Don't forget Mom!
Bring the entire family to enjoy a
special Mother's Day brunch at the firefly grill! On Sunday, May 10 the firefly will be hosting a delicious Mother's Day brunch from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m..
 In addition to delicious starters, diners can choose from entrees of Challah-Bread French Toast with Fresh Berry Compote; Oak-fired Trotter Steak & French Eggs; Chorizo Sausage, Egg & Black Bean Breakfast Burrito; Niall's Famous Eggs Benedict; or Salmon Gravlox Crepes...mmmm...how will Mom decide? Brunch price is $19.95
per person while kids can eat for $4.99 off of a children's menu.
If you can't make brunch, why not treat Mom to
dinner, or give her a couple of firefly gift certificates to use any time? We'll be serving dinner after 4 p.m. and promise to have some extra-enticing menu items. Firefly grill is a
great way to show Mom how much you love her!
The complete menu is on our website at www.ffgrill.com. Please call for reservations 342-2002, don't wait until it's too late!
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 Whose eating Flipper?
Well, no one, we hope! But you'd be surprised by how many people think we're serving up Flipper when we mention that Mahi-Mahi is on the menu. To be technical, the fish we know from the 1964 TV series (okay, some of us know!) is actually a porpoise, and not a fish. Porpoises, like their cousins Dolphins,
are mammals. They have lungs and breathe air and do not have gills like fish. They are NOT related to the Dolphin-fish, also known as Mahi-Mahi, which has gills, making them fish.
Mahi-mahi, and their cousin Pompano, are surface-dwelling fish found in warmer waters. Known also as Dorado, they are fast-growing fish that average 15 -29 pounds and have an average life-span of 4-5 years. They are primarily found in the Carribean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the western coasts of North and South America. In the summer they are found in the Atlantic waters as far north as New York and New Jersey.
The fish has green and gold flanks that light up with a rainbow of iridescent colors that fade with time. They are often see jumping in the waves at the prow of a boat under way, it's hard to miss their rainbows of silver, blues, yellows and greens as they shimmer in the sunlight. They're fun to fish for too, as they're fast, and schoolmates tend to jump and arc out of the water when a single fish is caught, providing quite a spectacle.
According to Seafood Leader's 1992 Buyers' Guide (March/April
issue), Mahi-Mahi occupy a place at the top of the food chain. They are carnivorous and eat other flying fish, shrimp, squid,
mackerel, other small fish and even some crustaceans (Sponge Bob, beware)! At first, most Mahi-Mahi were an incidental catch in the tuna/swordfish longline fishery. Now they are commercially fished, with the U.S. being the largest consumer of the fish. They like to hang out in areas populated by small baitfish and microscopic organisms, such as near reefs, floating debris, or clumps of Sargasso seaweed
Mahi-Mahi are a firm whitefish with a delicate flavor, similar to flounder and tilapia. They are versatile, and can be baked, broiled, poached, grilled, sauteed, or pan-fried, and prepared either very simply or very elaborately. On our menu this week we have some freshly hand-caught Mahi-Mahi, direct from Dave's fishing expedition in Florida. You'd better hurry before it's gone!
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The Whole Enchilada - a Cinco de Mayo Tasting
Cinco de Mayo, May 5, honors the bravery of the Puebla militia men of Mexico, who, working on instinct and courage alone, defeated the invading French army. This Cinco de Mayo th e
firefly will be saluting this bit of Mexican heritage with a Cinco de Mayo
Tasting. From 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.. We'll serve a 5-course tasting celebrating the very best of Mexican food
and drink, but with firefly flair. Elk
Tamales with Salsa Verde, Cactus Avocado and Lime Soup, and Arrachera Asada are
just a few of the tempting courses. For more information and the complete menu,
visit ourr website at www.ffgrill.com or
call 217-342-2002. Feeling a bit Cooped Up? Explore the World at the firefly! We'll be hosting a Wines Around the World wine dinner on Wednesday, May 27th. Featuring Wines from Italy,
New Zealand, France, Washington
State and South Africa, Koerner's Sommelier Chris Rutterwill guide us on this wondrous journey.
It all begins with a Meet and Greet with an Amuse from Chef Niall at 6 p.m., where we'll serve an appetizer of Grilled Ahi Tuna with Garden Fennel, Citrus Segments &
Asparagus paired with a Bortolomiel Prosecco from Valdobbiadene Italy
1st Course served at 6:30 - 3 Stones 1st Stone - Chef Creek Oyster with Mignotte &
firefly Garden Chive Blossom 2nd Stone - Scallop & Asparagus Ceviche 3rd Stone - Grilled Plum
and Watercress Paired with 3 Stones Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand 2nd Course Grilled Artichoke Risotto with Parmesan Reggiano & Lemon Zest Crème Fraiche Paired with Drouhin Morgon Beaujolais from Burgundy France
3rd Course Braised Lamb & Veal over House-made Parpadelle Pasta
& Grilled Tomatoes Paired with Novelty Hill Syrah in Washington State 4th Course Veal Parmesan Napoleon Stack Veal Medallions with Fresh Eggplant in a House-made Marinara Paired withTorres Salmos from Priorat Region of Spain 5th Course Lemon Curd and Apricot Tart
Paired with Nederburg Late Harvest Blend from South Africa Price is $75 per person, and we can promise not only great food and great fun, but that it's the cheapest way you'll ever get around the world! Call today for reservations as seating is limited, 217-343-2002.
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The sounds of strings...
 similar to those of the orchestral ensemble provided by Messers C.W. and F.N. Black of Liverpool wafted through the firefly on April 16 as the diners gathered for brunch. Welcomed with caviar and Mumm's Cordon Rouge champagne, the first-class passengers gathered to dine as a similar group had many years ago, on a voyage that held so much promise yet brought so much tragedy. The voyage of the RMS Titanic .
With some dressed in period costume, this group of "passengers"
gathered at the firefly to enjoy a recreation of the last first-class meal served on the RMS Titanic in 1912. There was beauty. There was opulence. There was hor's d'oeuvres and wine. Every fork, every spoon, and every glass was put in proper place. And if you listened closely enough, you could hear the sound of the waves of Lake Kristie gently lapping at the shore.
Passengers dined on cream of barley soup, followed by poached salmon, filet mignon, punch
rose, roasted game hen, asparagus salad, eclairs, ice cream, fruit,
cheese and coffee.
Following the meal, the men relaxed with cigars and cognac under the stars, on the open-air firefly deck, much like they must have 97 years ago.
 None of the original diners suspected that they had just enjoyed their last meal. The ill-fated passengers had no idea that just a few hours later, the RMS Titanic would meet with a fatal iceberg. We're happy to report that our passengers fared much better, and all left with the Titanic, and a wonderful dinner, nothing more than a memory and a full belly.
Yet another amazing tale of what the firefly can do to make your event not only special, but truly one-of-a-kind. www.ffgrill.com.
Sincerely,
Kristie & Niall Campbell
firefly
grill
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| Upcoming Events
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May
May brings more than flowers! A month of so many celebrations and events. Come on in for lunch or dinner or just to relax with a specialty drink! Today, Today, TODAY! Tuesday May 5th
Cinco de Mayo Tasting @ the firefly
Come join the fiesta! Fabulous food, beer & spirit tastings!!
Saturday 9th
Come on over for some revelations after the Rosebud's Late Nite Catechism show!
Saturday May 9
Eastern Illinois Graduation
Sunday, May 10
Mother's Day Brunch,
visit our website for the menu!
Friday May 15
Rumor has it the Beach Boys may be surfing the firefly! Come on over & see!
Thursday, May 21
Willie Nelson plays the Rosebud AND
Reverend Robert Returns!
Come see him before & after Willie's show!
Monday May 25
Memorial Day!
Rosebud Hosts a Musical Salute to our Military
Come on over to the firefly before or after and bring your favorite veteran! Watch for a coupon in our upcoming firefly flash!
May 27th
Wine Dinner from Around the World!
Join us on this journey of food and wine. Make your reservations today, 217-342-2002
See more at www.ffgrill.com |
Our very special drink of the month...
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sweet tea collins,
only at the firefly!
Our drink of the month is a very
special Sweet Tea Collins.
If you've spent any time in the South, you're most likely aware of the popularity of sweet tea. And if you've ever heard of Jack Daniels, Pritchard's and George Dickel, well, then you know that the South has a reputation for having distilleries as well. It was only a matter of time before someone came up with the idea of fusing the two, which resulted in an absolutely amazing sweet tea vodka made by Firefly Vodka (no relation to us), which is distilled in Kentucky.
Flying off the store shelves in the South, we were able to get our hands on a few bottles and add it to our bar. Our mixologists are having fun creating new drinks, and we're happy to present our first special, the sweet tea collins.
Stop in and try one for yourself!
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Reverend Robert
Returns!!!
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Yep, that's right, Reverend Robert is returning to the firefly!
He'll be playing on Thursday, May 21,
surrounding Willie Nelson's Rosebud show.
The Reverend will play the firefly from 6 p.m. to 7p.m. and then
from 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.
He'll be a rambling, the firefly will be a rockin, so plan on stopping by!
www.ffgrill.com
We'll be ROCKIN!
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If a picture is worth a thousand words...
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Then there is a library over at our photo website, www.thefireflygrill/shutterfly.com. Here we've posted pictures from around the firefly and are continuing to upload new ones as we find them. Some of them are stuck way back in the recesses of the computer and we're only just starting to dig them out. We know you'll enjoy seeing some familiar places, faces, and dishes, and hope that you'll join us in sharing your special firefly moments. If you have some you'd like to share, please send them along to us (ffgrillphotos@gmail.com) or feel free to drop off a CD. And if you become a member of our group we'll even notify you when we've posted new pictures!
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