Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

What are your favorite holiday cocktails? I love warm mulled wine and bourbon drinks. And I�m a big fan of champagne or sparkling wine during the holidays slash all year long. This year I whipped up a double batch of this eggnog, at my coworker�s insistence. It�s been aging for a few weeks, so we won�t know the outcome until we crack it open the week of Christmas. I�m pretty excited for it though! 

I�ve been mixing up these sparkling bourbon cocktails since Thanksgiving. Get started infusing your bourbon now�you�ll want it to soak up the flavors for at least a week before making a cocktail with it. I made a big jar of apple peel bourbon for Thanksgiving, and then instead of using ginger beer as the recipe suggested, I used Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider (which is a holiday must in my household. This isn�t sponsored. I seriously just love Martinelli�s.). Several batches in, I realized the best combo is a sparkling cider base, the spiced bourbon, and then a ginger beer float on the top. So Christmassy! The bourbon gets so mellow and flavorful, and the apple cider brings out the� apple-y-ness. Mostly for cuteness, but also for a hint of flavor, you should definitely garnish with a sprig of rosemary, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. These are seriously good and dangerously chuggable. 
FYI: In true holiday spirit, my computer just kept trying to autocorrect �chuggable� to �huggable.� 

Spiced Apple Bourbon Sparklers

Spiced apple peel bourbon (recipe below)
Martinelli�s sparkling apple cider
Ginger beer (non alcoholic)
Fresh rosemary
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
cinnamon sticks

Fill rocks glasses with ice. Add 1 shot of the spiced bourbon to each glass, then fill 3/4 full with sparkling cider. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with a rosemary sprig, pomegranate arils, and a cinnamon stick. Feel free to adjust amounts based on your preference. 

Spiced Apple Peel Bourbon
Adapted from this recipe

Makes one large bottle/ jar 

2-3 large apples, peeled (use the apple for something else, use the peels here)
peel of 1 lemon or small orange
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 small chunk of peeled ginger
3 cardamom pods, smashed
One 750 milliliter bottle of bourbon (my first batch used rye, which was delish) 

Fill a large jar or bottle with the apple peels, and add the rest of the spices. Pour the bourbon over to completely cover. Let sit, sealed, for at least a week at room temperature (taste after a few days, and if the cinnamon or cloves seem strong, feel free to remove). After a week, strain, and keep the strained bourbon in a jar or bottle in the fridge. 

Coconut Nectarine White Wine Spritzers

Summer's not over yet! Sherrie & Renee are hosting a bubbly, sparkly, boozy, fresh, fruity virtual cocktail party, #drinkthesummer! Scroll to the bottom for a complete list of fun summery drinks by other awesome food bloggers! Get your summer drank on!

One of my favorite summers was when I was probably 12. My ma�s always been a big Stephen King fan, and that summer, the Green Mile books came out (remember, it was first released as a six-part series). It was too hot to be outside, and to avoid the boredom of being trapped inside all day, my mom, Amanda, and I read the books out loud together. Amanda and me laying in front of a box fan, icy glasses of sun tea at the ready, misting ourselves with a spray bottle (no AC? No problem!), while my mom�s voice transported us to the 1930s, to the deep South. I remember those days so clearly� the three of us together, the dry heat, the mystery of John Coffey.  
Later that summer, the spell was broken when my ma got to a particularly tense part in the book, and stumbled over some dialogue� cautiously spelling out �F-U-C-K, Percy said!� Amanda and I laughed hysterically and our little book club lost its steam. After that summer, Amanda and I started spending summer days out and about with friends, and my mom (who had been a stay-at-home mom most of my childhood) got a full time job. We kind of grew up and moved on. But I loved those lazy days, reading those books together.
For me, those Green Mile days are just as vivid as the lush garden and fresh tomatoes, towels on the clothesline, sherbert for dinner, the trail of dust when my dad pulled in the driveway every evening after work. Quintessential summer memories. 
Another quintessential part of my childhood summers? Wine coolers. Not for me, for my mom. She loved her wine coolers, and often made her own with grapefruit soda and wine. I stayed away from wine coolers for a long time�they get a bad rap, ya know? You know what doesn�t get a bad rap? White wine spritzers. They�re sophisticated and classy. You guys! It�s a wine cooler in disguise! These sweet, fruity sparklers are also wine coolers in disguise.

For the 4th of July, Amanda made a big pitcher of white sangria with sweet, fresh summer stone fruits, and we added a splash of my favorite coconut La Croix, and amazing things happened. These are basically that, but rather than going the full pitcher route, we�re keeping it simple and accessible. Like 3 ingredient, as easy as possible simple. It is Wednesday, after all. 

Coconut Nectarine White Wine Spritzers
Nectarine slices
Ice
White wine (a basic white blend/table white*)
Coconut LaCroix (or other coconut soda water)

Smash 2 nectarine slices in the bottom of each glass, and fill with ice. Fill glass a little over half way with white wine, and the rest of the way with coconut flavored soda water.

*I used Maryhill Winemaker's White, which we had at our wedding! Maryhill is near my hometown!

Wait, there's more! Here's the full list of amazing summer drinky dranks by other awesome food bloggers!

#DRINKTHESUMMER:

With Food + Love | Fresh Heirloom Bloody Marys with Old Bay and Spicy Pickles

Will Frolic for Food | The Sugar Hollow: Watermelon Gin Cocktail with Cardamom and Lime

Kale & Caramel | Sweet Coconut, Hibiscus & Lime Slushie

Hummingbird High | Thyme Lemonade

Brooklyn Supper | Bloody Maria Cocktails

Cake Over Steak | Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail

Dunk & Crumble | Ginger Peach Whiskey Smash

Tasty Yummies | When Figs Fly: Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail

Feed Me Phoebe | Pimm�s Cup Cocktail with Fresh Ginger, Lime and Tarragon

Earthy Feast | Strawberry, Basil and Pink Peppercorn Negroni

Ginger & Toasted Sesame | Blackberry Peach Margarita with Spicy Salt

O&O Eats | The Long Hope: a Honeydew Cucumber Gin Cocktail

my name is yeh | Nutella Egg Cream

Faring Well | Sparkling Melon Coolers with Muddled Raspberries and Mint

Beard and Bonnet | Pineapple and Cilantro Moscow Mule

The Pancake Princess | Strawberry Balsamic Shrubs

Edible Perspective | Ros� Slushies

Vegetarian �Ventures | Sparkling Peppered Plum Blush

The Broken Bread | Blackberry, Cucumber and Mint Gin Spritzer

Tending the Table | Plum Spritzer with Ginger and Kafir Lime

Appeasing a Food Geek | Sugar Plum Margarita

She Eats | Fizzy Lime and Blackberry Shrub

holly & flora | Pimm�s Cup with Blackberry and Lemon Zest Shrub

Vigor and Sage | Peachy Tomato Basil Gin and Tonic

The Pig & Quill | Raspberry Basil Gingerade Fizz

Hungry Girl por Vida | Peanut Butter and Berry Smoothie

A Brown Table | Fig and Bourbon Summer Smash

The Clever Carrot | 5 Minute White Peach Margaritas
Cookie and Kate | Watermelon White Sangria

Fix, Feast, Flair | Berry Peachy Kentucky Mules

le jus d�orange | Peach Yogurt Soju and Ginger Plum Kombucha Cocktail

Chocolate + Marrow | Raspberry Thyme Smash

The Bojon Gourmet | Basil Pluot Pimm�s Cup

Snixy Kitchen | Sparkling Asian Pear and Mint Iced Tea

what�s cooking good looking | Watermelon Basil Colada

Salt & Wind | Watermelon Aperol Spritzes

A Dinner with DRY + Lemony Roasted Chicken Legs with Garlic and Rosemary

I did something fun and rad and I've been keeping it a secret! Picture this: a bunch of your favorite people, a sunny warm spring evening, twinkly candles, and vases full of colorful flowers. A record playing lightly in the background, a well-rounded cocktail in one hand, a crostini in the other, and an enormous cheese plate in front of you. This is basically the PERFECT evening for me. You guys, I am SO almost 30. And I love it.


As you may remember, one of my goals for this year was to do more entertaining (and keep my house clean�because I�m almost 30. It�s about time). I had the perfect opportunity (for both) recently when I collaborated with DRY Soda on a spring dinner party! DRY is a local Seattle-based company that makes sparkling beverages worthy of gourmet food pairing and premium mixology. They have ten crisp, fun, unique flavors, �inspired by art, fashion & foodies.� I like art, I wish I had fashion sense, and I love food! Perfect match! So, I invited a bunch of my friends over to help ring in spring! Some folks from DRY joined (including their CEO and founder! AH!), to teach us how to make amazing DRY cocktails (like this one and this one), the talented Brittany Wright captured the event on camera, and I made a menu paired with DRY's fizzy flavors. 

First: For starters, we had a cheese plate and a crostini. For cheese plates, a good rule of thumb is to have at least one aged, one soft, and one firm cheese. And then I like to throw in one blue (Humboldt Fog is my favorite). I really, really like cheese. You can go two routes with a cheese plate: charcuterie, or not charcuterie. I decided to pair this cheese plate with DRY's light floral lavender flavor, so I went the not charcuterie route, which includes fruits (in this case, blackberries and figs), honey, nuts (candied walnuts and marcona almonds), and something herbaceous or floral (Lavender DRY and, fresh rosemary, and rosemary crackers). I could live off that cheese plate. I�m still dreaming about it.

For the crostini, I wanted something bright and springy, so I made a minty pea pesto, similar to this one, and served it with ricotta on little toasty bread rounds. We paired these little bites with Cucumber DRY. Cucumber and mint are such a classic, refreshing combo! This is also a good make ahead option: the pesto keeps in the fridge overnight and you can top the crostini just before serving. Just note that it is the brightest green when it�s fresh.  

Second: Next up, I made a salad with butter lettuce, avocado, red onion, pistachios, chevre, and a citrusy-mustard vinaigrette, which I paired with Blood Orange DRY. I love this type of salad with orange segments mixed in, so this time I just put the oranges in your glass instead of your plate! 

Main: For the entr�e, I made lemony roasted chicken thighs with garlic and rosemary, served with roasted thyme fingerling potatoes and fennel, and paired with my favorite DRY flavor: Juniper Berry! You guys. This chicken! If you can find the full thigh-leg pieces, get those, because they�re super impressive looking. If not, go with thighs and legs/drumsticks. This chicken is so tender and flavorful. My secret is to over-cook it. I�m not even lying. Everyone talks about overcooked, dried out chicken all the time, but I think the biggest mistakes people make with chicken is undercooking (I think it gets weirdly rubbery at that stage) and under-seasoning. This sauce is so juicy that it keeps the chicken moist even at a higher temp for a longer time. Just check often, as my oven might not run as hot as yours! It�s so good!


Dessert: To round out the night, we had the easiest (and most appropriately soda-themed) dinner party dessert ever: an ice cream float bar! I put out vanilla, ginger, coffee and coconut ice cream, to be mixed and matched with Rhubarb and Vanilla DRY. My favorite combo was ginger ice cream + Rhubarb DRY! Tart, sweet, and a little spicy!

Read more about our dinner party over at DRY, and get some of their fun sparkles for your next shin dig� you can do such cool cocktails and food pairings with them, or just sip �em straight up! 

Lemony Roasted Chicken Legs with Garlic and Rosemary
Inspired by this recipe and this recipe

4 full bone-in chicken legs (thigh and drumstick) OR 8 bone-in chicken thighs (or a combo of both)
Salt & Fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 lemons (one juiced, one not)
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, removed from stem and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 large shallot, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

If the chicken has skin on, I like to remove it, but it�s up to you. Pat the chicken DRY, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken in a baking dish so that the pieces are touching.

Stir together olive oil, juice from one of the lemons, rosemary, garlic, shallot, and about 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Pour over chicken.

Slice 1/2 of the remaining lemon in thin slices (keep the peel on), then cut those into small wedges, and arrange over the top of the chicken. Set the remaining 1/2 aside.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, baste with the juices, then roast another 25-30 minutes, checking every once in a while. Once your chicken is fully cooked through, but not quite falling-off-the-bone tender, baste it one more time (you can even just flip the pieces), and then crank the heat to 425. Roast another 10 to 15 minutes (checking to make sure you�re not burning it). You want the chicken to be crispy on the outside, but tender enough that it practically falls of the bone when you try to lift it out of the dish.

Just before serving, while chicken is hot, douse with juice from remaining lemon half, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt, and fresh black pepper. Serve with a rosemary spring for cuteness.

Note: Beverages and ingredients for this dinner party were provided by DRY, but all opinions are my own. Photos in this post by Brittany Wright, provided by DRY. 

Tiki Party: Three Dots and a Dash Tiki Drink

It�s tiki week! And the key to a good tiki party is, of course, the drinks! And the key element of a good tiki drink is RUM!


I think it�s time for rum cocktails to make a comeback! We've been all whiskey this, bourbon that forever now, but rum punches, you guys! They�re fun, they�re tropical, they�re sweet but not too sweet, and strong even though they go down super smooth. And the best part!? You can deck them out with all kinds of fun garnishes, fruits, and adorable little umbrellas!

Amanda went to the tiki bar Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago a few weeks ago, and I was basically obsessed with making tiki drinks from the moment she sent me a picture. So I looked up the menu, and decided to tackle their eponymous drink, the Three Dots and a Dash! The menu describes it as a mix of aged rhum agricole, Guyanese rum, honey, falernum, lime, allspice, and angostura bitters. I got to the liquor store and realized didn't actually only know what most of those ingredients were, so I did a little research. Here�s the lowdown:

• First of all, the Three Dots and a Dash tiki drink was created by the godfather of tiki, Donn Beach / Don the Beachcomber. If you want a very thorough history lesson, I bought this book, it's a wealth of knowledge and fun recipes.
• In Morse code, three dots and a dash is "V", the symbol for the Allied victory in WWII. There was a huge post-war tiki craze, which explains the name. 
• Rhum Agricole is rum that�s distilled from cane juice rather than molasses. Look for bottles that say 100% sugar cane or cane juice. I used Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti.
• Guyanese rum is, as the name states, rum that�s distilled in Guyana. You�re looking for something with Demerara on the label, or something golden from Guyana. I used Pyrat (which used to be distilled in Anguilla but now moved operations to Guyana) mostly for the cute bottle. These rums are aged in bourbon barrels, which lends to their rich flavor. Note about Pyrat: If you leave it open to breathe for an hour or so, it really enhances the flavors.
• Falernum sounds like the name of a weird body part that should never see daylight, but is actually a sweet, citrusy, syrupy liqueur (can be alcoholic or non) that dates back to the 30s, and is a must for tropical drinks. I used John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum, which does contain alcohol.
• For the allspice, use Allspice Dram, which I was able to find at BevMo. It�s also called Pimento Dram, and is a spicy liqueur from Jamaica. It�s also excellent in whiskey drinks, so it�s good to have on hand!
• If you have any inkling of a bar set up, you need Angostura bitters, which are a key ingredient in tons of great cocktails, including Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. Also, rumor has it that a few drops of bitters on a lime wedge is a great cure for the hiccups!
• And, I think you know what lime and honey are, but I would definitely recommend fresh lime juice over the bottled kind, for a fresh, fruity, bright cocktail. For the honey, we�re making a quick syrup of 2 parts honey to 1 part water. See the recipe below for more details.

Ok, I know what you're thinking: you have to buy a lot of ingredients here. That's true, and you might drop some serious clamshells setting up your tiki bar, but trust me! These drinks are an absolute delight, and the ingredients are useful in a ton of other tiki and non-tiki drinks! 

Alright! I think you�re ready to shake up a few Three Dots and a Dash tiki drinks! Stay tuned all week for the rest of my tiki party menu!

Three Dots and a Dash Tiki Drink
Serves 2

I found this recipe, and tweaked just slightly until I found the combo and flavors I like best. 

1.5 ounce Rhum Agricole
1.5 ounce Guyanese Rum
2 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice
1 ounce honey syrup (see below)
1 ounce Falernum
1/2 ounce allspice dram
4 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine everything in a shaker with ice, and shake until cool and combined, strain into two ice-filled glasses. Decorate with garnishes (below). 

Optional Garnishes:
Pineapple spear/wedge
Lime slice/wedge
Orange slice/wedge
Brandied or Maraschino cherries
Pineapple leaves
Drink Umbrellas


To make honey syrup, combine 2 parts honey with 1 part warm water, and stir until the honey is dissolved. 

Want to learn more about rum? Here some good sources:
Serious Eats Rum Guide 
Pyrat Rum Review 
Rum Ratings 

Raspberry & Basil Bourbon Jam Sours

I have this summer fantasy. Not like, a Fabio fantasy�sillies. More like an idyllic summer in the South kind of fantasy. I'm sitting on a porch swing on a sunny, summer day. There are those big hanging trees around the porch�willows?�and probably bluegrass playing off somewhere in the distance, mingling with the sound of the breeze through the trees. I'm kicking back, without a care in the world. It's basically a never ending Sunday in August. Job? What job? Bills? What bills. Cocktail? Yes, definitely a cocktail. 

This fruity, jammy, lemony, herbaceous bourbon cocktail is exactly what I'd be drinking on that porch swing. Can someone just invite me to their porch swing already? 

Jam and booze is such an amazing, perfect combo. I don't know why I haven't been doing this forever. These drinks are sweet and fruity in a not-too-sweet, summery kinda way, with a bit of tang from the lemon juice, and a nice basil and bourbon finish. So good. So, so good. It's my�jam. Yep. Said it.

Until I find that porch swing and endless summer afternoon, my couch, episodes of Fargo, and this cocktail will have to do. 

Raspberry & Basil Bourbon Jam Sours

Makes 2

These look a bit dainty with their pretty pink hue, but trust me, they are strong cocktails, as bourbon drinks should be. Feel free to lighten it up with a splash of soda water. If your jam is pretty sweet, you may not need the honey. 

2 tablespoons raspberry jam/preserves of your choice*

1 teaspoon honey

1 sprig fresh basil (about 4-5 leaves)

Ice

2 ounces bourbon

Juice from 2 medium-large lemons

Combine raspberry jam/preserves in a small dish, and microwave about 15 seconds, just to loosen it enough to easily stir together. 

Add basil to a cocktail shaker, and muddle/mash. Add ice about 3/4 full, bourbon, lemon juice, and jam/honey mixture. Shake shake shake!

Pour over ice, garnish with a leaf of basil, enjoy!

*I used Trader Joe's Raspberry Fruit Spread. 

Coconut Margaritas

My sister and her boyfriend just got back from the most amazing look tropical vacation ever. They went to Turks and Caicos, those jerks! And while I zipped up my raincoat and pulled on my galoshes, she texted me pictures of white sand and bright blue water. Jealousy level max over here. 

Fact: the only possible way to overcome tropical vacation envy, aside from hopping on a plane, is to drink tropical drinks. Bonus points for pink umbrellas. 

Turks and Caicos is all about the rum punch, but I only had one drink of my mind: coconut margaritas! 

Last week my friend LZ and I had these coconut margs at happy hour the other day, and they were amazing! They weren't too sweet or over the top, and since they were made with coconut water, I felt all good and hydrated, something I don't usually feel when I'm drinking tequila! 

So of course, over the weekend I decided to shake up my own coconut margs, and pretend I was somewhere sunny and warm�just ignore that rain sound on the windows. That's just ocean waves. Obviously. 

I'm not trying to brag or anything, but these are the most amazing margaritas I've ever had. A little tart, a little sweet, a little coconutty� tropical perfection! I invited LZ over for taste testing, and we each had a couple tastes. I mean, full-glass sized tastes. Then maybe a couple more. Who was counting, ya know? We certainly weren't. 

Coconut Margaritas, on the Rocks

Inspired by El Borracho Coconut Margaritas
Makes enough for a crowd

Coconut Tequila (I used this brand)

Fresh lemon/lime juice (juice of 2 lemons & 3 limes, mixed)

Ginger syrup (like this, or make your own)

Coconut water (C2O is my favorite, Zico is my 2nd favorite)

1 can coconut cream (different from coconut milk, but that would work as well-PS. how great is Coco Lopez website... from like, 1999)

Toasted coconut sugar (2 tablespoons sugar & 3 tablespoons toasted desiccated coconut, stirred together)

To prepare your glass, add toasted coconut sugar to a plate. Run a lime wedge across the glass rim, and dip rim in sugar and coconut, twisting to coat. Add ice to glass.

For each margarita, fill up cocktail shaker half way with ice, and add:
 

1 oz tequila

1 oz lemon/lime juice

1/4 oz ginger syrup

2 oz coconut water

1/2 oz coconut cream

Shake until combined, and strain into prepared glass. Serve with a lime wedge and pink umbrella! Add a floater of coconut cream if you like it a bit sweeter. 

Cranberry Gin Fizz

Are you guys all ready to have a holly, jolly, merry, bright, drinky, fizzy holiday? I am! Pick me!

Christmas break has begun and it's officially time for some holiday spirit. Holiday spirits, rather.

This cocktail combines three of my favorite things: gin, bubbles, and cranberry. Plus a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

A few of these fizzy cranberry and gin drinks and you'll be super jolly. 

Cranberry Gin Fizz

For each drink:

1 ounce (shot) good quality gin (I like Hendricks)

Juice from a quarter or half a lemon

2 ounces cranberry simple syrup (recipe below)

Champagne or prosecco 

Frozen cranberries (on a pick, or otherwise)

Add gin, lemon juice, and cranberry syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until cool. Strain into glass, then top off with bubbles. Add more lemon or syrup, to taste. Add frozen cranberries to keep cool. 

Note: this a strong boozy drink. To make a little less strong, you can use soda water instead of prosecco, or leave out the gin, and just do prosecco, cranberry syrup, and lemon.

Cranberry Simple Syrup

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, and cool before using. 

Makes about a cup and a half.