Easter dining specials and cocktail recipes

Easter is coming up on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Photo: Google/Czech Universities

Easter is coming up already on Sunday, so if you are looking for ideas on dining out, consider Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk. Planning on celebrating at home with family? How about some cocktail recipes? Here are some festive cocktail recipes from Gray Whale Gin, Cantera Negra Tequila and Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon, which, coincidentally, can also get you ready for National Brunch Month coming up in April.

At Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk, nestled along a picturesque residential stretch of the iconic Riverwalk, Landrace’s expert chefs are preparing a delightful Easter menu with a Southern twist. On March 31 at 11a.m. guests and locals alike can indulge in a variety of savory and sweet Easter specials. (Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk, 2024)

Here’s a glimpse of what Landrace has to offer:

Specialty Stations:

  • Pasta Station – featuring red sauce, truffle alfredo, chicken, shrimp, spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes
  • Omelet Station – offerings honey ham, bacon, spinach, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, and jalapeños

Platters & Chaffers featuring the following choices:

  • Breakfast pastries
  • Assorted fresh fruits and artisanal cheeses
  • Crispy pork belly
  • Homemade chorizo sausage
  • Tri-colored potato hash
  • Thick-sliced brioche French toast
  • Brisket benny topped with BBQ béarnaise sauce
  • Velvety & creamy mashed potatoes with cheese
  • Freshly baked rolls
  • Prosciutto quiche with truffle and lemon
  • Chopped romaine & radicchio salad with apples and Parmesan

Specials

  • Honey-glazed ham
  • Fire-roasted lamb
  • crème brûlée cascaron
  • Hummingbird cake with cream cheese icing
  • Chocolate orange torte

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Cocktail recipes: (courtesy photos, used with permission)

Cantera Negra Blood Orange Mimosa

  • Ingredients:
    • 1oz Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila
    • 1oz Aperol
    • 2oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
    • Champagne or sparkling wine
  • Instructions:
    • Shake all ingredients (minus champagne) and strain into highball glass over ice.
    • Slowly add champagne to fill.
    • Garnish with a blood orange wheel. 

Blackberry Negroni

A springtime twist on the classic negroni featuring in-season blackberries along with Campari and Cocchi Dopo Teatro. If Cocchi Dopo Teatro isn’t available, another sweet vermouth will do.

  • Ingredients:
    • 1.5 parts Gray Whale Gin
    • 1 part Campari
    • 0.75 part Cocchi Dopo Teatro
    • 6 Fresh Blackberries
  • Instructions:
    • In a cocktail glass, muddle four blackberries. In a mixing glass, combine Gray Whale Gin, Campari and Cocchi Dopo Teatro. Add ice and stir until chilled. Strain the mixture from the mixing glass into the glass with the muddled blackberries. Garnish with the remaining two blackberries.

Whiskey Crusta

  • Ingredients:
    • 1.5oz Bib & Tucker 6-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon.5oz 1883 Maison Routin Apple Syrup.25oz Luxardo Maraschino.25 lemon
    • 2 dashes Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters
  • Instructions:
    • Shake ingredients with ice & strain into glass with sugar crusted rim.
    • Garnish with long lemon peel.

New educational children’s books series launch

“The Martha Stone” Series: Important Life Lessons through Engaging Stories is one of two books in a new books series for children. Photo: Amazon

Do you have a young child in your life that’s having a birthday or special occasion and need a gift idea? Books make excellent gifts because they can be entertaining as well as educational. The following are two books in an outstanding new educational series for children.

In an exciting development for young readers and their families, Boutique Digital Press is thrilled to announce the release of two groundbreaking children’s book series aimed at combining fun storytelling with educational lessons and multilingual learning. This series launch features the delightful titles “Hello, My Name is Luke: What’s Your Name?” and “The Adventures of Martha Stone: I Ate Too Much Candy,” each serving as the spearhead for their respective series. (Rita A. Saikali, 2024)

Both series stand out not only for their engaging stories and characters but also for their commitment to educational development. “The Luke Series” breaks new ground by incorporating multilingual learning into its narrative, offering a unique opportunity for linguistic development from an early age. Meanwhile, “The Martha Stone Series” tackles universal themes of self-discipline, moderation, and the value of making right choices, themes crucial for the development of young children.

In addition to their entertaining narratives, both books come with interactive elements and questions that encourage children to think critically about the stories and apply the lessons learned in their own lives. These series represent a valuable resource for parents, guardians, and educators seeking to nurture well-rounded, multilingual, and thoughtful children.

“Hello, My Name is Luke: What’s Your Name?” and “The Adventures of Martha Stone: I Ate Too Much Candy” are now available for purchase. These books are perfect gifts for the young reader in your life, providing not just entertainment but also valuable lessons and language skills that will benefit them for years to come.

“My Name is Luke” Series: A Multilingual Journey for Toddlers
“Hello, My Name is Luke: What’s Your Name?” written by Rita A. Saikali, is the first book in “The Luke Series,” specifically designed for children ages 0-3. This innovative series introduces young minds to the fundamentals of Arabic, English, and Spanish through the charming story of Luke Luis Portillo, a young boy with Lebanese and Venezuelan heritage born in America. Through Luke’s engaging adventures, children are taught numbers, colors, and basic words across the three languages, fostering early multilingual awareness and appreciation in a fun, interactive manner.

“The Martha Stone” Series: Important Life Lessons through Engaging Stories
Simultaneously, “The Adventures of Martha Stone: I Ate Too Much Candy” also penned by Rita A. Saikali, marks the beginning of “The Martha Stone Series.” This series is crafted to teach children essential life lessons in a gentle and accessible way. Through the narrative of Martha Stone, a bright and curious girl with a sweet tooth, readers learn about the importance of moderation and the consequences of indulgence. The story is filled with vibrant illustrations, engaging dialogue, and thought-provoking questions designed to spark discussions between children and their caregivers about making wise choices.

“My Name is Luke” Series: A Multilingual Journey for Toddlers. Photo: Amazon