Naptown Buzz

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Food & Drink

Holiday Cocktail: Pomchi Smash

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Pomchi Smash hi-res

  • 1-1/2 oz. Ron Abuelo Añejo rum
  • 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • 1 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 10 fresh Raspberries
  • 5 Mint Leaves
  • Dash Angostura Bitters
  • Ginger Ale

Muddle raspberry with the mint. Add the rest of the ingredients. Shake hard and strain into a highball glass and top with ginger ale. Garnish with raspberry and mint.

Holiday Cocktail: Hot Caramel Buttered Rum

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HotButteredRum

  • 3 oz Ron Abuelo Añejo rum
  • 1 oz Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka
  • 1/4 stick Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon Stick

Combine all ingredients (excluding rum and vodka) into a hot drinking cup or mug.  Mix together with a spoon then add Ron Abuelo Añejo and Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka.  Pour in hot water (1 cup or more to personal taste) and stir vigorously until the mixture has dissolved.  Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Holiday Cocktail: Candy Cane Lane

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Candy Cane Lane

  • 2-1/2 oz Van Gogh Blue Vodka
  • 1 oz White crème de menthe
  • 1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps
  • Cream
  • Splash of Grenadine
  • Peppermint candy for garnish

Add a dash of grenadine into the bottom of a chilled martini glass and set aside.  Pour the rest of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into the glass with grenadine to create a “swirl” effect.  Garnish with peppermint candy.

Lapostolle Residence’s Prunes Wrapped in Bacon

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You are well aware of our love of bacon here at Naptown Buzz. So when the Prunes Wrapped in Bacon recipe hit the news desk, you know they had my full attention.

Blending savory bacon with sweet prunes, Lapostolle Residence in Chile pairs Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (SRP $24.99) with Prunes Wrapped in Bacon to enhance its rich and smoky flavor, making it a perfect addition to any menu.

This holiday season, be sure to start your dinner party with Prunes Wrapped in Bacon and a glass of wine.  Your guests will enjoy it and thank you repeatedly for it.

Ingredients and Tools

  • 12 each strips of bacon, uncooked
  • 12 each prunes, dried and pitted
  • 12 each toothpicks

Directions

Lay six pieces of bacon onto a sheet pan or cutting board. Place one prune at the end of each strip. Roll the bacon around the prune, pulling gently to make sure the bacon fits tightly. Secure the pork with a toothpick. Repeat the steps to prepare the remaining six prunes. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat, and place the prunes into the pan. When the prunes are ready to be flipped, the bacon will release itself from the pan. Gently swirl the pan throughout the process, allowing the bacon fat to distribute evenly. When the bacon is golden on all sides, remove the prunes and place onto paper towels. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Courtesy of Lapostolle Residence

Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest

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Need a gift for that hard-to-buy-for relative or boss? How about one for a best friend who’s a foodie, or a colleague who loves to shop local? Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest is a new coffee table book that features vivid photography and personal stories from more than 80 Hoosiers involved in Indiana food. The book includes entrepreneurs such as Sun King Brewing Co.’s Clay Robinson and Goose the Market’s Chris Eley; chefs such as Duos’ Becky Hostetter and R Bistro’s Regina Mehallick; as well as producers and growers that supply them – including Greg Gunthorp and Dave Fischer.

The book retails for $24.95 and is sold at a variety of local stores including Homespun, Silver in the City, Indy Reads Books, Big Hat Books, Book Mama’s, and the new West Elm store at The Fashion Mall at Keystone. It is also available online at www.IndianaHarvest.com. All proceeds benefit Indiana Humanities, which creates engaging humanities programs for Hoosiers.

Over the next few weeks, several Indianapolis locations are hosting free book signings with author David Hoppe and photographer Kristin Hess. At the events, the books will be available for 20% off the cover price for $20.

Locations and times of the book talks and signings:

Thursday, Nov. 29 from 6 – 8 p.m.
Book signing at New Day Meadery (1102 Prospect Street, Indianapolis)

Saturday, Dec. 1 from Noon – 4 p.m.
Holiday Author Fair, Indiana History Center (450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis)

Friday, Dec. 7 from 4 – 7 p.m.
Holiday Harvest book signing at Sun King Brewing Co. with Duos (135 North College Avenue, Indianapolis)

Friday, Dec. 7 from 8 – 10 p.m.
First Friday book signing at Murphy Art Center with People for Urban Progress (Murphy Art Center, 1043 Virginia Avenue, Indianapolis)

Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Book signing at Goose the Market (2503 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis)

At Goose the Market, local producers, food advocates and chefs all featured in Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest will be available to sign autographs, dedications and talk one-on-one with guests about the challenges and successes of Indiana’s local food future. New Goose products just for the holidays will be available including special releases made from the goods grown and cooked up by people featured in the book.

“Through our Food for Thought program, we met an amazing group of people involved in Indiana food,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “We wanted to share their stories about making a living through food, how the creative, entrepreneurial passion drives people to take risks and introduce food-based innovations, and how Hoosiers’ efforts are working to solve food-based challenges across the street and around the globe. These are the stories we will be telling about through our book.”

Commissioned by Indiana Humanities, Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest features a broad spectrum of Hoosiers statewide, and is a legacy of the two-year award-winning program called Food for Thought. Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest was published by IBJ Publishing and printed by an Indiana company.

GIVEAWAY: Buddy Valastro Live: The Cake Boss

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Buddy Valastro, star of TLC’s “Cake Boss,” brings a special live holiday show the entire family will enjoy to the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30pm.  Tickets are on-sale at livenation.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, or at the Old National Centre box office. Reserved tickets are $47.50, $37.50 and $24.75 plus applicable service charges. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $85.00 which includes a post-show meet and greet, Cake Boss tour laminate, and special holiday surprise.

Sharing the holiday traditions and stories from his family at Carlo’s Bakery, Buddy presents an all-new show full of holiday spirit and jingle bell rock. Demonstrating the techniques that have made him the most famous cake artist in the country, Buddy will share behind-the-scenes stories from his hit TV show, answer audience questions, and will bring several lucky members of the audience up on stage for cupcake and cake decorating. Pack up your sleigh and head on down to the show, ‘cause Buddy is coming to town!

Enter to Win A Pair of Tickets

Would you like to go see Buddy Valastro Live: The Cake Boss for FREE courtesy of Live Nation?  If you would, we have a pair of tickets to give away!

To enter please submit the entry form below with your full name and valid email address by 10:59pm EDT on Thursday, November 22, 2012 and one (1) lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets.

Your information is confidential and will only be used for contacting the winner and for prize fulfillment purposes.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Giveaway Rules:

  • One entry per person
  • Open to Indiana residents
  • Fill out the form above with your full name & valid e-mail address to be entered to win by 10:59pm on  Thursday, November 22, 2012
  • You MUST be able to attend the show
  • Tickets MUST be picked up in downtown Indianapolis Monday through Friday between 10am & 4pm, Monday-Friday
  • The winner will be notified by Monday, November 26, 2012.

Brew Bracket V – AMBERS December 8, 2012

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Brew Bracket V – AMBERS at Indianapolis State Fairgrounds – Expo Hall
Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 12:30pm

Taste. Vote. Cheer.

Brew Bracket is back, with an event featuring the style of amber. 16 local Indiana brewers will bring their own interpretation of an Amber/Red style beer to the Brew Bracket tournament.

Your ticket purchase puts you in the judging seat. Over the afternoon, you will visit stations to blindly taste two beers at a time, voting for your favorite between the two. In total there will be 15 different stations making up the bracket. The majority vote of the crowd (400 participants) will advance one brewer through the tournament as the Brew Bracket champion.

At the end of the event we’ll present the results and reveal all the locations of the participating breweries. For more information visit http://www.brewbracket.com/about/

This event is 21+ only, no exceptions.

Tickets are $35.

Indianapolis State Fairgrounds – Expo Hall
1202 E. 38th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46032

Order Tickets

Culver Wine Fair on September 15, 2012

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Tip your glass to the first annual Culver Wine Fair and discover the beautiful town of Culver, Indiana, Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Sample many of Indiana’s finest wineries while relaxing to live music by Chad Van Herk and Kent Arnshbarger, and indulging in tasty appetizers.  Don’t forget to journey to many of Culver’s unique boutiques and dining, too!  Hosted by the Culver Chamber of Commerce.

Tickets are on sale now via  http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4145721966.  Pre-sale tickets are $15 via eventbrite and $20.00 on the day of the event.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/CulverWineFair.