Events: Unexpected Pairings with Chef Claire Robinson & Pinnacle Vodka

*Photo Credit to Russ Rowland*

I'm obsessed with the Food Network and Cooking Channel so I was beyond thrilled to attend Pinnacle's Unexpected pairings with Chef Claire Robinson! If you're not familiar with Claire she has her own show, 5 Ingredient Fix and she also hosts other challenge shows on the Food Network channel. Last week she conducted a live cooking demo of 3 dishes that we were able to taste in a sit down dinner later that evening. Each dish was paired with a cocktail by celebrity mixologist Niccole Trzaska. After the cooking demo were we split up along two tables for a 4th of July inspired cocktail demo. The drink was red white and blue with whatever garnishes your heart desired. Surprisingly mine turned out pretty awesome (you can see it below in my instagram collage)! After that, we all sat down to a delicious dinner featuring the below listed 3 dishes made during the cooking demo. Everything was so good! I don't even like peas, but I got seconds of the snappy ginger garlic peas; lol.

Snappy Ginger Garlic Peas paired with Pinnacle® Unflavored Vodka in the Sage Vice cocktail
Mojo Pork Tenderloin paired with Pinnacle® Raspberry Vodka in the Red, White & Blue cocktail
Sugar & Spicebox Cake paired with Pinnacle® Cinnabon® Vodka in the Cinnabon® Splash cocktail

Left: Niccole Trzaska Right: Sage Vice

1 part Pinnacle® Unflavored Vodka

1 part Pineapple Juice

1 quarter part Lemon Juice

1 quarter part Dry Vermouth

Mix ingredients over ice shake and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a sage leaf (make sure to tap the sage leaf between palms or snap in the fingers to release its essence).

Cute tablescapes

Snapshot from the live cooking demo with Chef Claire Robinson

In Claire's words "BYOC" meaning be your own chef. Don't be afraid to make a recipe your own and enjoy the experience of cooking be comfortable and have fun!

Here's the recipe for the peas that I'm obsessed with:

Snappy Ginger Garlic Peas

1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger

2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Prepare a bowl with icy water and set aside. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking. Drain peas and pat dry.

Whisk together ginger, vinegar, and oil. Add peas and sesame seeds and mix. Season with salt and pepper.