Monday, November 2, 2009

Food Blogger Event: Holiday Menu Preview at the Four Seasons


I guess spending your personal time blogging does have some perks! Tonight I was invited to the Online Media Holiday Preview Event by the fabulous folks at the Four Seasons. Great food, and a great way to network with some of my fellow bloggers. I asked my friend and fellow blogger, Savor the Earth, to join me. After picking up our name tags, we were immediately greeted by a waiter with white (Alborino, I think) and red (Syrah) wines, always a good way to start a meal or party! Should have gotten the name of that Syrah, because it was tasty. And they serve them in these deep wine glasses, which had a great feel to them.

Trio
, the main restaurant at the hotel, prepared the foods, and it showcased what will be their holiday pick 3 for $39 during the month of December. I sampled: the winter squash salad, pheasant with mushroom jus, prime ribeye (with an incredible red wine sauce), wild salmon with criminis, and of course, the most fabulous pork belly bites. They were little crispy squares of divine pork, done with a coca cola rub, I believe I heard the Chef de Cuisine say, served on a bed of Napa cabbage, and the cranberries on top really brought out the succulent saltiness of the pork. Had seconds on those, but they were small! The dessert offerings were a chocolate-mint baked Alaska, and warm gingerbread cake with a divine nutmeg whipped cream. All the food was delicious, but the pork belly kicked butt!

We also got to sample some of the specialty cocktails their resident mixologist has created for the holidays. The Mistletoe Mojito, S'more the Merrier, and the Yule-thyme Martini. The martini apparently was vodka-based, not gin, but it smelled and tasted like a pine forest! So while it wasn't my first love, the s'mores drink was a sweet chocolate dessert drink, and the mojito with cranberry juice (for that holiday touch) went down way too easily.

The staff at the Four Seasons was incredibly welcoming and gracious, and I thank them for their hospitality!