Low-Calorie H2O Cocktails

The idea behind H₂O cocktails is simple: Infuse water with fruit, spices and herbs and mix that infusion with a complimentary spirit. What you get is a light, fresh and low-calorie cocktail. I learned about this intriguing cocktail concept at Tales of the Cocktail from mixology master Tony Abou-Ganim and culinary superstar Kathy Casey. Here’s my favorite concoction from their presentation.

Mandarin Hibiscus Cocktail

Created by Tony Abou-Ganim

Ingredients

1 oz Purity Vodka

… Read more

Lychee Gimlet

Until this drink, I’d never had a cocktail made with fresh lychees. Their bumpy shell houses a squishy, gelatinous fruit with a little seed inside that. It tastes like a sweeter more syrupy grape with an exotic fruit twist. Nolet’s Gin sent me a box of lychees and a suggestion for how to use them … a Gimlet made with lychees. How could I resist?

In case you’ve never seen a lychee before (I hadn’t), … Read more

Negroni

This week’s drink is the Negroni! I’ll admit I didn’t love my first Negroni, but now I can’t imagine why. Made with London dry gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, this Italian aperitif has a strong character and unique flavor that I’ve grown to love.  One Negroni leaves you wanting more.

Ingredients:
1 part London dry gin
1 part Campari
1 part Italian sweet vermouth

Directions:
Pour each ingredient over ice in an old-fashioned glass and … Read more

Remy Martin 1738 Cognac Review

Growing up in the largest brandy drinking state in the nation (Wisconsin), I am also a cognac lover! I am also constantly on the lookout for good cognac and this one delivers.

The Remy Martin 1738 cognac is named for the year that King Louis XV granted Remy Martin a warrant to expand his grape plantings on royal lands, allowing him to expand his cognac House. The Remy 1738 comes in a classy bottle that … Read more

Winners Cup

(Note: We’re going to be doing some cross posting with Hawaiirama, a travel blog / webzine focused on Hawaii. Natch, there are some great cocktail recipes floating around the boites of paradise.)

Tim Rita is the chief barkeep / mixologist at the Halekulani, a posh hotel also known for its extraordinary cocktails. (Cocktail guru Dale DeGroff was previously the in house mixologist). Tim is a playful kinda guy and feels compelled to create whimsical seasonal … Read more

Happy National Scotch Day!

Just in case you need an excuse to drink Scotch: Today is National Scotch Day. So drink a dram to celebrate! Scotch is a polarizing whisky … most people either love it or hate it. I fall into the “love it” camp.

The strong character of this whisky often makes it a challenge to mix, but when it’s done right, a Scotch cocktail can really blow your mind. Here are a few to try:

The… Read more

Chateau de la Cantrie 2009 Muscadet Sur Lie Review – Wine Wednesday

As the US continues to swelter in the heat (a fact that we can appreciate given our recent return from Tales of the Cocktail in hot, steamy New Orleans), Muscadet is the perfect antidote to the heat. Muscadet wines come from the Loire in France and are made from a grape called Melon de Bourgogne. (It’s originally from Burgundy but was evicted from there years ago in favor of Chardonnay.) Another interesting fact is that … Read more

Tales of the Cocktail: Day 4 & 5

The last two days at Tales of the Cocktail were packed with tasting rooms and (more) big parties!

We spent a lot of time talking to great bartenders, writers, liquor makers and people just out for a good time. We’ll be sharing what we learned from our seminars and some fantastic recipes soon. So sad to be leaving New Orleans, but here are just a few highlights from the last two days in one of … Read more

Tales of the Cocktail: Day 2 & 3

Two more exciting days at Tales of the Cocktail:

The morning kicked off with a New Orleans take on an English Breakfast with Oxley Gin. Fried crumpets, oh my!

A packed day of sessions and tastings covered everything from colonial punches (including drinkmaking with hot iron sticks) to lunch made with angostura bitters to the annual Tales of the Cocktail parade. New Orleans definitely knows how to put on a parade.

In the evening, … Read more

Plum Smash

This week’s drink is my favorite of this summer! Juicy, dark-red plums combine with thyme and bourbon to make a surprisingly complex cocktail. The vanilla notes of the bourbon underscore the tart and sweet flavors to make for a refreshing and fresh tasting drink.… Read more