Florida Chef Curates a Coastal Inspired Memorial Day Menu

Memorial Day is the best moment to celebrate the start of summer, and everyone is getting ready to host the perfect party! This year, Duke & Dame, the Salted Caramel Flavored Whiskey with only 1g of sugar, has you covered with a full menu of BBQ classics with a twist paired with perfect cocktails!   

Crafted in collaboration with Florida-based Chef Erie, the menu includes: 

• First Course: Suya Spiced chicken kabobs w/ Duke & Dame Peach BBQ sauce paired with a Duke & Dame Pineapple Whiskey Mule 
• Main Course: Grilled lobster with Duke & Dame butter alongside Duke & Dame’s French 75 cocktail 
• Dessert: Tropical Guava Cheese cake w/ Duke & Dame Mango Caramel, with a Duke & Dame Mango Smash to sip 

Designing a coastal dinner party can be a delightful way to bring the breezy, relaxed atmosphere of the beach to your home. By incorporating a few key design essentials, you can create an inviting and memorable experience for your guests. Here are some must-have elements to infuse your gathering with coastal charm:

Florida Chef Curates a Coastal Inspired Memorial Day Menu

FIRST COURSE:

Duke & Dame Pineapple Whiskey Mule:

Ingredients

2 oz Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Whiskey
1 oz pineapple juice
¼ oz lemon juice
2 oz ginger beer

Recipe

Dry shake (no ice) Duke & Dame, pineapple juice and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a mule mug over ice and top off with ginger beer. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Suya Spiced chicken kabobs w/ Duke & Dame Peach BBQ sauce

Yield: 5-6 servings 

2 – 3 lbs. Chicken thighs, cleaned and cut into 2” cubed

¼ cp Vegetable oil

3 Tb Duke & Dame Whiskey

3 Tb Suya spice mix

Suya Spice Mix:

1 Tb Onion powder

1 Tb Garlic powder

2 Tb Smoked paprika

2 Tb Cayenne pepper

1 tsp Ground Allspice

½ cp Ground roasted peanuts

1 Tb Ground ginger

3 ea. Maggi bouillon cubes, crushed finely

Long wooden skewers, soaked in water

Peach BBQ sauce:

2 Tb Butter

1 ea. Medium onion, large diced

2 ea. Cloves garlic, smashed

½ ea. Scotch Bonnet pepper

2 ea. 15 oz cans of ripe peaches or 6-8 medium ripe peaches, large diced

1 cp Orange juice

3 cps Duke & Dame whiskey

½ cp Ketchup

2 Tb Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ cps Light brown sugar

2 ea. Cinnamon sticks

4-6 ea. Fresh thyme sprigs tied with twine

3 ea. Dried bay leaves or 2 fresh bay leaves

1 tsp Ground cumin

2 Tb Ground ginger

1 Tb Garlic powder

1 Tb Onion powder

1 Tb Chili powder

Salt & pepper

Method:

1. Place all ingredients for spice mix in a bowl and mix well. Store in airtight container.
2. Place chicken in large bowl. Mix the oil and duke and dame together then pour over the chicken. Rub all over to get all pieces coated. Season generously with Suya spice rub. Cover with plastic film. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. 
3. Add butter to medium sauce pan on medium heat. Add onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper and Sautee for 3 – 4 minutes while stirring. Add the peaches. If canned, use the liquid as well. 
4. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Allow liquid to come to a boil then reduce heat to a high simmer. Allow liquid to cook for about 30 minutes. 
5. Remove tied thyme sprig, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Using a hand blender or blender, puree ingredients until smooth. Allow mixture to cook on simmer for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool
6. Remove the marinated chicken from fridge. For skewers, add at least 3 pieces of chicken skewers are long enough. 
7. Using a pan grill on medium heat, add a little oil; to coat the pan then add the skewers a few at a time. Grill the skewers about 3-4 minutes on all sides until done. 
8. Brush the skewers with the BBQ sauce after they are removed from the heat.
9. Note: grill can be used as well

MAIN COURSE:

Duke & Dame French 75

Ingredients

1 oz Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Whiskey
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
3 oz prosecco

Recipe

Shake Duke & Dame, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into champagne flute. Top off with prosecco and garnish with lemon twist.

Grilled lobster w/ Duke & Dame butter

1 ea 2 -3 1 ½ lb Maine lobster or Caribbean lobster whole or tails, split

¼ cp Canola oil

Peri Peri spice mix:

1 Tb Ground ginger

2 Tb Ground Coriander

1 Tb Dried oregano

1 Tb Dried parsley

2 tsp Ground Cardamom

1 Tb Smoked Paprika

2 Tb Garlic powder

2 Tb Onion powder

2 Tb Sugar

2 Tb Paprika

2 Tb Cayenne Pepper or as needed

2 Tb Salt or as needed

Herbed butter blend:

2 stick Softened butter, room temperature

1 Tb Shallots, finely chopped

1 Tb Garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp Scotch Bonnet peppers, finely chopped

2 Tb Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 Tb         Cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tb Chopped chives

3 Tb Duke & Dame

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Kosher salt

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix well. Store in airtight container
2. Place softened butter in mixing bowl or mixer and add the shallots and garlic. Mix well then add the herbs and scotch bonnet pepper. Mix well till combined. Add the Worcestershire and Duke and Dame a little at at a time. Mix well to combine until all the liquids have been added. Add salt to adjust taste. Reserve a fourth of the mix and keep at room temperature 
3. Place a sheet of plastic film on counter. Add the butter mix in shape of log across the film. Roll and wrap the butter tightly and tie off at both ends. Place in refrigerator to firm up.
4. Place split lobsters or tails in half. Clean and rinse the insides. Place on sheet tray and pat dry with paper towel. Crack the lobster claws a little. Drizzle oil over lobster meat inside. Season lobster generously with spice blend
5. Remove butter from refrigerator and unwrap. Slice pieces off butter from the log. 
6. For grilling – Place lobsters on heated clean grill, shell side down for about 4 -5 minutes then turn over for about two minutes. Turn the lobster over again and place pats of butter in the cavity of the lobster and across cracked claws. Close grill and let cook for another 5 minutes then remove from grill. Place on platter and brush the inside and claws with the softened butter herb mix. Garnish with herb sprigs
7. For oven: set oven to 400deg. Place lobsters in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with softened reserved butter. Garnish with herb sprigs.

DESSERT:

Duke & Dame Mango Smash

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Whiskey
1/2 oz JF Haden’s mango liquor
1/2  oz simple syrup
1/2  oz lime juice
4 basil leaves
1 lime

Recipe

Muddle 4 basil leaves and lime wedge with lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and all other ingredients and shake. Pour directly into rocks glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Guava Cheese cake w/ Duke & Dame Mango Caramel

Yield: 16 servings

3 lbs.    Cream cheese, room temp.

2 ¼ cp Sugar

8 ea. Large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp Vanilla extract

¼ cp Heavy cream

¼ cp Duke & Dame whiskey

1 ea. Lemon juiced, 

1 tsp Salt

12 oz Guava paste

8 oz Guava marmalade

¾ cp Orange juice

1 cp Duke & Dame Whiskey

2 ea. Sheets of gelatin

Crust:

6 cps Graham cracker crumbs

1 Tb Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

12 oz Melted butter

Mango Caramel:

1 ½ cp White sugar

3 Tb Duke and Dame Whiskey

1 cp Heavy cream

1 Tb Vanilla 

¼ cp Mango puree

¼ cp Duke & Dame Whiskey

1 tsp Rose water

¼ tsp Ground cinnamon

¼ tsp Fresh ground nutmeg

½ tsp Salt

Method:

1. In heavy sauce pan, add guava marmalade and guava paste with orange juice over low heat and cook until soft, stir periodically. Paste should break down. Place in blender and puree until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Reserve half.
2. Add Graham crumbs to metal bowl with spices. Melt butter and add to crumbs and mix until all crumbs are moist. Divide crumbs between two deep 9” pans. Press down to form a smooth bottom to pans
3. Heat oven to 350 F. Place pans in oven for 10 minutes then remove. Mix cream cheese and sugar in stand or hand mixer until smooth. While on low speed, add eggs one at a time, then heavy cream and whiskey. Add the half-reserved guava puree and mix until incorporated and then lemon juice last along with salt.
4. Pour cream cheese mixture on top of crust and spread evenly. Place the baking pans in a deeper pan, place in oven then add hot water to come to at least half way up the baking tins to form a water bath. Place a piece of metal foil over the pans. Bake for 50 minutes then remove the foil. Continue baking for another 40 minutes or until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. Remove cake pans from water bath and allow to cool.
5. Add gelatin sheets to some cold water in a bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
6. Add reserved guava mixture to small sauce pan to reheat. Remove gelatin from water and squeeze to remove excess water. Add to the guava mixture and mix until dissolved. Allow mixture to cool some. 
7. Spread the guava mixture across the tops of the cakes to create a smooth surface. Place cakes in the refrigerator to cool for 3 – 4 hours and also to allow the gelatin to set.
8. For Caramel, on medium heat add sugar to medium sauce pan. Drizzle the Duke and Dame over the sugar. Allow sugar to melt slowly until it starts to caramelized to a light golden brown or deep amber color. At this stage add the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Reduce heat a little.
9. Add the mango puree and vanilla and stir. Cook for about 1 minute then add whiskey, rose water, spices and salt. Stir to combine. Continue cooking liquid on medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat to cool. 
10. To serve, place some caramel on plate in a swirl then add a slice of cheesecake atop the swirl. Drizzle a little of the caramel across the top of the slice.

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