old school tradition says that to properly rid oneself of the bad luck from spilling the salt is to gather it with the right hand and toss it over the left. It is thought that the devil resides just left of center, bad news for those who do so politically. Any time the angel and devil apear on one’s shoulder , the imp is always on the left. Interesting.
Do I buy into all of this? Not personally, but it is intriguing to find all the sources of a habit that can be a hazard in my profession. So, I will try not to waste salt, but the way things are set up at tables, I can’t always make a safe,
Early Spring Food Fever
By Jaime Ishii
It is nearly Spring, and the chefs at M’s Pub are eagerly awaiting warmer weather, like most of us. The special meun at M’s changes every two weeks and as the snow melts and the temperature rises, entrees are morphing slowly from the hearty, rich foods of winter to the lighter fare of spring.
"I’ve already ordered my seeds for planting," bubbles Brooke Goracke, one of the head chefs at M’s. "I can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt!" This propensity for fresh grown veggies has spilled over in to work, as both chefs, Goracke and Kelly Schwarz have planned to accentuate spring and summer entrees with fresh veggies and sides from a local farmer.
Birdsong farm in Castana, Iowa, is a completely organic farm that offers restaurants produce from fava beans to herbs to root crops. Margarite, the lady farmer, is very salt of the earth she has no electricity, no running water. The idea is to let nature take care of itself.
Schwarz and Goracke met Margarite when they purchased winter squash a few months ago. "She showed us her list of produce and we were sold," says Schwarz. As the farm provides the fresh sides and herbs, they will debut as the season progresses. The menu will "season" with the months passing.
"Most of the plants from Birdsong are heirloom," Goracke adds. This means that some part of the plants heritage has been bred specifically for its quality and flavor and can be traced back to the 1700’s. "Sometimes they look a little funny, like the striped heirloom tomatoes you see in the grocery store. But the quality of the flavor is undeniable," says Schwarz.
Goracke and Schwarz have been trying to figure out a way to start their own organic garden space. "The challenge has been trying to find a workable, close space that would work for us, somewhere near the Old Market," explains Goracke. "It just hasn’t worked out yet." Finding this farm was a nice compromise, as their own garden space has worked logistically yet.
The fresh, organic produce is something both chefs passionate about. "There’s just something about fresh veggies that make an entrée come to life, pop," says Goracke. Being able to work with the heirloom produce has a personal satisfaction for Schwarz as well. As they talk about their plans for menus that include these garden treasures, they both light up. One could say that they look like kids in a candy store, if the candy was homegrown veggies."
M’s Pub and Vivace participated again this year in the 13th annual “Battle of the Soups” at the Holiday Inn Central. 26 restaurants, caterers, and others donated soups and over 50 local artists had there work for sale to raise money for the Visiting Nurses.
Eric, Vivace’s sous chef, made an “Eggplant Parmesan Bisque with a Pepper Tapenade and Opal Basil garnish.” He gets great feed back from our guests when he makes it at Vivace, but he didn’t win anything at the event.
M’s sous chef, Brooke won second place with her “Heirloom Tomato Curry with Braised Lamb and Goat Cheese topped with Micro Cilantro.”
One of our favorite former staff members, Clayton Chapman executive chef at Spencer’s, won by one point with his Potato Leek Soup with Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Romaine Salad and Raspberry Puree.
Third Place was Red Pepper Puree by Chris Swartz from Methodist Hospital. The Peoples choice awards went to; 1st place - Diablo Chicken and Rice Soup by Jon Dye, executive chef at Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar, 2nd Place - Arizona Chicken Soup by Cesar Martinez, chef at Wheat Fields Eatery & Bakery, 3rd place - Thanksgiving in a Bowl by David Rooney, sous chef at Catering Creations.
The recipes for all these soups are at “Judges Picks: Recipes” on Omaha.com.
M's Winter News 2009
Issue #3
Congratulations
Machaela Morrissey of Council Bluffs
for winning our quarterly drawing.
Look for a $100 gift certificate in the mail.
Thanks to everyone for participating, the comments are great help.
Christmas Decorations!
By Stacie
Every year I really look forward to coming to work the week after Thanksgiving. I walk in the door and what I see fills me with a quiet delight. M’s has been transformed once again! The soft, twinkling lights and colorful poinsettias give me the feeling that, at last in this little spot, all is right with the world.
It’s because the Sunday before Ann and her tasteful crew of volunteers have joyfully strung the lights, hung the garland, wrapped the ribbon and placed the plants with care. They can accomplish all this before M’s opens because Ann has spent days down in the basement digging out decorations, organizing supplies and untangling lights. (Not without a few choice words to herself!)
And then there’s THE WREATH! I’d wager a few dollars to say it’s the largest wreath in a restaurant anywhere. (Well, at least one that hasn’t killed somebody.) If you want a small thrill, ask for table 3 when you make your reservation and sit under it. Just kidding of course, it is as secure as it is impressive.
To me, M’s decorations are a warm and welcomed tradition.
Servers’ Penchant for Pens
by Jaime
There are a few things that are necessary to a server at M’s Pub, or anywhere for that matter. One needs a great attitude, the properly ironed uniform, a wine key and something to write orders with. These things range from mandatory to self-explanatory. But there is one thing many servers hold near and dear to their hearts; their pens.
A pen can be the one tool that make a shift easier, if not possible. At M’s Pub, the system for getting anything from a Coke to beef tenderloin is hand written on a ticket, with a pen. We order appetizers, bottles of wine, write down separate orders to keep track of until the tickets are rung up with our somewhat new (to us) but generally ancient register. Pens are trusted to customers to sign for payment, and for some, pens keep the hair out of their face or keep them balanced by being perched behind their ear.
These trusted writing utensils can be a source of neuroticism. Some servers specifically purchase a type of pen for its features, either it is ball point, or it is a clicky-pen, some have to have a clip on the pen so as to always be at reach as needed. Color is important from the ink to the shell, in small ways, pens can be a personal expression. It is a tradition for servers at M’s who take a vacation out of town to bring back souvenirs in the form of a pen from the location visited.
Personally, I brand my pens with a mark, so I know it is my own. Often everyone treats my pens like they are at a bank, the pen is not complimentary. If I see another server with a pen like my pens, I check for my brand, if it bears the mark, I take it back and silently curse the thief. I even make sure that my little ink filled friend makes it back after a trip out with a payment slip. I love the gel-ink pens, something to do with the way the pen writes, like old ink-well pens. Whatever it is, this is a universal, weird issue with pens among servers. Without our pens, we are unable to order the food and wine for our customers. Everyone has that little something. This is ours.
The End
A Heck of a Hayrack Ride
by Jaime
Near the middle of September, the staff of M’s Pub starts to get a certain look about them, a look of certain glee. Is it the upcoming holiday season, with its mirth and merriment? Perhaps, or more to the point is that it is autumn, turned leaves, pumpkins and hay rack rides!!
Over 5 years ago, the tradition of a hay rack ride was born to the staff of M’s Pub with a group of 10 just wanting to do something Fall-ish. By mid October of this year, the Sunday was all planned, with whomever the restaurant could spare on a Sunday, and those brave enough to stand the elements. Someone brings the hot dogs, someone else brings the S’mores, another brings the chips, but all bring the most important thing a sense of fun.
This year was an unseasonably warm annual hayrack ride, and it also marked the largest group that has ever attended. Over 24 of us gathered at M’s on Sunday, October 11 and we toasted our fifth hayrack ride and then converged on Shady Lanes in Council Bluffs. By the early twilight, all 24 of us were snuggled in a flat bed of hay, towed by a tractor.
Now, it might seem that such an event would only appeal to the very young or family types. Being towed through the wooded paths of Shady Lanes in hay, ending in a bonfire weenie roast sounds a bit provincial, but it is not so for our group. We gather, we laugh, we goof off, and we have ways of warming ourselves that we take hidden nips of.
No, what makes the event so remarkable isn’t the location, or the activity, it is the camaraderie, the people. So often we might have the end of a shift, an hour or so when we might sit together after a busy night and bond. But this hayrack ride is away from our work environment, unrelated to, but not because of what we do.
In this time we find out how it is that we were all hand picked to work together, how we were lucky enough to be able to say that we work at M’s Pub. We are all very different, but the common thread is that we have a passion for something that binds us to M’s, whether it is food, people, wine, or restaurant. At the hayrack ride it’s just all about a passion for fun.
New Years Eve
By Jay
It is the busiest night of the year at M’s Pub. Our chefs make a special menu just for that night and show off a little of what they can do. We don’t serve the regular menu that night, but like always we don’t try to dictate how people order. Some will do it up and have multiple courses, while others will have salads and share a couple of appetizers.
Because it is such a busy night we carefully distribute the reservations. That way the kitchen doesn’t get behind with everyone ordering at once. We do require a deposit to reserve a table. Because of that you get to speak directly with an owner or manager when making New Years Eve reservations.
Ann hires people to make the holiday decorations even better with balloons everywhere. The Chefs try to get the menu planed out by the first of December so people can decide if they want to join us that night. Hopefully we will get that on the web site so everyone can see it. You can look at last year’s menu to get an idea of what they do for New Years Eve.
We are closed on the first to take down the decorations, do inventory and Ann and Ron treat everyone’s hard work for the year with a night at a bowling alley. They provide the prime rib and the rest is pot luck. It can be pretty amazing when restaurant people get together for pot luck.
Modern Day Slime Dogs
By Smitty
What is a "Slime Dog?" The "Slime Dogs" were a group of guys that occupied the east end of the bar most afternoons until well into the evening. Back in those days M’s sold Special Export for 75¢ a pint from 4 until 6. They were a very diverse group consisting of artists, philosophers, cartoonists, thinkers, sculptors, intellectuals, planners, scholars, welders, journalists, photographers, you know > professional bull**ers.
They came out in force every Friday and could number over thirty. For a while we had to reserve the window tables just for them. No one could sit there and eat with those guys standing on top of them.
The "Slime Dogs" would buy each other pints, tell stories, pick on each other, and run the bartenders ragged. They were a fun and eccentric group of people. Although some are still around, they don't visit as much as they have in the past.
Today we have a group of guys, calling themselves the "Modern Day Slime Dogs," coming in on Fridays for their own happy hour. They, however, prefer the comforts of table one as opposed to standing around the east end of the bar and drink a lot less tap beer.
So if you happen to find yourself at M's Pub on Friday, give a nod hello Larry, Bob, Griff and the guys at table one, "The Modern Day Slime Dogs."
M's Fall News 2009
Issue #2
Congratulations
L.A. Boyd of Omaha
for winning our quarterly drawing.
Look for a $100 gift certificate in the mail.
Thanks to everyone for participating, the comments are a great help.
Fall Food Fun at M's Pub!
by Jaime
Even as the weather cools, the days shorten and the leaves put on their glorious autumn show, it is getting warm in M's kitchen. You wouldn't guess it from Chef Kelly Schwarz's many summer hobbies, but autumn is his favorite time to cook. All you need to do is visit M's Pub and taste for yourself. The specials menu might just make you forget that winter is coming, just live in the bounty of summer's offering and Schwarz's affinity for Autumn food.
The unseasonably cold summer will push some of summer's best offerings later into fall, so heirloom tomatoes (a favorite of Schwarz's) will still be prevalent. Schwarz prefers to let the robust flavor of the heirlooms stand on their own. A simple appetizer of ripened heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella drizzled with an aged balsamic vinaigrette is a classic way to showcase this varied variety of tomato. This reminds us that summer is still here, for a bit.
"Fall really is my favorite time to cook," says Schwarz, "so many interesting things come into play. The flavor profiles turn from the fruity lightness of summer to the earthy components that I prefer to work with." Schwarz is planning meals with ingredients that include rosemary, sage, wild mushrooms and tender, rich meats.
As we move into cooler weather, chef Schwarz brings out the game, as in venison, squab (pigeon), game hen and quail. "I like to sear the game to trap in the juices and flavor, then slow roast it to make it tender," he says. Some of the game, like quail, venison and squab should be prepared no more than medium rare, "this temperature showcases these meats' best flavor qualities, overcooking can sap them of their distinct flavor and toughen them."
The game doesn't stop with the quail and squab, hearty starches start to reappear adding support and texture to the tasty meat. "I am a fan of scarlet runner beans, root vegetables, and hearty grains. The consistency of these starches and vegetables really accent the gamey proteins," says Schwarz. Preparation of the starches includes roasting the vegetables, and using a ragout for the starches (a type of sautéing).
Schwarz is a fan of adding darker dried fruits to his starches, like currant and cherries. These fruits tend to accent the deep red wines that tend to pair so well with autumn fare. The sauces that Schwarz uses to finish these entrees also tend to lend themselves to the wines of fall. "Demis, which consist of the use of veal or beef bones, slow roasted with a mix of corn, beans and celery also include the use of wine," explains Schwarz. The sauce is reduced for two to three days, and the end result is a sauce that finishes an entrée just right.
Game is chef Schwarz's favorite type of food to work with, autumn his most exciting time to create, but that doesn't stop him from searching for the next tasty creation. Researching cookbooks, a little creativity and good old-fashioned experimentation always lend a hand in the process. Schwarz works closely with his coworker chef Brooke Gorecke, they exchange ideas and techniques working to add their signature touches on classic foods.
Who Does The Flowers?
by Jaime
That beautiful bouquet of flowers that quietly greets customers when they enter, existing in statuesque grace on the host stand. Standing over four feet tall, this riot of color and blooms provide just the right push to imbue M's with luster in a classic, white and black color theme.
Larry Sasso, the Man behind the flowers has been coloring M's Pub with his lovely visions for over 20 years. He is not a florist, rather an artist with a penchant for beauty. He gathers blooms from a vendor early every Thursday, and brings the boxes to M's to put together the arrangement in the environment they will enhance.
Q: Larry, how did you come to be the "flower guy" of M's Pub and Vivace?
A: Years and years ago, Ann asked if someone could run out and get flowers for the restaurant, I was there, being the regular that I was (and am) and volunteered. After that I told her that I could just do it for her each week. That's how I came to do the flowers at M's. I only do flowers for M's and Vivace, no one else.
Q: How do you decide what type of bouquet to design?
A: It's seasonally influenced, because of the availability of the plants and flowers month to month. I also have to consider how long a particular flower might last, as I do the bouquet to last the week. The restaurant can be kind of a "hostile" environment for the flowers, with it being warm in the summer or cold in the winter near the entrance. It really made a difference after the smoking ban for the flowes.
Q: What inspires the use of all the interesting touches, like the flowering branches and greenery that you use?
A: Mostly I am just trying to fill up the space I have to work with. I love spring time with the new flowering branches that become available, I think they are fun to use. For fall, I use the richer colored cat tails and so forth.
Q: What are your favorite color combinations?
A: Pinks and blues are favorites, but that is also influenced by the seasons.
Q: What are your favorite unique pieces (or flowers) to use?
A: (Laughing) Whatever's available that will last and is interesting.
Q: Is there a process to designing the bouquet?
A: I try to do it just like Martha Stewart, I make sure there no are leaves in the wate, since I am not using decoration like marbles or sand in the clear vase. I start with sturdy greens to build a structure, layering until it won't move, then just fill in with flowers. That large vase is not the easiest to work with, the shape of it in particular, so I have to get creative. I have gotten a lot better at it, after 20 years or so.
And just for fun, if you were a flower or plant, which one would you be and why?
A: Ohhh, let me think if I were a flower or plant? Hmmm, anything that would attract butterflies! Oh, I know, how about a Zinnia, that's the first plant I ever planted.
Johanna's World of Wine
by Johanna
Shiraz is being successfully grown and produced in many regions all over the world, but there is one particular continent that stands out amongst them all. If you are thinking Australia, you are correct. In the wine world Shiraz and Australia have become synonymous with one another. The combination of climate, soil and modern wine making techniques has proven to create big fruity wines that consumers have come to love. The two regions that are most acknowledged for the production of Shiraz are the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, both of which are located in South Australia. These areas are home to many reputable producers including Penfolds, Rosemount, Yalumba and many more. These well established wine makers have set the bar high but now are sharing the stage with many new exciting producers. John Duval, Two Hands and Glaetzer are just a few of these up and comers. These producers are using a more traditional "low intervention" style of wine making that allows the grapes and the terrior to speak for themselves. These wines have great structure, texture and a lovely combination of fruit and spice. They have received awards and accolades from some of the top names in the business and are worthy of our attention. I encourage you to visit these websites as I found myself intrigued, informed and most of all very excited to try all of these Australian Gems!
Johanna
Wine Collectors
You can buy wine from M's for your collections. We buy quite a bit of wine from the suppliers so we get good deals sometimes. If there is something you are interested in contact Trey at info@MsPubOmaha.com or call (402) 342-2550.
P.S. "Trey's Picks" is a small list of special finds, ask about it when you are here!
Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen
Bobby and Kelly, cooking in a tree. (Doubletree!) Omaha Restaurant Association's fund raiser for "Feed the Hungry" and Culinary Scholarships is Sunday September 20th at the Doubletree. Ten local Chefs each prepare a fabulous five course dinner complete with wine pairings for their individual tables. This year Bobby is representing Vivace and Kelly M's Pub. The Chefs have a great time flexing their culinary "mussels" together for a good cause. You can call the ORA at 493-4739 to get tickets.
Behind the Green Marble Bar
On Tuesday July 7th our very own Smitty competed with 11 other area bartenders in the "Nation's Most Inspired Bartenders Search." The event was sponsored by Bombay Sapphire. The participants mixed up their Bombay Sapphire cocktails for the three judges and then made a huge batch of taster shots for the crowd. The Omaha winner, Brian Murzyn with his "Sapphire Dragon," got to go to Las Vegas to compete for a feature article in GQ Magazine. Smitty's "Sapphire Summer;" (Bombay Sapphire, fresh mint, lemonade and cream de cassis.), was great, but alas it didn't win. Smitty is now in 9th place in the nation for Mobile phone votes. It won't get him in GQ, but it would be great to move Smitty up to first in the nation by votes! Vote for Smitty's "Sapphire Summer" by texting "GQ 3808" to 88704. We had a great group cheering Smitty on from M's. We tried some great concoctions, and Heather even got up and told some jokes! (She's been hanging out with Smitty too much!)
M's Summer News 2009
Issue #1
Welcome to our world, M’s Pub and Vivace! This is the first our ongoing quarterly news letters in which we hope to inform, educate and entertain. These quarterly postings will include information and advice from our talented staff members on a variety of subjects from wine & spirits, seasonal foods service issues and downtown events.
We welcome your comments & critiques as well as your questions about any subject you find interesting about our restaurants, how they are run and our vast array of products. Our aim is to give you more of a voice in the process of developing new items, redoing old classics or, just to develop a better line of communication with our most valued asset-you, our loyal guests!
We know we can’t do this without you, so drop Jay or Becca an email, or call Ron at either place. We’ll be glad to help any way possible.
Ann Mellen, Ron Samuelson
Owners M’s Pub & Vivace
Congratulations
Andy & Mary Helen Cockle of Omaha
for winning our first quarterly drawing.
We will be mailing them a $100 gift certificate.
Thanks to everyone for participating, the comments are are great help.
Johanna's World of Wine
Now that you have mastered our wine list, let’s moved on to the amazing fortified wines that we have to offer! It is easy to find Ports, Sherries and Madeira a little confusing, but fortunately you don’t have to know everything about them to enjoy them.
The one that I would like to focus on is one of my favorites, Madeira. This fortified wine comes from a small island (called Madeira) about 500 miles off the coast of Portugal. Around the late 1500’s merchant ships would pick up the unfortified wine to transport to other countries, but due to the fragile nature of the wine on such long journeys the wine would spoil. As a way to preserve the wine, brandy was added to stabilize it and ensure that it would keep during the months it spent at sea.
Well, it turns out that the addition of brandy combined with the extreme temperature changes that the wine went through ended up producing delicious toffee-caramel flavored wines with a very smooth texture. This is exactly my experience with Madeira today, although Madeira today does not spend months at sea, other methods are used to create this style of wine. As with any particular wine Madeira does vary, it can run the gamut from fairly dry to very sweet. The two types of Madeira that we carry are rainwater and malmsey. Malmsey, made from the Malvasia grape is the richest, darkest and sweetest of them all, boasting delicious caramel and nutty characteristics. The rainwater is a medium dry and quite a bit softer.
If you have yet to experience the wonders of Madeira, I strongly recommend coming down and giving it a try, especially with a piece of our fantastic carrot cake!
Johanna
Happy Hours
To say thanks to all our loyal patrons and to help welcome new ones we are having happy hours at both M’s and Vivace. 4 to 6 and reverse at 10 to close. We will be serving munchies and beverages at discounted prices, so please come and join us.
Behind the Green Marble Bar
To those of you who have been to M’s Pub since the early eighties (??), a cheers to the Love Potion #9. That is the strawberry infused vodka with lemonade, summer in a glass if you will. This has been the catalyst to many a romance with either someone else or with a lazy afternoon spent at M’s, avoiding what ever it was you had to do (and after a few #9’s you probably won’t remember).
The name is appropriate as this particular cocktail weaves a subtle but distinct spell on the drinker, seducing with the innocence of strawberries and closing with a vodka punch that sneaks up and takes away your will (okay, yes, this has happened to many of the employees as well, not many are immune).
The core of this tempting concoction is in the simplicity of infusion. By now most people are familiar with vodka infusions, it has been a growing trend for sometime now. What is not known is just how easy this process can be for you at home.
This summer, "M" is for Mojito! This mainstay in the cocktail world makes a reputation for being cool, refreshing and potent with its mix of fresh muddled mint, simple syrup and rum, finished with limes. A hot summer day holds no weight against the allure of this drink, and we are mixing them up at M’s Pub! Of course we are putting our personal M’s Pub stamp on them with the use of exotic fruit concentrates, like prickly pear or passion fruit. So please, sit down at the bar, get comfortable and be prepared to be refreshed by our bartending skills and try a mojito!
Jaime
Recipe
Here is a simple and tasty snack recipe we found in Bon Appetit when experimenting with things for Happy Hour. Give it a try for your next gathering.
SPICY TOASTED GARBANZO BEANS AND PISTACHIOS
2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1/4 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shelled raw pistachios
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss garbanzo beans with next 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until garbanzos are golden and crisp, stirring occasionally with metal spatula, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.)
Stir pistachios and thyme into garbanzo mixture. Bake until beans and pistachios are crunchy, about 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and serve warm.
Fruit Caviar
Chef Kelly has been experimenting with science. He is using fruit juices to make "caviar." They are wonderful, little bursts of flavor in your mouth, and they look amazing on the plate. Look for them on the specials menu this summer.