Cocktails Posts
Nutty Spiked Cider for Two
This is my kind of cold-weather drink. I’ve had a savage case of the sniffles the last few days, and I asked The Angry Chef if he might oblige me with some kind of apple cider hot toddy. He kindly whipped up this Nutty Spiked Cider. He’s worked as a Boston bartender on and off [...]
Rustic Raspberry Vodka-tini
Does the world really need another flavored “martini” that’s made with vodka, not gin? Absolutely. Indulge me. I have a penchant for smooshing up fresh fruit with vodka and gleefully declaring Happy Hour. Be careful. This cocktail is potent—and almost too easy to drink. It’s deliciously jammy and clouded with unfiltered raspberry juice. It’s really [...]
Hey, You: Save the Mint! And Make It Schnappy!
This week, I started to think about one of my dreaded end-of-summer chores: cleaning up the garden. Aside from all the weeding, pruning, and plucking, I needed to figure out what I’m doing with all my mint. Our front garden is positively overrun with a few different kinds—from traditional peppermint, to run-of-the-mill spearmint and the [...]
Sangria Tasting Bar: A Trio of Punches
For most folks I know, the word “sangria” almost always translates into “instant party.” And as with any good party, the more the merrier. Here’s how to set up a sangria tasting bar to infuse a little more fiesta into your Labor Day barbecue. Sangria is fun to serve and refreshingly yummy to drink. It’s [...]
Sweet & Sunny Lemon Drop Liquor
Apparently, this weekend is cocktail weekend. Contrary to yesterday’s Bee’s Kiss, though, my Lemon Drop liquor is light and refreshing. It’s a great late-summer-lazy-day-sitting-in-the-yard-waiting-for-the-barbecue-to-be-done kind of drink. If you start a bottle early this week, it’ll be ready in plenty of time for your Labor Day festivities. I love lemonade, so I guess it’s no [...]
One Bee’s Kiss, Please. Hold the Stinger.
I couldn’t tell you why, but I’m dying for a cocktail tonight. Not a glass of wine. Not an old standby like a martini or a bourbon, straight up. I’m in the mood for something a little fancy, a little girly, and definitely a little bit sweet. On evenings like this, when I’m feeling indulgent [...]
How To Make a Proper Mint Julep
All that talk about cocktail gear a few days ago started to make my mouth water for a juicy cocktail or two to toast the end of summer. Now, it’s been raining in Boston for weeks, and my mint patch is absolutely thriving. This means one thing: It’s the perfect time for mint juleps. My [...]
Shake It Up!
I admit it: I’m a fairly thirsty person. Normally I’m a red wine drinker. I love the good—and even some of the bad. Give me a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Brunello, a Bandol, and I couldn’t be happier. In the summer, I love sangria, and hardly even flinch if offered juice out of a jug. (Granted, [...]
Mayan Hot Chocolate
I can’t stop thinking about hot chocolate today. Maybe it’s wishful thinking that August will be more forgiving than July—and less oppressively hot and wet. Maybe it’s that the AC in my office is set on Arctic Frost today. Maybe I’m just dying for something sweet after my super spicy lunch. Mayan Hot Chocolate is [...]
Infuse Your Booze: Making Fruit-Flavored Liquors
Fresh fruit + vodka = summer in a glass, all year round. I’ve been making fruit-infused liquors for about 10 years. I get it from my mother, who makes jars of lemon verbena liquor and blackberry brandy (and amazing Irish Cream in the winter). I know the whole fruit infusion thing has been done to [...]
