Happy New Year with Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs

Happy New to all! I wanted to share a nice French sparkling wine to start off our new year. Francois Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs is quite reasonably priced and goes down a treat!



Serve with appetizers and enjoy the bubbles.



After putting aside the champagne flutes, check out these fun little wine glasses.



If you'd like to serve wine with dinner or appetizers you may acquire these from Lolita's Wine glasses.





Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year filled with good times, good health and love.

Brujas and Peotches Halloween Cocktail

Here's a little something to get you going for Halloween. Tangy and sweet with a hidden bite. Muuaaaahhaaahaaahaaa. Happy Halloween my sweet little peotches. 

Brujas and Peotches Halloween Cocktail

2 shots peach (aka peotch) candy vodka
2 shots orange juice
topped with lemon lime soda

To  make the peach candy vodka, toss a good handful into a sealable glass jar along with about a cup or so of vodka. Let the candy get sauced for about 2 days, shaking the jar 3 times a day. Strain the vodka and you're ready to go.

360 Double Chocolate Vodka

I missed National Vodka Day. That doesn't mean I don't have anything to share after the fact though.

THIS is a dangerous variety of vodka here. Yessirre.....it's so chocolately, so quafable, so smooth that you will have imbibed too much before you realize it. So, there is your warning.

Try it...oh my, by all means do try this particular flavor of 360 Vodka, but take it slowly!



Now let me tell you some interesting facts about the 360 Vodka brand.

It's roughly 40% ABV vodka from the United States and it is filtered with charcoal. It's also a company that is keen on environmental concerns. This vodka is produced by Earth Friendly Bottling Company. Labels are made with 100% post-consumer waste paper and the bottles (which are very pretty) are made with 85% recycled glass (70% post-consumer glass).

Much of this info I gleaned from the 360 website...I was checking out other products. Never hurts to do some online shopping before hitting the stores, right :-)

Here is a belated Happy National Vodka Day post.

Cheers!

Cake Batter Martinis for National Vodka Day

It's National Vodka Day!  Why not grab a few girlfriends and get together with a batch of "girly" drinks and a chick-flick and celebrate it style!?

Cake Batter Martinis

source: girlichef

for rimming the glass:

Heavy Cream

Sprinkles

for cocktail:

3 oz. Cupcake Vanilla Vodka (or use Cake or Whipped Vodka)

3 oz. Creme de Cacao (white)

2 oz. Amaretto

2 oz. Heavy Cream

1 oz. White Chocolate Liqueur (optional)

ice

Start by rimming your martini glass: Pour a little heavy cream in a saucer. Pour some sprinkles in another saucer. Up-end your glass and dip the rim in the heavy cream. Now dip it in the sprinkles. Turn it right-side-up and shake up your cocktail.

Add some ice to a cocktail shaker. Add all of the ingredients for the martini. Put on the lid and shake for 30 seconds or until cold.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite Vodka drinks?  "Girly" or otherwise...

Whiskey Spiked Tipsy Cherries

My son brought home a bottle of whiskey tipsy cherries a while back. Never had tried this brand before and I can say, I would certainly buy this cocktail garnish again. It added a bit of oomph to my Vodka Collins.

Starting at $10 per bottle, these long stemmed, whiskey soaked beauties add color and flavor to my drink. They would be quite tasty on a few scoops of ice cream too.

See, I am greedy……I always take double my share of cherries in my Collins.



From the website:
“For over 40 years Sable & Rosenfeld has created and distributed exceptional gourmet foods. Our wide variety of specialties includes cocktail garnishes, appetizers, condiments, and sauces, many of which are all-natural and kosher. Our proud heritage began in 1970 when the company was co-founded by Myra Sable and former partner, Carol Rosenfeld. Today, the Sable & Rosenfeld team has grown to over 200 dedicated associates supporting production and sales distribution internationally.”

I think I will have two more of the same.

Prickly Pear Margarita

It's one of those drinks that you have to try. Its the name. It's the color. It's the curiosity. And once you've tried it...

It's the love

Prickly Pear Margarita
4 prickly pears, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup water
3 1/2 cups crushed ice
3 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
3 oz frozen limeade
6 oz silver tequila
4 1/2 oz triple sec (I used Citronge)
3 TB simple syrup
lime wedges and coarse salt to garnish


Once you have your prickly pears peeled and sliced, put them in your blender along with the 1/4 cup of water....and blend.


Strain into a bowl. You might need to get a spoon and help smoosh the fruit through the strainer. The only thing you want to leave behind are the seeds.
Place crushed ice in the blender. Add the prickly pear puree, lime juice, limeade, tequila, triple sec and simple syrup. Cover and pulse ingredients.
Garnish the rim of your glass with salt. Pour in the margarita. Add a lime wedge and serve

Drink it Fast or Drink it Slow....

But your lips must touch the toe!

I totally need a severed toe for my bar.

And a crazy north Canadian pirate-like dude.

Preparing for the Fall Harvest with Maker's Mark® Bourbon

Fall is in the air! Can you feel it?  Yes, my favorite season is starting to roll in and I am ready for cooler days and chilly nights.  What's better to accompany that chill than a good nip of bourbon?  Here are a few ways to prepare for the Fall Harvest days from  Maker's Mark® Bourbon.  Not only is it great to drink WITH your food, it is a wonderful compliment IN your food.

Apples and Bourbon 

recipe by: Elad Zvi (Co-Founder, Bar-Lab) 

1 ¾ parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon infused with apples 

½ part Aperol® Apertivo Liqueur 

¾ part lemon juice 

½ part thyme honey 

Dash maple bitters 

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker. Add ice. Shake vigorously. 

2. Strain over ice into a rock glass. Garnish with thyme spring and apple slice 

Bourbon Chili 

recipe by: Tim Love (Owner & Chef, Lonesome Dove Western) 

Prep Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 4 hours. Level: Intermediate 

yield: serves 4-6 

2 pieces dried Ancho chilies 

1 piece dried Pasilla chile 

2 pieces dried Guajillo chilies 

2 pieces dried Chipotle chilies 

1 cup Maker’s Mark® Bourbon 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

2 lbs. boneless beef short ribs 

3 cups onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

½ teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano 

½ teaspoon dried thyme 

¼ cup dark brown sugar 

¼ cup apple cider vinegar 

½ cup masa harina, if desired 

Salt and black pepper 

Additional Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, if desired 

1. Toast the chilies in a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat until lightly charred and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. 

2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and pour over the chilies. Weight the chilies down in the water and submerge with a paper towel. Allow the chilies to soften for about 20 minutes in the hot water. Drain the chilies once they are soft, reserving the soaking liquid. If you prefer your chili to be spicy, remove only the stem of the chilies, leaving the seeds intact. If you prefer a milder chili, take the time to open up the softened chili peppers and remove the seeds before adding the peppers to the blender. 

3. Add the softened chili peppers to the blender with 1 cup of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon. Puree until smooth. 

4. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season them generously with salt and black pepper. Add the tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Reduce the heat to medium high. Sear the short ribs on all sides until well browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the short ribs to a plate and pour off the browning liquid and fat into a small bowl. Return the pan to the heat. 

5. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring often. 

6. Add the cumin, oregano, thyme, brown sugar, vinegar, browning liquid, chili water, and chili puree to the pot. Season with a heavy pinch of salt. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer over low heat until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours, turning the ribs every 30 minutes and adding water as necessary if the braise becomes too dry. 

7. Once the short ribs can break apart with a spoon, remove the ribs from the stew and break the short ribs apart into small chunks using two spoons or forks. 

8. The chili braise in the pot should be the consistency of a thick soup, reduce over low heat if necessary, or add more water to reach desired consistency. Skim any excess fat and oil from the surface of the chili and discard. Stir the pieces of short rib back into the chili braise. Add an extra splash of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon if you want. 

9. Thicken the stew with masa harina (fine cornmeal makes a great substitute) if you desire: Ladle 2 cups of chili into a bowl and stir in the masa harina. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in with the rest of the chili. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve the chili hot garnished with chopped scallions, cilantro, and/or sour cream. 

Bourbon Cornbread 

recipe by: Lee Anne Wong (Chef and Maker’s Mark® Cookbook Editor) 

1 cup cornmeal 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

¼ cup sugar 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons Maker’s Mark® Bourbon 

1½ cups whole milk 

4 eggs 

½ cup vegetable oil 

1 cup sweet corn kernels, pulsed in a food processor 

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, milk, eggs, oil, and shredded corn. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. 

3. Pour the batter into a greased pan (loaf or cake pan). Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before using. 

How will you welcome Autumn with Maker’s Mark® Bourbon?

*recipes re-printed with permission of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon