Trio's Holiday Menu 2009

The holidays are around the corner, and Trio at the Four Seasons in Austin has a special menu planned as you celebrate family, friends, and ringing in of the 2010.  Here's some photos from the media holiday preview event where my photographer and I were invited guests.  Their holiday menu is available Dec. 1-30 except Dec. 24th.  The prix fixe menu is $39 per person and includes a choice of appetizer, entree with sides, and dessert.  Appetizers include winter squash salad (fantastic), seafood souffle (full of sweet, succulent shrimp), pork belly (as if this needs a description).  Entrees include pheasant, wild salmon, and prime ribeye with maple roasted sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts as sides.  The desserts include warm gingerbread cake, chocolate-peppermint baked Alaska, and trio of sorbet.   Along with their holiday menu, Trio is also offering a holiday drink menu that is sure to please.  Recipes for the drinks are below.  The Smores the Merrier is highly recommended by yours truly.  Enjoy and do check out their other holiday events! 

Wild salmon with crimini mushrooms and lingonberries.

Winter Squash Salad with pine nuts, raisins, and farm cheese. 

This dessert is absolutely fantastic.  I ate two servings.  It's the chocolate-peppermint baked Alaska. It also comes with a candy mistletoe.  I put that thing to good use.


Warm Gingerbread cake with marzipan, tangerine gel, dried fruit puree, and vanilla bean whipped cream.  I have two words to describe this dessert.  Comfort dessert. 

Brandy Melt
1 cup                Coffee
½ shot                 Christian Bros. Brandy
½ shot                 Amaretto
½ shot                White Crème de Cacao
3 tbsp.                Whipped cream
Toasted almond slivers
Dark chocolate cacao beans

Directions: In a large coffee cup, mix coffee, brandy, amaretto and white crème de cacao. Top with fresh whipped cream and garnish with toasted almond slivers and dark chocolate cacao beans. Serve with homemade biscotti.

Flute Cocktail
½ shot                Midori
4 oz.                 Prosecco
3 ea.                Green grapes
3 ea.                Red grapes
Thin sliver of red apple

Directions: Mix Midori, green and red grapes and apple sliver in a champagne flute. Fill to the top with Prosecco.

Yule-Thyme Martini
2 shots                 Dripping Springs vodka, infused with fresh sage and thyme
1 dash                Oban Scotch
1 sm. slice        Smoked Maitake mushroom

Directions: Shake vodka and scotch over ice, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the Maitake mushroom slice.

Mistletoe Mojito
1 shot                 Mount Gay Rum
2-3 dashes         Simple syrup
2-3 dashes          Fresh lime juice
2-3 dashes         Cranberry juice
1 dash                Soda water
1 dash                Grenadine
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh cranberries

Directions: Muddle the mint leaves with simple syrup and lime juice. Add ice and rum, then top off with cranberry juice, soda water and grenadine. Garnish with a mint sprig and 3 fresh cranberries.

S'mores the Merrier
2 squares        Graham cracker, toasted with butter and cinnamon, crushed
2 tbsp.                 Marshmallow cream
1 shot                 Godiva Dark
1 shot                 Tuaca
1 dash                 Cream

Directions: Prepare a martini glass by rimming with toasted graham cracker crumbs and affixing a dollop of brûléed marshmallow crème to the inside. Shake last 3 ingredients over ice and strain into the martini glass. Garnish with a dark chocolate straw, if desired.