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!

Possibly Related Posts:

• Halloween Cocktails
• Halloween Drinks for Kids
• A Chance to go to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
• Pairing Pumpkin Beer with Seasonal Foods
• Time to Belly Up to the Bar with Erik Hakkinen

We definitely eat more fish than beef, but I was feeling unavoidable carnivorous so I thought I would make simple Thai-style skewers. I was also secretly craving the easy clean-up of BBQing!

The marinade for six long skewers is as follows:

2 stalks of lemongrass or about 3 T (use the lower green part only and slice thinly)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 inch long piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 T olive or vegetable oil
3 T fish sauce
1 T sugar

Your beef should be in thinly sliced strips: about 1/4 inch thick and 1 inch wide. Marinate the strips for about 20-30 minutes and soak your bamboo skewers in water during this time too. Thread the beef onto the skewers in a ribbon-like manner. Grill for a couple minutes on each side, brushing with the remaining marinade.

Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and serve with lime wedges. Easy and delicious! (And again, the clean-up is nice too!)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Slow Cooked Goat Shank With Alubia Criollo Beans
• Veggie Beef Tahini Pita
• Pork Belly with Wild Huckleberry Sauce
• Bacon Day
• Git Yer Bacon