Spirited Dinner

The cell phone lit up Wednesday night. One simple message. One invitation. One great venue. One great cause. One great five-​course dinner paired with five potentially fabulous cocktails. One wonderful reason to get all dolled up. By six o’clock the very next night I was ruffling up my puffy a-​la– sex-​and-​the city black mini skirt and annoying my downstairs neighbor with the incessant clicking of my very high heels. The Spirited Dinner sponsored by Northern Trust and on behalf of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for Performing Arts had just begun. Each table exquisitely decorated like your own very small English garden. Roses, and silk. Candles and crystals. Emily introduced herself. Friendly and knowledgeable about the benefit and the history of the conservatory and its importance for Tampa. Blue eyes filled with light and enthusiasm. The rum to be featured throughout the night was Twisted Sun. Ordered a «Cuba Libre» (rum and coke with lime) and, when I turned away from the bar, the amuse bouche were passed around. A charcuterie plate with savory slices of salchichón and blue cheese. A curried beef tartare on a sesame cracker. A scallop hidden in a pastry puff. A panko covered fried oyster decorated with caviar eggs and floating on its shell in a light sauce of Tabasco and citrus. Waiters attentively and encouragingly passed by and always stopped to offer. The fried oyster was so fresh and lightly breaded… I discreetly swayed many times in the direction of the server. It was a gastronomic waltz we were doing. I hope only he noticed.
The strangers at my table were the perfect companions. Within five minutes of seating, we managed to drown our candles with the water they were floating on and a handsome man spilled his first cocktail on the table and his tie. The ice between us officially broken and skated on. Ferrell Alvarez (Rooster and the Till) prepared Lamb Heart Tartare with green harissa, pistachio and radish. I was apprehensive. Heart? Lamb? Somehow I began to feel like Maleficent. Ignored the first impulse to deny myself the experience. The texture of the meat incredibly tender. Unsavory but to be eaten along the drops of various sauces. The grains of sea salt distinctively discovered. The drink was called «Bitter Blush.» A bittersweet pink cocktail created by Brenda Terry (Ciro’s Speakeasy.)
The second course was prepared by Chef Massimo Patano (Massimo’s). Kurobuta pork belly and a scallop glazed with Twisted Sun Rum over bean ragout. The scallop, a smell of the ocean. This plate was served along an «Italian Sun.» A cocktail confectioned by Brad Coburn (Pangea Lounge) and composed of Twisted Sun Rum, jack simple, garnished with pumpkin seed rub, fresh red pepper and lemon peel. A kind of classic Old Fashioned, but with rum. Smooth with a discreet kick. The rub kindly placed on only one side of the rim of the glass. A choice. A blessing, really, as I am allergic to pepper and my lips would have looked like Angelina Jolie’s, but in steroids. An instant kissing-​fish transformation unlike Cinderella’s.
The third course featured red miso coconut tea cured tuna, smoked pineapple crab salad, edamame, peanut purée, blood orange curry salt. A delicacy created by Marty Blitz (Mise en Place). What a beautiful plate. The drink was «War on Winter,» a libation of Twisted Sun Rum, pineapple juice, white coconut tea concentrate, Giffard orgeat and angostura. The fourth course belonged to Maestro’s. Hay smoked duck breast, savory goat cheese cake, rum braised figs, pea shoots and roasted golden beets. If my table mates and I had had our way, we would all have stood on our chairs and salute Chef Benito D’Azzo with a rendition of «Oh, Captain! My Captain!» This foodie madness was paired with Justin Gray’s (Anise Global Gastrobar). «And the Gander» was Twisted Sun Rum, cinnamon-​mango reduction, honey syrup, lemon juice and garnished with a puff of cinnamon. Lovely sweetness like a fruity kiss. The gastronomic hallucination ended with a carrot cake, goat cheese mousse, pineapple jelly, carrot –orange foam, brown sugar streusel, mint rum fluid gel. Look at the picture and behold an edible miracle. Evan Schmidt from Cena balanced all components and flavors. Autumn on a plate. The last drink perfectly named «Better Days» (by Scooby Oliver) an alcoholic version of a milkshake. Twisted Rum, coco lopez, carrot juice, orange juice, vanilla ice cream and grated nutmeg. It tasted like Christmas. The Spirited Dinner spoke about spirit and to the spirit. The name no longer about the spirit as in alcohol, though very present, but rather, the spirit of every talented chef and mixologist who poured his or her spirit into the event. Everyone left feeling satiated, a tad tipsy or a bit drunk… and in awe of the culinary holy.

Spirited Dinner is actually mean spirit drink pair with dinner. This is a very delightful even to attend. Many people wear a formal night wear and the ladies present themselves very beautifully. The hostess great us and point us to the assigned table. The pre-​dinner starts with an open bar and Hors-d’oeuvre. I am attending with my two favorite people Anna and Nick during the dinner extravaganza. I like Hors-d’oeuvre. When we see new item pass by, we are waving to direct to our direction. They have started with curry beef, Cheese ham bread plate, fried oyster, scallop dumpling. The appetizers are amazing. I like the fried oyster on the shell. The oyster is light batter and fried and top with larger egg caviar. Mm Mm Mm Good. The caviar pair on top of the oyster with lightly secret sauce has made this oyster one of the best that I ever taste. I was wondering which chef prepares this.
Since this dinner have five chefs prepared the meal and five mixologists prepared the pair cocktail is such a treat in one night. Many praise to the chefs and mixologists with a successful night. Many thanks to the organizer who gather name chefs into one place. And thanks to the men and women who serve us tonight with a wonderful job. It show the true color of the Bay Area restaurants that we are living in many wonderful restaurants and bars that many city may not have. It show the living in the bay area is vibrant and great.
The first course is the Rooster and The Till’s Lamb Heart Tartare serve with green harissa, pistachio and radish. The Tartare is mix well and balance. The green harissa take the edge off the tartare and make it very desirable to taste. It pair with Ciro’s Speakeasy J Bitter Blush cocktail — Twisted Sun Rum with house made pistachio, Orgeat, Fresh Lime Juice and Aperol. The rum with slightly sweetness balance with the twist of the lime juice made it the best drink of the night. This is the glass that I may go for more. The first course and drink are part of my favorite tonight.
The second course is the Massimo’s Twisted Sun Rum Glazed Kurobuta Pork Belly and Scallop top with bean ragout. The pork belly is glazed on the bottom make the meat part tough. The pork belly has three parts — skin, fat and meat. The chef needs to conquer all three parts to make it great. That why pork belly is difficult to prepared. I believe the meat part was not up to texture that needs to be for all three parts to be harmony. Some improvement can be made. This dish is pair with Pangea Lounge Italian Sun cocktail — Twisted Sun Rum, Jack Simple. It garnish with pumpkin seed rub, red pepper and lemon peel. The jack actually makes it strong for me. I am more into wine so I cannot comment on this drink. It is pretty much hate it or love it situation, no in between.
The third course is the Mise en Place’s Red Miso Coconut Tea Cured Tuna accompany with Smoked pineapple crab salad, Edamame Peanut Purée and Blood Orange Curry Salt. A cure meat with salt will make it too salty. I have to remove the salt on top and eat the cure tuna along. The tuna has it unique way to cure and it taste like chewy candy. This dish is pair with the Mandarin Hide War on Winter cocktail — Twisted Sun Rum, pineapple juice, white coconut, tea concentrate, giffard orgeat and angostura. I like this better than the second dish drink.
The fourth course is Maestro’s at the Straz’s Hay Smoke Duck Breast top over Goat Cheese Cake. It accompanies with rum braised figs, pea shoots, roasted golden beets. This is one of my favorite of the night. The duck is will smoke to medium that preserve the tenderness of the meat. This is very hard dish, a slight mistake will make the duck are too tough to eat. But tonight the chef has done a wonderful job to prepare this. This dish is pair with the Anise Global Gastrobar «And the Gander» cocktail — Twisted Sun Rum, cinnamon mango reduction, honey syrup, lemon juice, ground cinnamon. The drink matches the requirement of the dish and pairs it beautifully.
The last course is the CENA’s Carrot Cake with goat cheese mouse, pineapple jelly, carrot orange foam, brown sugar streusel, and mint rum fluid gel. A simple carrot cake is paired correctly with jelly and gel that make it perfect closing for the night. The surprise of this dish is the white chocolate slide make we like kid want the candy in their hand. This dish is pair with The Bricks’ «Better Days» cocktail — Twisted Sun Rum, coco lopez, carrot juice, orange juice, vanilla ice cream, and grated nutmeg. At this point I only take a sip for the fun of it. I like it but not the favorite.
The feature spirit tonight is the unique Twisted Sun Rum. It is a cool name. The rum is great mix with juice, lime, sweet, vanilla ice cream. I believe it may be good with chocolate.
Overall the experience tonight is great with the food and drink. I am enjoying the night with my main man Nick and accompany with Anna. Our table is certainly great and makes the most noise of the night. Great Party