Posts Tagged ‘drinks’
National Eggnog Month
Nobody knows why December is National Eggnog Month. It makes sense that it is, but there is no association that declared it as such and no presidential proclamation. But all the same I think we are all willing to celebrate this holiday! At least those of us who love the drink, it’s one of those things where you like it or you hate it. If you have never tried it homemade, I ask you to try it. Just once.
And for the record, December 24 is National Eggnog Day, but really, it needs more than one day.
For those of you that aren’t aware of what makes up this delicious drink, it is made of milk, cream, sugar, eggs (which make it frothy), topped with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is also commonly served with alcohol such as cognac, whisky, brandy, and rum.
George Washington, our first president, was actually a big fan of eggnog way back in the day. He had his own recipe that incorporated brandy, rum, whisky, and sherry. From what we hear, it’s a very strong drink. Try one of the recipes below. Nothing would be more relaxing than reclining with an eggnog cocktail on a chilly winter’s night.
Eggnog Recipes:
Perfect Eggnog from Confessions of a Tart
Traditional Eggnog, Sans Salmonella from ireallylikefood
Eggnog Fudge from The Recipe Girl
Eggnog Latte from Savory Sweet Life
Vegan Eggnog Cheesecake from FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Photo by izik.
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| Categories: | Beverages • Holiday • cocktails | 3 Comments |
| Tags: | Beverages • cocktails • Dessert • drinks |
Thanksgiving Cocktails
So you are going to have a house full of guests and you know that everyone is going to arrive starving and looking for a something to drink. What better way to keep Uncle Ned’s fingers out of the kitchen then with a drink in his hand? While the turkey is finishing in the oven, welcome your guests this holiday with some festive pre-dinner cocktails. Here some Thanksgiving cocktails to warm up your guests before the feast!
The Carte Blanche from Embury Cocktails
The Gobble-tini from Campus Talk
Grown Up Apple Cider from The Kitchn
And for dessert, pair your pumpkin pie with an Afternoon Cocktail or a Holiday Eggnog.
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| Categories: | Beverages • Holiday • cocktails | 1 Comment |
| Tags: | cocktails • drinks • Thanksgiving |
Halloween Cocktails
Recently, I posted a blog about non-alcoholic Halloween drinks for kids but as we all know, Halloween is just as much a holiday for adults as it is for kids. Instead of bringing spooky cupcakes or Halloween truffles to your Halloween gathering this weekend, mix up some creepy cocktail concoctions to share with your adult guests.
Dressing up? Bring a special potion that goes with the theme of your costume. For example, if you are going as Don Draper, you should probably bring the ingredients to make an Old Fashioned. Going as a vampire? A Bloody Mary is more than fitting. Want to bring enough for a crew? Here is a list of Halloween cocktails that are to die for!
More Cocktail Inspiration
Cocktail Culture- Absithe Cocktail
Sloshed!- Hard Pumpkin Cider
Nightschool-Professional bartenders share their secrets
Vintage Cocktails on Facebook
Above photo by TangoPango
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| Categories: | Beverages • Entertaining • Holiday • Uncategorized • cocktails | Leave a Comment |
| Tags: | drinks • Halloween cocktails • Halloween party beverages |
Fresh Peach Bellini
What do you get when you puree a delicious, succulent peach and marry it with a lovely dry Prosecco? A glorious tasting Fresh Peach Bellini, the perfect complement to a warm summer evening. We kept our puree a bit thick (not unlike the consistency of baby food – in fact, the puree itself would make great baby food!) as we wanted to retain all the sweet and juicy flavors of the fruit. The result was an almost smoothie-like beverage (for an adult, that is!). Frothy and refreshing! Just another great way to use all those scrumptious peaches that are now in season.
Other tasty peach recipes to tickle the tongue:
Dana McCauley’s Food Blog: Peach and Tomato Salad
Julie Jam’s Delicious Summer Peach Crisp
Whisk’s Honey-Peach Ice Cream
Cafe Fernando’s Peach Tart With Almonds and Maple Syrup
Patty’s Pantry Peach Salsa
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| Categories: | Beverages • cocktails | 2 Comments |
| Tags: | alcohol • bellini • beverage • cocktail • drinks • Fruit • peach • peaches • prosecco • sparkling wine |
Mad About Mad Men
I am addicted to Mad Men. The first few episodes though I found myself yelling at the men’s chauvinist behavior and encouraging the women to stop biting their tongues (”Tell him to kiss off!”). If I had been an adult during that era I’d like to think I’d have been a bra burner, or maybe just have had the courage to deliver a proper tongue lashing to a sexist fool. I’d love to travel back in time and tell a handful of them where they can stick their 11 a.m. Scotch.
But I am mad about Mad Men. I love the show. Now my yells are at the end of each episode – “More! More!” It’s brilliantly written, the costumes and coiffed hair are fabulous, and the cocktails (swilled with reckless abandon) I believe are creating a stir (pardon the bartending pun) amongst the vintage beverage-loving set. I include myself in that category.
To celebrate another episode (yes, it indeed is worth celebrating) we mixed up some Don and Betty favorites. For him, an Old Fashioned, for her a Gimlet. Did you know the Old Fashioned was the first drink to be called a cocktail? And the Gimlet was named after a naval surgeon, Gimlette, who encouraged his sailors to drink the concoction to prevent scurvy. Tough medicine! Both are counted amongst the six basic cocktails.
Here’s to the Drapers, and here are the recipes:
Photo: thebittenword.com
Others as mad as I about Mad Men:
The Food Librarian: Mad Med Dutch Cinnamon Apple Cake from 1963 New York Times
Ezra Pound Cake: Mad Men Premiere Party Menu
Brokelyn: Scary food from the Mad Men era
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| Categories: | Beverages • cocktails | Leave a Comment |
| Tags: | Betty Draper • Beverages • cocktails • Don Draper • drinks • Mad Men • retro cocktails • vintage cocktails |
Lemon Lavender Martini
It’s Friday and you know what that means. It means we get to kick back, put our feet up, and pat ourselves on the back for doing such a fine job all week. What better way to celebrate your goodness (and take a well-deserved load off) than to sip a lovely cocktail in your sunny backyard. I’ve got the drink for you (the yard is up to you). It’s a delicious Lemon Lavender Martini.
What inspired me was the beautiful lavender bushes in our yard. I looked longingly at them one evening, knowing that soon I would have to cut them back, and commented on how they looked pretty enough to eat (or drink!) So we cut off a bunch of stems and made a lavender infused simple syrup. With our simple syrup we mixed in vodka, a splash of fresh lemon juice, and gave it a shake with ice. Adjust the syrup citrus ratio according to taste.
Now there’s some lemon lavender love for you.
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| Categories: | Beverages • cocktails | 2 Comments |
| Tags: | alcohol • alcoholic beverages • Beverages • citrus • cocktails • drinks • lavender • lemon • martini • vodka martini |
Cantaloupe Cucumber Mint Cocktail
Instead of a cool berry daiquiri for a hot summer night, Mark and I tried a new combination of flavors; cool cucumber, cantaloupe and fresh mint blended with ice, lime and rum. I think this little cocktail might be that much better with vodka or gin.
Here’s the recipe:
Pulse it in the blender until smooth. Then strain the juice into a martini glass and garnish with a cucumber and cantaloupe slice. Cheers to summer!
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| Categories: | Beverages • Entertaining • Uncategorized • cocktails | Leave a Comment |
| Tags: | cantaloupe • cocktaill • cucumber • drinks • mint • Summer |
Blackberry Martini
Cobbler schmobbler! There are so many other things to make with blackberries. I know, blackberry season is technically over, but we happened to find a bush hiding quite a few still edible ones. Not quite enough for a pie or cobbler, mind you, but enough to fix up a nice bit of blackberry sauce.
…and mix it with vodka for a tasty martini.
First, you need to make your blackberry sauce, which is delicious not only in cocktails, but in smoothies, yogurt, on pancakes or waffles, you name it.
Blackberry Sauce
1/2 lb blackberries
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
Heat the above ingredients in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Mash the berries with a wooden spoon to release all the juices. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved (about 10-15 minutes).
Strain liquid through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, then chill well.
Blackberry Martini
1 part chilled blackberry sauce
1 part vodka
Ice
Put into a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and there you go.
Wasn’t that easy?
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| Categories: | Beverages | 5 Comments |
| Tags: | Beverages • blackberries • blackberry martini • blackberry sauce • cocktails • drinks • foodista • martini • martinis |
Cause Mo For the Cure
If you didn’t already know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Like many others, this disease runs in my family, so I am diligent in not only monitoring my own health, but doing what I can to support and spread the word about opportunities in finding a cure for breast cancer.
Last night we went to Palisade in Seattle’s Elliott Bay Marina to have a cocktail. And on the table we discovered a card announcing “Cause-Mo For the Cure.” In 2004, restaurant managers of Restaurants Unlimited (a company consisting of 58 award-winning restaurants) cooked up the brilliant idea to donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen foundation for every Cosmopolitan cocktail it serves. The “Cosmo” just so happens to be one of my favorite frou-frou drinks so I jumped on the wagon and ordered myself a lavender cosmopolitan (yum!), complete with a pink rubber wrist band.
Help Save the Ta-tas!
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| Categories: | Beverages • Restaurants | 2 Comments |
| Tags: | Beverages • breast cancer • cause mo • cocktails • cosmopolitan • drinks • Food • foodista • national breast cancer awareness month • palisades • save the ta-tas • susan g komen |
Citron Honey Tea
It’s spring and I woke up with a sore throat. You shouldn’t be able to get sick in warm months. That’s what winter is for. We suffer the cold weather and the spreading of germs, then the sun comes out and we get a reprieve from carrying tissues and sucking on lozenges. Wouldn’t it be nice if nature worked that way?
But alas, it doesn’t, because the sun is out and I am in. With a sore throat. Sipping tea like it’s the dead of winter.
If you happen to get the same little bug here’s what will fix you right up: citron honey tea.
Also called yuja-cha in Korean, citron honey tea is a marmalade-like tea, made from the citron fruit. Citron, also called yuzu, is a lemon-like fruit that is wonderfully fragrant and packed full of vitamin C.
Stir in a heaping spoonful or two into a mug of hot water and serve with a spoon. You’ll want to scoop up the bits of sweet rind that remain in your cup.
Even if you’re not under the weather it makes a delicious treat. Try mixing it with ice water for a refreshing drink, stir into plain yogurt or spread on toast as you would marmalade.
You can find citron honey tea in asian markets or even order it online from Stash Tea.
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| Categories: | Asian • Beverages • Fruit • Uncategorized | 1 Comment |
| Tags: | Asian • Beverages • citron • drinks • foodista • korean tea • Tea • yuzu |
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Normally this time of year I’d be writing about wine spritzers or something refreshing. Certainly not hot chocolate. But it’s been so cold here in Seattle I would swear it’s winter. Mark Twain once said, “The coldest summer I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” Well, I’m sure he’d say the same about Seattle right now. Didn’t we just have a heat wave?!
So to take the chill off I cranked the heat up, threw an extra blanket on top of the already-down-quilted bed, and made a big mug of Mexican hot chocolate.
Mexican hot chocolate makes Swiss Miss taste like pond water. Rich dark chocolate that’s laced with cinnamon and coarse sugar, it’s thick, frothy and warms you up like a hug from Granny. In fact, one of my favorite brands, Abuelita, means Little Grandma.
Break one tablet into 4 cups of milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture frequently with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and frothy. Traditionally, Mexican chocolate is beaten to a froth with a whisk-like wooden implement called a molinillo. Since most of us don’t own such an item you can pulse a small amount of the cocoa in a blender, then ladle on top of your beverage, much like a barista does with the foam of your latté. Drink immediately (you won’t want to wait anyway).
If you really need to take the edge off, add a splash of whiskey. A dash of chili powder is pretty good, too.
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| Categories: | Beverages • Chocolate | 4 Comments |
| Tags: | Beverages • Chocolate • cocoa • drinks • Food • foodista • hot chocolate • hot cocoa • mexican hot chocolate • Mexico • spices |
Cinco de Mayo
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Do you really know why we celebrate this day? Most Americans do not. Here’s why: because it gives Americans just one more day to get their drink on. Or so it appears that way.
Actually it’s a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. But, I bet if you interview people on the street and ask them why we celebrate this day they’ll probably look and you and exclaim, “So we can drink margaritas!” Or, they will say it the Mexican version of Fourth of July. But, Cinco de Mayo is not, as most people think, Mexican Independence Day. In fact, it’s a regional holiday celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla to commemorate the Mexican victory led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on, you guessed it, May 5, 1862.
But it gives us an excuse to indulge on Mexican cuisine and beverages, so arrrrrrrriiiiiiibbbbbaaaa!
Here’s one of my favorite Mexican beverages: the michelada, which is essentially lime beer. Micheladas are refreshing, light and don’t fill you up like sweet/salty margaritas. Nor do they leave you with a nasty tequila hangover the next morning.
Michelada
- Salt the rim of a tall glass and fill it with ice
- Squeeze in the juice of half to a whole large lime (I prefer mine very limey so I add a lot)
- Pour in your beer of choice, preferably Mexican…it is Cinco de Mayo afterall!
Enjoy and be safe!
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| Categories: | Beverages • Mexican | 4 Comments |
| Tags: | beer • Beverages • cinco de mayo • drinks • Food • foodista • Mexican • Mexico • michelada |
Kombucha: the Fungus Tea
No, that’s not vinegar you’re drinking, it’s kombucha. If you’ve never heard of kombucha it’s a tea that has been fermented from what’s known as a “kombucha colony.” Now, here’s the not-so-appealing part: a kombucha colony is a solid mass of microorganisms, primarily acidic bacteria and yeast cultures. It looks not unlike what you might skim off the top of a skanky pond. Mmm, tasty. Basically it’s fungus tea.
But I have to say, I love it. It’s effervescent, a bit on the sour side, and quite tasty. It’s often mixed with other flavors such as fruit juices (like mango and raspberry), is low in calories, and gives you a nice energy boost from the bit of caffeine. It’s also reportedly good for your digestive system and aids in liver detoxification. Great for when you’ve had a bit too much the night before.
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| Categories: | Beverages | 1 Comment |
| Tags: | Beverages • drinks • Food • foodista • kombucha • Tea |
Dry Soda
Hi, my name is Sheri and I’m a DRY Soda-aholic. There, I said it. I’m not ashamed of it. If you tasted these you would be addicted too.
DRY Soda Co. is a Seattle-based company that produces all-natural sodas. Really, they are non-alcoholic so you won’t have to worry about losing your job and living in your car if you, too, become addicted. These are not your ordinary sodas. They are ever-so-lightly sweetened with pure cane sugar and are flavored with the extracts of fruit or herbs. Their current tantalizing yet subtle flavors are lavender, rhubarb, kumquat and lemongrass. I honestly cannot tell you which is my favorite as they are all divine. So I just keep drinking more.
Still need inspiration? Here are some of DRY Soda staff’s favorite pairings:
Kumquat DRY with oysters
Lavender DRY and chocolate lava cake
Lemongrass DRY with Thai curry
Rhubarb DRY and butternut squash
What soda company suggests giving “yourself home turndown service with Lavender DRY and a chocolate square before bed” or, creating “your own mini-spa experience at home with DRY Soda and a favorite CD, candle or bath fizz”? Sounds good to me. I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but off I go to soak in the tub with my soda!
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| Categories: | Beverages • Herbs | 2 Comments |
| Tags: | beverage • Beverages • drinks • dry soda • foodista • kumquat • lavendar • lemongrass • rhubarb • Soda |
