HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - Chef Patrick Evans Hylton joins us with a classic champagne cocktail and strawberry whoopee pies!
CHEERS TO VIRGINIA [SPARKLING] WINE
A CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
We’re toasting the unofficial start of summer this upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
Champagne is always great to celebrate, but why not try a Classic Champagne Cocktail? It’s an official drink in the International Bartenders Association’s World Cocktail Competition.
Our Classic Champagne Cocktail is a nod to the revival of classic cocktails. We follow the lead set in 1862 from bartender savant Jerry Thomas who omits added liquors.
It’s elegant, and easy to make with just a few ingredients: champagne, sugar, and bitters. We use Virginia sparkling wine in our recipe, a selection from the Virginia Wine of the Month Club.
Here’s how you make it:
On a small plate, place a sugar cube and sprinkle with several splashes of Angostura Bitters, until the cube is doused. Place sugar cube in a champagne flute and slowly fill with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Optionally, add a splash of brandy or cognac after you add the sugar cube, but before you pour in the champagne.
Today’s sparkling wine comes from the Virginia Wine of the Month Club, www.VAWineClub.com
STRAWBERRY WHOOPEE PIES FOREVER
FRESH FLAVORS FROM CAFE STELLA
Strawberries are fresh and in season in Coastal Virginia. The delightful red fruit was first noted by English settlers here in 1607.
This month, Cafe Stella celebrates with a seasonal Strawberry Whoopie Pie. A Whoopie Pie is a sweet treat of creamy filling between two cake-like cookies
Associated with the Amish and New England, Virginia also claims to be the birthplace of the Whoopie Pie, perhaps because of German immigrants.
Cafe Stella’s Strawberry Whoopie Pies are $4.50 and available through May. Portion of sales benefit free programming from Virginia Eats + Drinks.
Today’s Strawberry Whoopee Pies come from Cafe Stella, www.CafeStellaRoasters.com
If you’d like our top Strawberry Tips + Tricks, email Patrick@VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com with “Strawberry Tips” as the subject.
FABULOUS FOOD FIND
OUR LOCAL PICKS FOR NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
It’s National Hamburger Month, like this classic American sandwich needs promotion.
Hamburgers are first credited to Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Conn. in 1900.
Here are our Five Fab Food Finds for top burgers du jour in Coastal Virginia:
- 80/20 Burger Bar (www.8020BurgerBar.com), Norfolk. Miss Thing: patty (beef, turkey, veggie, chicken or bison for an uncharge), pimento cheese spread, braised pork belly, and fried onions. Served with fries.
- Cobalt Grille (www.CobaltGrille.com), Virginia Beach. Cobalt Bleu: beef patty (beef, turkey, or portobello mushroom cap), smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, cajun spice, and gorgonzola cheese. Served with fries. Of note: Tuesday is Burger Night with discounted offerings.
- LeGrand Kitchen (www.LeGrandKitchen.com), Norfolk. Burger: double patty (beef or Beyond), griddled onion, pickled lettuce, jalapeno, American cheese, and roasted shallot mayonnaise, on aBig Marty bun.
- Monk’s Place (find on Facebook), Virginia Beach. Large Cheeseburger: beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise with sliced pickles on the side.
- Zoe’s Restaurant (www.ZoesVB.com), Virginia Beach. Zoës Famous 50 Dollar Japanese Wagyu Burger: Wagyu beef patty, bacon jam, black garlic ketchup, romaine lettuce, truffle onion crisps, and Red Dragon. Served with fries.
If you want to grill burgers on Memorial Day, we’ll have our best recipe on our website.
For more, www.VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com
FOR MORE VIRGINIA EATS + DRINKS
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