Red Lotus Grand Opening this Thursday, June 10th

Sacramento, CA – One of the worst recessions in history and California’s own
economic uncertainties aren’t stopping a local restaurateur from bucking the trend of
downsizing and restaurant closures to offer another culinary choice to diners in Sacramento with discriminating tastes.

Red Lotus, on the bustling block of J Street between 27th and 28th Streets, serves
Chinese food with a modern twist. Chef/Owner Buu “Billy” Ngo is known for his highly rated Kru Japanese restaurant and his 2007 title as Sushi Master.

“With Kru reaching its stride, I was ready to offer Sacramento my interpretation of
Chinese food,” says Ngo. “We’ve priced every item at $15 or less and the menu ranges from selections diners are accustomed to, like chow mein and fried rice, to adventurous items serious foodies are looking for, like roasted bone marrow and tongue.”

Following two months of “working the kinks out,” Red Lotus will host its official grand
opening from 6pm-2am, on Thursday, June 17.

“We wanted to open soft, get the feel and menu down and, of course, build our bar
program,” says Ngo. The bar, or “Mixology” program at Red Lotus, was built by master Mixologist Erick Castro. An instructor at San Francisco’s Beverage Academy, Castro has made a name for himself among the nation’s top Mixologists. He conceived the Red Lotus bar program to include specialty spirits, all fresh squeezed juices, sheet ice and – emphatically -- “no sweet and sour.”

“This is a world-class bar right in Midtown Sacramento,” states Castro.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will commence at 7pm. Thursday’s Grand Opening will
feature a traditional Chinese Lion Dance, and free appetizers. The most popular cocktails will be $3.50 and specialty cocktails will be $5.00.

“We really want the dining public of Sacramento to see, smell and taste Red Lotus to
decide if they like it. This grand opening is the perfect place to do it,” says Ngo.
Admission to the grand opening is free and the public is invited.

Follow Red Lotus on twitter here.

Margarita Twinkies!

Summer is coming. Dessert is already here. Using this––my original recipe––cake & cocktails come together with the help of a twinkie pan!

I made these for the Sacramento Bee photo shoot and interview. I hope you try them out at home. You don't need a twinkie pan, as the recipe also works in a cupcake pan.

A fun purchase, I admit...

I tossed out the pastry bag that came with the Twinkie Bake Set. I used a marinade injector for the crème filling instead. I am not messing around! :)

The Cake Part:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, + 3 Tbs

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar + 1 Tbs

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup half and half

3/4 cup margarita mix (NOT the bright toxic green kind)

1 tsp Tequila

1 tsp Triple sec

1/4 lime juice

Zest of two limes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the twinkie pan with shortening and flour and set aside.

Next, combine the flours in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the half and half, margarita mix, and alcohols. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Pour the batter into the twinkie pan wells, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and bounce back when touched lightly.

Cool the cakes in the pan for about 10 mins. Invert on a wire rack to complete cooling when the pan is just cool enough to touch. Let cool completely while preparing the filling.

The Crème Filling:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbs instant lemon pudding mix

2 tsp lime jello mix, dissolved in 2 Tbs tequila

1 Tbs lime juice

1/2 cup margarita mix

1 tsp triple sec

Squeeze of lemon

Teeny bit of salt

To make the creme filling, mix the butter and vegetable shortening in a mixer bowl and add part of the powdered sugar. (maybe one cup or so to start). Then add in the pudding and jello mixes and the liquids all. Mix together and then add powdered sugar to get to the creme filling consistency that you like, as well as the taste you prefer. Experiment with the amounts of alcohol or use extracts/juices in their place. Fill your tool of injection with the mixture once you have something thin enough to go through the needle, yet thick enough to avoid simply being absorbed into the cake. Fill each cake on their undersides--I did mine with the three standard twinkie injections. Set them injection side down on parchment and get ready for the finishing touches. You could eat them as they are with the filling, but these next few steps really put them over the top flavor wise!

The Syrup:

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/4 Torani syrup (you can plug in whatever flavor you like here. I recommend Vanilla, Lime, Orange, etc)

Pour all ingredients in a small bowl and brush onto each cake with a BBQ or pastry brush once they have cooled. Then prepare the icing glaze.

The Glaze Part:

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1 Tbs Tequila

2 Tbs Triple Sec

2 Tbs Lime Juice

1/4 cup Melted White Chocolate

2 Tbs butter

In a small bowl, melt the white chocolate and butter together. You can do this SLOWLY in the microwave a few seconds at a time. Then stir in the confectioner sugar, the tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Drizzle over the filled cakes to finish and set aside to allow glaze to dry.

For the photos, I decorated the tops with candy fruit slices and buttercream frosting. Serving recommendation: Vanilla bean ice cream and lime sherbet. Salt the rim of the bowl. I think Twinkie the Kid will approve...