Forget about winter!

January is a great time to escape the cold and find some sunny stretch of sand to sip a cocktail. For patrons at Ingredients Cafe’s “South of the Border” dinner on Jan. 23, we had to do without the sun and sand, but the cocktails more than made up for their absence. A departure from the usual wine tasting, we were served six tropically inspired cocktails featuring rum, vodka and tequila. The night was an entertaining success. Each patron was greeted with a Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil. It is simply flavored with sugar water, lime juice and a special Brazilian rum made from sugar cane instead of molasses. Sparkling and clear, it was a lovely palate cleanser to start our meal.
On its heels came our first course: Blue Cornmeal-crusted Shrimp, smashed Avocado with Salsa Verde. The cornmeal lent a “comfort food” facet to the dish, which melded well with the tanginess of the salsa verde. Ingredients Mixologist Chris DuBay paired an orange-kissed Cabo Wabo Margarita with the shrimp. The drink added a citrus sass to the course. The homey taste of cornmeal returned in the second course, this time as large hominy grits in the Posole. The hominy looked like giant puffed rice and added an interesting chewiness to the spicy broth soup. The Mojito pairing went well with the food because the mint leaves had a licorice undertaste that increased the greenness of the soup’s cilantro. If one were to look at the cocktail pairing for the third course merely as a drink with dinner, it probably wouldn’t appear very appetizing. Who would order a Mexican Chocolate Martini before the dessert course? Wouldn’t a martini like that be the dessert course?	Resident Mixologist Chris DuBay explains his latest drink creation
I found this food and drink pairing to be the best out of all five, though they all paired well. The chocolate was not overwhelming and was given a smoky aftertaste when sipped after a bite of the Steamed Spicy Beef Tamale wrapped in a Corn Husk with Apricot Chocolate Molé Sauce. The fourth course was the decadence king: Lobster Enchiladas with a Smoky Pepper Puree, Queso Fresco and Pickled Red Onion. It was rich, salty, sour and sweet, all in turns. And again, there was the comforting flavor of cornmeal. The lovely White Sangria, made with Lake Sonoma Chardonnay, tequila and pears, was uplifting in its simplicity.	Spicy Beef Tamale wrapped in a Corn Husk with Apricot Chocolate Molé Sauce
The Sangria was flavored with Chardonnay and Pear	Lobster Enchiladas with a Smoky Pepper Puree, Queso Fresco and Pickled Red Onion
For the finale, we were given a tropical gift on a plate in the form of Lime Pound Cake with Mango Sorbet and a Mango, Papaya and Pineapple Salad. The tastes were so pure, it was like biting into the actual fruit. Accompanying it was a refreshing Coconut Milk Martini that held toasty hints of nutmeg. Judging by the sound level of the dining room, this drink changeup was well received by the diners. Maybe when the weather is hot, we’ll do another cocktail dinner and feature drinks that remind us of cooler climates. In the meantime, get ready for Mardi Gras with a Cajun inspired dinner at 6:30 pm on Fat Tuesday, February 20. Make your reservations now!	Lime Pound Cake with Mango Sorbet and a Mango, Papaya and Pineapple Salad