We went to a very berry event last night hosted by Driscoll Berries. It was an interesting evening of cooking lessons and food photography all centered around blackberries. During the course of the evening, I sat next to one of the folks from Driscoll and learned a ton about berries. I had never really thought of it before but berries, like grapes, are “terroir” based and reflect the impact of their surroundings. It totally makes … Read more
This simple and light champagne cocktail is perfect for Thanksgiving, the day of thanks and heavy foods! The seasonal flavor and ginger zing will complement the food without filling you up. Also: there’s no better way to celebrate than with a little something sparkling.
Juice the pears yourself for a little DIY enhancement! For more tips on creating your own champagne cocktails, check out our book DIY Cocktails.
Ingredients:
1 oz pear juice
1/2 oz … Read more
Time is winding down as the clock ticks closer and closer to the release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I and the collective sigh of millions of rejoicing fans as Bella and Edward meet onscreen again after the agonizing wait between films. As the countdown continues, we’ve gathered some of our favorite drinks that will definitely aid in getting your gears into vampire-mode. Take a look at all these bloody drinks and … Read more
Midnight on November 18th marks the long-awaited premier of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I. For those of you who haven’t guessed, I have a bit of a vampire fetish. I will admit that I watch True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. I even loved that canceled series Moonlight. And, yes, I really love Twilight. I’ve read all the books multiple times (that isn’t saying much as they are an … Read more
I will freely admit that I am a St. Germain addict and, thanks to St. Germain, an elderflower addict too. Since my discovery of this delightful liqueur a few years ago, I have bought a number of bottles and literally added it to everything. It brightens a Champagne cocktail, makes gin sing and is a potent addition to any punch bowl. So you can only imagine our excitement when a bottle magically arrived in the … Read more
If fall weather is putting you in a romantic mood, here’s the perfect champagne cocktail for the occasion.
This week’s drink uses orgeat, a floral almond syrup that adds a richness and silkiness to an already great combination: sparkling wine and rum. I suggest you take the extra time to make your own orgeat, using our recipe. However, you can also use a well-made orgeat by Small Hand Foods, Okole Maluna or your favorite ingredient … Read more
This week represents our foray into the wine business. One of the questions that we receive most from people is how to buy good wine that doesn’t break the bank. To satisfy user demand, we have been working on a weekly series on “Wine on a Budget.”
The local grocery store can be an amazing place to purchase wine on a budget (we have only lived in states with relatively liberal alcohol laws so I … Read more
This light and refreshing drink is perfect for weddings, garden parties … or any time you want to toast something beautiful. My latest creation is a champagne cocktail made with limoncello, gin, a hint of lavender and, of course, champagne.
It’s a subtle cocktail that will please lots of different tastes.
If you want a more pronounced lavender flavor and aroma in the drink, after you muddle the flowers with the lemon and limoncello, leave … Read more
Ingredients:
1 liter Maker’s Mark
1 cup granulated sugar
Peels of 3 lemons and 1 orange
Juice of peeled fruit
1 liter of strong tea (preferably green tea)
250 ml champagne (club soda can be used for a less fancy version)
Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
Combine sugar and citrus peels in the bottom of a punch bowl. Muddle together until sugar starts to clump together. Let sit for about 2 hours, (while not necessary, this … Read more
With tomorrow, May 21st, being the date pegged for Armageddon things could get a little hairy. To ease the pain, we figured this 1935 classic was a perfect fit. Absinthe and Champagne… might as well go out in boozy style! Apparently, Ernest Hemingway created this lovely cocktail as his contribution to a celebrity recipe collection. Mr. Hemingway recommends, “Drink three to five of these slowly.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz absinthe
4 oz chilled Champagne… Read more