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.
Simple syrup is the best way to sweeten any cold beverage, from Agua Fresca to iced tea or a Mojito. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, so I make a large batch to have on hand.
In future posts, I’ll include recipes for creating simple syrup variations with fresh fruit and [...]
I decided that a party to launch the new home (url) for this blog was at least as important as those I’ve thrown for new books. And all of you would be invited to celebrate this beautiful, easy-to-navigate new spot. This post includes recipes for some of the dishes we might enjoy , all of which are in my books, too.
Ohhhhh boy! Welcome summer. This simple concoction magically recreates the flavor of key lime pie—one of my all time favorite desserts. Plus, who wouldn’t want to drink/serve a cocktail this gorgeous? There is something so seductive about a slender stem of alcohol that tastes like a sinful dessert. Talk about multi-tasking!
