Photo courtesy of Torani.

Torani Raspberry Chocolate Kiss Martini

¼ cup vodka

½ oz Torani Red Raspberry Syrup + extra for garnish

¼ oz Torani Chocolate Milano Syrup

Fresh mint leaf for garnish, if desired

½ cup crushed chocolate chip cookies

Ice

Rim a martini glass with some Torani raspberry syrup and then dip into cookie crumbs.  Add rest of ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into martini glass.  Cheers!

Photo courtesy of Monin.

Monin Rose Valentine G&T

½ oz Monin Rose Syrup

1 3/4 oz gin

Tonic water

Fill glass with ice.  Add syrup and gin, and stir.  Top with tonic water and garnish with cucumber slices, lemon wheel and a rose.

Valentine’s Day Crush

2 oz cranberry juice

2 oz spiced rum

3 oz Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer

Fill a rocks glass with ice.  Combine cranberry juice and rum in glass, then top with ginger beer.

Photo courtesy of Sipp.

Sipp Posmo Berry Sparkler

2 oz organic vodka

4 oz organic pomegranate juice

1 oz fresh lime

½ oz organic agave nectar

1 oz Sipp Mojo Berry

Add ice, vodka, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and agave nectar to a shaker and shake vigorously.  Strain into glass with ice and top with Sipp.  Garnish with lime.

The post Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue. Celebrate Love With A Cocktail Or Two! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Planning ahead is imperative to owners wanting to capitalize on the couples who will dine in their restaurant.  Line up enough staff to handle the workload seamlessly, or at least make it look like a well-oiled machine—organized chaos, as some have called the waltz of the restaurant staff when they are “in the weeds.”  Plan for seating, as most diners will be coming in as parties of just two—and you will need to accommodate that without causing your wait list to explode.  Will your four-top tables split down into two?  If not, what other creative options may you have to modify your seating?  Plan your menu according to the rush you are sure to have and what your kitchen staff can handle.  Deborah Schneider, chef of Sol Cocina in Newport Beach, says that “a wise chef will offer their regular menu and add a few engaging Valentine’s specials.”  While this is a choice of many establishments, others opt for a complete menu shift, offering a fixed-price multiple-course meal to their diners in order to allow their kitchen to smoothly handle the craziness that accompanies a full and busy restaurant.  Some opt to keep their menu unchanged, but provide discounts to drive traffic through their doors.  Still others, especially in smaller neighborhood establishments, use the special day to encourage long-term loyalty by extending a la carte choices at a great price so patrons can sample multiple items, maybe discover new favorites, and ensure their return at a later date.  Other popular ideas include Valentine-themed items such pink cocktails, heart-shaped pasta, champagnes, or roses for sale on their premises.  There are even restaurants who will cater to the lovebirds who come to dine with their nest of children, offering deeply discounted kids’ meal prices or dessert favorites for the younger foodies.

Lastly, though Valentine’s Day is certainly a day that caters to sweethearts, many restaurant owners seize the opportunity to indulge the anti-amorous, with promotions designed to draw in those flying solo on this .  Special cocktail concoctions such as shots of “Love Stinks”—a mixture of grape vodka, raspberry liqueur, and cranberry juice—or “Love on the Rocks”—a creation of vodka, peach schnapps, orange and pomegranate juice over ice—are sure to help ease the pang of loneliness when one finds themselves dateless on the biggest date night of the year.

Opportunities abound for big sales for the Saturday night Valentine’s Day.  The key is to be sure to show the love—by being prepared for big business and by offering what your guests are looking for.  Plan carefully, and make sure that your every move reflects your appreciation of the portion of that $10 billion that gets thrown your way.  Your goal, after all, is a happy patron who will gladly return in the very near future.  How will you earn their loyalty?

The post Show the Love this Valentine’s Day appeared first on Houston's Blog.