A Sweet Step into Fall

A Sweet Step into Fall

With its comfortable holidays and yummy seasonal food and drinks, fall is my favorite time of year.

I have lived in many different climates, but Florida seems to be one that takes a little longer to get into fall. For those of us who are looking forward to steaming apple cider, peppermint mochas and pumpkin-spiced anything, we have to wait a little longer for it to cool down enough to want a hot beverage.

I’ll be the first to admit (and my husband will agree) that I am lacking in the patience category, so instead of waiting until it’s chilly to drink a hot fall drink, I have created my own cool spin on some great fall beverages.

The first is Cool Caramel Cider, my new fall favorite. The taste of apple is what fall is all about, and blending it with caramel vodka really takes it to the next level. The drink is on the sweeter side, but the cold, hard cider is absolutely refreshing.

After falling in love with the caramel vodka, I wanted to blend it with another one of my favorite beverages — coffee. The combination of coffee and caramel is a classic and can really be enjoyed all year long.

The Karamel Macchiato martini is perfect for after dinner when there’s just no more room for dessert. It satisfies that sweet tooth and gives you a little caffeine kick to keep the fun going.

I made it with almond milk because I like the different flavor, it’s nondairy, and its thickness layers well.

Cool Caramel Cider

2 ounces Stolichnaya Salted Karamel Vodka
8 ounces hard apple cider

Fill a pint glass with ice and pour in the vodka. Top it off with hard apple cider and give it a light stir.

Karamel Macchiato Martini

2 ounces Stolichnaya Salted Karamel Vodka
1 ounce Van Gogh Espresso Vodka
1 shot espresso (or 2, if you need it)
1½ ounces almond milk
Caramel sauce, for garnish

Fill a shaker tin with some ice, both vodkas and the espresso. Shake to cool and combine. Strain into a martini glass and layer the almond milk on top. Garnish with a spiral swirl of caramel sauce. Or you can just combine everything together, shake and strain.

Bottoms up!

Abita Gets it Right, Again

Abita Gets it Right, Again

25th Anniversary Vanilla Doubledog

Abita Brewing is one of the more popular micro-brews in the south and has a wide range of options. After 25 years in business Abita took a spin off of their old faithful, Turbodog, and dressed it up for the occasion. 

The color is a nice dark brown, almost black with great clarity and a fluffy head. The nose is deep, roasty with a nuance of sweetness and a dark maltiness. 

At first sip I get the taste of over-roasted, but not burnt, nuts. The nutiness plays well with the hint of vanilla that adds a smoothness. You can tell it wants to have a bite to it, but the vanilla reigns it in and makes it very palate pleasing. 

For a dark beer, it's extremely smooth and refreshing . It's well balanced with a gentle finish that lingers and doesn't sour on the tongue. This little gem makes for a perfect night cap because it would pair well with dessert or could be a dessert all its own. If you did want to pair it up, try it with some hazelnut gelato and make a float or perhaps a a chocolate peanut butter tart. 

One of my favorite things about this beer is that it comes in a 22oz bottle. It's so good that I didn't want it to end. Be careful though, it has 7% alcohol and will sneak up on you. It's that smooth. I would really recommend this beer for anyone. It's interesting enough for a seasoned beer drinker and also great for someone trying to expand their beer palate. If you can find it- TRY IT!

Has Rogue Gone Rogue?


So my hubby brought home a couple tasty treats and this was the by far biggest attention grabber. For those of you who are unfamiliar with iconic locations in the Pacific North West, Voodoo doughnuts is a must stop stop when visiting Portland. We, unfortunately, never visited in our time up there, but have always heard to go there. They are known for their great doughnuts and unusual flavors. Their most talked about creation is the maple glazed with bacon.
Rogue Brewery, located on the Rogue River in Oregon, is known for ingenuity and has something for every palate. It's cool to see this premier craft brewery paying homage to another  Oregon-local favorite. The idea of the beer may be lost on most (unless your familiar with Voodoo Doughnuts), but the interesting flavor combination will attract most adventurist drinkers, i think.
When we opened up this Rogue beer, I wasn't sure what to expect but I thought sweetness would lead. On the nose there is a toasted yeastiness and a hint of smoke. I didn't get the sweetness I had expected. 
On first swig you are met with a deep smokey flavor. The maple is a very faint undertone, but no sweetness. The smoke is from the smoking of three different malts, which adds a fun complexity. I had to keep sipping because I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. My taste buds were completely confused and caught off guard. The hint of maple sweetness is incorporated with a pure maple syrup. 
As far as ales go, I found this one to be very approachable. I tend to struggle with many ales and their bitterness, but this one was comfortably smooth. Don't be deceived, it's not an easy drinker, but the initial bite didn't scare me off like many ales do.
We tried this one out late in the evening, but I really wanted to eat with it. I would have loved some warm glazed doughnuts or maybe a chocolate glazed. This beer terms for a sweet companion. Or maybe if your feeling whimsical a maple-glazed, bacon cheese burger on a glazed doughnut. That would be completely amazing!
Try this beer. Share this beer with someone, it's a lot for one person to finish. Plus, how often do you find beer in a pink bottle?

It’s Not Just a Lime in the Coconut Anymore...

It’s Not Just a Lime in the Coconut Anymore...

As with most spirits, when it comes to tequila you’re either a fan or not. And most non-fans are hard to convince otherwise, but I think 1800 Coconut tequila might do just that. I myself have never been a huge tequila drinker, a few celebratory shots here or a margarita there, but never really drank it on a consistent basis. But what I am is a huge coconut fan, so I was a little conflicted when I heard about this new coconut tequila on our shelf. My first instinct was that it was going to be awful with an overpowering tequila burn and some overly sweet, fake coconut flavoring, which would anger me for ruining my beloved coconut!

Upon first sniff (yes, I always smell it first) I was pleasantly surprised. The aroma was of smooth tequila and a light hint of natural coconut; no burn and not fake. In natural progression, I had a small sample sip and found it to have the normal warmth of tequila on the tongue and a very simple coconut flavor, which blended very well with the agave.

So once the taste buds approve, the brain starts working on ways to serve this to the masses. Simple drinks will be winners with this libation, but if you’re looking for something a little more dressed up then a Thai Sunset might be right up your alley. The creaminess of the coconut milk is cut by the strength of the tequila and the sweet/tart of the cherries (coming into season soon) pairs wonderfully with the coconut. This cocktail is not only delicious but visually pleasing as well.

Thai Sunset
¾ cup cherries, (fresh or frozen), pitted and cut in half; divided
2 oz 1800 Coconut Tequila
4 oz coconut milk
½ oz Cherry Syrup

½ cup cherries

1 Tbs sugar

1 tbs water

Cook cherries, water and sugar all together over low-med heat to break down cherries and make a syrup. Blend and strain, or just press through a fine mesh strainer. This should yield about ½ oz.

Take the remaining ¼ cup of cherries and cut into quarters, put in the bottom of a tall rocks glass. In a shaker tin with ice, add tequila coconut milk. Shake until well chilled and mixed. Put fresh ice on top of the cherries and strain coconut mixture over fresh ice. Finish with the cherry syrup on top, pouring close to the rim of the glass, as to give the drink a “bleeding” effect. Enjoy!

If simplicity is more your drink of choice, then you should try out a Coconut Chihuahua. The tequila version of a greyhound, with a bit of a twist. The coconut flavor plays well with the citrus and is sure to quench even the biggest thirst of a hot summer afternoon. This puppy was born for happy hour!

1 ½ oz 1800 coconut tequila
½ oz Solerna Liqeuer
4 to 5 oz fresh squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit juice

Build over ice in a short rocks glass, shake or stir and BEBIR!


*photo to come...

Valentine's Cocktails

Valentine’s Day, whether you consider it a joy or a cursed day, is just around the corner. Christmas decor has come down and been quickly replaced by frilly red and white, over-stuffed plushy animals and rows upon rows of sugary sweets and heartfelt cards.

Sappy cards, blooming flowers and fancy chocolate desserts are a few nice ways to celebrate this lovely day, but that’s not always a home run for everyone. For those of you looking to skip dessert and just get down to business; a decadent, well crafted cocktail just might hit the spot. A Chocolate Raspberry Truffle martini is a great way to go. This creamy treat is just as satisfying as a piece of cake, but without all the crumbs.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Martini

1 ½ oz Stolichnaya Chocolate Raspberry Vodka

½ oz Kahlua

¼ oz Chambord Liqueur

Splash cream

Chocolate syrup (for garnish)

Drizzle chocolate syrup around the inside of your martini glass.

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well to combine and chill down. Strain into prepared martini glass.

I myself love a nice glass of champagne (or anything sparkling for that matter) and think that a champagne cocktail is a great way to start out the evening or to celebrate. For Valentine’s Day you or your loved one might like to try out a Champagne Sweetheart. The perfect marriage of strawberry and sparkling wine join together for a great little sipper.

Champagne Sweetheart

¼ oz Strawberry Puree

⅛ oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

4oz sparkling wine

Fresh strawberry (for garnish)

Combine the strawberry puree and St. Germain in a shaker with a little ice and shake just to chill and mix together. Strain into a champagne flute and top with your sparkling wine. Garnish the rim with a fresh strawberry.

Beringer 2006

2006 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Beringer,who is known for great juice, is proud of this 90 point, fruit forward, classic cab sauv. Knights Valley is one of the five original  American Viticultural Areas and one of the warmest areas in the region which helps produce a sweet succulent grape. 

This cab is a gorgeous red/burgundy color. It has great legs and looks great in a glass. First breath in and your nose is filled with deep strawberries, a soft oakiness and dark earth. The nose promises great things.

This wine has a wonderful weight in your mouth. Silky, smooth and round, but deceiving. I expected it to have more punch, but it was surprisingly mild. A little too mild of a red for my taste. The profile starts with sweet cherry and rolls into a soft chocolate and a mild hint of eucalyptus on the finish.

My mistake was to pair this wine with a well seasoned New York strip steak. The flavor was just too mild, so I popped the cork back in ans saved it for another time. Then I just drank it solo and it was delicious. The softness of this wine might make it a great option for a nice chocolate dessert, pairing off the chocolate notes.

MIA...sorry it's been so long

To all my readers, I missed you and I missed my adventures in wine. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to put hobby on hold and put that little bit of extra cash into other priorities.
As my ship begins to get back on course, I am excited to announce my return to the bottle. I have a couple blogs on deck and a couple more bottles in the cooler awaiting their special day in the sun.

Thank you to my loyal readers and a warm welcome to any new ones. I have a real love for food and wine and  hope to use this blog as a vessel to share my journeys and hear about yours.

Thank you and happy sipping.
Linds

Le Grand Noir

I found this French blend in Seattle, when I worked at Cost Plus World Market. I was initially interested because it combined my two favorite grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and then because it was an affordable $10.00. Not to mention, it has such a cute sheep on the label.

On initial sniff, the nose is a little spicy and earthy. There is a slight astringency, but mellowed by the fruitfulness. The aroma is delightfully inviting and the deep red tones are visually appealing.

On first sip you get a big, deep, robust berry flavor. As the wine moves around over your tongue, so do the flavors. Second sip brings up notes of currant and a subtle finish of licorice lingers.

The alcohol levels are well balanced and leaves a nice flavor on the palate. This wine struggles because it wants to be really bold, but it has too short of a finish to really pull that off.

For a $10 wine, this is a great option. It has a somewhat complex flavor profile, enough going on to hold your attention, and is great to drink solo or with food. Delicious with a well spiced pork dish, beef stew or a great homemade chili.

On a personal note, I first tried this wine a few years back, in 2008 or 2009 and thought it was the cats meow. I liked that there were multiple flavors going on and admittedly, I wasn't as well versed in the world of wine back then. So trying Le Grand Noir again a few years and many bottles of wine later, I was interested to see if it still held the same spark. I have to admit, it didn't dance for me the way it did the first time around, but it was good enough that I'll be back to World Market to pick up another one! It's great to learn and to grow, but maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss. Or at least ignorance keeps your wine budget low.