Recipe of the Week

Vanilla Root Beer Honey Bourbon Turkey Glaze Recipe

By Chef Benjamin George with Caffe Moderne

2 cans root beer
1 cup Seagram's 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 tsp bitters
2 tbsp steak sauce (A1)
1 tsp hot sauce (Texas Petes or Franks Red Hot)

To make the glaze, place all the ingredients for the glaze in a 6-quart pot or larger, and cook over medium high heat. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, stirrng often to dissolve the sugar.  Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and allow it to reduce to a glaze consistency, about 25 to 30 minutes longer.  Remove the glaze from the stove and strain through a fine mesh strainer.  Reserve and keep warm, until ready to use.

Bourbon or Whiskey can add a distinctive flavor to both savory and sweet recipes without making you tipsy.  To check out more interesting recipes like these go to Cooking With Booze.

Holiday Drink Recipes with Segrams 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey

By Mixologist Nolan Corne with Sumo by Nambara

Naughty Santa Cocktail

1 oz Baileys Irish Creme
1 oz Seagrams 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur
Topped with rootbeer, shake vigorously, pour into a Holiday Tulip glass and top with a dash of cinnamon

Wishes & Kisses Martini

1 1/4 oz Seagrams 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
1/2 oz Strawberry Puree
splash sour
splash champagne
splash of simple syrup
Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled sugar-rimmed Martini glass.

Cin & Spice Cocktail

2 oz Seagrams 7 Crown Dark Honey Whiskey
1 oz  orange juice
1/2 oz cinnamon liquer
1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
Shake and pour into a tall Collins glass and garnish with a long cinnamon stick.

Click here for more traditional recipes made with Seagrams 7 Crown Dark Honey Bourbon

Empire Restaurant Week

Experience Great Wichita Dining during Empire Restaurant Week 

"Click on menu Thumbnails to View Details"  

"What are Prix Fixe Menus?"

Although prix fixe, commonly pronounced 'prefix', menus are common in Europe, they're still somewhat of a novelty to most Americans. A prix fixe menu is simply a collection of pre-determined items presented as a multi course meal at a set price. For instance, one evening, a restaurant may offer a prix fixe menu of escargot for the first course, beef bourguignon for the second course, a cheese platter for the third course, and crème brûlée for the dessert course. Most Parisian restaurants will actually offer two or three prix fixe options to diners. Unlike in American restaurants, diners are usually only provided with set dinner options on a paper menu. Prix fixe menus allow the restaurant to only focus on a small arrays of options which help keep cost down.  This style of service also has a large emphasis on highlighting fresh seasonal produce.

UPTOWN BISTRO : 301 N Mead St : Old Town Square : RSVP 316.262.3232  You will be astounded by the quality and value that you can get with Uptown Bistro's Prix Fixe Menu.  Featuring American cuisine with a creative French Mediterranean Bistro twist in a sophisticated casual atmosphere. With each course Chef Brian Managers creates an entree that harmoniously compliments the featured wines. This experience comes highly recommended.  For a limited time you can taste 3 6oz. glasses of wine for $12.  Not only are you getting great value but the wines offered are seriously delicious as well.
Sterling Vintner's Chardonnay, Central Coast, 2007
Bright, enticing aromas of tropical fruit, green apple and white flowers, followed by well-rounded flavors of melon, peach, and fig cupped by vanilla and spice and mouth-filling creaminess. 

Milbrandt Traditions Merlot, Washington State, 2006 

90pts & Best Buy Wine Enthusiast
It is deeply colored and ripe with plums, cherries, toasted oak and blackberries. Rich, ripe and generous, it is smooth, sleek and very approachable.
Angeline Pinot Noir, California, 2007
Ripe sweet cherry and strawberry aromas in the bouquet with vanilla and spice adding layers of complexity. Velvety fruit and plump round tannins fill your mouth leading to a smooth finish with a mysterious smoky flavor. 

OENO WINE BAR : 330 N Mead St Ste 100 : Old Town Square : RSVP 316.440.5000

Oeno is the premier wine bar of Wichita nestled in downtown's Oldtown Square. With low seating, comfortable suede leather couches and seats, low lights and diverse music in the background, Oenos provides a premium luxury feel in a modern envirnoment. Don't let the fact the Oenos only serves appertizers fool you.  Try their Prix Fixe menu and you will see for yourself how rich and deliciously filling the food fare is.  A 3 course dinner and 3 course wine pairing for $30 make this choice spot-on! 
Penfolds Koonunga Hills Chardonnay, Australia, 2007
90pts Wine News & 88pts Wine Spectator
Aromas of lifted citrus blossom and freshly crushed nectarine are surrounded by subtle spicy nougat oak. A vanilla and malt creaminess deepens the palate, and provides complexity. Subtle citrus like acid ensures a refreshing finish. 

Hayman & Hill Cabernet, Napa Valley, 2006 

"Best American Wines...Cabernet" Food & Wine Magazine
Big and Rich, this is a truly expressive Napa Cabernet. Rich chocolate with blueberry and raspberry notes, subtle hints of tobacco and leather and the classic dust & berry you find on the nose of most Napa Cabernets.
Rosenblum Cuvee Zinfandel, California 2006 

"Best American Wines...Zinfandel" Food & Wine Magazine 

Aromas of black cherry, blackberry and raspberry, as will as spice and vanilla overtones.  Medium-bodied and replete with acidity.

SABOR LATIN BAR & GRILL : 309 N Mead St : Old Town Square : RSVP 316.201.4880 or 720 N. Webb : The Waterfront : RSVP 316.927.2267
"Tango with your Taste Buds" is the theme for Sabor Latin Grill who features a unique blend of South American Cuisine that is rich in tradition and flavor. As soon as you enter you feel the vibrant beat of the culture and the energy of the restaurant.  Its no wonder why inspiration moves Chef Jason Febres to create such unique and exotic cuisine. With his Venezuelan intuition he naturally understands how to pair these hot upcoming wines. 
Callia Torrontes, Argentina, 2007
Bright yellow with greenish tints. On the nose, A delicate aroma with floral notes of roses and orange trees.  Exotic and well-balanced in the mouth; very fresh, with balanced acidity. 
Colores Del Sol Malbec, Argentina, 2006
Enticing aromas and robust flavors of dark cherry, juicy blackberry, and delicate rose petals. Sweet oak and mocha notes, with hints of smoke, glide over rounded tannins for a bold, full bodied wine. 
Voga Sparkling Pinot Grigio, Italy, 2007
A light golden color and fine perlage give way to aromas of white blossoms and ripe fruit.  It is very smooth in the mouth with yummy flavors and a citrusy finish.

Hyatt's Simi Wine Dinner

Harvest Kitchen & Bar Simi Wine Dinner
Friday, November 13th at 6:30
$60 Per Person
RSVP 316.613.6300


Harvest Kitchen and Bar at Hyatt Regency Wichita in downtown recently hosted their November wine dinner featuring Simi Winery. This was the second of a series of scheduled wine events. The 5 course dinner was prepared by Executive Chef, David Wirebaugh.


We featured these traditional wines from Simi Winery
2007 Simi Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Simi Russian River Chardonnay- 90pts Wine Enthusiast
2005 Simi Alexander Cabernet Sauvignon- 90pts Wine News
2006 Simi Sonoma Zinfandel

Harvest Kitchen & Bar was created by Chef David Wirebaugh's thoughts that Kansas has so much to offer with fresh products that we need to showcase them.  Chef enjoys visiting with the local farmers and vendors in the area about their fresh crops, harvesting methods, and how he can use their products in his dishes.  The Harvest Kitchen & Bar scouts the area for farmers producing raw products that express the caliber of quality in Kansas.  From local produce vendors from the Wichita Farmers Market to all the reaches of Kansas; The Harvest uses mushrooms, greens for salads, dairy for sauces, Amish butter, meats from Yoder and Creekstone farms.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events: 

Italian Wine Tasting & Tapas

Harvest Kitchen & Bar at Hyatt Regency Wichita
Thursday, Dec 10th at 6:30

Travel through Italy and experience the wonderful cuisine of the Mediterranean with freshly made tapas and old-world wine.
Guest Speaker Lance Loschen of Palm Bay Imports

$45 Person, RSVP 316.613.6300

Casa Lapostolle Wine Dinner

Harvest Kitchen & Bar at Hyatt Regency Wichita

Wednesday, Jan. 20th at 6:30

Explore Chile through savory and authentic cuisine and taste Casa Lapostolle's award winning wines.

$60 Person, RSVP 316.613.6300

Ferrari Carrano Valentines Wine Dinner

Harvest Kitchen & Bar at Hyatt Regency Wichita

Date and time soon to follow

Jim Beam's Small Batch Bourbon Dinner

Yia Yia's Small Batch Bourbon Dinner

Thursday, November 19th @ 6:30
Tickets are $65 Per Person.
Reservations please contact (316) 634-1000

Fred Noe, Jim Beam's Master Distiller & member of the Jim Beam Family, will entertain us with the "Art of Bourbon" and share stories of the Beam Family Tradition. Join us for a night of southern hospitality while we entertain you with great live bluegrass music and a 5 course dinner prepared by Yia Yia's very own executive chef, Jeremy Wade.

Fred Noe is a man filled with love for bourbon, and he shares it with everyone he meets. Filling his father's shoes was only natural. Booker taught Fred everything he knew about bourbon, making him well-suited to become distiller of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection®. Over the years, he has studied the craft closely, overseeing the production of Knob Creek® and the other Small Batch Bourbons. "I've learned the business pretty much top to bottom," he says. "From working at the plant and listening to my father, I know what it takes to make a good bourbon -- its part science, part art, and all pride. Every bottle we produce is a reflection of my family so I know it has to be perfect."

A small batch bourbon is made for the true connoisseur, every sip a testament to the work and love that has gone into each handcrafted bottle. Formed by the perfect blending of art and science, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden's, Booker's and Baker's Bourbons are each made from their own special, time-honored recipes - some dating back two centuries - providing distinctive aromas and tastes to tempt the most discriminating palate.

As the name suggests, the ultra-premium, small batch bourbons are made in limited quantities. Aged from six to nine years in new, charred American white oak barrels, each is characteristic of pre-Prohibition whiskey, with strong, rich flavors and aromas. A small batch bourbon is a complex balance of taste and flavor.

Update: Small Batch Bourbon Dinner at Yia Yias 

• You can preview photos below
•  If you would like larger photos for yourself click here 
• Please leave any comments here on this blog or Photobucket.com 
• If you would like your name added to the photo, please leave your name in the comments field under the specific photo at Photobucket.com and it will be updated.
• Thank you all again for coming.  Your support for these types of events help keep our community rich with culture and entertainment.
• Lastly, thank you to Skippy Sanchez for the beautiful pictures and Yia Yias for hosting this fabulous event.