Celebrate Monterey Car Week at ‘The Quail Motorsports Gathering’ via a ‘Quail Quencher’
Each August ‘Car Week’ is a special event on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. Inspired by acclaimed Chef Bobby Flay, this ‘Quail Quencher’ cocktail is an end of summer hit. There are numerous events along the Monterey Bay during Car Week. A crown Jewel get-together is held at Quail Lodge. The Quail Motorsports Gathering combines the lush setting of a golf course, with exceptional cuisine and the finest examples of vintage automobiles. Cream of the crop luxury autos can be driven and a Land-Rover off road driving school is in full gear. The world class cuisine, historic award winning automobiles and unique experiences has made this signature event ‘over the top fabulous’! The ticket price includes a gourmet lunch served in various pavilions, fine wines, cocktails and specialty items. The event is so popular that tickets are sold via an online lottery system, so plan early…you will not want to miss out on this iconic event.
Enjoy this video tour of a recent Quail Gathering:
Did you know that on my 16th birthday I was lucky to be gifted a 1969 Camaro Z28 by my parents?
That was a thrill, driving to Monterey High and around town is such a fantastic car. This photo is taken today to kick off ‘car week’, with my daughter Bella Sophia at Huckleberry Hill. Feel free to share your vintage car photos anytime, I can be reached at huckleberryhilladventure@gmail.com.
Huckleberry Hugs, XOXO Maxine (A.K.A. “Molly”)
-The Quail Quencher-
Watermelon Tequila Punch
This delicious tequila-spiked creation features the current seasonal abundance of seedless watermelon. Bobby Flay has an amazing technique. So simple! Puree watermelon chunks in your blender, strain the juice, mix with silver tequila, sugar syrup, local blueberries…add fresh mint and lime juice. Cheers to Bobby Flay and ‘The Peninsula Signature Events’ for inspiring our Quail Quencher.
(recipe credit: Chef Bobby Flay)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 cups diced seedless watermelon (1 pound)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 3/4 cups blueberries
- 3/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, plus 8 sprigs for garnish
- 1 1/4 cups silver tequila- *Virgin option (this mix makes a delicious fruit juice, add seltzer water or ginger ale for a non-alcohol version!)
- Ice
- Step 1
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer with the sugar and stir over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute; let the sugar syrup cool.
- Step 2
- In a blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the watermelon juice, pressing gently on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp.
- Step 3
- In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the lime juice, blueberries and mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, lightly muddle the blueberries and mint. Add the watermelon juice and tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
- Step 4
- Pour the cocktail into tall ice-filled glasses. Garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.
We hope to see you soon! Join Bella Sophia and I at The Quail Motorsports Gathering, Friday August 23, 2019.
For ten days each August, connoisseurs and enthusiasts from around the world converge on the Monterey Peninsula to celebrate the ultimate in automotive design, engineering and camaraderie among fellow aficionados.
The crown jewel in a whirlwind of events is The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. Since its inception, it has combined a lush setting on a golf course nestled against the Santa Lucia mountain range with exceptional cuisine and the finest examples of vintage sporting automobiles seen during the week. Sponsors provide today’s cream-of-the-crop luxury cars to be sampled by guests on local roads, and those who wish can also test their mettle on the Land Rover Experience Driving School off-road course. (This video and memories are from the 2018 event, we had a fabulous time with Nonna Cathy and sure to miss her sense of humor and company. She is one in a million and now our Angel from Heaven.)
About Signature Events: Peninsula Signature Events is organized by The Peninsula Hotels, dedicated to creating world-class bespoke events at its properties in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, New York, Chicago, Bangkok, Manila and Paris. The Quail Lodge and Golf Club is home to the following events: The Quail, A Motorcycle Gathering, The Quail Rally, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering and The Quail Ride. Tickets and Information at Quail Signature Events.
