A Businessman's Dinner

It's hard to have any kind of fun,boozy lunch or dinner business meeting. We miss those meetings that also include a lavish steak and potato or surf and turf dinner. However if you have a kitchen - and a well stocked liquor cabinet you can create these meals at home - and even in your yard.

One of the standards of any business lunch is the mixed drink. If you feel it's too strong there's always seltzer to mix in. There's also mocktails which have the flavor without the punch. Try the classic Italian Americano which is a mix of the low in strength vermouth, Campari and club soda. It can be converted to the more potent Negroni by skipping the club soda and adding gin.A cool summertime treat is gin and tonic which just calls for those two ingredients with a hint of lime for more flavor. For a true light drink is the spritzer. This is any wine  - red or white equally mixed with a plain seltzer (although you could use any berry flavor for red wine and any lemon lime flavored one for the white). Mocktails are another way to go. They have the flavor of a mixed drink but without the alcohol. One is a blueberry ginger cooler which has blueberries and a home made ginger syrup mixed with lemon lime soda or seltzer. A Bloody Mary is also a nice accompaniment to a steak. Try one without the vodka, adding some fresh from the garden tomatoes into the drink.

The great American business lunch or dinner is nothing without a steak, Usually most restaurants and chophouses serve a T bone steak which is a good, meaty cut. It's better tasting on the grill and easier to cook out there also. Just flavor  it with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, then cooking it for nine to ten minutes, five minutes on one side , six on the other. You can add a round of garlic , herbed, or lemon butter for more taste.Many a classic business dinner has lobster included. Again use the grill for this.It is a little more work than the steak. The tail has to be split open and then flattened, usually by hand pressing it.It's then placed on a wooden or metal skewer to prevent from curling up. Brush with olive oil and then grill flesh side down for five minutes. Flip it over and add either a squeeze of fresh of fresh lemon or melted butter. Shrimp cocktail is another classic business lunch or dinner appetizer or entree.Make it 21st Century with roasting the shrimp on a sheet pan for eight to ten minutes. Serve with a good dollop of homemade or store bought cocktail sauce. What goes with all of these?  Classic baked potatoes. Use the grill for these too and salt crust them with Kosher salt. This makes for a fluffier interior , better for holding all that butter, sour cream and chives.

We may have new offices these days and new ways to meet. Yet we still can have the classic business lunch or dinner, drinks included. It's just enjoying a tasty meal with a iced drink in our shorts as opposed to business wear.

A good birthday to my favorite guy, Dad. This is for you.