Fig & Olive's Cookbook Launch [RECAP]

The popular Fig & Olive restaurant has just released a cookbook to make your own dishes at home...

While waiting at the lounge for the nightly agenda I imbibed on this delightful, fruity cocktail called the Rosselini. It was candidly filled with passion fruit vodka, freshly squeezed blood orange juice, and fresh lime juice. Minutes later we were nicely assigned to the Nice table - interestingly referred to the southern city of France where this sponsored airline was offering a sweepstakes to the Fig & Olive guests. Once seated, we were introduced to 4 playfully executed course items along with wine pairing. The first 3 consisted of some slight twists of the ones listed in the Halasz's cookbook.

Our servers brought in a soup bowl initially filled with panko flakes, thyme, and cubed butternut squash - until they poured in their luxurious, velvety chestnut and butternut squash soup.

As if we practiced for unwrapping Christmas presents, this dish vivaciously revealed an earthy and zesty sea scallops papillote. If done by the cookbook, salmon would have been added and thus would have become by-the-book the main entrée.

Never had I chewed on filet mignon so effortlessly until the roasted veal filet mignon arrived fashionably late. I give full credit to the sous videtechnique via a circulator for eliciting excellent tenderness to this herbaceous, salivating beef. If it’s followed by the cookbook, since chances of the circulator found in a home kitchen are slim, grilling may have sufficed.

Although not pictured nor written in the book, the poached pear in spiced orange juice wowed the entire party with its sparkly, cinnamon-y essence softened slightly with the light whipped mascarpone.