‘Merica Mule
I am excited to present my entry for the Mad Marchness Cocktail Face-Off, #sponsored by Mad March Hare (@madmarchharepoitin) and organized by @thegallavantgroup! The contest is based on engagement, so I definitely appreciate your likes, comments, shares, saves, etc.!
Big Fat Tiki
Happy Tiki Tuesday! Happy Fat Tuesday! I have one big whopper of a tiki drink for you today. This one makes me really excited because there are too few whiskey-based tiki drinks in my opinion. When @alpinedistilling kindly gifted me their spiced bourbon, I knew I had to go in that direction. I love my strong, overproof whiskies, but I gotta say— this is really delicious all by itself, maybe not too surprisingly since I love cinnamon and stone fruit.
Vida Americana
Blanco tequila can be so much more than a shot or a margarita. It took me some time to realize that, and don’t get me wrong— I love a good margarita and especially its infinite riffability. But if you like margaritas and/or tequila in general, keep reading.
The Ghost of the Espresso Martini
Espresso martinis are having a moment right now. I get it, mixing your uppers and your downers sounds like a perfectly safe decision. Well, at the very least, it’s a bit classier than a vodka redbull (#judgementfreezone). This drink is not an espresso martini, but it does have the essence of one. Or if you’re a bartender who’s sick of the OG, this stirred drink can conjure fantasies of no longer shaking up martinis all night.
Manda Lavanda
Happy National Margarita Day! As if you needed an excuse to drink a margarita on Taco Tuesday... but if you are looking for a reason, here is a smoky, floral margarita that is definitely not your classic option. First, it brings in a floral-forward gin. I know this may upset some of the margarita purists out there, but it's certainly not the first cocktail to bring these two spirits together. Those floral notes are rounded out with Bitter Bianco, a less bitter, more floral, and much less red Campari. The touch of citrus here plays well with the Cointreau and keeps the juniper in check as a nice subtle background note.
Roasted Carrot Soup
This is an original recipe that brings together a lot of deep, earthy flavors for a rich, warming soup that is perfect for a cold day. Roasting the carrots completely transforms the ingredient and brings those sweet, complex caramelized notes. The earthiness is really accentuated with the dukkah— a Middle Eastern blend of herbs, spices, and nuts (hazelnut, in this case).
135 Reasons
One of my favorite things about gin (there are many) is just how diverse the category is, especially with the semi-recent revival of more localized gins showcasing the essence--nay, terroir-- of the area. The more gins I try, the more I appreciate their diversity, as well as the importance of pairing the best gin for the job at hand.
Green With Envy
Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m sure your feed is filled with Red, Cliches, and references to fat, matchmaking little angels. This post goes out to anyone not feeling all the Love…or maybe even feeling a bit jealous of all the warm fuzzies Hallmark would make you believe you should be feeling. [Full disclosure: I am a Big Softie and I happily married to my forever Valentine🥰].
The Double Doink
In football, the infamous Double Doink refers to a (partially blocked) missed field goal attempt by the Chicago Bears that tragically hit the goal post twice before bouncing out. This hilarious event resonates with me today because of the way that this drink played out. Since this post is for the Super Bowl I was very excited to use my football ice mold. I wanted to make the ice football-colored, so I came up with a (surprise) overly complicated recipe that would impart lovely flavors and color.
Get A Move On
I don’t like waste. Old fruit? Shrub. Stale bread? Croutons. Several cans of prune juice about to expire (#parenthood)? Sounds like a syrup-itunity to me. The best part is that the syrup is, like, really good— raisiny, rich, a little funky. I can only assume it’s great for my digestive health, too.