Citrus and Spice and Everything Nice Martini

We went to a new restaurant last night called Mulefoot Gastropub.  It is a Farm to Table restaurant that gets the majority of the items they use on their menu within a 30 mile radius of their kitchen. They specialize in Michigan Beers and Spirits.  They carry some Michigan wines but also have wines from other areas and countries.

This is right up my alley and I loved it.  Frank was not as enamored as I since they also use the nose to toes to tail ideal and that makes him shiver sometimes.  Being the good sport he is he goes to all of these kinds of places with me and never complains.  He first ordered a Crown Royal on the rocks. The server, who was very friendly and knowledgeable, advised that they had Michigan whiskey that would be used.  Frank is very particular about his whiskey, so it was with some trepidation that he tried his drink and.....he liked it.  The server told us it is Bill's Wheat Whiskey made here in New Holland, Michigan.  I had a cosmo made with a Michigan Vodka and it also was very good.

For our first course we shared the roasted garlic plate.  Several cloves of garlic roasted a caramel brown and served with potted chicken rilette, pickled garlic scapes and homemade toast on which to spread it all.  Delicious and I know what I am doing with my garlic scapes next Spring.

My entree was the chef's special featuring Mulefoot Hogs for which the restaurant is named.  It was Canneloni filled with braised Mulefoot head pieces and braised goat, served over a medley of seasonal. local vegetables. I loved it and was excited because I had been wanting to try goat.  It tastes like beef when it is braised like this. I enjoyed a Malbec from Chile with dinner.

Frank had housemade smoked kielbasa served with potato pierogi.  He found his kielbasa to be too lean making it very dry and not to his taste.  He did like the pierogi but they were served with a goat cheese sauce and he is not a huge goat cheese fan.  He was disappointed in his meal but enjoyed the California Cabernet he had with dinner.

For dessert, I had an apple danish served with bourbon ice cream and roasted figs.  YUM!!!  Frank had a Boston cooler made with ginger beer, bourbon ice cream and bourbon.  It was very gingery and again, he was disappointed.

It's okay though, Sunday we are going to the Polish Village Cafe for dinner after Dirty Dancing so Frank is happy AND he said that he will take me back to Mulefoot soon when he plans on trying the filet.

I pickled some onions earlier in the day today that I will be sharing with you on Tuesday for week 5 of our 12 weeks of Christmas #handcraftededibles.  This inspired Frank to create a new Martini, garnished with the onions.

Citrus and Spice and Everything Nice Martini

1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
2 1/2 oz. Citrus Vodka
1 t. liquid from cocktail onions
2 cocktail onions
1 lime twist

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add the liquids and shake until well chilled.  Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with cocktail onions and a lime twist.  Print Recipe