The city loves the attention as much as we love a good pint after a warm sunny day. We are lucky to have our pick of several micro-breweries in the area, some just a few blocks (what’s up Marble?) from our downtown Albuquerque hotel.  The great part about this is we at the Hotel Andaluz get to keep our emphasis on local, by featuring local brews in our rooftop terrace, Ibiza and our lobby bar.

We are even more stoked when we get to celebrate ABQ Beer Week with our fellow bars and restaurants. ABQ Beer Week is a week full of events from beer tastings, brewery tours, tap takeovers and our event Taps & Apps on Tuesday, April 30th. We’ve invited four local breweries (Marble, Il Vicino, La Cumbre & Bosque Brewing) and paired their best brew with our tantalizing appetizers. This happy hour-style event is going to rock, and you don’t want to be left out. Make your reservations with Lauren right now 505.923.9013.

Cheers boys and girls to Albuquerque and ABQ Beer Week! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates on all event at the Hotel Andaluz. We hope to see you real soon…

Taste NM history in our many varieties in wine.

You may have heard that Hotel Andaluz had teamed up with local winery Milagro Vineyards and Winery located in Corrales, NM just outside Albuquerque. This was the launch of our wines dinners at Hotel Andaluz. This concept isn’t new, but it’s something wanted to bring to the heart of Downtown Albuquerque.

We were really excited to bring fans of Milagro to the hotel. Our chef prepared an exquisite menu paired with Milagro wines. Wine maker and Milagro founder Dave Hobson was on hand to tell us about each wine, it’s flavors and how to best enjoy Milagro Wines. The event was sold out and we saw lots of happy faces when the event concluded.

This was the first of many events planned for Hotel Andaluz in 2013. In the coming weeks we want to tell you all about our refreshed menus in Lucia, our revamped happy hour and the re-opening of the Ibiza rooftop patio. For our next Wine Dinner we have teamed up with another local winery, Casa Rondena. We are working on the details but mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 27^th. And if wine isn’t quite your forte, we are planning a sister event with local brewery La Cumbre. We’ll be hosting a beer happy hour with appetizer parings on February 15^th.

Keep checking hotelandaluz.com or ‘LIKE’ us on facebook  more information and how you can make your reservations to join us for some fun. Until next week.

A fan and staff favorite around here is our Pumpkin Cheesecake Puff Pastry and Chef Andrew was kind enough to share the recipe. So if you’re looking for a last minute dessert to make for your holiday celebrations, this is a yummy twist in case your pumpkin pie is getting a little tiresome.

The following makes 16 Pumpkin Cheesecake Puff Pastries.

Combine the following in a small bowl:
• 2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
• ¾ tsp of cinnamon
• ¼ tsp of clove
• ¼ tsp of nutmeg
• 2 – 8oz packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
Beat all together until smooth (5 min). Then, beat the following in one at a time:
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large yolk
Add and beat in until combined
• 1 can of pumpkin

Click here for a quick recipe for puff pastry. Once you’ve got that all set: roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry. Cut each sheet into 8 squares, press each square into an oiled cupcake tin. Put about 4oz of cheesecake mix in each puff pastry. Bake at 375 until puffed and golden brown (approximately 20 min). Most importantly, share and enjoy!

Let us know if you decided to make these, and how they came out. Until next week.

Here are some hot trends for cool events:

Decor

Go bold and combine orange, hot pink and bright yellow for a lively color palette. Using vases of varying sizes, fill with citrus fruits such as tangerines, limes and lemons for a bright and festive look.

If you are looking to create a serene environment that says cool and chic, opt for a color palette that layers shades of white, ivory and khaki or combines white, blue and lilac. Pair these colors with seashells, rocks, sand and driftwood for a traditional “beach-y” look that is also eco-chic!

Dining

Summer in New Mexico can be hot, but we suggest these delectable treats to cool off your summer nights!

Beverages

• Vinho Verde is a great summer wine – light, refreshing and a little bubbly
• White Peach Sangria is a light, sweet departure from the classic red Sangria
• Try a summer twist on a classic cocktail — the Watermelon Margarita!

Foods

• Mango-Pineapple and Strawberry Brochettes with a Meyer’s Rum Mascarpone Dipping Sauce
• Crab Cakes with Roasted Corn Relish can be prepared as bite-size hors d’oeuvres or as an entrée
• Fire up the Barbie and grill Harissa Shrimp Skewers to pair with Roasted Jalapeno-Honeydew Gazpacho
• A grilled Shaved Ham and Manchego Quesadilla with Green Chile & Apple Chutney
• Gourmet popsicles are the new trend! Try our Chef’s Bourbon Peaches and Cream Popsicles

For full recipes of these dishes, CLICK HERE.