Fall is definitely in the air! And it’s starting to find its way into menus, too. Just like how the French love to shop seasonally, eating seasonally can be just as fun.
Nowhere in Denver makes me feel more elegant or classically chic than the Four Seasons — the men wear suits (which, trust me is hard to find in Denver), the ladies wear real leather shoes (au revoir, Ugg boots!), and the food is just as cross-continental as the guest list.
The Four Season’s EDGE Restaurant feeds the hotel bar at happy hour, too, so you can dine with Denver’s upper class on a coach budget. And trust me, dine you must!
At a recent Tweet-up, a few friends and I got to taste the new fall menu created by Executive Chef Meredith Manee, and I’ve got to say… it really tastes like fall.
The bourbon drink without bourbon.
I’m going to go ahead and call it right now: Dem Apples is my favorite cocktail of the season.
Now let’s get something straight — I am NOT a vodka girl. I am a whiskey and bourbon girl above all else. So when I found out this drink was full of Belvedere Citrus Vodka, canton, lemon juice, and apple cider, I was quite surprised.
The drink tastes like fall and it tastes like it could have bourbon in it. In fact, word at the bar was that they can make it with bourbon for you if you prefer. But I’ve got to say, the citrus vodka really works!
Elk goes Italian.
One of my favorite things about Denver is the amazing quality of game we have here. Buffalo, bison, and even elk grace more menus here than any other steakhouse in the country. But what Chef Manee does is integrate Elk into a rustic Italian appetizer in a way that makes you feel like she’s got a little old Italian grandmother slaving away in her kitchen (seriously, someone should call Immigration Services on that).
The Elk Sausage & Pepper Grilled Pizzetta with provolone, tomato and red onion warms you up inside and makes you feel like you’re spending Autumn in Tuscany.
The girly drink your man will love.
Okay, so Cranberry Fields Forever comes in a Champagne flute and is pretty girly looking, but it’s got a taste robust enough to make your man ask you for a second sip.
Cranberry juice, lemon-lime, Fever Tree ginger beer, and cherries soaked in orange liqueur give the drink a complexity you wouldn’t expect and the cherries keep it tart enough to satisfy a sugar-averse palette.
Shishito peppers.
As much as the cranberry cocktail is unexpectedly tart, these blistered shishito peppers with soy, sweet chili and sesame seeds are unexpectedly sweet.
Unlike jalapenos, shishito peppers are very mild and the sweet chili and soy sauce dressing gives them that sweet edge.
A cocktail fit for a mormon.
To celebrate The Book of Mormon, which returns to Denver October 22nd – November 24th at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, EDGE is offering a special Book of Mormon themed dinner for $60/ person (5:00-6:30 pm, reservations required) as well as a special cocktail to appear on the bar menu.
This cocktail isn’t part of the happy hour, but it is so special it’s worth trying this fall. Aptly named, “The Religious Experience,” the cocktail features Smirnoff Sorbet citrus vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lemon juice and Champagne.
Truffle fries.
Holy basket of cuteness! You just can’t help but adore the presentation on these guys, which remind us why the Belgians were NUTS to let Americans think these things were ever French.
But tant pis for the Belgians, I love some gourmet frites!
COMING SOON: the CRO-DOUGH
For those of you with a sweeter tooth, stop by EDGE this Friday to try the newest edition to the dessert menu. That’s right, EDGE is unleashing their take on the cro-nut and judging by the lines at yesterday’s charity tasting, these things are going to fly off the dessert cart.
What are your favorite snacks and drinks for fall? Do you crave a pumpkin cro-dough? Let me know in the comments!