This month’s Veranda Magazine includes a beautifully photographed (Colleen Duffley) article focused on a selection of my cocktails from The Backyard Bartender. There’s an interview with me, too. It is sooo gorgeous— Veranda really made me feel like star.
You can download the PDF to read the full story, including 11 of my summer sipper recipes!
This innovative sweet-sour recipe was originated by the talented bartenders at Serafina restaurant in Seattle. They are pals, so they shared. As pomegrante molasses has become a more popular ingredient, you may have become familiar with it’s seductive flavor. If not, now’s the time to invest (about $3) in a bottle.
Blackberry Margarita
Blackberries are such a transient, delicate crop I think it’s wise to enjoy them every which way you can while they last. When I make straight up drinks like these, I think it’s not only important to use fresh fruits and herbs, as needed. I also want to enjoy top shelf liquor, like the [...]
I was inspired to write this post up by my newly-scheduled martini festivities in Florida next month. The photographer who shot my cocktail book, Colleen Duffley, has opened a remarkable art gallery/salon/event space on the gulf coast of Florida called Studio b. I’ve been invited to sign books and create a special “pink martini” for [...]
Consider making one of the elegant chocolate treats below for that special person who inspires you with feelings of love: Mexican Chocolate Crème Brûlée and Chocolate Martinis.
Cosmos remain hugely popular and pomegranate juice is just plain delicious. Here these two favorites are combined in a variation on the traditional Cosmopolitan with directions that make it simple to serve at a party. By freezing the pomegranate juice into hot-pink ice cubes, you keep this cocktail cool on the buffet without diluting its potency. The colored cubes also create a pretty “sunset” pattern as they melt.
When I think about New Year’s eve a couple of things pop into my mind, probably the same ones that occur to you: Champagne (a literal pop), caviar with blini, funny hats, confetti, friends/lovers and a great, sensual cocktail. I can’t deliver caviar or champagne or the love of your life to to your doorstep, [...]
Thanksgiving is often a long day in the kitchen (or in front of the TV, depending on your skill set). So, at my place, there is always some kind of special beverage on hand to lighten the toil (couch-potato, or otherwise). Either way, you will definitely be thankful when you get your hands on one [...]
Happy Saturday Night (oops, Sunday morning). I’ve decided I’ll try to post at least one cocktail recipe each weekend. A student in one of my cooking classes prompted me to dream up this fantastic drink. As she said, ”I love espresso and a martini. Couldn’t they be in the same glass?” I think this combination is beautiful and exhilarating.
When I started working on a cocktail book (The Backyard Bartender), my chef’s approach to creating recipes of any kind led me to look for ways to bring more than just a combination of pre-made ingredients to the glass. I decided that spirit infusions were one great way to bring fresh, complex notes to the cocktails I was designing. Infusing spirits with custom flavors has become extremely popular in hip bars around the country for good reason. This simple technique—essentially steeping fresh ingredients in white liquor — allows the ambitious mixologist to create delicious, seductive and very personal cocktails with ease.
