July 19, 2020 begins National Prosecco Week. My Summer Orzo Salad will be the perfect pairing with a chilled bottle of Prosecco! Summer Orzo Salad Makes 6 servings 2 cups Orzo 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese 10 ounces tri-color cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine 2…
Late July Snacks ~ Spicy Jalapeño And Honeydew Margarita
Recently I was invited to the first ever Late July Snacks virtual Handcraft Cocktail Happy Hour hosted by Maureen Petrosky, Author of The Cocktail Club. Maureen’s book is available on amazon.com: …classic favorites like the Martini and the Old-Fashioned, as well as new sips like the Mason Jar Basil Pisco Sour and Blueberry Lavender Vodka…
Blueberry Lavender Cosmopolitan
Broken Shed Vodka is crafted from a blend of two of New Zealand’s purist waters with natural protein whey that is distilled three times. It’s free from gluten, free from GMO’s, free from additives and added sugars. Here’s the story about how Broken Shed Vodka was created, by The Vodka Guy – https://vodka-guy.com/broken-shed-vodka-review/ Two were…
National Piña Colada Day
July 10 is National Piña Colada Day! The perfect day to drink a Frozen Maraschino Piña Colada made with Rhum JM Blanc and CLÉMENT MAHINA COCO. Please visit http://www.rhum-jm.com/en/collection for more information about this fabulous rhum that makes the BEST Piña Coladas! I like to add a little Maraschino cherry juice to my cocktail to…
Fun Rum Rhum Cocktails
I was delighted recently with an invitation to a virtual r(h)um tasting happy hour hosted by the fine rum specialists – Spiribam. Ben Jones, Managing Director and Kiowa Bryan, National Brand Director, introduced us to fine Caribbean rums from Martinique and Saint Lucia. Ben and Kiowa explained the differences between rum and rhum. Rhum is…
RÅVO Vodka ~ Blue Glacier Lemon Drop Martini
At the end of a hot, sweltering summer day there is nothing better than a cool, refreshing vodka cocktail. I was recently introduced to RÅVO vodka. The name is derived from the Swedish words for raw (rå) and Vodka. It is made from pure, all natural winter wheat. It is distilled five times for incredible…
Tomato Water Martini
Makes 4 – 6 cocktails. Tomato Water Martini Tomato Water: 18 ounces large grape tomatoes (reserve 6 tomatoes for garnish) 4 large fresh basil leaves 40 black pepper corns 1/2 teaspoon salt Place tomatoes in a blender. Blend until the tomatoes have a watery consistency. Place 3 layers of cheese cloth over a container and…
National Rosé Day – Celebrate June 13, 2020
Fossil Point Rosé. Named for the rugged headland with sweeping views of the Central California coastline, Fossil Point pays tribute to the bond between sea and vine. One of my new favorite rosé wines. Pretty pink-peach color in the glass. 97% Grenache, 3% Syrah. Strawberry and passionfruit with a touch of citrus flavors. Available locally at…
Get Your Grill On for Father’s Day
This post was originally published on the Behind the Page Blog, The Roanoker Magazine, June, 2020: theroanoker.com Father’s Day evokes many fond memories. Dad trying to relax on his lawn chair in the backyard with us kids bouncing all around him. Giving him what we thought was the perfect gift – a tie that was…
Cherry Lemonade Vodka Slushie
One of my all-time favorite beach cocktails! Makes 12 cocktails. Requires freezing the slushie overnight, so make the day ahead. Cherry Syrup: Makes 2/3 cup 20 fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Place cherries, sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar…
