Cheers

Cheers-Nov-Dec 2016

Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.

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www.cheersonline.com 18 • November/December 2016 lavender syrup, Perfect Purée strawberry, honey and lemon. "It tested higher than the red and white sangrias together," Ceraolo notes. In addition to rolling out the new sangria, CPK updated the recipes for its red and white sangrias. "We've replaced a heavier, syrup-based sangria with a light, refreshing take incorporating seasonal ingredients," Ceraolo says. The Red-Berry Sangria, for instance, combines red wine, Rémy VSOP, Monin blackberry syrup, Perfect Purée raspberry, cranberry juice and lemonade. The white Orchard Sangria blends white wine, St. Germain elderfl ower liqueur, Monin stone fruit syrup, orange and cranberry juices. CPK also introduced a sangria fl ight of three 3-oz. pours of the Orchard, Red-Berry and Beehive sangrias. When customers order the fl ight, priced at $9.99, they also receive literature with tasting notes about the sangria trio. The latest seasonal offering is the Blood Orange Sangria ($9.79), a mix of Bacardi Limon rum, Kendall-Jackson chardonnay, St. Germain elderfl ower liqueur, blood orange purée and fresh agave nectar. All of California Pizza Kitchen's seasonal sangrias are made with St. Germain. The red, white and honey sangrias are now the three top- selling alcoholic beverages. "It's defi nitely something where guests give us a lot of credit now," Ceraolo says. "Redoing our sangrias was an interesting journey, and now we know we have something that the guests really like," adds Ceraolo, whose career in food and beverage dates back more than 20 years. Before joining CPK in 2012, she served as senior director of marketing and beverage for BJ's Restaurants, and also as director of branding for the Mimi's Café chain of French- inspired restaurants. PAIRING POSSIBILITIES Food-and-drink pairings are a big deal for CPK. All servers carry an information sheet that helps them understand taste models and pairing concepts so that they can refer to it when customers ask for pairing suggestions. The menus point out many optimal pairings; about 90% of the food offerings list suggested drinks. Table tents also advertise pairings, although not every recommended food-drink combo involves alcohol. "Some people want non-alcoholic beverages, and we understand that," Ceraolo says. How does California Pizza Kitchen approach its pairings? Ceraolo looks for shared qualities, such as plating anything buttery with a pour of chardonnay. For example, with the CPK Hearth-Roasted Halibut with grilled asparagus and butternut squash farro and baby kale, the CPK menu suggests the buttery, oaky Clos du Bois chardonnay ($7.99 for 6-oz. pour). Pairings with common ingredients is another tactic. Since the Beehive Sangria is made with a natural honey that CPK also puts into some of its salad dressings, it's a natural pairing with its California Cobb and Quinoa & Arugula salads. "We make sure that we're putting fl avor profi les together," Ceraolo says. "Another thing to look for is, what are the unique fl avors to our restaurant, and work from there." What would one pair with that legendary BBQ Chicken Pizza? "What are its biggest fl avors? That would be the "WE'RE POSITIONING OURSELVES AS A COCKTAIL AND SANGRIA PLACE." — Ashley Ceraolo Blood Orange Seasonal Sangria, made with Bacar- di Limon, Kendall-Jackson chardonnay, St. Germain elderfl ower liqueur, blood orange purée and fresh agave nectar. CPK's new Moscow Mule is made with Grey Goose vodka, ginger beer, fresh ginger and agave sour mix.

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