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RICE TWP. — With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Ice House Pub in Mountain Top sponsored a Valentine’s Martini and Chocolate event on Sunday afternoon to please the palates of about 50 connoisseurs.
They sipped six different varieties of chocolate martinis, enjoyed a housemade flatbread treat, tasted an array of chocolates and housemade desserts, and just enjoyed the festive cozy atmosphere.
“We thought it would be an easy thing for husbands to buy for their wives for Valentine’s Day,” joked owner Tracey Marso. She and her husband, J.P., sponsor similar events on a regular basis, highlighting various drink mixes and foods with great responses from their customer base who enjoy participating in the creativity.
Working with “expert mixologist” Carl Achhammer, owner of Carl’s Beer Tours in Sugar Notch, and Jason Mootz, from the family who owns Mootz Candies in Hanover Township, Marso said the event was not only about sampling great food and drink, but also getting together with friends and family.
The restaurant was full to capacity, with no room for any more martini tasters, she said. All seats were reserved by Feb. 1.
“It sold out fast because it sells itself,” she said. “It’s a good time.”
The customers were introduced to new martini recipes including a watermelon jalapeno martini served with a dark chocolate appetizer, Marso said. That was followed by martinis flavored with blood orange, black cherry, sour apple and cucumber, each accompanying some type of chocolate cordial. They finished with a tiramisu martini served with a chocolate mousse.
With each serving, Achhammer and Mootz described to the enthusiast imbibers the specific ingredients of each drink and the chocolate, emphasizing what they could expect when they taste them. The crowd oohed and ahhed and applauded in anticipation.
“Martinis and chocolate go together perfectly,” Achammer said. “Better than I thought, and I’ve been doing this a long time,” he added. “You’re only limited by your imagination.”
Mootz said he and Achammer did a little experimenting when matching up the drinks and chocolates.
“You just use your experience as an eater to come up with what might go well,” Mootz said. “Sometimes the flavor of the martinis and the chocolates compliment each other, sometimes they offset each other. But the differences make it interesting to the consumer.”
