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Contests
The Center City District, which oversees the successful Wednesday-night Sips happy hour promotion, has been running this photo contest � submit a pic of you and your friends hanging at a Sips locale, and if R. Bradley Maule of Philly Skyline likes yours best, you win $200 in restaurant gift certificates.
Well, get ready to thank us, Brad, because we've just saved you a lot of time � Meal Ticket's got your winner right here.
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| CCD on Flickr |
This photo, submitted by Michael DiDomenico, is clearly the best of the bunch for the following reasons:
- It appears to be at Rouge, the Center City Sips-iest of all Center City Sips locations.
- Egregious boob grab on the left-hand side of the photo. Though there has been some debate here at CP HQ that this is simply an optical illusion, and the girl in red is not in fact groping the girl in the orange, the fact that it even appears that way in this submitted-for-public-consumption wins major points. Bonus points for orange's complete and utter compliance with being fondled by her friend, though it could just be that the shutter clicked mere nanoseconds before orange yelled at red and/or orange and red made out.
- They're drinking two different sizes of Fiji. Staying hydrated and looking goddamn rich while doing it � something every Center City Sipper should be striving toward. Get y'all water games right!
- That tiny standing dog is simply adorable.
- ARTHUR
- KADE
- CHUCKING
- A DEUCE
- IN A
- MOTHERFUCKING
- PINK
- SHIRT
Deadline for contest submissions is Sept. 14, but don't even bother trying unless you're gonna come harder than this.
'Bonus points for orangeâs complete and utter compliance with being fondled by her friend, though it could just be that the shutter clicked mere nanoseconds before orange yelled at red and/or orange and red made out.' absolutely brilliant work, DL.
What, no f-ing YAGER bombs??
These girls are 6.5s at the most, WTF Kade??
Shouldn't this be submitted to Hot Girls with Douchebags?
I only just now noticed the filename for the photo. Well played.
KADE out.
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| Courtsey of Art in the Age |
Fifteen of the city's most notorious tenders bar took their talents to the mat last night for the Art in the Age ROOT cocktail competition.� ROOT, developed by Stephen Grasse and covered by City Paper's Trey Popp back in June,� is a liquid imagining of the direction American spirits could have taken had they not had their roll halted by Prohibition.
A distinguished panel of judges, including Art Etchells of Foobooz, Victor Fiorillo of Philadelphia Magazine, noted sommelier and author Marnie Old and Southwark general manager George Costa, evaluated the competitor's offerings on taste, presentation and originality.
Oyster House head bartender Katie Loeb took the day, winning a $400 Art in the Age gift certificate with her "Dr. Hadley's ROOT Restorative"--� a blend of ROOT with Laird's Bonded Applejack, Benedictine, Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters and freshening mint leaves and lime juice.�� Read Katie's winning recipe below; every contestant's recipe appears� after the jump.
Katie Loeb (Oyster House)
"Dr. Hadley's ROOT Restorative"
.5 oz. Demerara simple syrup
6 large mint leaves
1.25 oz. Lairds Bonded (100 proof) Applejack
1.0 oz. ROOT Liqueur
.5 oz. Benedictine
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
2 dashes Fee Brother�s Aztec Chocolate bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish:� Mint sprig
Muddle mint in simple syrup.� Add ice and other ingredients.� Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass.� Top with a spanked mint sprig.
Anders Larson (700 Club)
"unknown"
1 oz ROOT
1 oz clear rum
1/2 oz lemon juice
Mint, lemongrass, lavender, ginger, smoked tea.
Mint garnish
Lauren Phillips (Alfa)
�Bamba Shack�
1 1/2 oz ROOT
1/2 oz spiced rum
1 oz Creme Coconut
Pineapple juice
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
Fresh nutmeg
Shake all ingredients and pour into a Hurricane glass. Top with a dash more fresh nutmeg and garnish with an umbrella.
Robert Cutler (Chris' Jazz Caf�)
"Rootbeer Barrel"
2 oz ROOT
2 oz brandy or cognac
Tablespoon of Chantilly Cream
Splash of Creme DE Cacao
Dash of Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Shavings
Wash glass with Creme de cacao. Add root, brandy, Chantilly, and vanilla extract to a shaker of ice. Shake vigorously. Strain contents into cocktail glass. Garnish with Chantilly rim and chocolate shavings.
Colin Shearn (Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company)
"Dr. Maloney's Restorative Elixir"
2 oz. ROOT
1 oz. Punt E Mes
.5 oz. Campari
5 dashes Vieux Carre
3 dashes orange bitters
stir/strain/coupe
orange twist
Adrian Cane (London Grill)
"Dr's Orders"
1.5� oz ROOT
2 oz Cuvee de Cordoz from Brooklyn
4 drops orange bitters
2 oz Dr Pepper
1/4 oz Vieux Carre Absinthe
Rachel Brind (Mary Oaks)
"Steeped in Mystery"
1 pt. ROOT
1 pt. Jacquin's creme de cacao
2 pts. Godiva white chocolate liqueur
2 pts. Earl Grey tea (cold)
grated fresh ginger
Chilled and served up in a cocoa-powder rimmed martini glass with John & Kira's Ginger and Bergamot dark chocolate truffles as garnishes.
Dave Marks (N. 3rd)
"Ginger Root Sling"
1 oz ROOT
1 oz Blue Coat Gin
1/2 oz Cherry Liqueur
2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 Lime
Spl Angostura Bitters
Spl Grenadine
Served on rocks in a goblet, garnished with a lime wedge.
Christian Gaal (Noble: An American Cookery)
"Pennsyltucky Smash"
1 oz. ROOT
1 oz. Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
shaken on crushed ice with 7-10 smacked mint leaves.� Serve in rocks glass, garnish with mint sprig
Andres Sanchez (Positano Coast)
�Black Mamba�
1 1/2 oz. Square One
1 oz. ROOT
1.5 oz. Black berry Boiron puree
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. Black plum pepper syrup
Garnish with lemon thyme
Stan Butovetskiy (PYT)
�R.Y.T�-(Rooty Young Thing)
2 oz. ROOT
1/4 oz. Van Stoli
1/2 oz. Cointreu
3/8 oz. Bailey's
Dash of bitters
3/8 oz. Simple Syrup
Lemon twist
Adam Kanter (Rum Bar)
�Root Mango Lassi�
1.5 oz ROOT
1 oz El Dorado rum cream
4 oz mango nectar
.5 oz cardamon syrup
Fresh nutmeg to garnish
Indhira Torres (Silk City)
�Fresa Frisa�
1 oz. Root
1 oz. St. Germain
splash fresh lemon
splash sugar
1 Strawberries muddled
1 Lychee muddled
Splash of club soda
On the Rocks
Doug Fitz (Snack Bar)
�Root 76�
1 1/2 oz. Jim Beam
1 oz. ROOT
1/2 oz. Chartreuse
teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 4 oz of the combined teas (a little more of the caramel than mint)
Stephen Siebert (Village Whiskey)
�The Home Team�
1 oz. ROOT
1 oz. Pikesville Rye infused with German carafa malt and goldings hops
1/2 oz. fair trade cane sugar simple syrup
2 oz. heavy cream
2 barspoons Los Dazantes Mezcal
Dash chocolate mole bitters
combine all and stir in crushed ice to chill. Garnish with licorice stick and microplaned nutmeg.
Distinguished?!?! Ha!!!
[...] in the Age, into five courses. Complementing the food will be five of the cocktails featured at the recent ROOT mix-off at Silk City. The dinner’s just $35 a head; check out the full menu, with drink pairings, after the [...]
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| Photo | Dominic Savini |
While Team Meal Ticket tries its very best not to pass out from swine-based overexertion at tonight's snout-to-tail pork dinner at M�m�, some of the city's best barkeeps � Christian Gaal of Noble, Katie Loeb of Oyster House, Doug Fitz of Snackbar and Andres Sanchez of Positano Coast, to name just a few � will be mixing drinks from 7 to 9 at Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) as part of a ROOT cocktail competition. What's ROOT? It's the whimsical 80-proof liquor Art in the Age just put out. Trey Popp had the full story on the stuff back in June:
Straight up, it smells like birch and vanilla beans suffused with gentle wisps of pipe smoke. An ice cube releases some of the spices, dominated by the allspice. Its off-dry sweetness makes it appealing as a shot, but I found that mixing it brought out its best qualities. Bourbon highlighted its affinity for tobacco. With rum and lime juice � a recipe from Paul Dellavigne of Southwark, who adds a dash of simple almond syrup � the warming spices took center stage, reminding me of the nutmeg-laced rum punches of Barbados. Dropped into a Guinness, ROOT undergoes some kind of alchemy that outstrips my descriptive powers, but I was almost embarrassed by how much I liked it.
Admission's free if you RSVP to info@artintheage.com.
Hey I missed the competition last night but I would love to know what everyone made. Will Meal Ticket be posting the complete list of cocktails?
Hey Poncho Meal Ticket missed the contest (cause we were mangling mad pork courses at Mémé's multi-chef Pig Dinner) but I know that Katie Loeb of Oyster House took the trophy. We'll check in with the organizers today and see about that cocktail list.
Back in May, we told you about the Vincent Giordano "Video Chef" Contest � basically, the deli meat purveyor's asked people to capture a "unique and delicious sandwich recipe" on video, with a $4,000 prize going to the winner. Here's an inspired entry from Philly dudes Brian Small and Jeremy Tamburello (of Birchtree Catering). Like all good YouTube videos, it features both corned beef and sock puppets.
The contest deadline has been extended to July 31 if you get in on the meaty action.
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| Photo | Drew Lazor |
SquareBurger, the Franklin Square sandwich/shake shack Stephen Starr rolled out on Monday, will do just fine without any more publicity from us. But Meal Ticket just couldn't resist dropping by the grand opening event earlier this morning. At the end of the day, it came down to a promised appearance by Benjamin Franklin impersonator Bill Robling.* Our most cherished Founding Father getting down on a cheeseburger and fries with our most cherished restaurateur? AMERICA!
We snapped this pic of that storied pair, along with Historic Philadelphia Inc. prez/CEO Amy Needle, chowing down on SquareBurger fare, but it looks so lonely with no caption. Here's where you come in � leave your best summation of what's going on in this photo in the comments. Keep it clean, jerks.
* This post originally credited the Franklin impersonator incorrectly. Apologies for the error.
Hey Franklin, you have any ideas what I should name my pizza place?
Hey Amy, do you know where Ben and I can score any Chima "2 for 1" coupons?
Is that really Ralph Archbold. Maybe he lost wt after his stroke/heat attack scare a month back. Where's his wife Betsy?
PCC: No, that's fill-in Ben impersonator Bill Robling. I screwed up the name originally, my bad.
A blonde, a brunette & a redhead walk up to a burger shack...
Ben Franklin: Why did you call it squareburger? it looks round to me. Starr: Shut up Franklin, it's not like you own the square
"This burger looks round to me. So do the french fry containers." "Yeah, the table's round too." "Wait a minute. So is the fountain."
Stephen to Ben "Yo Ben ya gonna eat those fries?"
Starr: This is not Benjamin Franklin, wtf? Needle: Of course not, sir Starr: No, I mean it's not the regular guy Robling: Hi sir, I'm Bill Robling. Ralph Archbold had a heart attack. Starr: STFU, I wasn't talking to you. Needle: Mr. Starr! Starr: Ah, f this. I'm out.
Well Bill Robling looks authentic too. I hope Archibold is ok.
Ben sits silently as Starr and Needle continue to bicker... Starr: That's quite a smart pant suit you have on. Needle: I'm not giving you any of my SquareFries Stephen.
Ben to Stephen Starr: Did you cook these burgers on a Franklin Stove?
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| manncenter.org |
| The view from the top of the lawn. |
Do you love to host parties with themes and costumes? Does planning a menu based on Star Wars or Mozart make your skin prickle? Then the Mann Center for the Performing Arts wants you to come out this summer and show them how you take your show on the road.
Three concert dates will host this year's picnic competitions. Costumes, props, culinary excellence and commitment to the theme of the evening all come into play, with "celebrity judges" making the rounds and noting the contenders. Here's your schedule:
- Tue., June 30: the program is Mozart and a Midsummer Night�s Dream, with the theme of �Animal Night.�
- Tue., July 21: the Philadelphia Orchestra will be performing Hollywood Classics Under the Stars: Star Wars and More and the theme is �Star Wars.�
- Tue., July 28:� the orchestra will perform Verdi and Rachmaninoff.� The theme for this evening�s competition is �Fall in Love Again.�
Register for each nights' competition at the PECO Plaza at the Mann from 6-7:15 p.m.; judging will take place from 7:15-7:45 p.m. Three winners for each night will be announced from the stage, with prizes to include tickets to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Please Touch Museum and The Franklin Institute, along with a set of designer picnic dishes courtesy of Mottahedeh.
Tickets range in price from $10 lawns to $50 in the lower pavilion, visit manncenter.org for more information and to purchase.
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| vgiordano.com |
You know how you're always talking about how you want to make a viral video starring deli meats you purchased at your local Acme? Well now you got yourself a chance to scam $4K out of it, too. Vincent Giordano brand meats wants "you and/or your family" to put together a clip featuring an original sandwich recipe. Here are the details:
Entrants are encouraged to use Vincent Giordano brand Premium or SteakHouse Roast Beef, Corned Beef or Pastrami from your local ACME deli counter.
Record a video of you and/or your family creating a unique and delicious sandwich recipe. Be clever, creative�be funny!
Upload your video by June 15, 2009.
Consumer prize: First prize is $4,000.00. Four honorable mention prizes of $100 Vincent Giordano Gift Certificate each are not transferable and are not redeemable for cash.
One of the stipulations is that the video "must be in good taste," which automatically eliminates Team Meal Ticket � we were planning to center our work around several pastrami-centric double entrendres. Dammit! Please let us know if you're planning on entering.
(h/t srcasm)
[...] in May, we told you about the Vincent Giordano “Video Chef” Contest â basically, the deli meat purveyor’s asked people to capture a “unique and delicious [...]
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| Milk stout shake? |
Warm weather inspires a real itch to do some damaging daytime drinking. Businesspersons' special Phillies games,� the smell of wafting barbecue smoke and the new lunch hours at Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant are all conspiring against your productive afternoons. Starting Monday, May 18, Dock Street will open at noon, serving their micros and pizza to daytime drinkers.
If sugar is your preferred buzz, why not enter the upcoming Dock Street Dessert Contest? The only rule is a hoppy one: your entry must include beer, preferably Dock Street, in the recipe. Bring your entry to the contest on Monday, June 1 and be judged by a panel of beer, and ostensibly, sugar experts: Dock Street head brewer Ben Potts, Grey Lodge Lodgemaster Mike "Scoats" Scotese, Left Hand Brewing rep Dan Conway, venerable beerhead Eddie Friedland of Origlio Beverage and Chef Peppino of the Restaurant School.
Where's the love for the ladies, Dock Street? We eat more desserts per pound than beer dudes, who are forced to save up calories for their beverage of choice.
Anyway, anyone can enter. First prize is a growler and fill of your choice and a shot at Dock Street putting your creation on the menu. If you yearn to win the top spot, email your pledge to participate to dockstreetrenata@gmail.com.
Dock Street Dessert Competition, Mon., June 1, 6-8 p.m., 701 S. 50th St. 215-726-2337, dockstreetbeer.com
[...] Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant has added weekday lunch to their hours starting yesterday. [Meal Ticket] [...]
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| Photo l Michael Persico |
| Pretty cheesy |
When first I heard about Open Chef-A-Me, the "kitchen meets karaoke" idea that Drew Lazor told you about in March, I immediately wanted in. What better way to prove one's cooking (and blogging) cred?
After a barrage of emails to Chef-A-Me co-founder Jesse Middleton, I got my wish. On Monday, May 18 at The Dark Horse, I'll be going head to head with Alyssa Shilliday, an aspiring restaurateur who's cooked at The Olive Garden, Iron Hill Brewery, Washington Square,� World Caf� Live and Cuba Libre. Each of us will make three courses to be served tasting style, and our guests will get to "play restaurant critic" and share their feedback on our dishes. Proceeds from the $35 tickets (City Paper readers get $5 off; snag the discount code after the jump) will be donated to a yet-to-be-determined charity. The price includes our carefully prepared eats, discounted booze, live entertainment and the chance to tell me what you really think.
With just a $400 budget to feed 80 people three courses (that's just $5 for all three plates), I'm counting on creativity, good technique and simple ingredients to get me through. When you can't rely on fancy foie or luxury lamb chops, you look to the masters. Alain Ducasse's recipe for goug�res � classic cheese puffs � is going to anchor one of my courses. These decadent bites are simple to make, provided you have a strong stirring arm and a wooden spoon. Any semi-hard, dry cheese (I used Gruy�re) works � or a combination of your favorites. The petite puffs are fun to eat and fun to say � try goo-jhair.
Recipes for elements of the other two courses are forthcoming � look for previews next Monday, and showtime on May 18.
Recipe for Alain Ducasses's Goug�res, as well as the code for $5 off our ticket price, after the jump.
Open Chef-A-Me featuring writer Felicia D'Ambrosio and cook Alyssa Shilliday, Mon., May 18, 6:30 p.m., The Dark Horse pub, 421 S.2nd St., $35; OpenChefAMe.com
Enter code 2009CP when you purchase your tickets at OpenChefAMe.com
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| Photo l Michael Persico |
| Dough, after incorporating 4 eggs |
Alain Ducasses's Goug�res from Food & Wine
Yields: About 28 puffs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- Large pinch of coarse salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruy�re cheese (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling
- Freshly ground pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape the dough into a bowl; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add the cheese and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat in a 350� oven until piping hot.
Notes
- When making the choux pastry, it is important to be sure that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next. Don't worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first. Keep beating, and it will come together nicely.
Good receipe i liked it!. I can't wait for backing those and let my guests to try them at the tea time hmm yamy yamy.
Examiner.com is hosting a poll for Best Beer City USA. Right now Portland is holding a commanding lead with 41 percent of the vote; Asheville, North Carolina is posting 25 percent, and we are way down at third with 11 percent.
Get out the vote, people! We can't let a bunch of kumbaya hippies and slacker West Coasters beat us at our own game. Besides, we have one thing Portland and Asheville can only dream about � Fergie.� Also, deodorant and a championship sports team.
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| Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
| Publican-about-town Fergie Carey, hosting Unibroue brewer Jerry Vietz |
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