Pip's Plate

What better way to celebrate a baby shower than with a summery, refreshing mocktail? If you want an alocholic version of this, just add vodka or rum and replace the elderflower syrup with St. Germaine or some other elderflower liqueur.

Virginique

makes: 1 mocktail

1 oz elderflower syrup

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

3 oz club soda

ice cubes

lime wheel for garnish

Directions

1. Mix together elderflower syrup, lime juice and club soda in a low ball glass. Add ice cubes and garnish with the lime wheel.

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a delicious cocktail? Seriously, give me a cocktail with vodka and citrus, and I’ll be happy.

This recipe is a take on the classic tequila cocktail Paloma. But I didn’t want or have tequila, so I used vodka. If you want to make this cocktail a little more foodie, use key limes.

Valoma

makes: 1

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz vodka

1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice (or key lime juice)

2 oz  sparkling grapefruit juice (such as Izze)

ice

salt for rim

lime wheel for garnish

Directions

1. Wipe a lime slice around the edge of a low ball glass. Dip rim in salt. Fill the low ball glass with ice.

2. Pour vodka and lime juice into a shaker and shake well with ice. Pour into glass. Top with sparkling grapefruit juice and garnish with a lime wheel.

I just remembered I never blogged about this delicious concoction me and a friend created back in June when we went whitewater rafting in Wisconsin.

Kosir Cocktail

1 1/2 oz vodka

1 1/2 oz pomegranate green tea (chilled or room temp)

1 1/2 oz lemon-lime flavored club soda (we like H2Oh)

lots of limes

Mix it up and enjoy on ice.

I finally made it to Brenda Langston’s new restaurant Spoon River. (I’m a big fan of Cafe Brenda- in my opinion they have some of the best fish preparations in Minneapolis.) Has it been open a year already? WHAT is my problem? Seriously.

Well, now that I’ve been, I will be going back regularly. It was most excellent!

My friend and I had the charcuterie plate with an extremely delicious duck and chicken liver pate….mmmmm. It definitely rivals Barbette’s pate. The salami was a little fatty for my taste, but the cheeses were quite good. I’m not very familiar with cheeses on a charcuterie plate, but hey- I won’t say no.

We ordered one of the nightly specials and one entree off the menu, and they were both great. I don’t eat meat very often- I typically do when I know where the meat comes from or eat at a restaurant where I know the owner takes particular care in selecting high quality, local, organic meat. And for some reason I must’ve been feeling really low on iron because the sound of the Steak special made my mouth start watering.

For good reason, too. The steak was incredible. It was cooked perfectly medium rare with a delicious sauce and incredible pureed potatoes.

The fish entree was also quite good- walleye with a cucumber jalapeno tartar sauce. I’m all about the sauces and both of these dishes were up to par for my taste.

Aside from the great food, we had a really nice bottle of wine with dinner- Hess Syrah. I’m familiar with some other Hess wines and for the price I think they’re quite good. I’d never had the syrah before, but it will be a regular purchase from the liquor store from now on.

One more thing about the cocktails- the basil vodka lemonade drink was incredible. It is the perfect summer beverage…I just wish we had been able to enjoy it on the patio.

The space of the restaurant is a little awkward, but I love the red walls and the tables and chairs. I also appreciate the service there. The staff is quite a crew!

Check it out if you haven’t. It’s an excellent Minneapolis restaurant.

Spoon River

750 S. 2nd St.

@ Chicago Ave. S.

Minneapolis, MN 55401

tel. 612 436 2236

This classic cocktail is light, fruity and crisp all at the same time. It’s perfect for starting a night of celebration.

1 sugar cube

bitters

champagne

lemon twist

Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute. Dash 5-7 drops of bitters on the sugar cube – just enough to soak the cube. Top off the glass with champagne and garnish with the lemon twist.