The Carlton Restaurant

Here are The Carlton’s Quick Picks for the week of November 30.

Remember, you can always find more events on the Post-Gazette’s Event Calendar as well as the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Calendar.

These are just a few of our favorites!

1. Ice Skating at the Rink at PPG. The Rink at PPG opened last week during Light Up Night and it is a must for both those living in the city and those just coming to visit.  The Rink is open every day (hours vary) and it’s a great activity if you’re bringing the whole family, a few friends or, of course, a date!  Skate here once and I know you’ll be making it a weekly, or maybe even daily, habit!If you need to warm up after, stop by the Carlton for a warm cup of soup!
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2. Best of California Wine Dinner – Join us at The Carlton on Tuesday, December 1 for our Best of California Wine Dinner!  We’ll be welcoming Post-Gazette columnist Brian O’Neill as our special guest for the evening.  Click here to see the full menu or call us today to make your reservation!
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3. 65 Roses Sports Auction. Join Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel and some of his fellow Steelers on Thursday, December 3 at McFadden’s to raise funds to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Walk away with one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and meet some of Pittsburgh’s greats, including local celebrities Steve Blass, Greg Brown, Randy Bauman and the Pirate Parrot.
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4. Break with Santa. Take the kids to Macy’s Saturday morning, December 5 to have breakfast with Santa! This is a great way to get the family out to see the jolly guy in a different setting – over breakfast!  Breakfast starts at 10:00 a.m. To RSVP, call (800) 206-1995.
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5. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks. See two of the hottest teams in the NHL under one roof! Head over to the Mellon Arena on Saturday, December 5 to see our Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 p.m.  Stop at the Carlton for a pre-game drink or meal before you head over – we are only a few short blocks away from the Arena!  If you’re not going to the game, head over and watch it with us in the Lounge!  Remember, we have Happy Hour prices all day, everyday in the Lounge Area!

It’s that time of year again – time for company Holiday Parties.  If your company hasn’t planned yours yet, don’t worry, it’s not too late.  Contact us at 412.391.4152 to talk to our wonder Manager Bill Kunkel, who can help you with all of your planning needs!

The Carlton is the perfect venue for your private parties of 20-45 people or larger groups up to 120. We employ a team of polished and poised professionals eager to serve you! Their goal is “Winning One Customer at a Time”, and they are focused on providing superior service to each and every table. We pride ourselves in giving that extra effort to make your party special. We will design a menu with your tastes and budget in mind, offer you plenty of variety and guarantee you an evening that will create a great memory for years to come.

We are going to be celebrating our 25th Anniversary on December 10, 2009! All guests joining us for dinner on that day (The Carlton’s actual 25th birthday) will enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine, will be able to choose from several dinner selections priced at $25 and sample some of Pastry Chef Jeff Julin’s birthday cake for dessert!

Thank you for keeping us in business for 25 years!  We are overwhelmed and appreciative of your support.  It really seems like yesterday that we opened our doors.  Next summer we will remodel and prepare for the next 25 years!  As our architects are hard at work, we can promise that the look and cuisine of the “New Carlton” will be better than ever!

In the early 6th Century B.C., the Greeks were toasting to the health of their friend’s to assure them that the wine they were about to drink wasn’t poisoned.  In those days, spiking wine with poison was a common way to dispose of an enemy, silence competition, prevent a messy divorce, and so forth. It thus became a symbol of friendship for the host to pour wine from a common pitcher, drink it before his guests, and satisfied that it was a good experience, raise his glass to his friends to do likewise.

The practice of toasting was also popular with the Romans. The term “toast” comes from the Roman practice of dropping a piece of burnt bread into the wine. This was done to temper some of the bad wines the Romans sometimes had to drink. In time, the Latin tostus meaning roasted or parched, came to refer to the drink itself. In the 1700′s, party-goers even liked to toast to the health of people not present — usually celebrities and especially beautiful women. A women who became the object of many such toasts, came to be known as the “toast of the town.”

By the 1800′s, toasting was the proper thing to do. Charles Panati reported that a “British duke wrote in 1803 that ‘every glass during dinner had to be dedicated to someone,’ and that to refrain from toasting was considered ‘sottish and rude, as if no one present was worth drinking to.’ Oneway to effectively insult a dinner guest was to omit toasting him or her; it was, as the duke wrote, ‘a piece of direct contempt’.”

Source: http://www.intowine.com/wine-toasts.html

Here are The Carlton’s Quick Picks for the week of November 23.

Remember, you can always find more events on the Post-Gazette’s Event Calendar as well as the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Calendar.

These are just a few of our favorites!
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1. Behind the Scenes at FSN Pittsburgh. Participate in the audience of a live broadcast of FSN Pittsburgh’s popular cable TV show “Penguins Faceoff” on Monday November 24!  The A tour of the studio is included. For more information, contact Megan Kuniansky at 412.454.6436.
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2. Celebrate Thanksgiving. Thursday, November 26 is Thanksgiving.  Get cozy with friends, family and other loved ones for a special holiday celebration.
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3. Backyard Brawl. The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of PittsburghPanthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers.  The term refers to the close proximity of the two universities, separated by some 75 miles along Interstate 79.  This year’s Brawl is on Black Friday, November 27 in West Virginia.  This is a really fun sporting event, no matter which team you are rooting for!  Need a place to watch the game?  Stop by our lounge and enjoy happy our prices all day long.
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4. Celebrate the Season Parade. The 2009 Macy’s, WPXI Celebrate the Season Parade will march through downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 28 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Every year, thousands line the streets for the holiday parade that features the one and only Santa Claus, high school marching bands and colorful floats. The Parade route begins at Mellon Arena and continues down Fifth Avenue, turns left onto Wood Street, right onto Boulevard of the Allies ending at Stanwix Street. Stop by The Carlton Restaurant afterwards to warm up and grab some lunch!
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5. Star Wars in Concert. Here’s something a little different to check out – Star Wars in Concert on Sunday, November 29 at the Mellon Arena. Stunning visuals with a live symphony featuring music from John Williams’ epic Star War scores narrated by Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) plus exclusive exhibit. Click here for tickets.

Tonight is Light Up Night in Pittsburgh and it is one of my favorite nights in the city.  There’s so much going on, it’s almost impossible to see it all!

There’s  fun for the entire family including children’s activities, Macy’s holiday window unveiling, the lighting of the Highmark Unity Tree, ice skating, carriage rides, holiday displays and lights galore! Plus, hear live performances by Etta Cox and her Trio, the Stickers and No Bad Ju Ju in PPG Plaza. Then, join the “Highmark Light Up Night March” to the Light Up Night Bridge Party on the Roberto Clemente Bridge featuring Pittsburgh’s premier oldies show band, Johnny Angel and the Halos. The evening with close with a spectacular stage show to kick-off the Macy’s Fireworks Finale!

Check out the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership for a more detailed schedule of events. and make sure you stop in at the Carlton for dinner or a cocktail before heading out into the city to see this spectacular event!

I am proud to host a $250 fundraiser and upscale Wine Tasting event from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Monday, December 14 for Auditor General Jack Wagner as he begins his campaign for Democratic nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania.  My many years of involvement in the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association have put me in close contact with state and local public officials – giving me a unique perspective.  Jack is an honest public servant that is passionate about good government.  In my opinion, he is exactly the kind of person that we need to lead our state during these difficult times.  We will have over 40 wines available to sample accompanied by Chef Mark’s creations.  Please join us, spend some time with Jack and participate in the democratic process.  Perhaps you can help to elect a governor from western Pennsylvania!

Please join us on Tuesday, December 1 for a “Best of California” Wine Dinner with a very special twist.   Some of my favorite wines – including Talbott’s “Kali Hart” Chardonnay, Duckhorn’s Golden Eye Pinot Noir and Caymus Special Select Cabernet (rated 95) will be enjoyed around five outstanding courses!  The twist will be welcoming Post-Gazette columnist and “The Paris of Appalachia” author Brian O’Neill as our special host!  Brian’s literary talent is regularly on display on the second page of the Post Gazette.  His recent book has received much critical acclaim and is a must read for anyone that loves Pittsburgh or enjoys his prose!  All attendees will receive their own copy of the book (a $17 value) and more will be available to purchase for holiday gifts!

“BEST OF CALIFORNIA” WINE DINNER
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 – 6:30p.m.
With Brian O’Neill, Post-Gazette columnist &
Author of “THE PARIS OF APPALACHIA”

Culinary offerings by Mark Swomley
$109 per person excluding Tax & Gratuity

FORTRESS LAKE COUNTYSAUVIGNON BLANC’07

SHELLFISH COCKTAIL
Chilled Chardonnay poached Lobster, Shrimp and Sea Scallop
with Citrus Orzo Salad, Cranberry Cocktail Sauce and Lemon Zest

TALBOTT MONTEREY “KALI HART” CHARDONNAY’08

SEA BASS
Pan seared and served over Garlic-Herb Flatbread
with Balsamic tossed Arugula, Tomato Basil Butter and Crab Relish

TARRICA MONTEREY PINOT NOIR’07
DUCKHORN ANDERSON VALLEY “GOLDEN EYE”’06

VENISON LOIN
Oven roasted and served with a sweet Chorizo Corn Cake, whipped Acorn Squash,
cracked Pepper-Bourbon Glaze and crumbled Blue Cheese

BEAULIEU VINEYARD NAPA “TAPESTRY RESERVE”’05
KENDALL JACKSON “SPECIAL SELECT” CABERNET SAUVIGNON’05
CAYMUS NAPA “SPECIAL SELECT” CABERNET SAUVIGNON’05

FILET MIGNON
Served with creamy Fingerling Potatoes,
Veal stuffed Cremini Mushrooms, Rosemary Demi-Glace and fresh Thyme

EBERLE MUSCAT CANELLI’08

FRESH BERRY-BUTTER PECAN SHORTCAKE
Homemade Shortcake topped with fresh Berries, Butter Pecan Mousse and Triple Berry Syrup

A few Wine Flashbacks…

In the Middle Ages, the most innovative winemakers were monastic orders. The Cistercians and Benedictines were particularly apt winemakers, and they are said to have tasted the earth to discover how the soil changed from place to place.

Wineskins were a common way to transport wine in the ancient world. Animal skins (usually pig) were cleaned and tanned and turned inside out so that the hairy side was in contact with the wine.

The world’s oldest bottle of wine was found near the town of Speyer, Germany.  The bottle was discovered inside one of two Roman stone sarcophaguses that were dug up. The bottle dates from approximately 325 A.D. and was found in 1867.  About two-thirds of the contents are a thicker, hazy mixture. This is most probably olive oil, which the Romans commonly used to “float” atop wine to preserve it from oxidation. Their oil method of preservation was apparently effective enough to keep the wine from evaporation up to modern day. The bottle is on permanent display, along with other wine antiquities, at the Historisches Museum der Pfalz (History Museum of the Pfalz), worth a visit if traveling near the area of Speyer, Germany.

Sources: http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/08/21_wine.html & http://www.winepros.org/wine101/history.htm