The Carlton Restaurant

On behalf of our fine staff at The Carlton Restaurant and on behalf of my family and me,
I want to wish you a very happy, healthy and blessed New Year!

And, speaking of blessings, I’d also like to offer you this old Irish Blessing!

May all that you wish for be the least you get,
and may the best times you’ve ever had
be the worst you’ll ever see!
-an Old Irish Blessing

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve and there’s no better way to bring in the new year than with the classic tradition of cracking open a bottle of bubbly and celebrating.  IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts their thoughts on what a good sparkling wine alternative would be to toast the clock striking midnight (source: http://www.intowine.com/new-years-eve-champagne-recommendations-and-ideas):

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“Rosé Sparkling Wine/Cremant de Bourgogne Rosé. Start off the New Year with a new wine! Cremant de Bourgogne is methode Champenoise sparkling wine from Burgundy and a celebratory at that. The NV Parigot Rosé (approx $20-$25) is 100% Pinot Noir juice with a great summer sunset color and moderatly priced in the low twenties.” – Jamie Koren, Buyer/Sales, The Wine House, Los Angeles

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“Try an elegant, smaller production grower-producer Champagne rather than one from a larger, commercially run Champagne house. My recommendation is the 2000 Franck Bonville Brut Millesime Blanc de Blancs Champagne (Price range typically $30-$35). This Champagne is bright and clean with notes of green apple, white flowers and a hint of biscuit.” - Mulan Chan, Rhône and French Regional Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants

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“Roederer Estate N.V. (approx $35). A California sparkler that has loads of fruit and body. This is the one I recommend when someone asks what’s your favorite “reasonably priced” bubbly that’s widely available in stores. Score: 89/100.” – Natalie MacLean, author of the best selling book Red, White and Drunk All Over, offers a free e-newsletter at www.nataliemaclean.com.

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“Cava. My recommendation is the Colet Brut Cava ‘A Priori’ (approx $15). I love drinking Champagnes any day of the year. But as Terry Theise, the importer of most of the grower Champagnes that we sell, says, “happiness is being ticklish in more than one place.” My favorite place outside of Champagne to get tickled with bubbles is Spain, whose sparkling wine is called Cava. Colet’s ‘A Priori’ includes, besides the traditional Cava grapes Macabeo and Chardonnay, smidgeons of Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat, which gives the wine wonderful aromatic verve.” – Mark Middlebrook, Paul Marcus Wines, Oakland, California

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“Instead of mass-produced grocery store Champagne, why not try an estate-bottled beauty for even less money? My recommendation is the Ariston Carte Blanche Brut Champagne (Price range typically mid $20’s). Our best deal in bubbles? No doubt many on our staff would say yes! From the small commune of Brouillet in Champagne, the Ariston is made from 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier. A balanced cuvee in every way, this Champagne is clean and powerful at once. No bottle in our inventory transports me to Champagne like this one. It is as true to the terroir and as pure as anything I could wish for.” – Gary Westby, Champagne Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants

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“Prosecco. Specically, I would suggest Riondo Prosecco (approx $12). By the time midnight rolls around, most revelers have had plenty of libations so I suggest something softer and friendlier like Prosecco. This hugely popular Italian sparkler is all the rage because they have abundant fruit, softer carbonation and lively, crisp finishes.” – - Efrain Madrigal, Wine Director, Sam’s Wines & Spirits, Chicago, Highland Park and Downer’s Grove, Illinois

We hope you had a great Christmas!  One of my favorite things about Pittsburgh, is that no matter what time of year it is, there are always so many fun and unique events in and around the city.  Now that Christmas is over, here are som events to get you ready for News Year’s Eve and 2010!

1. DREAMGIRLS. You know you loved the movie, now see it on the stage at Heinz Hall starting Tuesday, December 29!  CATCH THE DREAM! Direct from the world famous Apollo Theatre in New York City, DREAMGIRLS tells the rags-to-riches story of a 1960s Motown girl group and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy Award® nominee Henry Krieger and book/lyrics by Tony® and Grammy®-winning Tom Eyen, DREAMGIRLS features the unforgettable hits “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” “One Night Only” and “Listen.” Broadway director/choreographer Robert Longbottom and co-choreographer Shane Sparks (TV’s So You Think You Can Dance), re-envision DREAMGIRLS so it sparkles like never before!  Join us at The Carlton beforehand for dinner and enjoy a free limo ride to the show!

2. Noon Year’s Eve Celebration. What better way to get the kids involved in New Year’s than with a NOON YEAR’S EVE Celebration at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium?! Ring in the New Year with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and Radio Disney. Come to the PPG Aquarium from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a Noon Years Eve Celebration of Time Square proportions. Count down to 12 o’clock noon with Radio Disney disc jockeys, make noise makers and party hats, enjoy live entertainment, and help count down for a special ball drop.  Also perfect for those of us have a hard time staying up until midnight (not me, of course!)

3. First Night Pittsburgh. Join your fellow Pittsburghers on New Year’s Eve throughout the Cultural District for Pittsburgh’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Enjoy the grand First Night parade, plus an eclectic showcase of live music, dance and entertainment. Kids young and old will delight in this festive evening. The celebration concludes with spectacular fireworks and the exciting First Night finale, The Future of Pittsburgh, Countdown to Midnight, courtesy of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.  If you need to warm up, visit us at the Carlton for a cocktail and/or meal!

4. Gateway Clipper New Year’s Eve Cruises. For a different kind of New Year’s, join the Gateway Clipper Fleet for one of three spectacular New Year’s Eve Cruises!  Enjoy live entertainment, food and beverage, and the beautiful view of Pittsburgh!

5. Make a New Year’s Resolution. What’s yours going to be for 2010?

From all of us at the Carlton Restaurant, we want to wish you and your family a very safe and merry Christmas this year!

Mulled wine, variations of which are popular around the world, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. Historically, wine often went bad. By adding spices and honey, it could be made drinkable again. Nowadays, it is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas.  Here’s a great recipe from allrecipes.com for a Hot Spiced Christmas Wine for you to try the next few days:

Ingredients

• 2 oranges
• 2 (750 milliliter) bottles red wine
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle white wine
• 1 (3 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 cup brandy (optional)

Directions

We hope everyone has a great holiday week! Relax, spend some time with family and loved ones and take in all of the Christmas spirit you can handle!  If that’s not enough for you, here are some more events going on around Pittsburgh this week.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey. It’s a great week for hockey!  The Penguins play twice at home this week – Tonight against the New Jersey Devils and Wednesday, December 23 against the Ottawa Senators.  Give yourself an early Christmas present and head over to the Mellon Arena to catch a game.  Stop by the Carlton for a pregame meal or drink.  If you’re not going to the game, come over to the Carlton and watch it with us in our lounge!

2. A Cool Yule. This is a fun activity for the family.  Tonight at the Frick Art and Historical Center families with kids of all ages can enjoy stories, interactive tours and holiday art-making.  Take away a hand-made ornament for your tree and a family photo in your own frame!  Call 412.371.0600 for more information.

3. Spend Time with The Family. It’s Christmas – get together with your relatives and enjoy some family time.

4. Harlem Globetrotters. Always a family favorite, the Harlem Globetrotters, the “Magicians of Basketball” return to the Mellon Arena Saturday, December 26. Make it an evening and visit us before the show for dinner!

5. Serious Comedy Show. There’s no better way to end the week than with a good laugh!  Modestly daring and poignantly ridiculous, The Serious Comedy Show takes sketch and improv comedy to new widths on Saturday, December 26 at Cabaret at Theater Square and Backstage Bar.

Well, it’s hard to believe but it’s the LAST weekend before Christmas.  For those of you that have everything done, maybe this is the weekend for you to sit back, relax and watch a few Christmas television specials.  However, if you’re one of the many that has yet to start shopping and plan on venturing into the “mall madness” this weekend, we wish you luck – lots of it! Here are just a few ideas for our last minute shoppers out there looking for something simple, inexpensive and don’t involve waiting in enormous lines:

Gift Certificates. Okay, I know sometimes it seems like gift certificates are an easy way out, but honestly, you’ll save so much time and stress by purchasing them and your loved ones will appreciate the extra so-called pocket money.  And, better yet, when you purchase them from Giant Eagle, you receive fuelperks!

Together Time. There are many great attractions around the Pittsburgh area, so grab some tickets to a show, sporting event or other special event and make it an evening.  Spending time together is a great gift for both you and them!  Something else to consider is purchasing a special hotel package that includes a massage, bottle of wine, dinner, etc. for the two of you to enjoy together.

Food. Whether it’s your famous dip or irresistible chocolate chip cookies, food is also a great option for a quick, last minute gift.  It shows them that you took time to make them something really special.  Try to personalize it as much as possible – add their favorite toppings, write their name in icing, etc.  It works every time!

Charitable Donations. Sometimes people really don’t need anything.  A great way to give back to the community and give them a meaningful gift is through charitable donations. Find something they are really passionate about and make a gift in their name.  If you and your group of friends can’t decide what to get each other, team up and make a donation to your favorite organization.

How much are you willing to spend on a bottle of wine?  Here’s an great list of the world’s most expensive wines from Forbes.com:

Most Expensive Regular sized Bottle: Chateau Lafite 1787 sold at Christie’s London in 1985 for $160,000. Bought for the Forbes Collection, this bottle of Lafite bears Thomas Jefferson’s initials etched into the glass, a practice not that unusual in the 18th century when large purchases were made directly from the Chateau.

Most Expensive Big Bottle: A Jeroboam (5 lovely liters) Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945–considered one of the great vintages of the 20th century–sold at Christie’s London in 1997 for $114,614. One of the great vintages of the 20th century was 1945, and although the buyer remains anonymous, if he decides to sample it, please know that I am available to help him evaluate its drinkability.

Most Expensive Fortified Wine: A 1775 Sherry from the Massandra collection, sold at Sotheby’s London in 2001 for $43,500.

Most Expensive Lot of Wine Sold at Auction: Situated 4 kilometers from Yalta in the Crimea, the Massandra winery was considered the finest in Czarist Russia. Its cellar contains over a million bottles of both Russian, some bearing the Imperial seal, and Western European wines, the oldest of which was this Sherry.

Most Expensive White Wine: A bottle of 1784 Chateau d’Yquem sold at Christie’s London in 1986 for $56,588. This bottle also bears Thomas Jefferson’s initials.

Most Expensive Dry White Wine: Seven bottles of Le Montrachet, DRC 1978 sold at Sotheby’s New York in 2001 for $167,500 or $23,929 per bottle.

Most Expensive Single Bottle of Red Burgundy: Romanée-Conti, DRC 1990 6 magnums at Zachy’s New York in 2002 for $69,600, or $5,800 per regular bottle.

Most Expensive Lot of Red Burgundy: Set of seven Methuselah’s (6 liters or eight bottles) of Romanée-Conti, DRC 1985 sold at Sotheby’s London in 1996 for $224,900.

Most Expensive American Wine: Three bottles of Screaming Eagle 1994 sold at Christie’s Los Angeles in 2000 for $11,500 or $3,833 per bottle.

Most Expensive Bottle of Wine Ever Broken: Chateau Margaux 1787 insured for $225,000.

Most Expensive Wine Ever Sold At a Charity Auction: Imperial of Screaming Eagle Cab 1992 sold at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000 for $500,000. Bought by Cisco Systems executive Chase Bailey, this is technically the highest price ever paid for a bottle of wine but as it was at a charity auction, much of the price must be discounted as a charitable contribution.

Source: Forbes.com.

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!

Today is officially our 25th Birthday and we want you to help us celebrate! All guests joining us for dinner today, 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!