CUISINE
to Hard Rock Cafe’s mixologists, no one’s cup or glass will be empty.
Look for two new specialty liquor- and whiskey-laced coffees - mugs o’
cheer - the Iced Caramel and an Irish Kiss, accented with spiced brown
sugar syrup. Santa’s been known to rock out with the Twist & Shout
Shake, a blend of Guinness, Crème de Cacao, ice cream crowned with
whipped cream, caramel and chocolate syrups, and bacon crumbles. All
are edgy and tasty concoctions, but I’m a traditionalist. I’ll toast with
the Pomegranate Prosecco – a glass of prosecco with pomegranate
seeds and a sprig of rosemary, a Hard Rock libation I consider a holiday
gift since it’s easily recreated at home.
Avant-garde Holiday Ham: For decades, the spiral-sliced, sugar-
encrusted honey ham ruled the buffet table. A wonder in its day, the
glazed ham has become a little ho-hum, causing foodies to crave and
search for throwback hams like Grandma use to bake - house-cured,
smoked and hand-sliced like hams produced by Dalie’s Smokehouse
chef and general manager, Craig Basler, who takes the old timely
favorite and dresses it with a bacon blanket. The blanket is a woven mat
of bacon placed over the ham before it’s baked, resulting in a bronzed,
crisp finish. Indeed, an avant-garde touch adding a subtle flavor without
becoming overpowering, which makes this holiday ham a merry
addition to the buffet table.
Christmas Cannoli: Cookie trays are getting a makeover this year,
thanks to the pastry chefs at Piccione Pastry who believe you “cannoli
resist” for so long the temptation to include cannoli on your Christmas
dessert trays - an Italian tradition that I recommend as a must-have
on the holiday table. My choice is a selection of the mini cannolis,
delightfully petite and available in a variety of flavors, including classic
vanilla, St. Louis gooey butter, and the seasonal, obligatory pumpkin
spice. All are sweet picks that can be packed into Piccione’s gingerbread
cottage gift box, a quaint presentation carrier designed to hold enough
sweet treats to gift Santa or the hostess setting this year’s holiday table.
Corbett is the author of “The Gilded Table,” “Pushcarts & Stalls: The
Soulard Market History Cookbooks” and “Unique Eats and Eateries of St.
Louis.” She can be contacted at [email protected].
Hard Rock Café's
Pomegranate
Prosecco
Polar Express Magical Dinner
at St. Louis Union Station
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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