It’s Emmy Weekend and if you want to feel like a nominee in front of your own TV, we’ve got the martini recipes the stars will be sipping from Ketel One Family Made Vodka, the official spirits partner of the Emmy® Awards Season. Helmed by Diageo Reserve mixologist Charles Joly, this year’s cast of cocktails pays homage to the classic vodka martini, the Cosmopolitan, and the Espresso Martini. The collection includes:

• The Foraged Martini – An elegant, herbaceous twist to the classic vodka martini featuring tarragon, thyme, and truffle.
• The Reboot Royale – The sexy Cosmopolitan gets an effervescent update with the addition of rosé sparkling wine and cranberry pearls.
• The Café Crimson – A playful riff on the  espresso martini with succulent notes of black cherry and ripe raspberry
  

  The Foraged Martini (Courtesy Ketel One)

The Foraged Martini

RECIPE 

2 oz Ketel One Family Made Vodka
½ oz dry vermouth
½ oz thyme and tarragon infused blanc vermouth*
5 drops peach bitters
3 drops green chartreuse

PREP 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir.
Once combined pour into chilled Nick & Nora glass.
Top cocktail with one drop of truffle oil.
*Thyme and tarragon infused blanc vermouth
Pour 750ml of blanc vermouth over 8 sprigs of fresh thyme and an equal size bunch of fresh tarragon.
Muddle gently and allow to macerate for 30 minutes.

Be careful to not over-infuse, as these herbs can quickly take over.

The Reboot Royale (Courtesy Ketel One)

The Reboot Royale

RECIPE 

1 ½ Ketel One Family Made Vodka
¾ oz calamansi vinegar-lemon juice blend (equal parts mix of calamansi vinegar and fresh lemon juice)
½ oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio sugar to water)
1 ½ oz rosé champagne

Garnish

½ oz cranberry pearls

PREP 

Shake ingredients gently with ice.

Pour into a small bowled white wine glass.

Top with rosé champagne and enjoy the cranberry pearls on the side or toss into the glass for more flavor.

The Café Crimson

RECIPE 

1 ½ Ketel One Vodka Family Made Vodka
1 ½ black cherry Kenyan cold brew*
½ oz unrefined coconut sugar syrup (1:1 ratio sugar to water)
¼ oz raspberry liqueur
15 drops saline solution (1:5 ratio salt to water)

The Cafe Crimson (Courtesy Ketel One)

Garnish

Salted-Vanilla Oat Milk*
Lemon Twist

PREP 

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well.

Strain the contents of the shaker into a chilled coupe glass.

Carefully layer salted-vanilla oat milk on top.

Express oils from lemon twist and place decoratively on the rim of the glass.

*Black cherry Kenyan cold brew

Chill 60g coarse ground coffee steeped in 500ml black cherry juice for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Strain and keep refrigerated.

*Salted-Vanilla Oat Milk

500ml Oat Milk, Full Fat (about 2 cups)
¾ tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp salt
Whisk oat milk, vanilla extract and salt together in a cold bowl until creamy.

A Cocktail Courier Emmy Awards martini kit is also an option and comes with a variety of garnish options for up to six people including  olives, vodka, vermouth and a pouch of Filthy Olive Brine for those who like things dirty. The limited-edition Ketel One x 73rd Emmy Awards Cocktail Kit is now available here.

The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards take place on Sunday, Sept 19. at 5 p.m. and air live on CBS.

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The Orange County Fair will open to limited capacity from Friday, July 16 through Sunday, August 15.

In addition to adorable baby pigs at Centennial Farm and more than 70 food vendors, entertainment is coming back to the fair’s Pacific Amphitheatre, in The Hangar, on community stages and throughout the fairgrounds.

On hand to keep fairgoers fed, food vendors include Australian Battered Potatoes, Chuckwagon Wild Hog BBQ, Dutchman’s Funnel Cake, Orange Julius and endless hot dog, burger, cotton candy and chicken options as well as Orange County’s own Dole Whip.

Watermelon Taco with Tajin and Dole Whip (Courtesy OC Fair)

New menu items for 2021 include Taco de Lengua and Taco de Tripa from Pepe’s Mariscos Fresh Mexican Seafood, a 50/50 Brownie Parfait featuring layers of Mom’s 50/50 Brownie and Bavarian cream, piled high whipped cream and mini chocolate chips from Mom’s Bakeshoppe and deep-fried Hot Dog Bites (choose spicy or regular from Pink’s Hot Dogs). Chicken Charlie’s will be offering their Waffle cone with buffalo chicken and mac & cheese as well as Chicken Lumpia topped with ice cream. For adventurers, there’s also Hot Cheeto ‘n’ Cheese Pickles, with fresh-brined, extra-thick crinkle-cut dill pickle chips topped with melted cheddar cheese and crunchy Flamin Hot Cheetos, which can be topped with sliced jalapeños upon request.

This year’s Toyota Summer Concert Series in the Pacific Amphitheatre opens with Brantley Gilbert on July 29 and features Rebelution, Cheap Trick with Blue Oyster Cult, Dwight Yoakam, X with Los Lobos, Cole Swindell and more. Comedian Jo Koy will close out the run of fair-time shows.

In The Hangar, this year’s lineup of tribute bands and more opens with Dead Man’s Party on July 16 and concerts include ABBA L.A., Elton – The Early Years – A Tribute to Elton John, No Duh/Red Not Chili Peppers, Queen Nation, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez and closes with Atomic Punks/Motley Inc. on Aug. 15.

And yes, the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs will be returning as well on a new track.

Hot Cheetos and Cheese Burger (Courtesy OC Fair)

Key things to know about the 2021 OC Fair

• A limited number of tickets are available each day
• Advance online ticket sales only – no transaction fees
• Tickets are good only for the date purchased; please choose dates carefully – no refunds
• Same-day fair admission is included with tickets to concerts during the fair
• OC Fair is not currently planning to increase capacity
• Ticket prices will not increase
• Sales are no longer restricted to California residents
• Masks are required indoors for unvaccinated guests

Tickets are $12 for weekday general admission (Wednesday, Thursday) and $14 for weekend general admission (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Admission for seniors (60+) and youth (ages 6-12) is $7 every day and children 5 and younger are free.

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Actress and wellness author Cameron Diaz has teamed up with fashionista Katherine Power of Who What Wear to launch Avaline, which features two light and clean wines perfect for outdoor sipping.

There’s a white made in Spain and a rosé from France. Both wines are vegan-friendly, made with organic grapes and free of additives. Avaline’s grapes are grown with low-to-no irrigation in certified-organic vineyards, which helps to ensure they’re not farmed with chemical pesticides. Both hold well in the fridge after opening thanks to the twist top, which has been used for generations in Europe.

Avaline White is a dry wine with a crisp, fresh finish and comes from Spain. It pairs perfectly cedar plank salmon right off the barbeque and is mild and mineral-driven with just an 11.5 percent ABV, making for a great mid-day spritz. Avaline Rosé has notes of melon and zest and comes from France. According to Diaz, it pairs well with the warmth of the sun and the company of your best friend.

“Avaline white and rosé are perfect for summer,” Diaz tells Irvine Weekly via email. “I don’t think there is anything more refreshing than an ice-cold – yes, I add ice to my wine –  dry white wine or a crushy rosé on a hot summer day. Avaline also pairs really well with my summer staple dishes – fish, chicken and salads. If you want something easy to drink that is made with organic grapes, this is the everyday wine for summer sipping.”

Watermelon Frose (Courtesy LVE Wines)

If you like your summer bubbly, try the Riverbench 2016 Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine. This vintage is full of deep rich tones of pear mixed with a hint of tangerine and orange zest. It’s clean and refreshing with a bright acidity. Known for their sparkling wines, Riverbench was established in 1973, when the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted along the bank of the Sisquoc River in Santa Maria, known as the Santa Maria Bench.

And while we’re on the subject of celebrity vintners, here’s a recipe from Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena using John Legend’s LVE rosé for a frosty frosé. They suggest making it the night before you’re planning to drink it so the flavors can marry. Another tip – simply freezing rosé makes it bitter and flat-tasting. A frosé recipe includes sugar to offset the bitterness (usually made as a simple syrup), and strawberries or some other fruit to add some color and additional flavor.

Watermelon Frosé

1 cup LVE rosé
½ cup frozen watermelon
½ cup frozen sliced strawberries
1 teaspoon of simple syrup
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust sweetness by adding more simple syrup as needed.

And if you need some recipes to pair with your pour, JUSTIN Wine is having a virtual tasting on Friday, August 7^th from 5-6 p.m. on the @JUSTINwine Instagram page featuring chef Rachel Haggstrom and founder Justin Baldwin. The tasting will go live from the JUSTIN Estate in Paso Robles where the two will share favorite recipes and wine pairings for a summer BBQ. The chef will prepare a dish live, while Baldwin tastes through three JUSTIN wines including the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Rose and 2016 JUSTIFICATION. For each wine featured, the tasting packs are made available for purchase here.

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Coming together for the very first time to celebrate restaurants throughout Southern California, Los Angeles and Orange County unite to launch Burger Week, which will be held from Sunday, July 12 through Sunday, July 18. Burger Week was created to encourage diners all throughout the Southland (Orange County, Los Angeles County, Long Beach and Pasadena) to celebrate and support SoCal restaurants while enjoying the almighty burger.

Burger Week will feature burgers from a long list of participating restaurants across Southern California including these Irvine hot-spots:

• Andrei’s Restaurant
• Daily Grill
• Falasophy
• Little Onion Mexican Restaurant
• Paul Martin’s American Grill
• Pokeworks

Diners will be able to explore a variety of burgers, ranging from classic to creative, featuring proteins including beef, chicken, turkey, mushroom, and plant-based options, on menus priced at $10, $15, $20, and luxe menus at $25. Restaurants will also be featuring special dine-in, takeout and delivery packages, along with specialty featured cocktails made with Maker’s Mark or Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey. The complete list of participants and other details can be found at BurgerWeek.com.

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Moving along into Phase 2 of California recovering from COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom released the Cal/OSHA statewide general guidelines for the reopening of dine-in restaurants at his daily news conference on May 12 and — coming from a restaurant background himself, he admitted — it’s going to be a challenge.

The three-page checklist includes five categories, ranging from a bevy of physical distancing guidelines to employee training.

Restaurants will be required to create a written worksite specific plan; one person will be responsible for training and communication with employees and employee representatives on the plan, as well as developing a process to investigate any cases of COVID-19, alert the local health department, and identify and isolate close workplace contacts of infected employees until they are tested.

Gov. Gavin Newsom

There must be employee training on COVID-19, individual control measures, and screening which include symptom screenings and temperature checks.

The checklist also updated cleaning and disinfecting protocols. Some examples include: providing time for workers to implement cleaning practices during shifts and consider third-party cleaning companies; installing hands-free devices if possible; considering upgrades to improve air filtration and ventilation; offering disposable or digital menus; and table settings (napkins, cutlery, glassware, etc.) and shared condiments for customers only as needed, or supplying single-serve containers and having customer pack their own leftovers.

Physical distancing guidelines will prioritize outdoor seating and curbside pickup, asking customers to wait in their cars away from the establishment and alerting them that their table is ready through their mobile phones while avoiding the use of buzzers. Measures should be implemented to physically separate workers and customers by at least six feet, whether by reconfiguring space or installing physical partitions or visual cues to indicate to where workers should stand.

Restaurants should also reconfigure, restrict or close common areas like employee break rooms, provide alternative where physical distancing can be practiced, and discourage employees from congregating in high traffic areas. Similarly, physical distancing should be maintained in kitchen areas where practical; if not, the state recommends staggering shifts if possible to do work ahead of time. Other guidelines include closing bar areas, screening guests for symptoms, limiting the number of patrons at a single table and mandatory face coverings for any employees who must be within six feet of customers. And bad news for sushi bars and other counters — diners must be seated six feet away from employee work and food and drink preparation areas.

“Having been in the industry and having both opened and closed restaurants, it’s one of the most challenging and competitive businesses out there,” the governor and former busboy said at Tuesday’s conference. “That industry is particularly challenging. The rents are high, the fixed costs are extraordinarily high. I’m not naive about any of this, it’s going to be very trying.”

California Restaurant Assn. President and CEO Jot Condie released the following statement in response to the guidelines:

“After nearly two months of closure, every restaurant owner in California is reaching a critical phase in their ability to survive. Each day that passes without opening increases the risk of permanent closure. Today’s announcement gives us more clarity on what reopening looks like. We are grateful to the governor for recognizing how important local agencies are to the reopening of restaurants in thousands of neighborhoods all over California. Other states have established arbitrary rules around restaurant capacity, but what’s important are safety measures and physical distancing. Our own recommendations, which were the result of a collaboration with health officials, also recognize that local health agencies are best positioned to make these determinations in their own regions.”

Because COVID-19 conditions differ in counties across the state from rural Northern California to a more dense Los Angeles, reopening dates are fluid.

“It’s great to have some guidelines so that we can begin planning for when we finally are allowed to open up,” Redbird and Vibiana chef and owner Neal Fraser tells Irvine Weekly. “In the meantime, we will continue serving our community through takeout and cooking for those that are most vulnerable.”

Here’s the complete list of guidelines.

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Before actress and comedian Aisha Tyler became one of America’s favorite talk show hosts on Talk Soup and co-host of The Talk,  the Dartmouth College graduate was a bartender at the since closed Peter Christian’s in Hanover, New Hampshire, while she was in college.

The San Francisco native never lost her knowledge or passion for the art of mixology and has just launched Courage+Stone, a line of ready to pour old fashioned and Manhattan cocktails, both 80 proof. No mixing, muddling or measuring, the craft cocktails can be delivered straight to your door, ordered from their website.

Together with partner David Kanbar, Tyler started out of the gate with an old fashioned and Manhattan, with 30 percent of the online profits benefiting the Bartender’s Guild to support the hospitality community during the  shutdown. Next up is a departure from the standard bourbon version — a bottled gin old fashioned and she’s sharing the recipe and tips exclusively with us.

“The original old fashioned cocktail didn’t actually have a specific spirit base,” Tyler, whose inspiration for the drink comes from Ryan Gosling’s sexy muddling of a cocktail in Crazy, Stupid Love, tells us. “It was a style of cocktail made with whatever was available — there was a brandy old fashioned and the whiskey old fashioned.”

Aisha Tyler with Courage + Stone (Robert Adam Mayer)

Gin Old Fashioned

• 2 ounces gin (go for a floral-style like The Botanist over a more juniper-forward gin)
• 1 ounce vermouth bianco (not dry)
• 3 bar spoons Giffard Pamplemousse (or similar pink grapefruit liqueur)
• 3 drops Angostura bitters

Pour 2 ounces of gin into mixing glass filled with ice. Add 1 ounce vermouth bianco (not dry white vermouth as typically added to a martini, or sweet red vermouth as typical to a Manhattan, but sweet white vermouth), 3 bar spoons (a scant teaspoon=a bar spoon) of grapefruit liqueur, and 3 drops Angostura bitters. Stir to chill and blend (don’t shake!) and pour into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

Tyler hosts weekly virtual happy hours on Tuesdays and Fridays at 5 PM PT on her @aishatyler Facebook and YouTube platforms. Each time she mixes a classic cocktail, she asks viewers to mix along at home and profiles a new charity, to which she donates and asks viewers to consider doing the same.

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From the start of the coronavirus crisis, San Bernardino County has had the least documented cases in Southern California, and in one of the first moves to open spaces to outdoor enthusiasts, Mt. Baldy is reopening the resort today for experienced skiers and snowboarders in a limited capacity.

According to its website, the all-season mountain resort is well designed to accommodate social distancing guidelines. In addition, they are implementing several policy changes that will help to ensure the safety and health of guests and staff.

Similar to how a golf course operates , Mt Baldy will check-in a maximum of four individuals at 10 minute intervals. One-day Alpine ticketed guests will have access to Lift #2 and #3 from that time until closing. In contrast to a golf course (150 acres), Mt Baldy Resort (800 acres) has more than four times the area and will be operating at less than 10 percent of occupancy under this plan. Lift tickets are $100, well above the regular price than runs in the $60 range.

Mask or face covering consistent with San Bernardino County health orders for COVID-19 must be worn at all times.

Only guests with reservations for the one-day Alpine Lift Ticket and Mt. Baldy season pass holders will be granted access within the resort boundaries. All visitors to the resort will be at greeted at their vehicle upon arrival to  lot. 1  Day Alpine lift ticket reservations will be checked in no earlier than their reservation time. Early visitors must queue up in  vehicles and sit tight until reservation time.

With proper identification,  season pass holders, scheduled staff or certified government agency personnel will be permitted on to the property. All others will be turned away. Pack a lunch, The Counterweight Cafe & Top of the Notch Restaurant will be closed until further notice. Sporadically refreshments may be available at the bottom of Lift #3 (Thunder Mountain) as the resort  continues to improve operations.

Mt. Baldy (Scott Glode)

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Known for its award-winning Greg Norman burger and famous CrazyShake milkshakes, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes opened its first California location in Downtown Disney to much fanfare over the weekend, with celebrity chef Gale Gand and High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens debuting an enhanced fast-casual service style that is a first for the global brand.

There’s an all new “Shake Window,” where guests can order CrazyShakes and classic milkshakes to go. The menu includes original flavors like Cotton Candy, Sweet n’ Salty, and Brooklyn Blackout, as well as Gand’s new signature Strawberry Shortcake Shake, a flavor available only at the Anaheim location. The concoction built for two starts as a strawberry shake with a vanilla frosted rim and crumbled cake topped with a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar, pink twisty pop, whipped cream, strawberry drizzle and a cherry on top.

“The inspiration came from the joy of running after the ice cream truck and stopping it in time to order a strawberry shortcake bar,” Gand tells Irvine Weekly during our personalized demonstration. “That’s what I try to keep in mind when designing creations for them, sharing memories and connecting through food.”

The Chicago-based pastry chef, who often worked side by side with Julia Child and is one of the many Black Tap consulting chefs, is currently developing a Disney-themed shake exclusive to the Anaheim location.

“We’re working through it at the moment,” says Gand. “The problem is there are so many characters now to choose from, the possibilities are limitless. It would have been a lot easier 40 years ago when it was just Mickey and Minnie.”

Burgers, shakes and wings at Black Tap Anaheim. Photo by Michele Stueven

The burger, shake and beer joint also boasts a full bar and offers a classic American luncheonette vibe. For the first time at the chain, orders are taken at the front counter and then delivered to the table. Diners can order additional menu items, drinks and milkshakes from servers once seated. The open shake workspace where the craziness is constructed doubles as entertainment while you wait.

In addition to the standard Black Tap craft burgers, including the All-American and the Greg Norman Burger made with wagyu beef, house buttermilk-dill, blue cheese and arugula, and Black Tap’s signature chicken items like the Baja Chicken Sandwich, spicy Korean BBQ wings toasted with sesame seed and scallion served with buttermilk-dill dressing are also featured. And for pescatarians like Hudgens, there’s a delicious vegan burger and quinoa bowl topped with avocado and pickled onions.

Founder Chris Barish brought on the talents of local street artist Jason Woodside for a custom wall design that adds a dramatic pop of geometric color against the black and white palette with blonde wood known to the brand.

“Being in Downtown Disney is great and it’s our most unique space,” Barish says of his enhanced fast casual concept over a bowl of deep fried pickles. “Our brand appeals to multi-generations. While there may be lots of kids here,  there are scores of adults of all ages too. It’s great to see grandchildren and grandparents sitting at the same table after a long day in the park.”

Black Tap Anaheim, 1540 S Disneyland Drive, Suite 101, Anaheim; (657) 276-2498, blacktapnyc.com

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SoCal craft brewmeister Ballast Point Brewing Company is the latest addition to Downtown Disney, opening its latest outpost and the first brewery at the Disneyland Resort last week. The 4,000-square-foot space includes a restaurant, airy bar, beer garden patio and brewery.

Courtesy of Michele Stueven

There are 50 beers on tap, including a long list of IPAs and crisp and bright selections such as the Longfin lager, a traditional German Helles that will transport you to Munich. There are six sours, including the delightful Tart Peach Kolsch and the award-winning Blackberry Sour Wench. If you like rich and malty, the robust Victory at Sea has coffee and vanilla notes and is one of the many brews Ballast Point corporate executive chef Colin MacLaggan uses in his elevated but very approachable pub fare.

Together with Downtown Disney sous chef Joey Lerma, MacLaggan developed an elevated bar food menu just for this location. About 10 percent of the menu is the same in all locations, while the rest is inspired by the taste of the region.

“Here we have a lot of vegetarian dishes,” Lerma tells Irvine Weekly. “There’s soyrizo and roasted cauliflower tacos, Impossible larb lettuce cups and a handmade vegetarian pasta dish unique to this location, with sweet potato and ricotta and wild mushrooms.”

Courtesy of Michele Stueven

And there’s plenty to keep carnivorous diners happy, too, like the smoky blue burger, glazed pork belly, California Kolsch steak burrito and duck confit nachos made with a Blackberry Sour Wench reduction. The Buffalo wing batter is made with the house Sculpin IPA, and MacLaggan loves using the Mocha Marlin Porter for his seasonal braising.

“We use a lot of beer in our preparation and change it seasonally,” MacLaggan says. “We use the Longfin beer in our beer-battered fish tacos and Victory at Sea for our dessert panna cotta.”

A classic beer pairing,  the house made pimento cheese is an picante American cousin to a good Bavarian Obatzda you’d find in a Munich beer garden, served with a local flare of  pickles and chicaronnes made in house.

“When I built Virginia out, I was introduced to the world of pimento cheese,” says MacLaggan. “When we developed our Disney menu, we also wanted to bring a little flavor of our other locations here.  Our clientele is from all over the United States, so it’s something familiar to guests from those regions to enjoy and make them feel at home.”

Courtesy of Michele Stueven

Ballast Point Brewing Company was founded by home brewers and college roommates Jack White and Pete A’Hearn in 1996 in San Diego, the epicenter of the California’s craft brewery phenomenon.  

The company started out with humble beginnings when White opened Home Brew Mart in San Diego for home brewing enthusiasts in 1992.  The shop became a meeting place where brewers could come together and learn about the craft, many of which  went on to found breweries of their own and helped launch the IPA community of Southern California.

The first micro distillery in San Diego County since prohibition, it’s become the second largest brewer in the county and 17th largest in the country since 2015 based on sales volume.

In addition to their main 107,000 square-foot brewery in Miramar, which also includes a laboratory, restaurant and tasting room, an East Coast brewery and tap room opened in Virginia’s Roanoke Valley in 2017.

Courtesy of Michele Stueven

The marriage between brewpub and Mouse House seemed a natural for the Ballast Point Brewing Company, which started in San Diego more than 20 years ago. With the addition of the Anaheim location, there are nine tasting rooms nationwide, including those in San Diego and Long Beach, Virginia and Chicago. A brewery and kitchen will open in San Francisco this spring, the company’s first in Northern California.

“I have to say that my favorite Disney memory is coming here with my daughter and her reaction to seeing all of the princesses,” Ben Dollard, president of Ballast Point, shared as he looked out from the brewery window onto the beer garden patio. “We are two magical businesses with a very positive outlook on the future coming together.”    

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