Limoncello Martini

[Chef Metcalf]

Fried baby calamari is my first choice (Italian style beach food), but kitchen facilities won't accommodate it (fridge, bbq, microwave, induction burner) and squid supply stock could be iffy at best. Casual outdoor Italian themed dinner party.

Creative input is greatly appreciated.

[KatieLoeb]

Fritto Misto that includes some thinly sliced and fried battered lemon slices, thinly sliced eggplant, zucchini (and blossoms if possible), sardines, smelts, scampi and calamari.

Edited April 24, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[Chef Metcalf]

That was my first choice, but kitchen facilities won't really accomodate it. Think small space, with ^ mucho limited equipment.

[KatieLoeb]

Howzabout a white clam pizza?

[Maureen B. Fant]

Fried baby calamari is my first choice (Italian style beach food), but kitchen facilities won't accommodate it (fridge, bbq, microwave, induction burner) and squid supply stock could be iffy at best.  Casual outdoor Italian themed dinner party.

Creative input is greatly appreciated.

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I can't grasp the limoncello martini ... It's not usual to eat anything with limoncello, but I assume this is very different.

You could use the barbecue to make bruschetta and arrosticini (tiny skewers of just meat). Also spiedini di gamberi, shrimp skewers.

I may be being dense, but could you flesh out your request a bit? I do casual outdoor Italian dinner parties all summer long. Occasionally I've deep fried on a hotplate outdoors.

[hathor]

A nice selection of salty/fatty salumi to offset the sweetness of the martini. Or some fried vegetable chips that you can do ahead of time. It's hard to pair savory with the sweetness of limoncello.....

[hummingbirdkiss]

how about bagna càuda?

[KatieLoeb]

Perhaps a recipe for said Limoncello Martini would give all of us a better idea of what we're dealing with. I'm imagining something like chilled vodka up with a splash of limoncello, but I could be totally wrong. How sweet is it? How strong is it? All these things matter when pairing cuisine to match a cocktail. I've done several cocktails-paired-with-food dinners (clickety HERE to see one I did last summer), and while it's a little tougher than matching wine or beer, it is perfectly doable. But pairing a strong cocktail like a martini or manhattan is quite different than pairing a mimosa with food.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I am hoping it is not a sweet cocktail or nix my idea..thank you Katie for bringing that up ..I was thinking dry and a bit tart for the bagna càuda

it would not be good with a sweet cocktail that is for sture

[KatieLoeb]

Exactly. So we all need to get a clue what we're pairing with here. A better idea of the strength and flavor profile would be much appreciated.

[Kevin72]

Some kind of marinated olives would probably go well. What about olive tapenade-type crostini? Roasted peppers?

[pingy]

When a friend & I dined at Venice's Trattoria Alla Madonna, the owner insisted we try some of his limoncello & served us some grilled scampi drizzled in light olive oil & lemon juice. Simple and delicious....but man that limoncello had a kick to it.