Blind Pig IPA - Russian River Brewing Company

This beer is from Russian River Brewing Company, located in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. My husband went to this brewery on a bus full of testosterone, I mean guys, on what can only be described as a sacred pilgrimage to drink Pliny the Younger, which is only available 2 weeks out of the year and can only be enjoyed at the brewery. A genius marketing ploy which generates viril competitions among hops-loving males to say THEY drank it there. Apparently, the line is akin to camping out for grateful dead tickets.   This is a bottle of Blind Pig that he brought home along with growlers and other RR Brewery alcoholic treats. The Niners are playing the Giants and after making Crab Po Boys, we grabbed this last little piggy to drink along with our sandwiches.  It is hoppy, perfectly bitter with citrus and pine notes. a little over 6% alcohol.  It is delicious.

The History

Blind Pig is a term from Prohibition. Apparently, it was a secret code that could mean a variety of things.  As the story goes, if you asked for a Blind Pig, you might get a beer, or you might actually get a viewing of an actual blind pig (really?) along with a beer and according to the label..."something else." Hmmm, a lap dance? moonshine? some crisp bacon fed to you by a stripper? Who's to say? either way, seems a little tawdry...

Also, a mason jar was known as a pig and an unmarked mason jar was known as a blind pig.

So there you have it.

CHEERS & GO NINERS!

White Linen

White Linen

(makes 2 drinks)

4 oz Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka (or Hendricks Gin)

3 1/2 oz St Germain Elderflower Liquer

Juice of 3 limes

2 Tb. Simple Syrup

4 oz Club Soda

add first 4 ingredients in a cocktail shaker, put limes into the shaker after you squeeze out the juice, shake gently to blend. 

add 2 oz of Club soda to shaker and stir, pour over crushed ice and top with a splash of club soda and gently stir.

garnish with cucumber slices

Because I love salt with cucumbers, I salt the rim for this drink, although I salt the rim of most drinks. 

One of my best longtime friends Joe, flew 3,000 miles to the West Coast to celebrate my 46th birthday with me. We went to Big Sur & Carmel for the weekend. The first night in Big Sur, we went to Ventana Restaurant to have a drink and watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Joe sent me out to secure sunset seating while he ordered our cocktails at the bar.  By the time he arrived outside, I had found the guitarist (Rondo) and made several new friends in the course of 15 minutes--because that's just what Southern girls are brought up to do. The weather was perfect and the sun was on its way down. We all sat on the edge of that beautiful, hazy cliff, staring out at the ocean, singing along to Bob Dylan songs while we sipped on our perfectly-made cocktails. It was a happy trinity of friends, nature and booze, as we sat talking and singing and laughing with the group we had so quickly formed. It was a such great evening that I will long remember.  The White Linen definitely enhanced this memory and enchanted my taste buds. It was so delicious, it seemed selfish not to share. 

Joe & Me at Ventana

Friends for 17 years (we have shared a lot of libations)

Wine Pairings ~ Consider the Oyster (In the words of M.F.K. Fisher)

Muscadet, Sancerre & Vin De Savoie

Wine Pairings with Oysters

My husband and I try to make the trip at least twice a year over to Pt. Reyes to sit on Tomales Bay at Marshall Store and eat oysters. We have always drank Muscadet with our oysters, but on this trip I wanted to try and compare some other wines and venture out a bit. So this is what we decided (along with the 4 other strangers-turned-fast friends that we met and hung out with for the rest of the day).


1. Muscadet  a French wine, produced in the Western Loire Valley from the Muscadet grape, also sometimes called Melon de Bourgogne, or called just melon. The name of this wine makes for a rare exception among French wines, in that it is not named after a region, but rather the grape.  Muscadet (mu-ca-DAY)) has a very distinctive minerality and the nose often summons memories of the smell of fresh rain on hot summer rocks. Muscadet is a medium-to-light bodied wine with restrained fruit and is a classic pairing with oysters. Since we tried all 3 wines with all 3 oyster preparations, we were able to experiment and choose which pairing worked best. The Muscadet was well-matched with the Oysters Rockefeller. The weight of this wine, which exhibited a nutty flavor and a fuller mouth feel than the other wines, complimented the richness of the butter and spinach perfectly. The Reserve des Cleons Muscadet is produced specifically in the Sévre de Maine, where 80% of Loire Musdaet is produced.

2. Sancerre  moving into the eastern part of the Loire Valley is one of my very favorite white wines, Sancerre. This wine, sold there at Marshall store, is a Kermit Lynch (a wonderful importer based in Berkeley) wine, Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre. It has grassy edges, bright acidity and leaves a lemony whisper on your lips as you swallow this mouth-puckering liquid gem.  Because this wine has so much going on, it paired beautufully with the simple preparation of the raw Tomales Bay oysters with a squeeze of lemon and a touch of shallot mignonette. (of course I added Maldon salt on top, being the only person, so I'm told, who would salt an oyster).

3. Vin De Savoie yet another French white wine that was recommended by another Berkeley wine shop as an alternative to Muscadet to pair with oysters. This wine, made from the Jacquére grape is from the far eastern mountainous region of the Savoie at the western edge of the Alps.  The light crisp wine is a great example of the Alpine terroir of this region. It was pleasantly lean but also "jazzy" (as my friend Bett's grandmother might say). We loved this wine with the barbecued oysters that we then topped with ghost pepper hot sauce. The wine had enough acidity to stand up to these bold flavors atop the oyster. It was perfection.

Our New Friends from Chicago, now Oakland!

Me (far right) With my new Southern friends. I spotted these 2 southerns a mile away!

Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer

Happy 4th of July!

A Big shout out to my friend Amy Gulden who introduced me to this sublimely delicate, refreshing watermelon beer from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco.   I love the name of the brewery.    As you know, the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition in 1933, ending years of below-ground drinking--the liquid dark ages, as it were.  21st Amendment is located near Giants stadium in south SF and has an interesting story (see link below).   I have found this beer on tap this summer in SF, in the Central Valley (Lodi) & all the way back east in Philly!  And everyone (okay mostly women) whom I have turned on to this has instantly become cultish fans.  They sell the cans at Trader Joe's and I freeze watermelon cubes to drop in the glass on really hot days.  What is more patriotic than watermelon, the flag & exercising our reclaimed right to imbibe! Happy 4th and as my daughter told me this morning: "I'm glad we split up from Britain, but the accent would have been cool to keep!"

One of the founders of the brewery was a photographer, solidifying the natural connection for me between image capturing and cocktail making!


check out their site:   http://21st-amendment.com/beers/hell-or-high-watermelon/


After reading my blog a British friend of mine sent me this You Tube clip, which is HILARIOUS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDh1YvJBwC4xQ&v=h1YvJBwC4xQ


CHEERS!

Campari Citrus Fizz

Campari Citrus Fizz

2 parts Campari 

1 part Grapefruit (Pompelmo) Pellegrino Soda

Juice of 1 lime per drink

Campari is one of my favorite drinks, It is an Italian Liqueur and a classic aperitif.  It is made with a blend of herbs, barks and fruit (chinotto, which is sour orange from a myrtle-leafed orange tree which produces small biter oranges)

It was invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novarra, Itlay with production being in Milan. Yes, it originally derived its red color from crushed insects, but they stopped this in 2006.  

So enjoy this perfect summer cocktail, insect free. 

"Evviva!"

Cucumber-Jalapeño Party Lemonade

Cucumber ~ Jalapeño Party Lemonade

1 bottle (1.75) of Vodka 
(or Silver Tequila)

2 containers of Minute Maid 15 Lemonade

½  Container of Simply Lemonade

1 English Cucumber, sliced

4 large Jalapeños, sliced (use gloves)

5 limes sliced

Lime Spiced Salt Rim

(you can also do a club soda or a Fresca float to add some fizz!)

Add ¾ of English cucumber & limes to vodka (I later made this with Tequila and, well, frankly, it's even better!)  soak for at least 1-2 hours. Add jalapeños and soak for an additional hour. 

Add remaining ingredients and serve over ice with your choice of spicy salted rim

I made this for a party and after several requests for the recipe, I decided to blog it, despite my only photo of the drink being sub-standard. This drink is fresh & spicy!

CHEERS!

The Belmont Stakes ~ The Belmont Breeze

The Belmont Breeze

(makes 2 drinks)

4 1/2 oz Bourbon (I used Bulleit)

7 oz Lemonade

4 oz Pomegranate Juice

add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice and pour into low-ball glasses on the rocks, garnish with lemon slice. 

The Belmont is the 3rd race in the Triple Crown of horse racing. This last stop of the triple crown is the longest race, 1 1/2 miles, and is the oldest of the races, this year being the 146th running. It is held in Elkmont, NY on the 1st Saturday in June, so drink up Johnnie!  

Thinking back to the late 90's, it still smarts a bit when I think of my friend Tracey Taylor, who lived in Manhattan at the time, calling me one day, while I was living in Philly, telling me to get a big hat. She reported that she had tickets to the Belmont, to which I politely, and embarrassingly enough, declined in favor of relaxing on my weekend off. WTF is all I have to say to that misguided 30-something year old girl!  It was an important lesson however, because I often summons this particular event regret as a personal cautionary tale, to never turn down experiential opportunities just because I am a touch tired.  DRINK A DOUBLE ESPRESSO ON THE ROCKS AND CARPE DIEM LYNNIE! 

There are 3 quasi-official cocktails of the Belmont, so I will, when I can actually bring myself to buy Harvey's Bristol cream, feature the other two in coming years.  The Belmont's official flower is the white carnation, which I also need to make peace with.  In years gone by, if a man brought me carnations as a floral declaration of interest or love, he was thoroughly and unceremoniuosly rebuffed in favor of the gentleman caller who drank Fernet Branca and brought me orchids.  I snobbishly digress....

Drink a Belmont Breeze June 7th, the day of the Belmont and root for California Chrome! 

CHEERS! 

The Pink Skinny Dragon

The Pink Skinny Dragon

 (makes 2 drinks)

3 oz      Gin or Vodka
6 oz      Vitamin Water Zero, Dragonfruit 
3 oz      Minute Made 15 Lemonade
             Juice of 2 limes
             Club Soda

Combine the 1st four ingredients in a cocktail shaker, gently shake and pour mixture over crushed ice, top off with a heavy splash of club soda and garnish with a lime wheel.

I purposely made this drink pink. I am dedicating this low-calorie cocktail and this blog entry to all of the women who are fighting or have fought breast cancer. Specifically, a women I know who is presently in the trenches of her fight, Dina Hunter. She has shown such courage, veracity and grace--I am in awe of her.  So cheers to you Dina and to every woman and family that if affected by this diagnosis. 


These are my favorite Breast Cancer Slogans:

a feel a day keeps the doctor away

feel for lumps, save your bumps

cancer survivors are sexy

save a life, grope your wife

the breast is yet to come

thanks for the mammories

stop the war in my rack

yes my boobs are fake, me real ones tried to kill me



Please get involved with or donate to an organization and don't forget to get felt up!

http://www.komensacramento.org

The Preakness Stakes ~ Black Eyed Susan

Black~Eyed Susan

(Makes 2 large or 4 small drinks)

5 oz Bourbon (I used Makers Mark)

1 1/2 oz Vodka (I used Kettle One)

6 oz House-Made Sweet & Sour Mix 

(see recipe below)

4 oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

(Thanks MaryLynn Franzia for sharing fruit from your tree!)

1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 

(2 oz of you prefer a more tart drink, as I do)   

Pour all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice, pour in small Mason jars, garnish with cherries 

you can also add a Bourbon float to this drink

Citrus is so variable in terms of sweetness, so you may need to adjust the recipe to your taste.  You may need to add extra juice, or a little more Bourbon or simple syrup. I put all the ingredients in the cocktail shaker, and before I serve it, I pour a schoch into a small glass to taste and then make the necessary additions.

CHEERS!

The Preakness Stakes is the second race, after the Kentucky Derby and before the Belmont Stakes, in the Triple Crown. This is the official drink of the Preakness. I love Mint Juleps, the drink of the Kentucky Derby, but each race has an official drink and I finally tried this one. Watching California Chrome, which is from near where I live, was so exciting! And that local win was made all the sweeter with a dark-eyed Susie in my hand.
Another reason for my affection for this drink is because of the flower it is named after. My mother pointed these whimsical flowers out to me as a child, and they were abundant in Montgomery, Alabama where I grew up.  They, along with most flowers, remind me of my mom and my grandmother. 

Sweet & Sour Mix:
equal parts fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup, shake vigorously 

139th Running of the Preakness

California Chrome!

Standard Breakfast

STANDARD BREAKFAST ~ Makes 2 drinks

2 oz Vodka (or Glenlivet Scotch)                         

1 1/2 oz of Meletti (or Cynar)

2 oz fresh lemon juice

4 oz of fresh Ruby Red grapefruit juice

3 Tb homemade cherry grenadine (recipe follows)

Shake in cocktail shaker full of ice and serve up with a lemon wedge garnish.

I was in Philly a week ago for my friend's wedding. I stayed with my BFF Joe and since he makes it his business to keep up with the restaurant scene, he knew that the chef at a.kitchen was voted one of the best new chefs in the country. Excitedly enough, we went there for dinner. The food was sublimely innovative and delicious, but of course, I was happily anticipating the cocktail selections out of the gate. We ordered several cocktails between the 4 of us to try & share and the Standard Breakfast was the clear winner. 

The cocktail at the restaurant was made with Scotch. I tried making it with the Scotch I had in my bar, but it was too peaty for this cocktail, overpowering the rest of the flavors.  I tried it with vodka and it is still delicious. However, I think Glenlivet is smooth enough and would add a depth of flavor.  Also, the original cocktail called for Meletti, an Italian amaro. Sadly, Meletti was nowhere to be found around where I live.  I substituted another liquor in the amaro category that I love, Cynar.   I have played chemist for 2 days so that the girls I am going to Santa Cruz with this weekend could get a taste of Philly, a place I love, filled with people I love and miss. 

Homemade cherry grenadine
1 cup pure cherry juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 drops of orange flower water

heat cherry juice before boiling, add sugar, dissolve, remove from heat and add lemon juice and orange flower water. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. 

Additional use: I added 2 Tb to a large glass of Pellegrino and my daughter loved it. 

CHEERS! 

a.kitchen
our dinner

Aviation

AVIATION

(Makes 1 Drink)

3 oz Dry Gin (The Botanist Gin is recommended)
1  1/2 oz Crème de Violette
2 oz fresh SOUR lemon juice
1 oz fresh MEYER lemon juice
1  1/2 tsp Agave nectar
1 tsp. Luxardo Marachino liqueur (optional)

Add all ingredients to a shaker full of ice, shake and serve up with meyer lemon wheel.

Spring is the perfect time for such fragrant cocktails.

I got this recipe from The White House Tavern in Aspen, Co. I was there a couple of weeks ago skiing with my Philly peeps and this was a stop on our self-created Aspen restaurant/bar crawl one late afternoon.

I have been a fan of Crème de Violette since I read about it in Jason Wilson's Boozehound and promptly sped to the store to purchase some.  This was the first time, excitingly enough, that I have seen it make an appearance on a cocktail menu.  I imagine if Crème de Violette were a person, she would certainly wear a flower in her hair and curtsy upon entering a room.  It is produced in Austria from Queen Charlotte and March violets, both of which are found in the Alps. How charming, yes?

I like to add small amounts of Crème de Violette to Pellegrino for a floral summer water.

It is also visually beautiful and delicious added to Champagne with a tiny lemon twist.

Since today is St. Patrick's Day and I guess I should be featuring Irish whiskey, or at the very least, some green concoction…..maybe put some green food coloring in this?

CHEERS!

Spanish Kiss

Spanish Kiss
(makes 1 large drink to share or 2 martini-sized drinks)

2 oz Vodka
3 oz Fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Dessert Sherry (PX)

2 generous pours of Ginger beer

Put first 4 ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously
pour up, top with ginger beer


Valentine's Day may be over, but you can keep the romance alive with this sumptuous drink after your next ceremonial dinner. 

This drink is form The Salt House in San Francisco and is again, one of those drinks that make you ponder the interesting blend of flavors. 

I discovered Pedro Ximenez on my honeymoon in Madrid. We had dinner at Zalacain, heralded at the time as one of the best restaurants in Europe. What we didn't know is that NOT ONE SOUL spoke English in this place. Before you roll your eyes, mentally chiding me for inexcusable philistinism, know that I grew up on the east coast and took French all through high school and college. I erronesouly assumed that my new husband, who grew up in California, would know enough Spanish to get us around Madrid. WRONG!  After a lot of pointing, an uncomfortable exchange, trying to explain we didn't want the 15-course meal that included intestinal treats, we were mentally spent.  The bright spot in the meal was our Sommelier.  He was charming, with his silver necklace tasting cup draped proudly around his neck and he gave us plenty of gracious smiles.  And more importunity, he introduced us to Pedro Ximenez after dinner. I was transported, away from the overly-served fried ham balls that we had been served at every tapas place across the city.  Oh! THIS! This sherry drifted me, and my mouth, to some happy Spanish netherworld of consciousness, as the rich, sweetly luxurious liquid slid off my tongue and down my throat.  I had never tasted anything like it. The sherry is made by drying the grapes in the hot sun, concentrating the sugar.  Vin Santo, Amarone  and other straw method wines dry the fruit on matts in the sun to achieve that dark, prune fruit.  This is just another lovely example of the treasures the earth and sun produce for our drinking pleasure. 

When my mom was visiting we made a flan and drank with the PX that my friend Virgie gave me. Perfect pairing.  So when you buy a bottle, make a Spanish Kiss, then make a flan the next day and enjoy the rest of the bottle. 

WARNING: May cause conception


"If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life." 
- Sir Alexander Fleming

Cheers! 

Smoking Goat

Smoking Goat

Makes 1 Drink

2 oz Noah's Mill Bourbon
1 oz Campari
2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 Tb Fresh Orange Juice
3/4 Tb Agave Nectar
3 dashes of Peychaud Bitters

(1/2 shot glass of Macallan 10 for a rinse)

Pour Bourbon into a cocktail shaker that is 1/2 full of ice, add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.  In a low ball glass, pour the Macallen scotch and swirl to coat the inside of the glass, fill with crushed ice then strain drink over the ice and garnish with orange. 

Important Note: this cocktail is for someone who enjoys libations on the bitter end of things, like a Negroni, for example. If you are a Cosmo drinker you might want to skip this one. 

Notes:
One of my very favorite people, David, was working in Hawaii for the last few weeks, dining out regularly with clients.  One night, he sent me a photo of the cocktail menu from the Salt Bar & Kitchen in Honolulu. He had ordered, and very much liked, the Smoking Goat, which listed Rye Whiskey, Aperol, Luxardo, Lagavulin 16 & Mole bitters as the blend.  Since I didn't have Rye, only had Campari and, more importantly, didn't have the time to gather the long list of unbelievably esoteric ingredients to make the mole bitters, I made my own version with what I already had in my bar.  This goat smoker is a VERY interesting combination,  I would say a great choice for a pre-dinner cocktail, which has the magic to prepare your appetite in the most perfect of ways.

CHEERS!

Grapefruit Buck

Grapefruit Buck     (makes 2 large drinks)

3 oz Vodka (a smoother vodka like Grey Goose works well with this drink)

3 oz  St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

6 oz of freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice

1 splash of ginger beer

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and serve up in martini glass, add a splash of ginger beer as a float

This drink is from the Four Seasons San Francisco and was long a favorite until I made them so often, that yes, I burned out on them. Two or three years later, I am ready to bring them back. I made them for my mom while she was visiting and she made the happy cocktail noises-- and even claimed: "Lynnie, this is one of the best drinks I have ever had in my life." Now granted, I come from a long line of women who get verbally excited over all the particulars regarding food and drink and often recklessly spout out loads of praise invariably laced with superlatives.  This, paired with my clear understanding that everything in life is about expectation, requires me to implore that you, perhaps, lower yours.  Because... I do in fact hope you love this drink.  It is brightly acidic, pleasantly floral and has so many complimentary flavors dancing about in your mouth. It may not be the best drink you have ever had in your life, but it is damn good my drinking friends. 

The Fruit:
My friend Virginia moved to Aptos and along with her move came the loss of my dear friend AND the loss of my fresh grapefruit supply. We used to make salty dogs at her house every January when the grapefruits came in and sit outside and watch the boats go by on the Delta. She would always drop huge bags of grapefruits at my door, freshly picked from her tree. She was like cocktail citrus Santa. 

So my mom and I are driving back from the market, lamenting that we did not know someone with a grapefruit tree, and she screams: "pull over!"  She had seen a grapefruit tree peeking out over someone's fence, and it was loaded. Ten minutes later, Reba had made friends with Karen. It was Karen's parent's house and she had just lost her mom. We talked to her, my mom consoled her and she gave us a HUGE box of grapefruits. As we picked them, we talked and we laughed about various things while exchanging recipes. It was such a lovely moment of human connection. She encouraged us to come back anytime to get more.  Needless to say, the visit ended with a lot of hugging. I should also mention I come from a very long line of nurturing, gregarious, fearless, do-anything-for-the-recipe-women. 

CHEERS!

Japanese Kiwi

Japanese Kiwi (makes 4 martini-sized drinks)

7 oz of Vodka
4 oz Sake
Juice of 4 limes
5 oz Simple Syrup
5 kiwis 

Puré kiwis in a mini food processor, pulse until smooth with some small chunks remaining. You can add a quick pour of simple syrup depending on the ripeness of your kiwis. 

add first 4 ingredients in a shaker of ice & strain into martini glasses. Add about 3 heaping table spoons of kiwi into the martini glass & stir to incorporate.

garnish with a lime wheel 

(because sakes have varying sweetness and limes have varying tartness…once you make the drink in the shaker, pour a little into a glass, taste and you may need to add more lime or more simple syrup to taste). 

I had this drink at Paragary's, a Sacramento restaurant that opened in downtown Stockton several years ago (it is no longer there). I ordered this drink and could not believe how interesting the combination of flavors was. They called it The Lounge Lizard which I changed for obvious reasons… I told the bartender that night that her tip would double if she could manage to sweet talk  the ingredients out of the bartender. She returned --after what I can only assume was a lot of eyelash batting- with it written on a napkin.   It was worth every penny!

Cheers!