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Happy Hour: Firefly Mint Tea Vodka

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:00:38 -0700

Last week, Party and I attended a tasting showcasing winners of this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The high moment of the day occurred when I got a taste of something I've been dying to try: sweet tea-flavored vodka made by South Carolina-based Firefly Distillery. I'm a fiend for Southern cuisine, and that includes sweet tea, a drink so ubiquitous that it's just referred to as "tea." Southerners also love to spike their tea, so it seems natural that someone would come up with tea-flavored vodka. That genius would be Jim Irvin, a distiller based in Wadmalaw Island, SC. Irvin, also a winemaker, distills the vodka four times, imbues it with tea grown from a plantation five miles away, and sweetens the finished product with sugarcane from Louisiana.

We tried one of the distillery's newest vodka flavors, Mint Tea, which won a Double Gold Medal in the competition. It has a natural minty finish that tastes both soothing and refreshing. It was so easy to drink alone that I'm almost certain I could enjoy an entire pitcher before realizing the product's full effects. I can't wait to buy a bottle for myself!

Have you tried Firefly's tea-flavored vodkas? What did you think of them?

Yummy Link: Bacon Vodka

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:18:31 -0800

Love bacon? Love vodka? That means you're going to love bacon vodka right? It sounds a bit crazy, but I can't wait to give it a try. - Brownie Points

Happy Hour: Big O

partysugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:04:35 -0700

For the past couple of days, the weather in San Francisco has been absolutely amazing, and although I'm dreaming of frothy tropical drinks and fruit-laden sangrias, I know it's only March. Before I go running to the store looking for berries and stone fruit, I have to use the citrus that's sitting on my counter!

I have two perfectly ripe blood oranges waiting to be juiced. That's why I thought I'd give this recipe from Food & Wine Cocktails 09 a try. It's an ode to oranges with orange vodka, fresh orange juice, and orange liqueur.

I recently got sent a bottle of Solerno, an Italian blood orange liqueur, so I used it rather than triple sec. The resulting cocktail has the brilliant color of Spring tulips with the fresh, sweet, tart flavor of blood oranges. It's smooth, delightful, maybe a little too easy to drink, and ideal for sipping on a sunny afternoon. For the uncomplicated recipe, read more.

Big O
From Food & Wine Cocktails 09

Ingredients

Ice
1 ounce orange vodka, preferably Stolichnaya Ohranj
1/2 ounce Cointreau or other triple sec
2 ounces blood orange juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup
Large dash of orange bitters
Large dash of Angostura bitters

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients and shake well.
Strain the drink into a chilled martini glass.

Makes 1 drink.

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Let a Real Housewife Throw You a Healthy Party

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:00:00 -0800

Before the claws come out on the season premiere of Real Housewives of New York this week, Bethenny Frankel plays ladylike in the latest issue of Shape, and shares with readers her top 10 tips for healthy entertaining. "Hosting a party doesn't have to take a toll on your waistline or well-being," says Bethenny, who is six months pregnant. She should know - Bethenny, a private chef, is the author of Naturally Thin and The SkinnyGirl Dish. She's made a career at putting healthy twists onto party foods and cocktails.

Create a signature cocktail. Bethenny says keep calories down by mixing up a batch of your signature cocktail ahead of time. That way people are not mixing with abandon at your soiree. Stick to clear liquors and use lots of ice, club soda, and keep the juice to a minimum. Try adding some vodka to our recipe for this nonalcoholic ginger pineapple punch.
Load up on veggies. Veggies are a great way to add fiber and important antioxidants to any dish, and they help people feel full faster. "I layer red and yellow sauteed peppers on my cheese quesadillas, and blend chopped spinach, tomatoes, mashed peas, or fresh herbs into dips," says Bethenny.
Update old school favorites. Find a classic appetizer that people love and reinvent it with a healthy twist. Bethenny wraps scallops and shrimp in turkey bacon instead of the more traditional version that uses full-fat pork bacon.
Invest in upscale ingredients. Good quality ingredients usually taste better and have a more intense flavor. This is especially true of olives, cheeses, and cured meats. "Guests will feel satisfied with less."
Sneak in whole grains. Whenever you can, use whole grains - "If the topping tastes decadent, no one will feel cheated."

Check out the rest of Bethenny's tips in the latest issue of Shape, which is currently out on newsstands.

Come Party With Me: Chinese New Year - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:00:35 -0800

Although there's no customary drink associated with Chinese New Year, I'm serving a potent signature cocktail at my singles-only dinner on Valentine's Day. The flavor profile of the drink? Ginger! It's a key component in a lot of traditional dishes and it highlights the clean flavors of Chinese cuisine. This beverage has a double dose of ginger thanks to an easy homemade ginger syrup and my favorite ginger liqueur, Canton. Vodka is the base spirit, and the resulting libation is smooth, easy to drink, and packs a spicy kick. To serve this at your Chinese New Year celebration get the recipe and read more.

Canton Ginger Kick
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For ginger syrup:
1/4 pound ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
For cocktail:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vodka
6 ounces (3/4 cup) Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (1-liter) bottle soda water or seltzer, chilled
Garnish: candied ginger and lemon wedge

Directions

Make ginger syrup: Bring ginger, sugar, and water to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then gently simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and reserve ginger for another use, then cool to room temperature.
Stir together ginger syrup, vodka, ginger liqueur, and lemon juice in a pitcher.
Divide among 6 (10-ounces) Old Fashioned glasses filled with ice. Top off with soda water. Spear a few slices candied ginger onto each of 6 wooden picks and add to drinks, then garnish with lemon wedges.

Makes 6 drinks.

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A Lighter Bloody Mary

FitSugar — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:30:09 -0800

Bloody Marys are the quintessential brunch time drink; some might even argue that it's liquid salad. My feeling is that as long as you don't overdo it, they're a fun way to get lycopene in your diet.

Ever since I discovered shochu - a low-calorie alternative to vodka - I've been playing around with different cocktail recipes. My latest is a lighter version of the Bloody Mary but with an Asian twist, and using shochu saves you abut 100 calories. If you can't find shochu in your area, use sake or soju instead. All of these spirits contain fewer calories than vodka and complement the Asian flavors of the drink nicely.

To see the recipe, read more.

Asian Bloody Mary
original recipe

If I don't have homemade tomato juice on hand, I'll use R.W. Knudsen's organic tomato juice. It has no added sugar, and the sodium content is relatively low compared to other store bought brands.

Ingredients

2 ounces shoju
4 ounces tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated wasabi or 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1/2 large lime
Celery stalk, tomato, lime, or cucumber spear for garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients except garnish in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake to combine.
Strain over fresh ice into a glass and garnish with assorted veggies.

Makes one drink.

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Source: Flickr User kthread

Food Section Sampler - Jan. 13, 2010

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:45:33 -0800

Fun fact: LA is responsible for the rise of the vodka martini. - Los Angeles Times
Learn how to make the most of boneless, skinless chicken cutlets. - New York Times
Is there anything as blissfully basic as spaghetti carbonara? San Francisco Chronicle
A hungry writer dines at all of Danny Meyer's Manhattan restaurants in one day. - Wall Street Journal
Does attending culinary school really matter? - The Atlantic
Use low-end machines to make high-quality espresso. - Boston Globe
A sprinkling of seeds packs major flavor. - Chicago Tribune

Do You Order Complicated Cocktails?

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:30:40 -0800

In a discussion with several colleagues, I discovered that, apparently, complicated cocktails are a bit of a love it or hate it thing. While PartySugar and I appreciate the rise of highly nuanced cocktails - like the Grey Lady pictured here - one co-worker begged to differ. "I hate waiting for fancy drinks," he lamented. "I'd just rather order a vodka and cranberry; it has the same effect, anyway."

He has a point: I once waited twenty minutes on a cocktail at The Violet Hour in Chicago - although my drink's multifaceted flavors wound up tasting perfectly balanced in every imaginable way.

A Conversation With Diddy

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:03 -0800

Rapper and mogul Diddy was in San Francisco last week promoting Cîroc, his vodka brand. I was lucky enough to sit down with the musician, and we chatted about entertaining. Not surprisingly, he consumes a lot of Cîroc and his signature drink is a Cîroc and lemonade - say it fast and it sounds like a lyric in one of his songs, "ci-rocking lemonade." To find out what the Diddy had to say, read more.

PartySugar: What’s new with Cîroc?
Diddy: The newest thing with Cîroc is our success. Our success and our appeal. The sales went up 1,000 percent and just the appeal is becoming more recognizable to the consumer.

PS: Aren't you coming out with some new flavors?
D: Yeah. In the world of Cîroc, one of the biggest differences is the flavors. Red Berry and coconut. Now most flavors, to be honest, in the vodka industry, most flavors just haven’t been done right. They taste like cough syrup. I went down with the innovation team, and I was like, whatever we do I want to make sure that this doesn’t taste like cough syrup.
And then also make something that really tastes like what it says. If it says coconut, let’s make sure it tastes like coconut. If it says red berry, let’s make sure it tastes like red berry.

PS: Do you ever cook?
D: I cook breakfast.

PS: What music do you recommend for cooking?
D: Music for cooking? Marvin Gaye’s always good for cooking.

PS: What are your guilty pleasure foods?
D: I would probably say jello. Strawberry jello.

PS: If you had to drink one type of alcohol for the rest of your life what would it be?
D: Vodka. Cîroc.

PS: Besides yourself, who are some celebrities that know how to entertain/host a good party?
D: I never seen anybody do it how I do.

PS: What was the first alcoholic drink you ever drank?
D: Peach schnapps and orange juice, before I was enabled.

PS: What do you think will be the next big thing in cocktails?
D: Jello shots.

Stay tuned for Diddy's tips for hosting the ultimate party!

If You're Drinking This Holiday Season, Go Green

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:28:54 -0800

To me, being healthy involves more than exercise and a balanced diet - I also try to live in ways that are eco-conscious and sustainable. I recycle, eat organic and local food, and do my best to cut down on waste. I feel better knowing that I'm helping preserve our planet, and a good state of mind is essential for healthy living!

This philosophy shouldn't stop at cocktail hour. Luckily, there are more choices than ever before when it comes to organic alcohol. Since the holidays often involve parties and grand meals, why not choose responsibly made alcohol if you're imbibing this season?

To see a list of organic spirits, beer, and wine, read more.

Tru Organic Vodka ($20). Tru vodka is made from organic ingredients, and the company plants a tree in Central America for every bottle sold. The company uses less glass to produce its bottles, and the glass that is used is recycled. Top that off with a synthetic cork, soy-based ink, and packaging that converts into a shelf and you've got yourself a carbon negative rating! Aside from its straight vodka offering, choose from lemon or vanilla flavored vodka too.
Casa Noble Tequila ($40-130). Award-winning Casa Noble is made from 100% organically farmed Blue Agave plants and is USDA certified organic. All the tequila is made harvest-to-bottle on the Casa Noble estate where water usage is carefully monitored and organic cleaning products dominate. Choose from silver, resposado, anejo, single barrel resposado, and single barrel anejo.
Juniper Green Gin ($20). Juniper Green has the bragging rights of being the first organic gin ever, and is made using organic ingredients like grain, juniper, and coriander. Besides being USDA certified it also has certification from the British Soil Association for its use of sustainable farming practices.
Papagayo Organic Rum ($28). The organic sugarcane used to make Papagayo single estate rum comes from small family farms in Paraguay, and the rum is distilled using organic practices. Available as a white or spiced rum.
Benromach Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($60). The raw ingredients of Benromach are all organic, and the company is certified by the British Soil Association. Though it's not reclaimed wood, its casks are made from materials that come from sustainably managed forests.
Parducci Wine ($12). Parducci wines are not only affordable they are made using organic grapes from family owned farms and come delivered in eco-friendly packaging. The Parducci estate uses solar and renewable energy to power itself, as well as sustainable farming practices.
Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine ($30). Made from organic grapes, bubbly from Domaine Carneros is also vegan. (If you didn't already know champagne and sparkling wine has animal products like egg whites in them.) The winery uses solar power and is a big fan of composting.
Wolaver's Organic Ale ($10 for a 6-pack). Wolaver's uses organic ingredients and its sustainable farming practices include the use of bio-diesel fuel, free-air refrigeration and relying on local ingredients. The company also donates profits to research in organic farming. There are eight varieties available that include pale ale, oatmeal stout, and alta gracia coffee porter.