Watch the NCAA March Madness at Graylyn

ShareThis

Warm Up With Winter Cocktails - Beverage Manager Jeffrey Sykes's Favorites!

Days have grown shorter, the sunsets more colorful and sometimes we just need a drink to warm us up on those cold winter evenings.

While most people think warm drinks will do the trick, think again! Wintertime cocktails may be served cold but pack a nice warm punch. Combine it with an evening sitting by the fire and you've just created the perfect wintertime concoction.

The list of winter cocktails could go on and on, but we went straight to the source and spoke with Graylyn's Beverage Manager Jeffrey Sykes to get his secret list of the best wintertime drinks. Pour, mix, sip and enjoy!

The Old Fashioned (a Graylyn Signature Cocktail!)
Patiently aged Knob Creek small batch rye whiskey muddled with orange peel, maraschino cherry, sugar and Angostura Bitters. Served on the rocks in a highball glass

2 oz bourbon whiskey
2 dashes Angostura® bitters
1 splash water
1 tsp sugar
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange wedge



Mix sugar, water and angostura bitters in an old-fashioned glass. Drop in a cherry and an orange wedge. Muddle into a paste using a muddler or the back end of a spoon. Pour in bourbon, fill with ice cubes, and stir.

Pear and Sparking Cider Cocktail

2 cups pear nectar, chilled
2 cups sparkling apple cider, chilled
2 cups seltzer, chilled
4 ounces (1/2 cup) bourbon whiskey, such as Knob Creek

1 Bosc pear, unpeeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 8 wedges

Stir together pear nectar, cider, seltzer, and whiskey in a pitcher. Divide pear wedges among glasses, and pour in cocktail. Serve immediately.

Dandy Shandy

4 ounces good quality dark stout or porter beer (or nonalcoholic beer) (1/2 cup)

4 ounces chilled ginger ale or ginger beer (1/2 cup)

Place dark stout beer in a serving glass. Pour ginger ale atop. Makes 1 (8-ounce) serving.

Smoky Martini

2 oz Absolut Vodka
.5 oz Laphroig Single Malt Scotch Whisky
1 dash Pernod

Add both ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice.
Stir, and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

ShareThis

Top Five Food Trends In The Meeting Industry

Planning the menu for an upcoming meeting may seem like an easy task, but it's actually far from it. Food and beverage plays an important role in the success or failure of a meeting. Deciding on the menu or refreshment your attendees will enjoy can be one of the biggest decisions you, as a planner, will make when planning a meeting. But the great thing is that planners these days have a lot of options to choose from when making decisions for menu items.

Here are the top five food trends in the meeting industry this year:

1. SLOW food. 
(Sustainable Local Organic Wholesome) When planning your next meeting consider things such as seasonal availability, using local suppliers and buying environmentally friendly utensils and tableware. SLOW foods have become a big trend within the last few years, and you can be sure you are eating healthy.

2. Bite sizing. 
For a planner, smaller portions can mean a smaller price tag. Plus they are just so darn cute! You can take any of your favorites and shrink them to be eaten as tapas, hor d'oeuvres, or just small meals.

3. Internationally themed menus. 
Foods such as Thai, Indian, Mexican, Moroccan, etc. Along with an opportunity for chefs to get creative with unique ethnic ingredients while allowing local ethnic influences to take center stage. These themes can also open up ideas for themed teambuilding events and activities.

4. Food trucks
Haven't you seen them all over the place these days? So why not invite one to your next meeting. At the same price as most take-out restaurants, attendees can have their choice in menu options enjoying traditional street foods or gourmet burgers alike.

5. Interaction among meeting guests.
Look into teambuilding activities that play on Food Network shows like Top Chef, Chopped and Cupcake Wars. Cooking demonstrations and
cook-offs create the perfect environment for building relationships during the meeting and after it is over.

Food and beverage can say a lot about a meeting. As a planner, you have the option of making or breaking your meeting solely on the meals and refreshments. So make the most of your options and get creative!

ShareThis

Grille Room Adds Game Day Menu

Summer is winding down and the sight of fall is near, bringing with it new and returning Wake Forest students, Demon Deacon football, tailgating, and here at Graylyn, we are just as excited about it as you are.
September 1st marks the Demon Deacon’s season home opener against Liberty University, and what better way to end a great day of football than winding down and enjoying a delicious post-game meal at Graylyn. We recently opened up our Grille Room on game days from 9pm to 1am so that those loyal Deacon fans can get quality dining even late at night. Graylyn’s talented chefs have created a Game Day menu featuring fan favorites like burgers, buffalo wings, and salads that are sure to satisfy. The Grille Room is located on the bottom floor of the manor house and provides the ultimate atmosphere. Whether you’re there to eat, mingle with friends, or watch a game on the TV, the Grille Room is a homey place to kick back and relax. . So be sure to check out the 2012 Deacon football schedule and make your plans to come visit us at Graylyn. We look forward to seeing you...GO DEACS!

ShareThis