 Campari is not the same as Aperol, just in case you were wondering. Two important distinctions; Campari is higher in alcohol content and more bitter in flavor than Aperol. Like an Aperol Spritz, a Campari Spritz usually calls for Prosecco, but I used a Schramsberg Cremant for a Californian twist on this Italian classic. The Cremant Demi-sec still has a slight sweetness and acidity, but is a little less effervescent than most sparkling wines. I like to go even ratios with this recipe, it makes it easy to make and easy to change the size of your drink depending on your glassware. I really like the bitterness of the Campari, but a lot of recipes will have a little less Campari in order to up the sweetness and cut some of the bitter flavor. Like any spritz this cocktail is totally customizable to your taste, sweetness preference, and alcohol intake. This is totally a drink that you should mess with to find your own ultimate Spritz combo.  Campari Spritz 3 oz. Campari 3oz. Schramsberg Cremant (or Prosecco) 3oz. club soda Combine in a mixing glass and pour into a large low ball or wine glass filled with ice, garnish with orange slice. I hope it’s spritz-weather where ever you are this weekend.
Cheers!
0 Comments
 Happy Memorials Day weekend, also known as my birthday weekend… so champagne for everyone! I’m taking the weekend off, but you can check out this champagne cocktail recipe from the vault if you're feeling like celebrating. Cheers to a great weekend!   Something you should probably know about me, I will always go for the weirdly flavored ciders even when I’m pretty sure they are going to be disgusting (some times they are). So, I was pleasantly surprised when I went all in and bought a six pack of Schiling’s Hard Cider called Grapefruit and Chill. Not too sweet with a nice natural grapefruit flavor, this cider is going to be a favorite hot weather option for when I’m not into beer. The best part is it has a Paloma recipe on the can, for a little variety  A Very Chill Paloma 1 tsp. sugar 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 oz. Tequila Top with Grapefruit and Chill Rim a tall glass with salt and fill with ice. Dissolve the sugar in the lime juice and pour it and the tequila into the glass, top with grapefruit and Chill.  Do you love the creative flavor combos? Leave me a comment with your favorite cider.
Cheers!  I recently got my hands on a bottle of Sōtō Super Premium Junmas Daiginjo Sake. I’m not an expert on Sake, but this stuff is unlike anything that I’ve ever had before. Sōtō recommends enjoying this straight on the rocks, and it is extremely mild with a subtle sweetness and aroma. The tasing notes suggest fresh apple, lime zest and a hint of cucumber with a medium dry finish. I find that it has a barely there sweet fruit flavor with just the slightest pop of citrus and a mellow finish that could be described as cucumber.  The Sōtō Kamino Spritz uses traditional Japanese flavors to create a subtle and refreshing drink. The Yuzu and grapefruit perfectly compliment the Sake for a “not too, sweet not too sour” combination. I found this cocktail to be incredibly light, it’s made for hot, sunny afternoons by the pool.  Sōtō Kamino Spritz (Robb Vices, April/19) 3 oz. Sōtō sake 1.5 oz. Kamino Drinks yuzu Sparkling 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice Grapefruit peel for garnish Combine all of the ingredients in a Collins glass with ice, stir. Garnish with grapefruit peel. I’m looking to expand both my technique and flavor profile while still creating easy to make, delicious to drink cocktails. I would love any suggestions for spirits that you would like to see more of, leave me a comment.
Cheers!  The Woman Destroyed by Simone De Beauvoir This is a collection of three short stories, each one an inner monologue of a women going through a time of personal crisis. De Beauvoir explores themes of motherhood, marriage, aging, career and how societal pressures and expectations affect the security and sanity of the woman who struggle with them. These stories were smart and relatable, but also sad and touching and ultimately human, not everyone gets a happy ending.  When You Find Out the World is Against You: And Other Funny Memories About Awful Moments by Kelly Oxford Kelly Oxford is hilarious, if only we could all rewrite our awful moments with as much humor as she does. I found this particularly relatable regarding moving to California and raising children in America and away from our shared Canadian culture and family. Her fears and anxieties were oddly comforting, at least I'm not alone.  Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds (Blackbird Sisters Mystery #2) by Nancy Martin I randomly picked this up from a Little Library that is down the street from my house because I was desperate for something to read. I started off really not liking this book, I find this genre to be disturbingly comfortable with out dated gender stereotypes and across the board sexist bullshit. That being said, I felt oddly attached to the characters by the time I finished. Shattered Mirror (Eve Duncan, #23) by Iris Johansen This book was terrible, lazy garbage. I would have stopped reading it after the first few chapters if I wasn't totally OCD about finishing books. All of the characters speak in the same overly explanatory, unrealistic voice, including a five year old child. This is number 23 in a series and I can only imagine that its been going on for so long that the ghost writers have lost all persecutive on reality. The relationships, language, and events of this novel are so out of touch I was constantly pulled out of the story by my own incredulousness. Oh yeah, and the number of times a female character advises another female character to worry about how one of the male characters will feel/react to something is unconscionable. Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain This was a great read, I’m always impressed by Bourdain's writing. This was like the Godfather meets top chef with a great balance between restaurant life and organized crime with just the right amount of blood. If you know anything about Bourdain, or read one of his other books you can really see that he draws from experiences in his own life to give some grit and realism to the story.  When Life Gives You Lululemons (The Devil Wears Prada, #3) by Lauren Weisburger I started off being unimpressed and slightly disappointed by this book, granted its been a long time since I read “The Devil Wears Prada”, but it just didn’t seem to have the same spirit that drew me to the first book. Luckily, the story picks up quickly and supplies the strong female characters that I was expecting to see. This was a book that left me feeling totally satisfied at the end, and now I will definitely have to read the second one.  Rich People Problems (Crazy Rich Asians, #3) by Kevin Kwan I read “Crazy Rich Asians” and loved it, so when I saw this book I grabbed it. Full disclosure, I haven't read the second book yet, but it didn't really matter too much. This was a nice conclusion to the original story, and it had all the great food and fashion details from the first book. Be prepared to add Singapore to you travel wish list. I find I'm bouncing around a lot when I write these posts. Is it a review? Is it a recommendation? I need to come up with some sort of formula so that they are easier to write and more streamlined. I try to write each book up as I finish them so they are fresh in my mind, but that adds to the non-conformity of the post. If you'e managed to make it this far I would love to know what you like about these post or how I could make them better for you.
Happy Reading!  Rosé is fun, it's pink, and it’s great on a hot day, whats not to like? The original idea for this drink was to make single serve Frosé cocktails. I wanted something that you could just leave in the freezer and enjoy when ever you wanted - even if everyone else is drinking beer. I’m not sure that I achieved what I set out to do, the drink doesn't really get slushy, but it is delicious so I thought I would share anyway. As always, I advise you to pick your Rosé the same way I do, aka whichever label strikes your fancy. There are lots of options for customizing this, including just using the ice cubes to keep your glass of Rosé chilled and full strength. Either way this is ideal for day drinking when the weather warms up.  Rosé two ways Rosé Cocktail 4 oz. Rosé 3/4 oz. lemon juice 3/4 oz. rose simple syrup (use the simple syrup recipe from this post, and replace water with rose water) Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker, shake until cold. Grapefruit Frosé ice cubes 1 part Grapefruit juice 3 parts Rosé Combine and pour into ice cube trays. Freeze for 8 hours or over night. Place a Grapefruit Frosé ice cube in a stemless wine glass. Pour the Rosé cocktail love the ice cube and top with soda water.  I'm looking for some new ideas, and I would love to hear about some of your hot weather staples. Let me know your fav summer cocktail in the comments.
Cheers! |