Tiny Tacos at Boston’s Bonfire
Last week, my dear friend The Cocktail Queen suggested we meet at Bonfire, a contemporary steakhouse with a Latin American twist in the heart of Boston. It had been ages since we caught up, so I was totally game. Bonfire is one of Todd English’s restaurants, and I’d been wanting to try it. Here’s a peek around the restaurant and a look at what we ate.
Don’t Dilute Your Drink! Use Whiskey Stones Instead!
Wow. OK. It’s late in the evening after a long day, so this may be me being impressed with something overly simplistic. But…this seems like a really neat idea—especially if you’re a cocktail connoisseur. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you: Whiskey Stones! I saw these on Daily Candy today, and thought they were too [...]
Maple Fireside Nightcap
Last week, our dear friends the Lady Otter and D. Bunnyhunter brought us a little jar of Macallan’s Amber Liqueur to sample. Made by Scotland’s The Macallan, this is an amazing whiskey liqueur with notes of maple and pecan. Talk about a great thing to drink in New England in the fall. I’m not usually [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
Peach Ratafia
First off, what the heck is a ratafia? (The short answer is “a really, really yummy drink,” but that probably doesn’t help much.) Merriam Webster defines a ratafia as “a liqueur made from an infusion of macerated fruit or fruit juice in a liquor (as brandy) and often flavored with almonds.” Now, this recipe doesn’t [...]
