Jul 06, 2009 -
For as long as I can remember, my go-to warm weather refreshment has been the gin and tonic. It's foolproof, simple to order, and steadfast in its thirst-quenching abilities.
But this all changed a few weeks ago in Aspen, when I sampled a St-Germain Cocktail.
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Jul 02, 2009 -
On a hot day, there's nothing quite like a tall glass filled with a tart mojito. Although the drink was created in Cuba in 1943, it's now considered a classic cocktail by America's top bartenders.
Since it's one of my favorite Summer sips, I'm serving them at my Independence Day party.
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Jun 30, 2009 -
You may feel like Summer is already almost over, but there's still plenty of time to get in some quality food festivals. This week, that would include the classic Taste of Chicago (full of reliable Windy City staples like the Rainbow Cone and Vienna Beef hot dogs), the Naperville Ribfest (hands-down, the best ribfest I have ever been to), and the ultimate celebration of tart cherries, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, MI. For those of you who can't attend one of the food festivals below, just remember: every 4th of July party is, indirectly, a celebration of food in itself.
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Jun 25, 2009 -
Typically when we go to Dolores Park on a sunny day, everyone brings a bottle (or two, or three) of wine. However, since this picnic is a plan-ahead event — rather than the normal impromptu affair — I'm making a special drink. Fresh-squeezed lemonade comes to mind when I hear the word picnic and this blushing pink version is prefect because it's spiked with vodka and sour cherries.
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Jun 23, 2009 -
While it may not be considered a classic tiki cocktail, the tropical concoction below is one of my favorite summertime sippers. Do you know what it's called?
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Jun 23, 2009 -
While attending Julie Reiner's seminar on tropical cocktails during the Food & Wine Classic, I came to the realization that tiki drinks are sort of a love it or hate it kind of thing.
On the one hand, an icy, fruit-flavored tiki cocktail can be like having Guam in a glass — but on the flip side, many people find them to be overly cloying, rather than refreshing. When it comes to tiki drinks, is your glass half full or half empty?
- 11 Comments
Jun 22, 2009 -
One of the best seminars I attended at last weekend's Aspen Food & Wine Classic was a cocktail class that focused on tropical cocktails. The lesson was led by Julie Reiner, the owner and bar genius behind such Manhattan hotspots as the Flatiron Lounge, Pegu Club, and the Clover Club.
Julie started off by giving us a primer on one of America's favorite drinking pastimes, the tiki bar.
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Jun 18, 2009 -
For your Father's Day celebration, skip the froufrou-fruity cocktails and serve a potent classic instead. Since the only libation my dad drinks is a Tanqueray and tonic, this is what we'll be mixing.
To make it more special than his everyday drink, I'm adding fresh herbs.
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Jun 12, 2009 -
Inspired by a cocktail class I recently attended, I decided to make my own strawberry-infused vodka. The technique is simple: all you have to do is slice a bunch of strawberries and combine them with the vodka and a little sugar. Then you let it sit for a couple of days until the vodka has a vibrant pink color.
- 3 Comments
Jun 11, 2009 -
Kick-start your farmers market feast with a potent, fresh-fruit cocktail in the form of a watermelon-rum mash. Cubes of melon are pureed and mixed with mint and rum. The final concoction is refreshing and conversation enhancing.
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