The Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort has an easy solution. Their mixologists developed cocktails in honor of the Best Picture nominees, styled to complement the theme of the film.

The cocktails are very easy to make, leaving you all the time you need to focus on the Academy Awards.

It’s no surprise that the aqua-blue cocktail in the photo is for Avatar. But you won’t want to miss the Inglourious Jager Monster or the Hurt Locker Cherry Bomb, either.

• See all of the cocktail recipes.
• Or if you’re in the Chicago area, just hang out at the Indian Lakes Resort on Oscar night.

Find many more cocktail ideas in our Cocktails & Spirits Section.

Avatar fans can show their support with this
colorful cocktail. Photo by Ivan Mateev | IST.

It can walk the walk on the grocery shelf, but
can it “taste the taste?” Have a mineral water
tasting party to find out. Photo courtesy
Antipodes.

Have a mineral water tasting, comparing domestic and imported waters to your local tap water and club soda (with sparkling waters).

It can be a formal sit-down or a walk-around event, open or “blind”—where you mask the water bottles in wine bags so tasters aren’t biased and you reveal the results at the end.

Select up to 12 waters—perhaps six still and six sparkling—and a great time will be had by all. What should tasters look for? See our article, How To Evaluate Water.

• Find reviews of spring and mineral water and more articles about entertaining with waters, in our Bottled Water Section.
• Check out our Water Glossary.

Smoked fish we’ve had aplenty: black cod (sablefish), chub (carp), salmon, sturgeon, trout, whitefish. But our smoked shellfish experience has been limited to imported cans of smoked mussels and clams. We employed them in various hors d’oeuvres, dips and dishes and concluded that what we’d bought was the smoked shellfish equivalent of supermarket canned tuna.

Sullivan Harbor Farm does away with those memories, bringing an “I must have more!” allure to smoked shrimp and scallops (and also to smoked salmon). The smoked shrimp and smoked scallops add big personality to recipes, not to mention wowing the cocktail crowd as nibbles in various forms (dips, hors d’oeuvres, canapés or straight from the toothpick). If you love shrimp, scallops and smoked foods, you’ve got to try them!

The products are all natural: no preservatives, chemicals or colorings are used. Made in small batches using old world techniques—including outdoor smokers.

You’ll enjoy all the different ways you can use these smoked tidbits. For lunch we enjoyed them atop Al Dente Pasta’s garlic parsley fettuccine, tossed with some rosemary basil olive oil from Sonoma Farms and a bit of brown butter. Fresh parsley was a light offset to the smoky seafood. A gourmet feast in minutes!

Smoked shrimp and scallops combine into
easy, delicious recipes. Photo by Jerry Deutsch | THE NIBBLE.

• Find more of our favorite seafood products, plus recipes and informative articles, in our Gourmet Seafood Section.
• Check out our Seafood Glossary.
• Take our Smoked Salmon Trivia Quiz.

Love hops and malt? Get to know India Pale
Ale. Photo courtesy New Belgium Brewing.

This 6.5% ABV IPA has hops for days: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity). IPA lovers will relish the intense, dry hop flavor.

The ale is brewed with pale and dark caramel malts that harmonize with the hop flavor. Will you be singing after your first sip? Try some and find out!

Hoppy and malty are the cornerstone flavors of India Pale Ale, which was first brewed in 18th-century England as a heavier style beer that could make the long trip by boat to British troops and government officials in India. Though it’s not new on the scene, IPA is currently one of the hottest styles in American craft brewing (hence, the Beer Rangers’ plea).

Read more about the different styles of beer in our Beer Glossary.

To celebrate the launch, New Belgium Brewing held a beer pairing lunch with a menu by caterer Sarah Tomsic. The hoppy IPA was paired with:

• Haystack Mountain chèvre, a fresh goat cheese log rolled in Cascade hop dust*, chili caribe**, salt and black pepper
• Wasabi-citrus salmon: wild caught Sockeye salmon marinated in wasabi, fresh orange juice, and soy; dredged in panko and black sesame seeds, baked and drizzled with a citrus reduction
• Arugula salad with blood orange segments, spiced pepitas and honey-cinnamon vinaigrette
• Individual ginger carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting

So, grab some Ranger India Pale Ale and schedule a dinner party. Variations on all of the recipes above can be easily found in your favorite cookbooks or online.

* Pulverize hops into hop dust. If you can’t get your hands on hops, substitute fennel pollen.
**Chile caribe, is a concentrated chili powder.

EDITOR’S NOTE (MARCH 2020):

Flavors currently include Cheddar, Jalapeño, Original, Pizza, Sesame, and Sour Cream & Onion.
 
 
Forget buying cheese to go with your crackers. If you win this week’s Gourmet Giveaway, you’ll enjoy plenty of cheese in your crackers.

The Gourmet Wafer Crisps from Kitchen Table Bakers are made entirely of Parmesan cheese. There are eight varieties: Whether you love garlic, jalapeños, rosemary or Italian herbs, there’s a crisp calling your name.

The delicate, lacy baked cheese thins contain no wheat, gluten, trans fats or sugar, are rich in calcium and protein and are a sophisticated snack or ingredient for even the most discerning palates.

The cheese crisps are is known in Italy as a frico (FREE-co): a wafer made entirely of cheese and seasonings.

Want to know more? After entering the Giveaway, check out our review of Kitchen Table Bakers Parmesan Crisps.

• THE PRIZE: Five winners will receive Parmesan Crisps in each of the following flavors: Aged Parmesan, Everything, Flaxseed, Garlic, Rosemary and Sesame. It’s enough for a party (if you’re willing to share!). Approximate Retail Value is $36.00.
• To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway: Go to the box at the bottom of our Artisan Breads Section and enter your email address for the prize drawing.
• This contest closes on Monday, March 1st at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!
• Learn more about Kitchen Table Bakers at KitchenTableBakers.com.