Ahh… just back from exotic, UAE where my associate Keith Waldbauer and I conducted training for the Fairmont Art of Mixology Culture at the new and faboo Fairmont Abu Dhabi. Yes, it’s Vegas on steroids and the playground for the rich.
Me on the rhinestone couch in the lobby of the
Fairmont Abu Dhabi – Bling bling!
It was 3 weeks of hard, but fun, work. We set up and opened multiple bars – from Marco Pierre White’s new Steak House Restaruant to Frankie’s Italian Restaurant… to the beautiful Pool Bar and the Lucious Chocolate Gallery. (And I want to add that the staff and managers were AMAZING!)
Miss Kirsten and I after testing a LOT of chocolate cocktails that we shook up for the new Chocolate Gallery!
Needless to say we were up to our eyeballs in cocktails! Since, beer, wine and spirits are served only at hotels; you can imagine non-alcoholic drinks are also super popular.
The non-alcoholic drinks WERE amazing. The most popular, was the super simple, “why didn’t I think of that,” Minted Lemonade. This is not just mint in lemonade, this is lemonade, ice and fresh mint blended smooth and brilliant green. It’s the perfect refresher for the hot HOT heat. It’s tart, sweet, tangy, and refreshing! I’ve given a basic recipe below. Just be sure to use a decent lemonade with a good punch – none of this “watery lemonade,” …the kind masquerading as lemonade in the refrigerator section with a whole whopping 7% lemon juice! It’s important to use a good lemony lemonade.
Blend in a small slice of ginger for an even more intense refreshing kick.
What else did we eat and drink while in Abu Dhabi and Dubai? Only the best Indian food either of us has ever had in the Elements Restaurant at the Fairmont Abu Dhabi! Dal, also spelled dahl, dhal, or daal, tikkas and curries of a zillion variations. No matter how you spell it, they were all amazing. We also enjoyed delicious Lebanese food at Café Blanc a cool café at the Dubai mall. We sat outside one lovely warm evening and sampled so many great dishes I thought I would burst.
Favs: Fattoush salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, crisp flat bread with sumac and coriander, chicken livers in pomegranate molasses, and another amazing non alcoholic drink – served in layers of blended avocado, red dates, blended rose ….. 3 layers of sipping goodness – zowie!
Click here for a fun video I took and edited with my new Flip Video Camera, showing how they made the above three-layer drink!
And yes – I know you all want to know if I drank Camel Milk?
Of course and I made a cocktail out of it too!
Minted Lemonade
Makes 1 serving
3 large sprigs fresh mint
1 cup big flavored lemonade
1/2 – 3/4 cup ice
Garnish: fresh mint sprig
Tear mint and add to blender. Measure in lemonade and ice and blend on high till smooth. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with mint. Enjoy! © 2009 Kathy Casey Food Studio
