Two much-anticipated movies debut July 21: Greta Gerwig’s fantasy comedy Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, a war drama chronicling scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the role he played in the development of the atomic bomb. Because of the two drastically different vibes of the projects — one sun-soaked and pink, the other dark and serious — Barbie and Oppenheimer have been put in both a premier battle (the memes are rampant and hilarious) and a double feature dubbed ‘Barbenheimer,’ with moviegoers planning to see both films in one day.
Whether you’re #TeamBarbie, #TeamOppenheimer, or a #Barbenheimer person, we’ve put together a collection of recipes, clothing items, and more, to help you get into the spirit of whatever side you so choose.
Drink Up
For a recent wine tasting at the TABLE Magazine studios, Pittsburgh-based wine educator and consultant Adam Knoerzer shared the following selection of rosé that will have you feeling tickled pink and all ready for Barbie and Ken.
Radish… in a cocktail? You read that right. Don’t let the idea of root vegetables in your drink turn you away from trying our pickled radish martini. We think it has some serious “Kenergy.”
This recipe will get you out into the warm meadows of summer to forage for just a few ounces of milkweed flowers. If you’re on “Team Barbie,” you’ll love the pink. If you’re in “Camp Oppenheimer,” you might need the engagement with nature.
A steaming bowl of hearty vegetable soup, bursting with colorful and nutritious ingredients, is the ultimate comfort food. Just in case the excitement of these movies leaves you in need of sustenance.
Pittsburgh’s Ritual House will be paying homage to the Barbie movie with an original craft cocktail, Life in Plastic, it’s Fantastic, made with Malibu Rum, lychee, Ritual House Prosecco (on tap), pink luster dust, cotton candy. It comes complete with your very own Ken doll.
Shorty’s Waterfront location, Tap x Taco, invites guests to celebrate Barbie’s debut on the big screen with three specialty craft cocktails: the Malibu Dream House, made with El Jimador tequila, coconut syrup, strawberry syrup, lime juice, and finished with a Tajin rim; the Let’s Go Party cocktail, created with Faber cherry vodka, demerara syrup, lime juice, lemonade, and house-made grenadine; and the Think Pink! cocktail, crafted with Faber Citrus Vodka, Faber Peach Schnapps, simple syrup, lemon juice, Sprite, and pink
glitter.
This weekend only, find Barbie-themed ice cream, sundaes, and floats or pre-order pints of Barbie… & Ken, made of a combination of pink, fruity dragonfruit sorbet and Blue Moon ice cream.
This recipe will get you out into the warm meadows of summer to forage for just a few ounces of milkweed flowers. Be sure to gather only what you need, and do not damage the leaves so that there’s plenty of food for butterfly caterpillars. Load up on local butter — pound cake needs lots. Also stock up on farm-fresh eggs… or start a plan to raise your own chickens next year with Rent the Chicken. They can get you completely set up for a happy and healthy flock in 2024. No matter how you gather the elements of this simple recipe, it’s a deliciously simple summer dessert.
Milkweed Flower Pound Cake Recipe
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MILKWEED CORDIAL:
4 cups water
5 cups white sugar
1 tsp citric acid
7 oz fresh milkweed flowers, stems removed and deeply colored as possible
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the water until warm, but not boiling.
Add the sugar and citric acid then whisk until the syrup is clear. Cool the syrup.
Look over the milkweed flowers for any creepy-crawlies, then put into a container and pour the cooled syrup over them.
Put a lid, label, and date on the container and let it sit in the sunshine on a windowsill for 4 days.
After 3 days, strain the syrup, using gloves to squeeze as much liquid from the flowers as possible. Discard the flowers. Refrigerate the syrup until needed.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE POUND CAKE:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large whole eggs
3 large egg yolks (these egg yolks are in addition to the whole eggs listed above)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and generously grease a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan with shortening and flour. Shake out excess flour and set aside.
Place your butter in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the butter until it is creamy and smooth.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the ingredients are well combined and light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine your eggs, additional egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt.
Use a fork to lightly beat the eggs and yolks until all egg yolks are broken up and salt and vanilla are incorporated.
With mixer on low speed, slowly pour egg mixture into your batter, allowing it to gradually become incorporated. Don’t pour all the egg mixture in at once: if you can’t manage a steady stream then add the egg mixture in about 6 parts, allowing each part to become well incorporated before adding more.
Once all of the egg mixture is incorporated, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 1-2 minutes.
Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually, about ¼ cup at a time, add flour to the batter until all has been added.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl and stir again on medium speed until well combined and beat for another minute.
Spread batter evenly into prepared tube pan using a spatula to smooth the surface of the batter.
Transfer to 350-degree oven and bake in the center rack of your oven for 1 hour, 10-15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, ideally with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake this cake or it will be dry.
Allow cake to cool for at least 20 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the tube pan and the center.
Carefully invert pound cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE ICING:
1/4 cup milkweed cordial
2 cups powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix together until mixture becomes a thick glaze. Drizzle onto cooled and sliced pound cake.
Recipes and Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Laura Petrilla and Dave Bryce / With Support from Buy Fresh Buy Local Western PA
Combining the tangy taste of lemon with the fragrant and fresh flavor of basil, this lemon basil martini is a smooth way to simmer down with fresh flavors after a long day.
What Kind of Limoncello Should You Use for This Martini?
Dirty martinis laced with olive brine are everywhere lately. Some are so dirty, they’re practically salad dressing. This one is hardly dirty as it doesn’t go too far with additional flavors, but it’s a less conventional setup for a martini. For our Lemon Basil Martini, we used limoncello, olive oil, and basil leaves for a balance of citrus zest and hint of herbaceous from basil leaves. With the wrong limoncello, this endeavor could go very wrong: syrupy, treacle-y liqueur blended with olive oil could lead to despair. Lucky Sign Spirits’ Limoncello Reserve is a little unconventional for limoncello, but it goes perfectly in this cocktail because it already has notes of basil and rye spice, lightly sweetened, with a nice dryness to finish. Try your favorite limoncello in this recipe and see how you like it!
This easy Pesto alla Genovese recipe will be the hit of any meal. Liguria is one of the 20 regions located on the coast of the Ligurin Sea in northeast Italy. Genoa is the capital of Liguria and famous for their basil leaf. Genovese Pesto originated from this town in the 16th century. Interestingly, word pesto itself comes from the Genovese word pestâ, which means “to grind basil leaves with other ingredients.”
What Makes this Pesto Genovese?
Though there are a myriad of different kinds of pesto dishes, the original, classic pesto is the pesto alla Genovese. Pesto has a rich history, and from Genoa it spread all over Italy to now be so ubiquitous as to be available at chain grocery stores. But because of Genoa’s exquisite basil crop, the pesto made there became the most well-known. Genoa also has its own Minestrone soup, which the pesto is often part of the dressing for. If you ever see red pesto, that’s Pesto Trapanese, which is from Sicily and is made with almonds, tomatoes and Pecorino Romano cheese. Equally delicious, but shows the variation between northern and southern Italian cuisines.
Mix all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor and process until combined. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Add a pinch of salt and pulse a few times to incorporate.
The pesto can be used immediately or frozen in small containers to use later. Do NOT place frozen pesto in the microwave to thaw! Thaw at room temperature. Place about 2 tbsp of pesto in a serving bowl.
To prepare the pasta:
In a large 6- to 12-quart pot (do not use the strainer of a pasta pot) bring at least 6 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add a large handful of salt to the boiling water. Add the 8 oz. of pappardelle pasta to the boiling water and time for exactly 2 minutes.
When finished, do NOT strain the pasta. Using tongs, remove the dripping pasta from the boiling water one scoop at a time and place in the serving bowl on top of the pesto. Gently toss the pasta with the pesto after each additional tong full of pasta. More pesto may be added as desired.
If necessary, add a small amount of the hot reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture. A small amount olive oil may also be added. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Recipe by Yvonne Hennigan Story and Styling by Kate Benz Photography by Adam Milliron
The Moscow Mule took America by storm in 1941, and is credited with bringing vodka to popularity in the US. All you need to make the classic version is vodka, ginger beer, lime, and a copper mug… the last item being entirely optional. The drink is so easy and versatile you can have some fun with it, and the variations are endless.
What is the History of the Moscow Mule?
Sophie Berezinski came to America in the 1940s with only her dreams, a story familiar to anyone with an immigrant background. What makes her story unusual is what she was carrying with her: 2,000 copper mugs. After she couldn’t find a way to sell the mugs from her family business, Berezinski then went on to develop her cocktail in a Hollywood bar, the Cock’n Bull on Sunset Boulevard. Bartenders from the Cock’n Bull then went on to turn the cocktail into a sensation by ordering it at bars and leaving Polaroid photos around so bartenders would recognize the new drink sensation.
Crack open a locally brewed IPA and let the notes of lemon and basil wings play across your palate. There’s magic in this buttermilk grilled chicken wings recipe that will ignite conversation and carefree fun, whether it’s a game day snack or a casual weeknight dinner. We’re a fan of Jessi’s Chickens at Hoover Farms just outside of Pittsburgh.
What to Drink with Grilled Chicken Wings
As stated above, an IPA is a great choice for a drink pairing with. For more ideas about wine pairings with wings for game day, take a look at our interview with NFL player-turned-Chef Eddie Jackson, who specializes in wing and wine pairings. One of his tips? “My general pairing advice is to go for crisp white wines, which are great at cutting the greasiness of the wings and stand up especially well to the spice,” he said. But he makes his own grilled chicken wing recipes, so read the rest to hear more. These Lemon and Basil Buttermilk Wings have a bit of acidity and zest to them rather than the typical heaviness of wings, so consider pairing them with something that will balance out and harmonize with that acidity, like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
Our Baker’s Dozen Cocktail, Inspired by Phish, comes with a little fun fact moment for those who are not “aphishianados.” In 2017, between July 21st and August 6th, this polarizing jam-band played 13 shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Each performance featured a unique set list with no repeated songs, and get this, a special donut served to the audience from Philadelphia’s hometown hero, Federal Donuts. During the course of the 13 shows, Phish performed 237 total songs that were recorded live and sold as a special, limited-release boxed set titled The Complete Baker’s Dozen on November 30th of the following year.
This is the 7th recipe in our 2023 Summer Concert Cocktail Series.
Baker’s Dozen Cocktail Recipe, Inspired by Phish
Ingredients
2 oz freshly brewed coffee 1.5 oz Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 1 oz RumChata ½ oz Grand Marnier mini cinnamon donuts for garnish
Instructions
Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
Pour coffee, Screwball, RumChata, and Grand Marnier into the ice filled shaker and shake vigorously until chilled.
Pour over an ice ball in a glass coffee mug and garnish with a mini donut.
Recipe by Sarah Cascone / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Story by Star Laliberte
It’s peak time to be out and about in the ‘Burgh! If you’re not traveling outside the city for vacation (check out these short trip ideas if you’re itching for a long weekend getaway), here are just a few of the many lively outing options to consider this week in Pittsburgh.
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
Picklesburgh Downtown, July 21-23
Pickle, pickle, pickle… sorry, right now, we only understand pickle-themed talk…
House Party Kelly Strayhorn Theater, July 22
Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s annual summer benefit channels Met Gala fashion and Studio 54’s theatrics for an evening of live local performances and immersive atmosphere. After having your fortune told with a tarot card reading, adorn your body with temporary tattoos and dance the night away under disco lights. Did we mention the heavy hors d’oeuvres and open bar?
Elliott Cramer Photography images for the National Aviary’s Night in the Tropics, 2019.
Night in the Tropics National Aviary, July 22 No need to book a plane ticket; the Caribbean experience comes to you during the National Aviary’s 21 and over-summer event, Night in the Tropics, featuring food, drinks, and music, of the islands.
See what other events we’re excited about for the month of July.
Story by Jordan Snowden / Send your events tips to jordan@tablemagazine.com
Honey Rose Old Fashioned - Photo courtesy of Christian James
It’s hot, plain and simple. So check out one, or a few, of these 11 Pittsburgh restaurants pouring seasonal cocktails and mocktails in the city’s happening beverage scene.
Tucked away upstairs in the Round Corner Hotel building (with its downstairs neighbors Esquina Cantina), Umami is constantly bringing new bites and beverages based on the changes in season. Currently debuting are their newly crafted cocktail, Japanese Whiskey, and Sake menus for these warmer months. The colors and the flavor profiles are unique across the board, lending itself to offering a cocktail for everyone (including a lot of love for their menu mocktails). The full menu can be found here.
From their classic La Cantina margaritas to elevated agave spirits, Esquina Cantina’s bebidas menu is nothing short of extensive and impressive. Vibrancy is at the core of their bar program; from curated micheladas to transcendent cocktails that draw inspiration from various equatorial regions, the Cantina’s bar offerings are designed to remind you that vacation is simply a mindset. The full menu can be viewed here.
Perched nine stories above William Penn Place, the Biergarten at Hotel Monaco open-air concept offers lite bites and an extensive cocktail menu, available post-work and during the weekends. Biergarten’s bar program, led by Aidan Leyland, is known for its show-stopping craft cocktails. Guests can enjoy new additions to the creative cocktail list that the Biergarten is known for, like the Mercury in Retrograde — a Peach Orange Blossom Ketel One cocktail with elderflower tonic water, Campari, blueberry earl gray, and lemon — the Key and Peele featuring Bacardi, mint, clarified lime, and cucumber, and topped with Midori mint foam; and the Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice, a playful cocktail crafted with Don Julio Blanco, Solerno, Luxardo Maraschino, grapefruit, lime, and Jello grapefruit, finished with a house spice blend rim.
Cool down with Biergarten’s iconic frozen cocktails like the It’s Summer, Right, featuring IC Light Mango, Altos Tequila, agave, and fresh lime. Mocktails are also available on the rooftop. The spirit-free crowd can enjoy offerings like Sting Like a Bee with Ritual Non-Alcoholic Rum, ginger, fermented honey, and fresh lime. Biergarten offers communal seating, greenery, life-sized games, a canopy of Edison bulbs, and plenty of photo ops in the form of whimsical cocktails and city views.
Located in the former historic YMCA building at 120 S. Whitfield St., now The Maverick Hotel, M Bar is open Thursday 6-10pm, and Friday and Saturday 6pm-1am. This East Liberty neighborhood bar serves up plenty of good vibes and delicious beverages like the Bella Luna, a gin cocktail with Creme de Violette, Elderflower Liqueur, simple syrup, and lemon, and the In-Sandia-Ry made with Habanero infused Tequila, Orange Liqueur, watermelon, lime, and Demerara syrup. Happy hour is from 6-8pm with DJs every Friday and Saturday.
The Commoner’s legendary bar is home to creative craft cocktails year-round, and this coming summer will be no different. Guests will be able to sip on seasonal cocktails such as their Influencer in The Wild, crafted with strawberry-jalapeno infused Aperol, Vida Mezcal, and Dolin Genepy, and cool down with the Sleepy 75 made with Hendricks Gin, Maggie’s Farm Falernum, lavender, and fresh lemon.
The Commoner offers an extensive selection of zero-proof cocktails like the Lady May, featuring lavender, fresh lemon, and butterfly pea flower; and the Just Sippin’ Chamomile… crafted with Monday Zero Proof Gin, citrus, chamomile, and orange blossom.
The colorful and inviting East Liberty eatery has opened its open-air rooftop deck once again. This season, guests are invited to dine on the covered rooftop with 360 views of East Liberty. The festive rooftop deck is lined with colorful flags, demonstrating the cafe’s commitment to its welcoming policies. The team behind the bar at the cafe is always creating new seasonal cocktails and mocktail specials. Over the course of summer, Square Cafe will be rotating new cocktail and mocktail specials bi-weekly. Some of these new features include the Cosmosa, a unicorn-inspired cosmopolitan made with Stateside Vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and finished with Peperino Spumante; as well as a mocktail version called the Sparkling Cosmo made with pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, topped sparkling water and served on the rocks. The cafe will also feature its Morning Ale, a mule-like pick-me-up made with Casco Viejo Blanco Tequila, freshly squeezed orange, and fresh lime juice served on the rocks with a kick of ginger-lime beer.
Guests can cool off with a Mango-Berry Frosé blended frozen mango, strawberry purée, fresh lime juice, Casco Viejo Blanco Tequila, and Rosé wine; and the Sunrise Tea Cooler, a shaken mocktail with pineapple lemonade and freshly brewed raspberry iced tea, a dash of Grenadine, and frozen bits of pineapple.
Bloomfield’s highly anticipated destination to dine al fresco will be debuting its newly renovated patio this season. Experience fresh air and even fresher cocktails and fare this summer in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Little Italy. Station is helmed by nationally-acclaimed Chef Curtis Gamble and the creative culinary and bar team, creating seasonal menus for guests to experience within their space, including their spacious covered patio.
Station is welcoming the summer season with summer specialty cocktails crafted by Lead Bartender Jennifer Woods. The newly crafted summer cocktail offerings include Ostara, made with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, orange blossom, lavender honey, orange, lemon, and egg white; Cuss Words featuring Genepy, BCN Gin, fresh lime, and tonic; and the Basil-cally a Martini; made with Tomato Boyd & Blair Vodka, Basil Dolin Dry, and housemade sherry vinaigrette bitters.
This newfangled laid-back spot, dripping with old-school vibes can be found in Pittsburgh’s North Shore and The Waterfront. This local activity bar offers classic cocktails, ice-cold pints, and Latin-inspired street food paired with retro-gaming like duckpin bowling, pinball, darts, shuffleboard, and bocce. Whether you are soaking in riverfront views on Shorty’s North Shore patio or gathering with friends at the Waterfront’s fire pits, Shorty’s is just as entertaining on the outside as it is inside. Soak up the sun with Shorty’s summer-inspired cocktails all season long.
Tequila fans can enjoy Shorty’s La Flama Blanca, made with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, coconut syrup, fresh lime, and Cholula hot sauce, and the fan-favorite, Marg Under Pressure, which is batched on draft with Hidden Still Agave Spirit, agave syrup, and fresh lime. For those seeking frozen cocktails, Shorty’s is your one-stop shop for all things slush. Guests can sip on The Cherry Limeade crafted with cherry vodka, fresh lime, lemonade, and demerara sugar, and the Carmaldazed Apple with Disobedient Apple Brandy, caramel vodka, apple cider, and caramel. Cool off with Shorty’s play on the classic Long Island cocktail — the Shor “Tea” — crafted with Xplorer Peach Bourbon, unsweetened tea, Demerara sugar, and fresh lemon.
Pittsburgh’s newest modern American restaurant features global flavors and artful cocktails in the iconic downtown Pittsburgh Union Trust building. Grab a seat under the eighteen chandeliers suspended over the central bar to toast Summer’s arrival. Ritual House is bringing the season of sun to Pittsburgh with its summer-forward cocktails highlighting local spirits. Explore the extensive cocktail menu home to delicious seasonal options such as the Strawberry Fields Forever, crafted with Parking Chair Vodka, strawberry, basil, black walnut, and fresh lemon, or the South Side Fizz, made with Bluecoat Gin, aloe, mint, lemon-lime, and topped with Prosecco. Take a tropical vacation with one sip when enjoying Ritual House’s Tropic Like It’s Hot cocktail, crafted with Bly White Rum, coconut, grapefruit, pineapple, and lime. For summer’s hottest spirit, guests can experience the Jungle Jester made with Mezcal, Jamaican Rum, Gifford Pineapple Liqueur, Orgeat, fresh lime, garnished with a Tajin dusted pineapple wedge, and served in a festive “Screaming Tiki” glass.
Christian James is located in Downtown Pittsburgh within the Joinery Hotel. Global cuisine is offered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every dish has a story told through the eyes of a fictional character, Christian James, who has traveled the world, gathering memories waiting to be told. The restaurant has a newly expanded bar service on the rooftop and in the hotel lobby area. Above is the Sicilian Kiss — Teremana Tequila, Limoncello, blood orange juice, agave syrup, tajin, Proper Peaches — and the Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Peach Schnapps, fresh peach slices, simple syrup, fresh mint, and Honey Rose Old Fashioned.
Located in the heart of the Historic Strip District is Cioppino Restaurant & Cigar Bar, an upscale seafood eatery that serves an eclectic collection of local and sustainable fresh seafood, steaks, and small plates. Enjoy seasonal cocktails, many with local spirits, anytime. Or, on the weekends, sip something special while listening to live music in a comfortable environment. Try one of these deliciously crafted cocktails during your next visit: Strawberry Fields — house-infused vodka with strawberry and rosemary, lemon, strawberry simple syrup, and prosecco; passionate Pittsburgh, Big Spring Spiced Rum, passionfruit puree, mint, lime, ginger, simple syrup, or the Marigot Bay, Boyd & Blair Vodka, Thatcher’s Prickly Pear Liqueur, guava puree, and lime.
Story by Star Laliberte / Photography courtesy of each corresponding restaurant
