Restaurants Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Cocktail
April 13, 2006,Houston, Texas.... Local restaurants, Ciro's Italian Grill, laidback manor and Pico's Mex-Mex restaurant, will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Cocktail, with a special cocktail-pairing dinners on Wednesday, May 10, 2006. For more information about specifics, please contact each restaurant: Ciro's Italian Grill, 9755 Katy Freeway, 713-467-9336: laidback manor, 706 Main Street, 713-227-0402; and Pico's Mex-Mex, 5941 Bellaire Boulevard, 713-662-8383.
"Its all about flavors," stated chef/owner of laindback manor Randy Rucker when asked why he was pairing food with cocktails. "The variety of flavors in cocktails can actually provide a more interesting pairing experience than beer or wine."
"I was inspired by the original definition of a cocktail," stated chef/owner of Ciro's Italian Grill Ciro Lampasas, "when I created our cocktail pairing dinner."
One of the most famious cocktails is the
The first known printing of a definition for cocktails was May 13, 1806, as recorded in "The Balance & Columbian Repository" in Hudson, New York. It read:
"Cock tail, then is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters - it is vulgarly called a bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said also, to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because a person having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else."
At Ciro's Italian Grill, the Cocktail Dinner will feature classic cocktails from the 50's paired with classic Italian-American cuisine. $45.00per person, plus tax and gratuity, open seating, reservations only, please call 713-467-9336.
Ciro's Italian Grill's Cocktail Dinner Menu
Gulf Coast Shrimp Cocktail with a traditional Champagne Cocktail
Classic Caesar Salad with Ciro's famous Frozen Peach Belline
Traditional Veal Piccata served with a Vodka martini, up or on the rocks
Mama's C classic Chocolate Cake served with a frozen Brandy Alexander
At laidback manor, the Cocktail Dinner will begin with canapés and a cash bar at 6 PM, followed by dinner at 7 PM, $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity, for the dinner and its' paired cocktails, reservations only, please call 713-227-0402.
laidback manor's cocktail dinner menu
"amuse bouche" jelly of 5 cocktails (cape codder, tom collins, tequila sunrise, whiskey sour, screwdriver)
marinated salmon roe ~ pickled jicama ~ puree of chive
(compari & champagne)
crystal clear tomato gazpacho ~ gulf shrimp "croutons" ~ celery "bubbles" (Bootsie's Bloody)
crispy veal sweetbread ~ charred pineapple ~ yuzu foam
(pineapple up-sidedown cake)
berkshire pork "rib" braised in Coca-Cola ~ texas toast ~ espresso glaze (cuba libra)
milk chocolate madelines ~ almond panna cotta (white russian)
At Pico's Mex-Mex, the Cocktail Dinner will feature the orginal Mexican Cocktail, The Margarita. Open seating, $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required, please call 713-662-8383.
Pico's Mex-Mex Cocktail Dinner Menu
Nachos Jorge
black beans, Chihuahua cheese, jalapenos, guacamole, cochinita pibil and red marinated onions served with our Original Shaker Margarita
Ceviche
fresh fish and gulf shrimp marinated in lime juice with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro and Serrano peppers or
Calamares a la Mexicana
calamari sautéed with onions, Serrano peppers, cilantro and fresh tomatoes served with Pina-Rita
Filete al Chilpotle
a charcoal broiled beef tenderloin smothered with Chihuahua cheese, and topped with chilpotle and parsley sauce or
Huachinango Tikin Xik
red snapper filet seasoned with anchiote and charcoal-broiled in banana leaves served with the Perfect Margarita
Pico's Mex-Mex's famous Tres Leches served with Mango-Rita
For more information about any of these dinners, please call Ciro's Italian Grill at 713-467-9336, laidback manor at 713-227-0402 and Pico's Mex-Mex at 713-662-8383.
Dick Dace
The Epicurean Publicist and Marketer
Chef2Chef News Desk