Allow us to re-introduce ourselves…
With the humidity dissipating, the garden flourishing, and a hint of sorrel-spice in the air, we’re detecting a wonderful holiday season ahead at Cricket Square. In anticipation of the festive merriment, we’re unveiling a brand new look for our newsletter.
Cricket Square houses The Brasserie, The Market, and The Wicket, but even more important to us, is the fact that it’s your home-away-from-home year round. It is your place of work, your place of leisure, and your place of residence. It is your place of life.
Although there’s no place quite like home for the holidays, this year, if you can’t travel back, we look forward to you staying home with us, your Cayman family, here in Cricket Square.
We may not have snow or grandma’s Christmas pudding, but we have plenty to offer you in their stead. This year, let us take you on a journey back to your roots, without you ever having to leave the island.
Scent is the most emotionally evoking of all our senses and there is no scent comparable to that of fresh ground coffee in the morning. It smells like growing up. It smells like mom’s house. It smells like December. It smells, quite literally, like the day ahead. Which is why the best mornings in the Market are those filled with the rich smell of the girls meticulously grinding those perfect, brown, Barrington beans.
Professional barista Erin Hulbert guided us through the tastes and aromas of Ethiopia, Sumatra and Guatemala at a cupping event in mid-October. “Baked blueberries” and “dark chocolate” were just a couple of the flavors detected through the process.
Halloween may bring out the tricks in passersby, but it brings out the best in some of our staff. Lexi’s ‘Rolling Calf’ made with Stolichnaya vodka, spiced local pumpkin puree,
housemade coconut milk and Cayman honey is the kind of treat you ring the doorbell twice for. Christine filled the Market stands with bewitchingly addictive delectables such as chocolate coconut cupcakes and bags of pumpkin seed brittle.
Our now thriving heirloom vines provided a beautiful backdrop to our first Harvest Dinner of the season. Lexi’s version of a Dark & Stormy served as a precursor to the event, (though the evening was anything but.) A canopy of stars, candlelight, and lush garden greens enveloped guests who dined on dishes such as local pumpkin soup with squash blossom, pimento cream, and pumpkin seeds, Hamlin Farm’s curry braised goat tacos, and white chocolate guava cheesecake.
With precious conch back in season, its preparation became the main event at November’s cooking class with consultant chef Dean Max. Likewise, our very own Chef Joe displayed technique and precision in preparing this beautiful ingredient at the annual Out of the Kitchen event at the Ritz.
We were honored to host Batasiolo’s 5th annual White Truffle Dinner at The Brasserie. Batasiolo flew in the most exquisite truffles directly from Italy to use in the creation of a menu designed to complement the finest Beni di Batasiolo wine. ‘Brasserie Catch’ Pumpkin Swordfish with braised garden greens, pillows of potato gnocchi, crispy garlic and white truffle butter was the dish, paired with ‘Cerequio Vineyard’ Barolo, that took guests’ breath away. It was an evening of unrivaled culinary passion and sheer decadence.
The lovely ladies of “Chateau Chooks’ contributed to an afternoon fashion shoot recently, a welcome rest from their continual hard work providing fresh eggs for both The Brasserie and The Market. Their devotion to our trade has resulted in inspired dishes such as the “Chateau Chooks’ Brioche Egg, with East End greens, Haas avocado, crispy duck confit, and a local guava vinaigrette.
Did you know that free-range eggs are proven to have twice as much omega-3 fatty acids and three times more vitamin E compared to caged hen eggs? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why not start it with at least twice the amount of valuable nutrition? Plus, The Market omelets are absolutely delicious!
With the Thanksgiving turkey devoured and Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve swiftly approaching, our reservations calendar seems as full as Santa’s big red bag. This year’s celebratory menus show off holiday favorites with a Brasserie twist, like local squash ravioli, beef wellington accompanied by garden greens and Kushi Oysters with pumpkin seed granola.
What better way to ring in 2014 than with family, friends and the best food and drink this island has to offer?
Welcome home – to Cricket Square.
