Smile & Blush
Some of you may have seen Green With Envy, a sad-faced drink I posted on Valentine’s Day. It seemed only right to balance the Mood of my page with a happier face. While this face isn’t an accurate depiction of mine (I go much lighter on the makeup😉), this drink was delicious and definitely made me smile.
Plant Lovin’
We are in Full Spring Mode here in Texas, so this is a drink to celebrate. Or commiserate, if you are one of the many unfortunate souls whose nasal passages can’t tolerate the insane amount of neon yellow/green pollen that is being constantly dispersed into the air. This drink is an ode (?dirge) to the life cycle of the plants responsible for our collective sneezing.
Apologetic
As a general rule I really try not to be “that guy”. You know who he is. Blissfully unaware of his jerk-iness, not treating his partner well, always needing to make things right. Do flowers and wine say I’m sorry without saying I’m sorry?
Gold Pal
I’m not as familiar with Irish whisky as other styles, but I must say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the bottle that @mcconnellsirishwhisky kindly gifted me. It may be lacking an “e” but it’s not short on rich flavors of honey, malted grain, almond, and vanilla. It’s certainly more delicate than some other styles, which is not a bad thing, but it takes a different approach to fully honor and appreciative the spirit in a cocktail.
Biscotti Italiani
This food-inspired cocktail is the brainchild of my dear friend @rogzor and came about during our fernet-inspired cocktails R&D session for the @homebarawards (so honored to be in the top 3!). While this wasn’t one of my official entries, it’s a darn good drink and conceptually really fun. Lazzaroni makes a lovely fernet, minty but not quite as intense as branca. The Lazzaroni family is also known for making an almond biscotti. While I couldn’t locate the original, I did acquire a chocolate-dipped almond biscotti.
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.
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.
The Cavallino
Today I’m sharing with you my second of two entries for the @homebarawards finals (includes Fernet; no juice or homemade ingredients; stirred). My first post was Fernet-forward, smooth, dark, and handsome. This one is less Fernet-centric but much louder and bolder and has tiki running through its veins.
Hidden Vallet
I am excited to share with you my first entry to the @homebarawards finals. This year features stirred cocktails that include a Fernet-style amaro (and no homemade ingredients or juice). This drink features a Mexican Fernet that is by far my favorite. It’s a bit sweeter and less…intense than some others, while still sporting a firm herbal/minty backbone with notes of cinnamon, cloves, and especially (for my palate), cardamom.
Mai Ti-erra
Cold weather hits and sure, the flips and toddies come out in full force, but right around this time of year I switch to Tiki Mode. The vacation/beach vibes are especially welcome now that the holidays are well behind us.