Whole Foods Market is having a Burger Brawl at the PGA store as a charity benefit in advance of the Super Bowl.

Four teams from the store’s departments – Meat, Seafood, Prepared Foods and Specialty Foods – will serve up slider-sized burgers to store visitors. The team who sells the most wins the challenge. Sliders are $2 or 4 for $8, and the money will be donated to the Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic Association.

The Burger Brawl is Saturday, Feb. 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Whole Foods Market in Downtown at the Gardens, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Dr., PalmBeach Gardens.

New England or New York Food Favs – You Choose

Chef Charlie Coe /photo courtesy Dine Magazine

Russell’s Blue Water Grill in Palm Beach Gardens is serving up the Battle of the Cuisines at the restaurant on Sunday during the bowl game. Diners can sup on foods from chef Charlie Coe’s fun ala carte menu representing each side of the playing field. Choices include New England or Manhattan clam chowder; a lobster roll or a Coney Island dog; fried Ipswich clams or Buffalo chicken wings; New England lobster-clam bake or “snowbird” pizza. Even the drinks are themed: the Cape Codder, or a Long Island Iced Tea. For beer lovers, pick Sam Adams Boston Lager or Brooklyn Brewery Lager.

Two TVs will be brought in for the game (pre-game begins at 6 p.m.)

The regular Blue Water Grill ala carte menu also is available. Russell’s Blue Water Grill is at 2450 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; phone 561-318-6344 for reservations.

Three course menu at Philippe Chow Boca

The dinner at Philippe Chow Boca Raton is billed as “Where tailgating meets table service and white tablecloths.” A three-course prix fixe menu is $39 during the game; there are complimentary rental and reservations in the private wine room, which features a giant flat-screen TV – it will be tuned in for bowl watchers.

Menu offered Sunday, Feb. 5. Philippe Chow Boca Raton is at 200 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; reservations at 561-393-4666.

Il Bacio Has Playboy Model and Buffet

The “Ultimate Superbowl Viewing Party” is in Delray is at Il Bacio Ultra Lounge, where Erica Chevillar will presumably be hanging with the boys. 100-inch game screens will display the other game, and the food is a $20 all-you-can-eat buffet. You can reserve sectioned-off VIP couches for the event.

Doors open at 4 p.m.; first-come, first-served for general admission. Il Bacio is at 29 S.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; for VIP reservations, call Steven at 561-376-3374.

Beer Extravaganza at Boca’s Biergarten

“You make the call” on unlimited beer and cocktails with a buffet at the Biergarten in Boca Raton during the Super Bowl. Prizes given away every quarter of the game and during half-time. Buy tickets for $50 a person. Larger parties (15 or more) should contact reservations@biergartenboca.com Three large projector screens are set up for the game. Event begins at 5 p.m.

The Biergarten is at 309 Via de Palmas, Boca Raton; call 561-395-7462.

World of Beer Has Free Food and Games

Glassware and beer towers are the giveaways, along with a chance to win 6-packs of beer every 15 minutes during the game at World of Beer on Clematis in West Palm Beach. Raffle tickets, $1 each, go the charity, Wheels for Kids, providing customized wheelchairs for kids in Palm Beach County. Get a free beer shot every time your team wins a touchdown if you’re wearing a jersey. Numerous TVs line the bars.

World of Beer is at 101 N. Clematis, West Palm Beach; 561-659-5827.

Fran Andrewlevich didn’t know what to expect or what he was getting into when he created the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival six years ago.

“I didn’t know if anyone would come,” he said. He doubted it even more when Abacoa’s permit office clerk had to be told what a craft beer was. “They had come into their own, but we were behind the curve down here with brewpubs and breweries,” the brewmaster of Brewzzi said. Andrewlevich had already won medals for his own craft beers at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado – the Mecca of beer-lovers.

When the crowds at the gate of the initial fest had to be quelled by police presence, and a few hundred turned away from sampling about 50 beers, the brewer decided craft beer had a footing in the area after all.

Saturday, the 2012 Craft Brewers Festival takes place at Abacoa next to the Roger Dean Stadium on Main Street. Andrewlevich has limited attendance to 3000, and created a family-friendly event Craftoberfest at the amphitheater next door to handle the kids and dogs and spillovers who can’t get in to the main event.

Friday night is the Field of Beers, the baseball-themed dine around held on the baseball field and in the dugouts with food and beer pairings. Chef John Carlino of ChefStart in Palm Beach Gardens teamed with Andrewlevich to match foods and brews. It’s sold out the day tickets are put out online.

There are still tickets available at the gate for those 18 and up. More than 150 beers will be on tap for sampling, many from Florida’s own brewers, like the Tequesta Brewing Co., or Cigar City Brewery from Tampa. Mead, pilsners, lagers, ales, IPAs and more are here for the tasting.

Tickets go quickly here – it’s still a popular event, with music, contests and more; food is sold separately. Get there early if you want a ticket.

To read more about it, see my story in this week’s Florida Weekly.

Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival

• When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
• Where: Held outdoors at Roger Dean Stadium, 4751 Main Street (Abacoa downtown), Jupiter.
• Cost: Tickets are $35 at the door (online tickets are sold out); fee covers all samples. Foods are sold separately. (Attendees must be 18 or over and have a photo ID for admission.)
• Craftoberfest, on the lawn at the amphitheater next door, is from 2-7 p.m.; admission is free. Beer and food are sold separately. Open to all ages; pets on a leash are welcome.
• For information: Email info@jupiterbrewfest.com, or go to the website, www.jupitercraftbrewersfestival.com

Consider the Apple Beignets and spicy Hot Chocolate he has in this month’s newsletter. He eats them on the weekends at home with his kids with warm apple cider, or he serves hot chocolate.

For your cocktail affairs, he offers the perfect holiday drink – a White Chocolate Peppermint Martini.

Here are his recipes.

Apple Beignets

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup finely chopped apple
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and egg; beat until batter is smooth. Fold in chopped apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot oil — about 350 degrees and at least 3 inches deep. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned.

Drain and dust with powdered sugar.

Hot Chocolate

• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup whipped heavy cream (or frothed milk from an espresso machine if lighter topping is desired)

Warm the milk with the sugar, extract, salt and spices until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate pieces until completely incorporated. Serve the hot chocolate in a small heatproof glass with the whipped cream on top.

White Chocolate Peppermint Martini

For 1 drink:

• 1 candy cane, crushed fine
• 2 ounces premium white chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce peppermint liqueur
• 3 ounces premium Vanilla Vodka
• Splash of cream (optional)
• For garnish: 1 candy cane (small)

Note: Do not chill glass for this martini.

Put an ounce of peppermint liqueur in a dish big enough that the martini rim will fit. Crush a candy cane and put in another dish that will also fit the glass rim. Coat the rim of the glass in the with peppermint liqueur and then dip it in the crushed candy cane.

Add all the other ingredients to a shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously for about a minute. Strain into your martini glass, hang the whole candy cane on the side of the glass.

And enjoy! You also can use different colored candied canes to change it up for parties. Let each person have a different color.

If the candy does not stick to the rim use some simple sugar or honey. (Note: Do not use any citrus!)

Xavier Herit and Daniel Boulud pair up for cocktails and cocktail foods at Cafe Boulud during the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival, Sunday. /photo courtesy Daniel Boulud

Xavier Herit, bartender at Daniel in New York, will make his first trip to Palm Beach this weekend, when he comes for the Cocktail Culture party at Cafe Boulud.

The party is part of the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival, and celebrates the launch of Boulud’s two-volume book, Cocktails and Amuse-Bouches: For Her & For Him.

During a phone chat from Daniel with Herit shared insight into cocktail making and gave us some tips.

He wasn’t comfortable talking about trends in the industry. “It’s different for me, working in a five-star restaurant. My clientele are high-end and expect the same level of service and quality at the bar as they do with Daniel’s food,” he said. They source rare and unique products for the bar, as they do in the restaurant. “We deal differently with our customers, in terms of products, from the mineral water to the coffee and the wines, as Daniel does with his cuisine, so we do the same at the bar with our cocktails and beverages.”

Still, the list has “something for everybody,” he said. You could get a mescal-based drink or one with whiskey at the core.

However, the most popular drink in the tony restaurant is the signature White Cosmopolitan, which he says has been on the menu for five years, since he came up with it. Though the bar menu, made of only a dozen or so drinks, changes with the seasons, that’s the one that stays.

“It’s a beautiful drink – we make an ice block with orchid flavors frozen in the ice.” Visuals are very important at this bar, he said. White cranberry juice and St. Germain liqueur, made from elderflowers, are key.

Tips for making great cocktails

His tips for making drinks are clear:

“Respect the measurements.” Don’t go rogue and pour at your whim. “A well made drink is all about balance – so too much bitters or fruit juice or alcohol make the drink unbalanced. Each ingredient is important – it’s like life. You need a little love, a little sadness – all in a balance.”

Change the shape of the ice. “You can fill balloons with water to fit the shape of the glass, then freeze them, and crack them open to have an ice ball.” It’s visually appealing and chills the drink without diluting it, as well. (Ice balls are all the rage among metro mixologists presently.)

Take care using citrus as a garnish. “Always remove the white pith from the citrus peel – it’s bitter and will affect the flavor of the drink.” Cut the peel in different shapes other than a twist for more visual effect.

Use flowers. “Flowers are one of the most appreciated garnishes.” Freeze them in a cube of ice or freeze petals. Again, it’s about the visuals.

Other tips and recipes from Xerit can be found in the book Cocktails for Her & For Him. Boulud and Herit will be signing copies of the book at the Palm Beach Food and Wine cocktail party, Cocktails and Culture, at Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach starting at 5 p.m. today. It’s $225 at the door and includes a copy of the book, and chats with Herit and Boulud.

For more about the festival and events, go to PBFWF.com.

Use Beaujolais or Zinfandel in this bright sangria. /Photo by Luca Trovato, Coastal Living Magazine. (Used by permission of Coastal Living.)

This gorgeous and cheery Cranberry Sangria recipe was in this month’s Coastal Living magazine.

It’s just right for welcoming guests without being too heavy, and its familiar flavors won’t scare them away. Chill a pitcher and have it set on a sideboard with some finger foods to keep curious guests out of the way of the cook while dinner preparations are ongoing.

Cranberry Sangria

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 bottle fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais or Zinfandel
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• For garnishes: fresh whole cranberries; orange, lemon and lime slices

Bring cranberries, sugar and water to a boil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 4 minutes or until cranberries pop. Pour mixture thorugh a strainer into a bowl; press out juices from berries with the back of a spoon. Discard solids; cool juice to room temperature.

Transfer cranberry mixture to a large pitcher. Stir in wine, brandy and orange juice. Chill 2 hours. Serve over ice, garnished wiht cranberries and fruit slices.

Makes 6 cups.

(Reprinted with permission of Coastal Living Magazine. Story from the November 2011 issue by Julia Rutland, photo by Luca Trovato.)

Grape Ghoulade

Just in time for spooky cocktails, here are three recipes from RA Sushi. They’ll be hosting a Boo Bash on Monday, Halloween, featuring some cocktails, having a guest DJ, etc. RA Sushi is in Palm Beach Gardens at Downtown at the Gardens, and in Pembroke Pines.

The Sangria sounds delish. Note the ghoulish garnishes – oooh.

Each recipe makes 1 drink.

Manic Mango

Manic Mango

Absolut Mango mixed with Bols Pumpkin Smash liquer, Mango Schnapps, orange juice and a splash of soda. Bright mango cocktail with an eerie sense of pumpkin spice.

• 1 oz Absolut Mango
• .5 oz Bols Pumpkin Smash liqueur
• .5 oz Mango Schnapps
• 1 oz orange juice
• .25 oz grenadine
• Top off with soda

Build ingredients in a tall glass and top with soda water. Garnish with one orange slice and one red-vine licorice, (cut the ends to form a straw).

Grape Ghoulade

Three Olives Grape Vodka, lychee Juice, Blue Curacao, cranberry and fresh lemon. So good it’ll pop your eyes out!

• 1.5 oz Three Olives Grape Vodka
• .5 oz lychee juice
• .25 oz Blue Curacao
• .25 oz cranberry juice
• Splash lemonade
• Squeeze lemon

Take a cocktail shaker and add ice. Pour all ingredients over ice. Shake the ingredients. Take a chilled martini glass and strain ingredients into the glass. Garnish with a lychee and a blueberry (placed on a cocktail pick).

Sinner's Sangria

Sinner Sangria

Red wine, mixed with fruit flavor, and a large dose of Satan’s elixir…sake!

• 3 oz Merlot
• 1.25 oz Sake
• .25 oz Raspberry Mathilde Liqueur
• .5 oz triple sec
• .5 oz Blackberry Brandy
• .5 oz simple syrup
• Splash of lemon-lime soda

Squeeze one lemon slice and one lime wedge in a cocktail shaker. Add all ingredients into shaker and top with ice. Shake then pour into a tall glass and garnish with an orange slice, two gummy worms and a straw.

By Jim Hayward, guest columnist

Hayward

A craft cocktail movement is shaking up the bar and restaurant scenes in cities such as New York, San Francisco and Portland, Ore. Fresh and local ingredients, in-house mixes and syrups, and flamboyantly garnished concoctions are taking center stage.

Sadly, that scene is hit and miss in South Florida. But wait: Cocktails that meet all those criteria – and more – have been perfected and lovingly served for 55 years at the family owned and operated Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.

Unfairly dismissed as a tourist trap by some, this iconic Polynesian palace is widely considered to have perhaps the best tropical drink menu anywhere in the world, surpassing even the trendiest new tiki lounges in London and L.A.

Mai-Kai a research haven

Mixologists from all of the aforementioned cities make pilgrimages to the Mai-Kai to taste cocktails that seem frozen in time, most of them still prepared exactly as they were in the 1950s. The kitschy, yet authentic South Seas decor only adds to the enjoyment as you sip perfection from a pineapple.

But what completes the allure for me are the stories. Almost every cocktail has a story, and the Mai-Kai has around 50 great ones. One of our favorites is the Mai Tai.

Mai Tai defines a tropical, tiki drink

Mai Tai

The Mai Tai has been recognized for more than 50 years as the definitive tropical drink. You’ll get some arguments from Zombie fans like myself, but there’s no denying that the Mai Tai is one of the world’s most popular and distinctive cocktails, period.

Much has been written about how to make an “authentic” Mai Tai, as created by Trader Vic, circa 1944. Tropical drink historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry has a very concise history lesson and recipe on his blog. As Mr. Berry points out, the argument over who really invented the drink persists to this day.

Around 1937, a budding Oakland, Calif., restaurateur named Victor Bergeron ventured south to Hollywood to see for himself what all the hoopla was surrounding a small tropical-themed bar called Don the Beachcomber. According to legend, Bergeron was inspired to adopt the same Polynesian theme and shortly thereafter changed the name of his restaurant from Hinky Dink’s to Trader Vic’s.

The rest is history, and Trader Vic’s remains the standard-bearer for Polynesian restaurants worldwide with more than 25 locations. The Don the Beachcomber chain disappeared by the 1980s, but the brand was recently revived with a Huntington Beach, Calif., location.

Originally a Q.B. Cooler?

One of the drinks on Donn Beach’s menu in 1937 was the Q.B. Cooler, named for the Quiet Birdmen, a drinking fraternity of aviators founded by seven World War I pilots in 1921. Donn changed his Q.B. Cooler recipe over the years, but as Beachbum Berry revealed in his 2007 book, Sippin’ Safari, the original version tastes remarkably similar to what Trader Vic later introduced to the world as the Mai Tai.

As Berry theorized in the book and later demonstrated during a symposium at the 2009 Hukilau event at The Mai-Kai, it’s likely that Bergeron created the Mai Tai by copying the flavor profile of the Q.B. Cooler. What’s remarkable is that the Mai Tai contains quite different ingredients. The two drinks have only rum and lime juice in common. But it’s undeniable that the tastes are incredibly similar.

The Mai-Kai tie-in

Bergeron eventually won a court battle that established him as the originator of the famous cocktail. But I subscribe to Beachbum Berry’s theory that Trader Vic created the Mai Tai based on the Q.B. Cooler. Also on early Don the Beachcomber menus was a drink called the Mai Tai Swizzle, but it was retired around 1937. Could Vic have lifted the name from one drink and the flavor profile from another in creating his Mai Tai?

Perhaps, but what does this all have to do with The Mai-Kai? The restaurant’s founders, Bob and Jack Thornton, were also fans of Don the Beachcomber. And they hired away one of Donn’s longtime mixologists, Mariano Licudine, from his Chicago restaurant.

Licudine created The Mai-Kai’s cocktail menu using his vast knowledge of the secret Donn Beach recipes, most of which remain a mystery to this day. He slightly altered ingredients and changed the names of the drinks. Thus, Donn’s influential Q.B. Cooler became the K.O Cooler. If you’re looking for the taste of an authentic Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, I’d recommend you order The Mai-Kai’s K.O. Cooler (or the lesser known Bora Bora).

The Mai Tai served at The Mai-Kai is one of many variations created in the wake of the success of the original drink. You’ll find some good examples from mid-century Tiki restaurants in Beachbum Berry’s cocktail guides, such as the Bali Hai Mai Tai, Damon’s Mai Tai, Kon-Tiki Mai Tai and Surf Room Mai Tai. You’ll find bad examples at hundreds of bars across the country.

Mystery as to when it made the menu

We’ve seen 1957, 1958 and 1959 Mai-Kai cocktail menus, and none contains the Mai Tai. It was most likely added in the 1960s due to customer demand as the drink’s popularity reached its zenith. But it seems more like an original creation by Licudine than a spinoff of the Donn the Beachcomber or Trader Vic classics. It’s more sweet than sour, with a familiar Mai-Kai rum profile, a distinct pineapple flavor, and a hint of falernum.

Regardless of its origin, the Mai-Kai’s Mai Tai is one of the iconic tiki bar’s most popular drinks and has become a classic in its own right.

You can follow my journey through 52 Mai-Kai cocktails on my blog, The Atomic Grog. We’re posting weekly reviews, photos and lots of recipes you can try at home (including the Q.B. Cooler).

* * *

      Jim “Hurricane” Hayward, a longtime South Florida journalist with a penchant for Polynesian Pop, recently launched TheAtomicGrog.com to cover the Tiki/retro revival, including South Florida events, music, art, cocktails and culture.

Along with a Minor League baseball game between the first- and last-place teams in the area (Bradenton Mauraders, up 11 over Jupiter Hammerheads), fans can get in on a tasting of 20 brews from 30 craft beers on tap for the event.

The beers presented include those from Florida brewers: Tampa’s Cigar City, Fort Lauderdale’s Native Lager and Jupiter’s Inlet Brewing Co. Among those to sample:

• Shipyard Export Ale
• Shipyard Summer Ale
• Sea Dog Raspberry Wheat
• Shipyard Fuggles IPA
• Shipyard Old Thumper
• Avery IPA
• Avery White Rascal
•  Blue Point Summer Ale
•  Red Brick Laughing Skull Ale
•  Thomas Creek Class 5 IPA
•  Shiner Bock
•  Shiner Hefeweizen
•  Shiner Ruby Red Bird
•  Native Lager The Eleven Brown Ale
•  Monk in the Trunk
•  Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
•  Oskar Blues Old Chub
•  Summit Extra Pale Ale
•  Summit Horizon Red
•  Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale
•  Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
•  Magic Hat #9
•  Magic Hat Single Chair Ale
•  Magic Hat Wacko
•  Magic Hat Blind Faith
•  Stoudt’s Hefer in Wheat

Tickets are $20 and include a checklist of beers to taste, along with a ticket to the game. Gates open  Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the game starts an hour later.

Baseball and Brews

• Where: Roger Dean Stadium, 4751 Main St., Jupiter
• Cost: $20 for tastings and game ticket (must be 21).
• Tickets: Available at Ticketmaster or at the stadium.
• More information: rogerdeanstadium.com or (561) 630-1828.

All in the Golden Afternoon uses yellow watermelon and fresh basil - and a Mason jar to drink it from.

Nothing to do in this heat but sip something cool and refreshing, and either seek AC on someone else’s dime, or find the shadiest spot around.

Twice, I hit a delicious basil drink: Once, at Really Relish, a charming vintage boutique on Anna Maria Island. The owner had put out a huge jug of ice water filled with fresh bruised basil leaves in it for visitors to help themselves. It was delicious on a day when everyone was avoiding the outdoors. Even the beaches were sparsely populated – the Gulf was so hot, it was like a hot tub, and the pools were worse. (Plant some shade around your pools!)

A second, even cooler drink came in a weekly email from The Spirit, an email I get from Snooth.com (if you don’t subscribe but like wines and spirits, you’re missing out). A yellow watermelon-infused gin is mixed with basil and mint for the All in the Golden Afternoon drink.

I love that it’s served in a Mason jar – for me, the epitome of fine glassware for summer. Here’s their recipe.

All in the Golden Afternoon

For one drink:

• 1-¾ oz. electric yellow watermelon infused Hendricks Gin (non-infused can be used) – see note
• ¾ oz. white dessert wine (late harvest riesling, sauternes or tokaj work nicely)
• 3 large mint leaves
• 2 large basil leaves
• 1 ½ oz. juice of yellow watermelon (or 5 2-by-2-inch watermelon chunks, juiced)
• ¾ oz. lemon
• 1 ½ oz. soda water

Muddle the mint and basil together with firm pressure for 15 seconds. If you do not have a juicer, muddle the watermelon chunks after and on top of the herbs for an additional 15 seconds. Add all ingredients minus the soda water and shake over ice for 30 seconds. Fine strain into an ice filled mason jar and top with the soda water. Garnish with a thin “stalk” of yellow watermelon and one basil sprig and let the heat relief commence.

For non-alcoholic version: Omit gin, and use 3/4 ounce lemon-lime soda in place of wine.

Note:  To infuse gin – Pour one 750 ml-bottle Hendrick’s gin into a large, lidded glass container (reserve gin bottle and cap). Add 20 2-inch square chunks of yellow watermelon. Cover and let sit on counter for 3 days, stirring occasionally. Strain liquid back into gin bottle. Use in recipes.

English

In the style of his Las Vegas success, Todd English P.U.B., Olives restaurateur Todd English has opened the English Tap and Beer Garden in Boca Raton.

The focus is on the brew: More than 100 beers from around the world are offered, including 30 on tap and other craft brews in bottles. A full bar with signature cocktails and wines completes the drink offerings.

Germany’s open-air biergarten concept is carried out in the indoor-outdoor space in the Shops at Boca Center, next door to the previous Wild Olives – English’s last venture here.

A casual menu is offered – sandwiches, pannini, a raw bar, salads, steaks and seafoods.Chef Ken Stevens, carried over from Wild Olives, will prepare traditional fare such as bangers and mash, an English Tap skirt steak, short ribs, brisket, sliders and burgers. Daily specials and flatbreads will offer diners choices nightly.

It’s open for dinner and lunch daily.

English Tap & Beer Garden

• 5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
• 561-544-8000; theenglishtap.com
• Open daily, from 11:30 a.m., lunch, dinner and late-night.