goodbye summer and HELLO fall!

Arre’s farewells to summer had me thinking about all I should miss about summer, but I can’t help but be thrilled for the cool mornings that have yet to come in the deep south. 

We celebrated our first day of fall by playing in the water hose in our birthday suits (kids, not me) on the front porch (apologies for those that drove by for molly’s “booty shake” I promise i have control over them(sometimes)).

But this idea of fall had me thinking about one of my fall favorites…

Apple Cider

One of good ole’ marthas…

Serves 6

• 1 1/4 quarts apple cider
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 7 whole cinnamon sticks, (6 sticks for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Ground cloves
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt
• *1/2 cup Calvados, or other brandy (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; pour in brandy, if desired. Strain into a pitcher; discard solids. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

*i have never added brandy to mine, but at the rate things are going it’s going to be an essential ingredient this fall

cheers {to a HOT weekend}!

things have been so wild around here that i almost forgot to post this week's cocktail - whew!

Shelley, of Pas de Deux, posted these on Cassandra's blog a few weeks ago and I literally went straight to the liquor store (actually, no. it was more like i called matt and asked him to swing by on his way home from work.). I've pretty much not stopped drinking them (and constantly re-buying the ingredients.) since then ;)

They are perfectly fun and fresh - just what the sultry evenings around here are (already) calling for. sheesh!

st-germain cocktail

their signature recipe!

• 2 parts Brut Champagne (or you can use Dry Sparkling Wine but I don't)

• 1 1/2 parts St-Germain

• 2 parts Club Soda (or you can use sparkling water but (again) I don't)

Method:

Fill a tall Collins glass with ice. Add Champagne first, then St-Germain, then Club Soda. Stir completely.

* Garnish with a lemon twist, making sure to squeeze essential oils into the glass.
* St-Germain is heavier than wine, thus it will settle to the bottom unless mixed thoroughly. (and if it sits for a while it requires a re-stir)




oh - and i really did listen to pink martini while i made and drank these (the first time, anyway!)

happy weekend!

xx

image source

cheers {to a wedding weekend}

this weekend i'm celebrating an old friend as he gets married. and a frou-frou drink will not do. so bourbon it will be.




+


BBG

1.5 oz. Bulleit

4 oz. Blenheim

1-2 oz. grapefruit juice

pour all ingredients over ice and stir. If you are particularly dexterous, pour the Bulleit and Blenheim at the same time so they mix evenly.
 
recipe courtesy of (the same) Mark

have a good one!

cheers {to cinco de mayo}!

I'm mixing it up a little this week - just for the fun of it! (and i'm posting this today (instead of tomorrow, when it's actually cinco de mayo) so you can go to the market ahead of time! look at me trying to organized.)

While I do l♥ve a trad marg, I'm really digging these alternatives for
Cinco de Mayo!



Paloma





INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Tequila
.5 oz Fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt
4 oz Grapefruit soda
Garnish: Lime wedge
Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice, stir and garnish with a lime wedge




St Rita




INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz Tequila
1.5 oz St-Germain Liqueur
Juice of 1 lime

Garnish: Lime wedge

Glass: Rocks or Collins

PREPARATION:

Shake all the ingredients with ice and fine strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.



Cider House Rules





INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila
1.5 oz Fresh apple cider
.5 oz Club soda
.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
.5 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
Ground cinnamon

Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:

Rim the edge of a highball glass with cinnamon. Add Don Julio Blanco Tequila, fresh apple cider, club soda, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Cover and shake well. Strain contents into the highball glass full of fresh ice.



Blood Orange Margarita


INGREDIENTS:

1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh blood-orange juice
3 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon Cointreau
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Lime slice, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Put the grated ginger in a small sieve set over a small bowl and press to extract the juice. Combine the ginger juice with the orange juice, tequila, Cointreau and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with cracked ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with the lime slice and serve.



¡salud!

first three drinks via 7x7; last one via food & wine

cheers {to another weekend}!

I don't know how long this is gonna last (just because that's the kind of girl I am ;) ) but Kristen inspired me and I'm going to attempt to do a Friday Cocktail Series. Starting now!

first up ... Ginger Martini (you might have heard me mention these before ...)

Ginger Martini
3 oz. Rain Organic Vodka (I've made it with other vodkas - they work)

1.5 oz. Stone's ginger black currant wine (Albanians - Warehouse has this)

Shake Vodka and Stone's in a shaker with ice.


LIGHTLY coat the glass with honey.
 Pour and enjoy.


(can be served on the rocks (my preference) or straight up)


Stay tuned (at least to see how long it lasts!).

recipe courtesy of Basmati's via my bartending friend Mark(ster) (opposite fonts throughout recipe, my notes ;) )

h a p p y   w e e k e n d !

just what life ordered…

This weekend I am going away for a kid-free lake weekend with old college friends (yay!) So in honor of my relaxing weekend (and here's to hoping YOU have one!), here are a few fun spring drinks... enjoy!

lemonade mimosa



1/3 champagne
2/3 pink lemonade

wine spritzer


6 oz. white wine
3 oz. lemon lime seltzer water
1 slice lemon
1 slice lime
serve over ice and garnish with lemon or lime

knock you naked margaritas



12 oz. sprite
12 oz. tequila (i do 6 oz. because i’m a wimp and honestly – don’t care to be knocked naked these days)
12 oz. corona
12 oz. frozen limeade
serve over ice and garnish with lime

enjoy!