Get any Sommelier liquored up enough, and they might admit to you a time honored secret- wine pairing is a myth. A myth that has made a lot of people very rich. So of course, no-one would ever admit that. Well we just did- oops. But in case you are still interested in acting like a wine connoisseur by all means.
Corksavvy.com came out with a cheat sheet for wine pairings, which is great since you can print it out wallet-sized or just put it down in your phone or organizer. Now, anyone can fake wine expertise. Personally, we’ll just stick to making bold, confident generalizations, and have everyone at the table agree with our suggestions.
There’s something about a man that knows how to cook that appeals to women. The ability for someone who is usually so stonefaced doing something as intimate as cooking is very impressive. Your guests will savor the dichotomy, right before they savor your dish.
Personally, we have tried several dishes of varying complexity and difficulty and have settled upon one that we feel will elevate your cooking above and beyond anything your guests have ever tasted.
It is a remarkably simple dish, but when your guests taste it, they will swear they’re in Little Italy.
For those that have never tried gnocci, it is a type of pasta made out of potato. Shaped like a dumpling, they have the consistency of play-doh and taste like fresh warm bread. It is remarkably different from any pasta you have tried and by itself will wow your guests. You can either make them yourself or just take the easy route like we did, and buy them pre-made at your local grocery store.
Potato Gnocci
This particular chicken pasta has a rich creamy taste with a zesty lemon chicken bite. It has a wealth of complexity in the flavors and tastes far better than it should.
Try it. We guarantee your guests will be begging for seconds.
1.) Combine the garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, and small chicken slices in a mixing bowl and let marinate for at least 2 hours. The longer the better.
2.) When the chicken has finished marinating, bring water to boil in a sauce pot. Drop in gnocchi. Reduce heat when it all floats.
2.) While waiting for the gnocci to cook: In a separate mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, the heavy cream and half the parmesean cheese together. Set aside
3.) Heat a Sauté pan on medium high. Add the extra virgin olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Saute the mixture until the onions are translucent- do not brown!
4.) Then add the marinated chicken slices into the same saute pan and cook until slices are brown on all sides and internal temperature is 165°F (When you slice the thickest piece open and it’s white the whole way through-no pink!)
5.) Reduce the heat on the chicken and vegetables and add the cheese sauce and bring to a simmer.
6.) Drain the gnocci and add to the chicken, vegtables and cheese sauce. Stir the entire plate together to coat the gnocci with the cheese sauce. Keep the pan on the heat until the sauce reaches the thickness of your liking- personally we like it pretty thick.
7.) Serve on a plate and sprinkle on the remaining parmesean cheese.
Light a candle and compliment with a cold glass of sparkling wine or champagne. This dish is pretty heavy so you’re going to need something light to wash it down.
And that’s it! Enjoy.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting.
-The Haute Spot
Oh and remember- Every guy should have a signature dish, even if it’s his only one.
Now that’s a name that will put some hair on your chest. This simple drink is easy to make, commands respect at the bar, and tastes a lot better than it should. Here’s the recipe:
Rusty Nail
Rusty Nail
Ice
1.5 oz. of Scotch Whisky
Splash of Drambuie
Lemon Twist (Optional)
Grab a heavy glass tumbler. The cup is important. It should fit your hand like a firm handshake. Men don’t drink from stemmed or footed glassware.
Add ice. If you have time, make large blocks of ice and chip to fit in your cup. The large ice cube will melt less than several cubes and won’t water down your drink.
Pour the whisky directly on the ice. This will super chill the whisky making it more refreshing and helping to eliminate the bite (pussy). Swirl several times to help lower the temperature even more.
Then splash the drambuie directly into your cup. Gently, now.The key here is to compliment the whisky, not overpower it.
Gulp down.
Then make yourself another one to sip and enjoy. The first will warm the soul and melt your stress away. The second you can use to savor and enjoy.
Also, leave the lemon twist out. There’s only one kind of twist a man should like, and that’s this one.
It seems like advertisers are recognizing a new era of masculine identity. Long gone is the mass appeal of shows like “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and instead have focused on the resurgence of rugged outback. America has traded in its idolizations from the boyish Spiderman, to the lumberjack Wolverine.
Paul Walker to Jason Stratham.
This subtle shift in culture over the past couple of years is being reflected in everyday culture, most notably how advertisers try and target the male demographic.
Old Spice has come out with commercials showing wimps turning into men
Mitchum Man has used a clever campaign littered with matching, borderline sexist, slogans like: “If they look real enough, you’re a Mitchum Man,” “If you still order your coffee Small, Medium, or Large, you’re a Mitchum Man,” “If your socks kind of match, you’re a Mitchum Man.”
Typical Mitchum Man Ad
One shift that has been particularly pronounced has been liquor commercials. Grey Goose commercials showing scantily clad women partying have been replaced by Ketel One commercials emphasizing male bonding. A girl dancing in a club for Beck’s, to the “Most Interesting Man in the World.” In fact, the majority of new commercials coming from liquor distributors have not featured women at all. They’ve centered around the relationships men have with their friends, their fathers, and their ego.
So without further ado the Top 5 Liquor commercials of this era:
5.)
A father-son relationship emblazoned. Can’t get better then that. We’ll excuse the poetry.
4.)
Although this commercial breaks the mold, and does have women in it, the focus is on being a gentlemen, and not being a pig. We like the simplicity, admiration, and the subtle plug for drinking responsibly. Very well done.
3.)
You really have to watch this one twice, because the jazz overpowers the message. “It took him 12 years to get the gig in this joint, and now he’s been headlining for 25″ We love the mentor, protege, relationship in this one. Truly phenomenal.
2.)
We have shivers down our spine.
1.)
A little predictable we know, and beer is technically not liquor, but you can’t deny the alarming success of this campaign. He exudes masculinity, and probably has never even heard of the term metrosexual. It captures the essence the advertisers were trying to employ perfectly. Blends the perfect amount of humor and message. It is for this reason, we consider “The Most Interesting Man in the World,” the top liquor commercial of this era.
Feel like we’re missing a commercial? Let us know, we’d love to keep this list updated.
I am really digging the aesthetics on these pitchers, Ona’s signature off center handle is both pretty original and very eye-catching. The line of vision just seems to naturally float to the handle. The pitchers themselves are made of hand blown crystal-clear glass with a thick cut and a polished rim. These would be great to use for an intimate dinner party, something to impress your friends and have them thinking . I would serve a big helping of some show-stopping cocktail, just to prove that I have taste and skill. The pitchers, being the great-looking glassware that they are, paint a fine portrait as a simple display. You could fill them with colored stones or potpourri and use them to heighten the mood in your home. I prefer to use these babies as the great modern take of the pitcher that they are. Keep in mind that they are glass and you should never pour a hot liquid. Glass is a great conductor of heat and trying to grip one of these filled with, let’s say, scalding hot coffe will only end in tragedy. They’re made in Turkey and are hand-wash only.
Change up the pace in your glassware and snag yourself one of these Ona Pitchers.
