One of the things I used to make all the time is carrot cookies with orange icing. Sounds ghastly, doesn't it? They're great, though. I've conceived a tremendous longing for them today and... it's been so long since I made them, I don't remember where I got the recipe.

One little minute on the dear old Internet, and I found what looks like exactly the right thing on About.com's Southern Food: Carrot Cookies with Orange Icing. Thanks, Diana Rattray, for making a sickie's day a little brighter.

My throat is scratchy, but old-fashioned gargling with salt water has helped, as has drinking fresh lemon juice squeezed onto hot water and sweetened with honey. When I'm ready to go to bed, I just might top that lemon juice thing off with a slug of whiskey. Medicinal. Help me sleep. Yeah.

My husband bought a DVD called something like A Train Journey Through Scandinavia, because he wanted to see the landscape. I don't know why he thought it would feature landscape, since it was clearly labeled A TRAIN JOURNEY. Most of the shots were of trains--long shots, close-ups, front, rear, passing, pulling into stations, leaving stations, headlights, wheels, tracks.... It was a train thing, for train fans. Poor, disappointed boy. Next time he's pining for the fjords, he should look for something called FJORDS, not TRAINS.

MA

writing exercise: You check a DVD or video tape out of the library or buy it at a yard sale or a "pre-owned" rack and the recording in the case is not the recording you expected.

[caption id="attachment_672" align="aligncenter" width="214" caption="Christiania Vodka & the Oslo Iced Tea"][/caption]

Recently Christiania Crowns website sponsored a contest for cocktail of the month.  The ingredient to shake up with their ultra premium Christiania Vodka: blackberry.  Since I love playing with new cocktail recipes and can hardly pass up a challenge, I entered two cocktails in the contest.  Now, I have no idea if either come close to winning the match up against any number of cocktail enthusiasts who entered as well, but it certainly was an entertaining and tasty endeavor.  After all, the success is not really in winning the contest.  It is in the experimentation. 

 

Although, I must admit this Intoxicologist would love to win a private cocktail lesson with a master Christiania mixologist to enhance my knowhow.  Dalio Calado is one such master mixologist who has partnered with Christiania Vodka.  Is he one of the mixologists ready to stir things up with one lucky winner?  Uncertain.  However, Dalio Calado is the ultimate professional with a team ready to spice up your next soiree.  He and his team are certainly worth checking out at Classical Cocktails NYC found in my “Reference” section.  It is definitely time to start planning ahead with the holidays only months away.

 

The cocktails I chose to create began with fresh blackberries.  Plump juicy in-season blackberries are hard to beat when it comes to flavor.  They are naturally sweet when fully ripe and the color is extraordinary.  Both characteristics carry over well in these cocktail creations. 

 

The first cocktail is the Christi Bramble.  This drink concoction consists of muddled lemons and lightly muddled blackberries.  The blackberries alone did not carry enough weight against the lemon so I chose Black Haus Blackberry Schnapps to enhance the blackberry flavor.  Due to the muddling and pulp, this cocktail has to be double strained.  However for all you efforts, the Christi Bramble goes the extra mile.  This cocktail may be sipped as is or topped off with champagne if you are in a more celebratory mood. 

 

The Oslo Iced Tea is a little something different.  This particular recipe takes a little time at first glance in making the tea and bar syrup base, but again your efforts will be rewarded.  Using tea for flavoring gives this drink a slight sharpness that otherwise would never be there.  It is thirst quenching, colorful and nicely rounded with the blackberry flavor and faint hint of sage.   The Oslo Iced Tea is also served in a highball glass over ice as tea rather than a martini glass.

[caption id="attachment_671" align="aligncenter" width="199" caption="Christi Bramble"][/caption]

Oslo Iced Tea

2 ounces Christiania Vodka

1 ounce Blackberry Sage Syrup*

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1-1/4 ounce Cold Blackberry Sage Tea**

3 Fresh Blackberries cut in half

Combine ingredients (including cut blackberries) in a cocktail shaker filled one-third with ice.  Shake for eight to ten seconds.  Strain into a highball glass over ice.  Garnish with a thinly sliced lemon wheel, blackberry and sage leaf.

*Blackberry Sage Syrup – Bring one cup of water to boil.  Add two round bags of The Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage flavor tea to the water.  Let steep for approximately ten minutes.  Remove the tea bags.  Add one cup of super fine sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  It may be necessary to place mixture in the microwave for 30 – 60 seconds to reheat.  Stir well.  Refrigerate to chill.  Keep refrigerated between use for up to two to three weeks.

**Blackberry Sage Tea – Bring water to boil.  Place three round bags of The Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage flavor tea in a two cup measuring cup.  Pour boiling water over tea bags and allow to steep for approximately ten minutes.  Remove tea bags.  Refrigerate to cool.  Keep refrigerated between uses.

Be sure to check out Christiania Crowns and join in the fun of cocktail creation.

Silverbeet is a green leafy vegetable. Green leafy vegetables and I have a love hate relationship (you can read about that here).

Dolma and I have a love love relationship, I can never get enough of them, yet they are something I've not tried to make at home.

Then I found this fabulous recipe using a crock pot over at Greek Recipes with May Lerios.  It occurred to me I might be able to do this with my silverbeet instead of the more traditional vine leaves.  Plus I have a brand spanking new baby 1.5L crockpot I wanted to try out - thanks Mum!

For the most part I followed May Lerios recipe that I linked to but I did use a smaller amount of ingredients, here is my revised list.

Ingredients

1 bunch of Silverbeet / Swiss Chard

1 medium Onion - finely chopped

1 tsp Olive Oil (to cook the onion)

500g Minced Beef

1/2 cup Arborio Rice

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano (I couldn't find the mint)

1 Beef Stock Cube diluted in 1/4 cup very hot water

3 tbsp Lemon Juice

Couple of twists of the pepper grinder.

To Prepare the Silverbeet / Swiss Chard.

I washed the leaves and then sliced the stems off, leaving a V shape similar to the vine leaves in May Lerios recipe that I've linked to above.  Out of my bunch of silverbeet I got about 10 leaves large enough to use.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and drop in the leaves.  Reduce heat to medium.  Once the water starts to boil again remove the leaves and place into a bowl of iced water.  This was tricky to do without breaking the leaves.  I ended up using a couple of large slotted serving spoons.

The rest of the recipe was made up as per May Lerios instructions in the link - I wont repeat them because she did great step by step instructions with pictures.

Because I was using my new baby crockpot I didn't have a plate small enough to put in the bottom so I improvised with tin foil.  I did have enough little silverbeet leaves left to layer over the top of the foil.

Then I swaddled my mince mixture in the silverbeet leaves, seriously it was exactly the same technique I used to use to swaddle my girls when they were babies... well with the exception of wrapping their heads up in the blanket :grin:

I fit two layers of made up dolma in my baby crockpot and used some more tin foil in lieu of a plate on the top.

Then I had a problem - nothing heavy enough and small enough to weigh the dolma down.  More improvisation with rubber bands.  The very same rubber bands that had not so long ago been used to hold the bunch of silverbeet together, I felt like MacGyver.

The Verdict - These were good.  I was a little frustrated about the cooking times, 90 minutes on low heat and then 45 minutes on high heat cooked them perfectly.  I think what frustrated me most was throwing out the dolmade I tested after 90minutes because it wasn't done.  Dislike food wastage.  That said I think these might become a regular dish in our house and thus I'd eventually get my cooking times down pat.  They are delicious.  Using the tin foil was inspired, far less to wash up, which is really important because I'm not sharing these babies with anyone else, they are mine, MINE, ALL MINE!

Over at my other blog I've written about how the Rockmelon from this weeks Aussie Farmer Direct box rocked my view of Autism - specifically related to sensory / food issues.

In my home, the cleaning process is perpetually a work-in-progress. I've found that if cleaning a certain section of the house requires more than just a 10-15 minute wipe down, it probably won't get done. Problem is, after a few months, things start getting really dirty. So I'm forever in pursuit of an effective maintenance plan. And super-effective cleaners are my primary weapon in the development of this plan.

So last night I embarked on a journey, albeit a short one, to figure out if there was a combination of cleaning products and/or natural products that I could combine to create an effective cleaner. Ideally, what I'm looking for is a product that I can spray on, let sit a few minutes, wipe off, and have magically whiten up my grout. If I can find, or fabricate, a cleaner like that, I could hose down my countertops every night, thereby lightening up the grout little by little, until it reaches the level where my spray-and-wipe attacks are just maintenance.

I have not been successful thus far.

My initial idea was some form of acid-base two step process that when applied to the grout would create a chemical reaction that quickly lifts excessive gunk out of the grout so it could be wiped away. First up: lemon juice (acid) and Windex (base). No luck. Not much reaction and the grout was no cleaner. I'm chalking this failure up to the fact that Windex contains a substantial amount of water, thus reducing it's status as a base.

Next try: lemon juice (acid) and baking soda (base). Good reaction but no cleaning. Even when I scrubbed it with a brush. I also discovered an unfortunate by-product of using lemon juice: a yellowish stain. Seeing as how this new staining is completely contradictory to effect I'm trying to achieve, any solution containing lemon juice has been dismissed as invalid.

Next up: Simple Green. I've been very successful with my other applications of Simple Green (cleaning hardened food stains, animal feces stains) and I've had mild success using it as a grout cleaner for my tile floor. Sprayed it on, let it dwell for 5 minutes, wiped it up. Nothing.

I had similar results with other products I use frequently: Mr. Clean, Lysol, even an industrial disinfectant/cleaner I got from work.

So after my hour's worth of trials and failures, I turned in my scrubbing brush and paper towels, and vowed to try again when I'd come up with more viable, and hopefully successful solutions. After all, it's grout. If all else fails, there's always bleach.

I’m BACK!

It’s really not the alcohol so much, really, as the cute little bottles it comes in.

No, really. I swear.

The alcohol I drank a LOT of came in a bottle of Gordon’s gin. And the part that sucked was when the tonic ran out. The part that only sort of sucked was that I had no limes – just the little slush of lemon juice I had left over.

It was okay, though. One finds hidden resources when one is desperate – and one finds, too, that a little lemon juice goes a long way – and one finds that one does not need lemon juice, or lime juice, after a few gin and tonics, after all.

Especially now that Peter is home.

Which sort of explains my absence from these pages.

We’ve renovated the backyard, which, if you’re a regular reader, up until now was pretty much Dog Turd City. Nice for Tucker Dog – not so much, though, an area that the girls and I were so much eager to go frolicking in ourselves.

Dog Turd Pudding jokes aside.

Peter came home, horrified – not only that I’d glued myself to the computer screen, but that the backyard was an overgrown, dog turdy mess.

In about a week, he’d installed a pool, built a slate patio, hung a dartboard, strung those little white twinkly lights all over the place (you know, the kind you see when it isn’t Christmas in restaurants?) and I was able to show off my artistic skills by printing up “end of school pool party” invitations for my oldest’s middle school friends.

He even took the props from my kids’ concert shows and decorated the yard and fence with them.

It went from looking like all that was missing was a car on cinderblocks to a virtual paradise.

I was stunned.

Hence, the alcohol.

Hence, the “blog? What blog? Real life has suddenly become WAY more interesting.”

And boy, can I throw a dart now. Even my youngest can. (We found a crate for her to stand on.)

Anybody wanna try me?

Remove crusts from bread. Pour milk over soft bread. Allow to stand until soft, about 30 minutes.

Separate eggs.

Add egg yolks, slightly beaten, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and grated rind of 1 lemon.

Pour into buttered baking dish and set in pan of water to bake until it sets.

Beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding scant 1/4 cup sugar while beating, and a dash of lemon extract, lemoncello, or lemon juice (whatever you have). Spread the egg white mixture out on top of the pudding while still warm, then return to oven until slightly golden brown.

Cool, and just before serving add a spoon of tart jelly in the center of the meringue of each serving.

Note: If you don't have fresh herbs available, substitute 1/2 teaspoon each dry oregano and basil.

In a large skillet, sauté pancetta over low heat in olive oil until soft and translucent; bring heat up and allow to pancetta to brown slightly on edges.

Add garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, parsley and olives. Mash the anchovies well into the oil, using the tines of a fork. Tip: You can do this with the garlic after it's cooked, too, if you want to avoid having to mince them - just leave the cloves whole and mash them into the oil when they take on a little light coloring. Be careful not to let garlic brown or the oil with be bitter.

When garlic begins to take on the slightest color and herbs permeate the air, add the can of whole tomatoes (including the juice in the can). Submerge the bay leaf in the sauce.

Simmer over medium-low heat, with just the occasional lazy bubble surfacing for 20 minutes or so, until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Stir in wine vinegar during final 10-15 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, as sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

In a large bowl, combine pasta with enough sauce to coat. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick, or a teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle pasta with a little fresh parsley and cheese before serving. (Remove bay leaf before serving).

Note: Always use a good quality wine vinegar, and don't substitute white or cider vinegar, although good balsamic vinegar or a full bodied red wine can be used for variation.

Chopped pork or salt pork may be substituted for pancetta, but with different (but still good) results.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Wash, peel and core apples. Slice into half inch thick slices and mix both kinds of apples together. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. Sprinkle a few drops (not too much) of vanilla over brown sugar.

Spread apple slices inside bottom pie shell and top with remaining ingredients evenly (except for white sugar and half and half).

Cut second pie crust into strips and twist into a spiral; lay across top of pie to make a decorative top crust. Brush with half and half (half milk, half cream). Sprinkle with granulated white sugar across top of pie.

Bake in preheated oven at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Place salt and lemon juice in bowl and beat egg whites until stiff, but not separating. While beating, gradually add sugar.

Spread meringue on top of lemon filling.

Bake pie at 300°F until the meringue takes on a delicately golden color with lightly browned tops. Allow to cool before serving. Garnish with thinly sliced rounds of lemon dipped into coarse sugar or a fresh sprig of mint.

Serves 4

Crab cakes:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
• 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg

Rémoulade:

• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon capers, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

1. To prepare crab cakes, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine breadcrumbs, onions, crabmeat, and pimiento in a medium bowl. Combine mustard, juice, salt, and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to crab mixture, tossing gently to combine. Divide crab mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1-inch-thick patty.
   Add crab cakes to skillet; cook 2 minutes. Turn cakes; reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes or until golden brown.
2. To prepare rémoulade, combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet** 

Simple elegance.....

The Sidecar Cocktail

2 ounces brandy (Hennessey VSOP)

1 ounce Cointreau

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Fresh Pineapple, cut into chunks
1 Nectarine, cut into chunks
6-8 Med Strawberries, halved
1/2 Cup Blueberries

Method:
Toss together in a bowl! =) 

Notes: 
- You can make a bigger batch of it and toss it with some fresh squeezed lemon juice so that it stays fresh for several days in the fridge. I do that so my husband and I have it ready for breakfast, or a snack for work...
- You could jazz it up if you're having a party with some fresh mint... even add a little Limoncello liqueur.
- This is also just as delicious with peaches instead of nectarines - I use whichever I have on hand.

Makes 8 sandwiches
Prep: 1 hour
Start to Finish: 1 hour

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle or cornichons
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon jarred capers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs), or regular plain dried bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 small (8-inch-long) hero rolls, split horizontally and toasted
• 1-1/2 cups purchased coleslaw
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1. Make tartar sauce: Stir together mayonnaise, dill pickle or cornichons, fresh chives, capers, lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until combined well; salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep chilled.
2. Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Place eggs in a shallow bowl and bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Working with 2 shrimp at a time, dip in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat evenly with bread crumbs. Transfer, as coated, to a plate, arranging in a single layer.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add one-third of shrimp and cook, turning, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining shrimp, cooking in 2 more batches and adding oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Transfer with tongs, as cooked, to paper towels to drain; salt and pepper to taste.
4. Divide tartar sauce and spread on bottom halves of rolls, then top with shrimp, coleslaw, and romaine. Cover with tops of rolls, halve, and serve immediately.

**Personal Review: This was easy to make and it turned out great - you could even add some spices in with the bread crumbs to give the shrimp a bit more of a kick.**

Ingredients:
1 whole egg [or two if you're more hungry]
1-2 cups chopped romaine hearts
1 Tsp Extra Virgin olive oil
Lemon juice to taste 
1/2 Tsp of your favorite mustard [I actually like the organic version of regular ballpark mustard] 
Salt to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste 
1 Tsp Grated parmasan cheese 
1 Tsp olive oil for cooking
Garlic powder or 1 fresh garlic clove smashed but in one piece for flavor - optional [we are talking breakfast so you may not want the garlic flavor 1st thing in the morning... which is why I didn't include the anchovy paste, either...]

Method:
- In the bottom of a wide, shallow bowl, combine the mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil [and optional garlic powder or whole garlic clove]
- Mix together, then toss in the romaine and coat lettuce well [take out whole garlic clove at this point if you put it in... you only want the essence of garlic for this dish]
- Sprinkle grated parmasan cheese on top and more fresh cracked pepper to taste
- drizzle a little olive oil in a pan on medium low heat, cook egg to your desired doneness, sprinkling a little salt for flavor

Slide your perfect over easy egg on top of your salad, break yoke, cut up the egg a bit and mix together and you have a delicious warm Caesar Salad! Enjoy! 

[I'll take a pic next time I make it to post with this recipe]

Ingredients:
1 serving Mahi Mahi [or any fish you prefer]
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large garlic clove, smashed, but still in one piece [skin removed]
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
1/2 Tsp Dry Thyme [substitute for your favorite herb - you can use dried oregano if you prefer]
Salt and Pepper to taste
Lemon Juice to taste

Method:
- Take a thawed or fresh piece of Mahi Mahi and dry, set aside
- In the bottom of a microwave safe dish with lid, mix together olive oil, salt & pepper, red pepper flake, dry thyme and smashed garlic clove
- Drop in mahi mahi and turn several times to coat evenly with oil an seasonings
- At this point I bring it to work, so it marinates for a good 4 hours before I'm ready to cook it
- When you're ready to cook it, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top and turn the fish again to coat well - there should be excess liquid at the bottom of the container, almost like a salad dressing, that will help to steam the fish
- Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, depending on your microwave's power - you know it's done when the flesh is completely white - check with a fork through the thickest part to make sure it's cooked all the way through

That's it! It takes 2 minutes to throw all the ingredients into the container and another 3-4 to cook an it comes out delicious and perfectly moist and tender, but fully cooked. So easy! Enjoy!

[Next time I make it, I'll snap a picture to include in this post...]

Dirty Martini

The 70’s brings back memories of wood paneled station wagons, mood rings, platform shoes, discos, the Beatles, Star Wars, the Fonz and being a football fan, who could forget quarter back Joe Namath appearing in a Beautymist hosiery commercial wearing panty hose.  Since this is a liquor site however, I would be remiss if I excluded the cocktails of the 70’s. 

Cocktails from the 70’s have played as big a part in memory as bellbottom pants and the leisure suit.  Visions of Harvey Wallbangers complete with the tall bottle of Galliano hitting the back bar and surf boards come to mind.  Or how about freshly grated nutmeg atop a frothy Brandy Alexander?  But really, I would be negligent to leave out the Tequila Sunrise, Pina Colada, Grasshopper, Pink Lady, Stinger, Manhattan, Rob Roy, Pink Squirrel, Martini, Bacardi Cocktail, Old Fashioned, Merry Widow, Rusty Nail, Daiquiri, Paradise Cocktail, Bronx, and Side Car.  Then again there were also Cuba Libres, Salty Dogs and Grey Hounds, Screwdrivers, Gin and Tonics, and Tom Collins.  Let’s not forget the Slow Comfortable Screw that had a most descriptive and unique twist in the 1991 Michael J. Fox movie, Doc Hollywood.  While these cocktails were around sometimes decades before the 70’s they were all quite popular in the 70’s. 

Why do they come to mind at this moment?  Rhonda from California wrote in:

“Hey there!  You are a wealth of information!  I stumbled across your articles and I have a feeling I will be spending free moments…reading more.”

Rhonda goes on to tell me she is hosting a dinner party for her martini and margarita loving gourmet cooking club and wants to set the mood for a 70’s Cocktail Party theme.  She has already thought out a clever scheme of vintage cocktail glasses.  These have been collected for some time through yard and estate sales and thrift stores.  Ingenious!  People have been doing this mismatched place setting thing for ages with tea settings.  Why not try this with martini glasses?!  Stemware is gorgeous.  There is no rule that says it all has to match.  What an excellent way to keep everyone’s glasses distinctive without the need for stem markers and tags. 

When planning a party the quick thought is always party punch.  Punch leaves a hostess free to mingle with guests.  However, Rhonda’s idea leans toward the presentational.  She wants cocktails; trendy yet a throw back to the 70’s.  This does not bring to mind party punch.  My suggestion for Rhonda is the same as I do at my own parties.  I plan four or five cocktails and print them on a menu for my guest to browse.  Before the party I prepare the cocktail ingredients without ice in pitchers and refrigerate.  I also prepare all garnishes ahead of time.  That way when my guests arrive and make their cocktail choices, I am not measuring from three or four individual bottles and ingredients.  I make one pour from a pitcher and then shake and strain.  Their cocktail is perfectly measured and complete within seconds rather than being a time consuming chore.  As the hostess, I am free to enjoy my time with guests and still make fabulous cocktails.  I do not have to choose between the two.  I never have a punch bowl with dipper filled with a fruity red sugary punch.  My guests are treated to genuine glassware with unique garnishes and shaken cocktails.  With a little leg work and preparation your next cocktail party will be a memorable event rather than just another party that seems like everyone else’s. 

We cannot forget the recipes which is really what Rhonda wanted most.  A great cocktail stands tall or falls short with the recipe and the quality of ingredients you choose.  My article 21 Must Try Drinks covers recipes for the Bacardi Cocktail, Harvey Wallbanger, Manhattan, Martini, Old Fashioned, Rob Roy and Salty Dog.  Back to the Basics has a Paradise Cocktail recipe among others you may have never heard of.  There is a truly excellent Pina Colada recipe in Pina Colada with Punch, but this is served in a tall glass.  Nailing the Screwdriver covers just that along with the Slow Comfortable Screw.  To find variations on a Daiquiri look in Classic Cocktails Updated: Auntie Mame Style???  That one was particularly fun and may have something your guests have never tried before. 

What about the rest?  The list is vast… 

Merry Widow

Dash of Absente

2 ounces Gin

1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth

Dash of Angostura Bitters

Dash of Benedictine

Flamed Lemon Peel

Season a chilled martini glass with the Absente.  Toss once.  Set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients in cocktail shaker filled one-third with ice.  Shake gently.  Strain into the seasoned martini glass.  Garnish with the flamed lemon peel.

Alexander (Brandy)

1 ounce Gin or Brandy

1 ounce Dark Crème de Cacao

2 ounces Heavy Cream

Pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg for Garnish

Combine first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with nutmeg.

Grasshopper

1 ounce Green Crème de Menthe

1 ounce White Crème de Cacao

2 ounces Heavy Cream

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass.

Greyhound

1-1/2 ounces Smirnoff Vodka

4 ounces Grapefruit Juice

Pour ingredients together in a highball glass filled with ice. 

Tequila Sunrise

1-1/2 ounces Plata Tequila

4 – 5 ounces Fresh Orange Juice

Grenadine

Fill a highball glass with ice.  Pour in tequila and then orange juice, leaving room to top off with a float (approximately 1/2 ounce) of grenadine.

Stinger

2 ounces Cognac or Brandy

1 ounce White Crème de Menthe

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.

Sidecar

1 ounce Brandy

1 ounce Cointreau

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

Flamed Orange Peel for Garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.  Garnish with the flamed orange peel.  * If served ‘up’ – strain into a small cocktail glass with a sugared rim.

Rusty Nail

2 ounces Scotch

3/4 ounce Drambuie

Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.  Pour in scotch.  Float Drambuie on top.

Bronx Cocktail

1-1/2 ounces Gin

1/4 ounce Sweet Vermouth

1/4 ounce Dry Vermouth

1-1/2 ounce Fresh Orange Juice

Orange Peel for Garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with the orange peel. 

Tom Collins

1-1/2 ounces Gin

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ounce Simple Syrup / Bar Syrup

4 ounces Club Soda

Orange slice for Garnish

Cherry for Garnish

Shake the first three ingredients with ice and strain into a Collins glass.  Add the soda and stir.  Garnish with the orange slice and cherry.

Pink Lady

1-1/2 ounces Gin

1/4 ounce Grenadine

3/4 ounce Simple Syrup / Bar Syrup

1 ounce Heavy Cream

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass. 

Pink Squirrel

3/4 ounce Crème de Noyaux

3/4 ounce White Crème de Cacao

1-1/2 ounce Heavy Cream

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a martini glass. 

An excellent source guide for stories from behind the bar and back stories of the recipes is Dale DeGroff’s book The Craft of the Cocktail.  The recipes on this page are from his book.  A few recipes use a particular garnishing technique of ‘flaming’ lemon and orange peels.  Dale’s book describes step by step how to do this.  His website is found in my blogroll under King Cocktail.  I urge you to take a look. 

It's my mom's homemade cheesesteaks!

This isn't because, when she was a teenager, she used to work at -------... The most obvious reason is the nutrition factor of making them at home in a nice clean, grease-free kitchen as opposed to, well the complete opposite! She topped the steaks with a slice of cheese and peppers... On the side, we had sweet potato fries and I also sauteed up some broccoli rabe with lemon juice & garlic :)

And don't get me wrong, like I said above, I do have my top three favorite cheesesteak places because sometimes on a late night in Philly, nothing can possibly beat a greasy cheesesteak, but typically I'd much rather eat one that doesn't make me feel like I ate a bus OR got run over by one hehe... If Bill is reading this right now, he is probably shaking his head at me... he <3's Steve's Prince of Steaks :)

And now I'm off to go start assembling our favors... I'm thinking this project will be fairly straightforward and lead into a relaxing night, so let's hope so!  I need to get my rest tonight because tomorrow is my BACHELORETTE PARTY!!!!!!  I'm still planning on doing 8am spinning tomorrow and afterwards I am meeting Bill at the travel agent to pay off our deposit for our Sandals honeymoon since it's almost a month away!  Then I'm hoping to have a really relaxing day until the activities with the girls start at dinnertime :)

Dessert is definitely in the works for tonight so I'll be back w/ a post later!

Black Widow

Tzvika from Israel wrote in saying:

“I just spent four hours reading your blog…and it is just amazing!  I have a little question.  I got a bottle of black Sambuca…what kinds of cocktails can I make with it.  Thank you.”

Tzvika,

First of all, thank you for taking so much time to pour through the material on my site.  It is wonderful that you found it so informative.  My regret is that you did not find everything you were looking for.  However, I am so happy you decided to take the time to email me. 

Sambuca is an Italian liqueur flavored with aniseed that is most often found in clear or “white” form.  Other varieties are deep blue in color, referred to as black Sambuca, and bright red, red Sambuca.  Black Sambuca usually has a hit of lemon zest flavoring along with the anise. 

The most common ways of serving Sambuca is neat, on the rocks, with fresh water added, or in coffee in place of sugar.  Sambuca con mosca (neat with coffee beans floated atop) is a common Italian way of serving Sambuca.  Flaming Sambuca is also interesting and eye catching as there really is nothing like setting alcohol on fire before throwing it down the gullet. 

There are of course straight-up cocktails served in martini glasses as well.  The Bartender’s Best Friend by Mardee Haidin Regan is an excellent source guide.

Black Widow

1-1/2 ounce Citrus Vodka

1-1/2 ounce Black Sambuca

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.

Folly Martini

2-1/2 ounces Stolichnaya Kafya Vodka

1/4 ounce Sambuca

3 Coffee Beans for Garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.  Place coffee beans atop for garnish. 

Gotham Martini

3 ounces Smirnoff Vodka

1/2 ounce Blackberry Brandy

1/2 ounce Black Sambuca

3 Blackberries for Garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.  Add blackberries on a skewer for garnish.

Licorice Martini

2 ounces Kahlua

1/2 ounce Sambuca

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.

thebar.com also is a wealth of information for recipes.

Buca-Cinco

3/4 ounces Romana Sambuca

1/2 ounce Tanqueray London Dry Gin

1 ounce Cream

1 ounce Milk

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.

Bullet Martini

1 ounce Tanqueray London Dry Gin

1/4 ounce Romana Sambuca

1 splash Lemon Juice

1 splash Sugar Syrup (Bar Syrup)

1 teaspoon Lemon Zest for Garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.  Garnish with lemon zest.

Plenty Good

3/4 ounce Smirnoff Black Cherry Vodka

3/4 ounce Romana Sambuca

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a chilled shot glass.

White Cloud

3/4 ounce Romana Sambuca

1/2 ounce Smirnoff No.21 Vodka

1 ounce Cream

3 ounces Hot Coffee

Pour Romana Sambuca, Smirnoff No.21 Vodka and cream into a cup of hot coffee.  Top with whipped cream.

Five Points Sazerac

1/4 ounce Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters

1 ounce Crown Royal

1 teaspoon Romana Sambuca

1 piece Lemon Peel for Garnish

1 Maraschino Cherry for Garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds.  Strain into a well chilled martini glass.  Garnish with lemon peel and maraschino cherry.

Con Mosca

1-1/4 ounce Romana Sambuca

1 ounce Club Soda

3 ounces Cranberry Juice

1 Lemon Twist

Build ingredients in a highball glass in the order given.  Garnish with a lemon twist. 

Italian Christi

Sometimes the day calls for creating something new.  Picking up new liqueurs and adding them to a liquor of choice for an innovative cocktail breathes life into the mundane. 

While out of town recently I picked up a bottle of Giori Limoncillo Cream Liqueur.  I had already heard how splendid the flavor was throughout, so picking up a bottle really was a no-brainer.  This truly is a unique liqueur.  The creamy tartness is almost unexpected harmonized against the tamed sweetness.  While some liqueurs make a weak appearance in body, the Giori came through with richness and authentic lemon flavor.

It was this ample flavor and zest that prompted me to pair the Giori with an equally substantial spirit; Christiania Vodka.  Christiania Vodka is made with Norway’s organic Trondelag potatoes and pure Norwegian arctic spring water.  This combination creates vodka with full-bodied appeal in flavor and feel. 

My next thought; Acai.  Acai is a berry found in the rainforest.  It is a small, dark purple berry found in the Amazon basin.  The most recent scientific studies have christened Acai as the “world’s healthiest fruit” due to it being the fruit highest in antioxidants.  Bossa Nova brand Acai Juice is also sweetened with organic agave. 

My finished product: the Italian Christi.  Creamy, smooth with a hint of tart and berry sweetness.  This cocktail is perfect for a summer day.  It is easy, breezy and inviting.  I am not sure what was more fun, concocting the drink or making the garnish.  Often we overlook the garnish as just fluff when in fact it is decoration whetting our appetite.  Garnish provides aesthetic appeal, scent and charm to a cocktail. 

Italian Christi

2 ounces Christiania Vodka

1 ounce Bossa Nova Acai Juice

3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 ounce Giori Lemoncillo Cream Liqueur

1/2 ounce Bar Syrup

Blueberries & Lemon Twist for Garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled one-third full of ice.  Shake ten to fifteen seconds or until nice and frothy.  Strain into a well chilled champagne flute.  Garnish with skewered blueberries wrapped with a lemon twist.

I invite you to join me at Christiania Crowns, another online community where I blog. 

Giori Information:  The preparation of this lemon liqueur starts with the harvest of lemons specially selected gardens. On the day of harvest, the lemons are lightly washed and immediately peeled. The peels are then infused in alcohol derived from molasses. The final preparation takes place in mixers where the infused lemon is combined with syrup made from sucrose. The mixture of lemon liqueur is then combined with liquid cream, which is then emulsified.

Giori’s Lemoncillo Cream Liqueur has a rich, creamy body that follows suit with the lemon zest barely peeking through, but it’s there all the same and provides a tart flavor that almost suggests lemon curd.