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Posts from the ‘Beverages’ Category

Jul 23

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Summer cocktail: cherry bourbon fizz

Our first vagabond week took place in Eugene at Brett’s parents house, enjoying steamy hot Oregon summer days and cloudy, chilly, misty Oregon summer days (oh, Oregon). We rode our bikes along the river and ran on actual trails and had lunch with friends, and breakfast with friends, and (cheap, amazing) beers with friends. We drank Oregon pinot. We went to the Fair. We moved and unpacked and organized all of our earthly belongings, sorting them into “see you next year” and “mobile lifestyle” (aka living out of a car for three months) piles.  Then we made that second pile smaller, and smaller, and smaller. We promptly reopened almost every box looking for the camera tripod, which eventually turned up in the backseat of the car. It’s going to be a long year of searching for and moving around our belongings.

And we ate cherries. Cherries, and cherries, and cherries.

cherries

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May 16

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Summer cocktails: Cucumber rose gimlet

Is it time for me to categorize this as a summer cocktail? Is that okay with everyone?

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Apr 27

Summer cocktail: strawberry basil margarita (weekend time!)

Sometimes, you just need something sweet and fresh and boozy. Weekend time!

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Two-thirds of your normal margarita equation, together with some fresh garden ingredients. Weekend time!

I also tested this cocktail with gin and lemon juice instead of tequila and lime, and found that version far too sweet and two-dimensional. The beauty of this recipe is that the slightly-smoky flavor of the tequila really shines here among the sweetness of the berries (which also cushion tequilas vegetal agave flavors in a really nice way). I now totally see why strawberry is such a popular flavor for those slushy “margarita”-type things they serve in restaurants.

Enough margarita snobbery for the moment. It’s weekend time!

strawberries

Strawberry basil margarita

Makes 1, easily scalable

  • 3 large strawberries, stem removed and quartered (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 3 large basil leaves, roughly chopped (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • 2 tsp. sugar, divided
  • 1 1/2 ounces tequila
  • 1 ounce lime juice

– Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp. sugar over the quartered strawberries in a small bowl or cup. Let sit for at least 15 minutes so the berries release juice.  Smash with a muddler, a fork, or the bottom of a smaller bowl or glass until mainly liquid with chunks of berries.

– In the bottom of a shaker, muddle together the basil and the remaining 1/2 tsp. sugar. Grind until basil is torn into bits.

– Add mashed strawberry mixture, tequila, and lime juice to the shaker. Fill at least halfway with ice, then shake and strain into a cocktail glass.  If there’s a good amount of fruit and juice left in the shaker, spoon into the glass as desired. (The less the strawberries are mashed, the more might stay behind in the shaker.)

Mar 3

Winter cocktail: Kumquat-mint daquiri

We just spent five lovely days with our dear friends and their beautiful son. We cooked together, we took walks, we had a fire in the backyard, we drank wine, we listened to music, we went to the zoo, and we enjoyed what seems to be our yearly retreats together – full of important conversation and the making of plans and a wonderful, grounding connection with each other. I loved spending time with their toddler, my godson. He’s the first child with whom I’ve ever had a substantial relationship, and it’s amazing to see the world through his 17-month-old eyes.

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Feb 1

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Taqueria night 2 of 2: Chipotle-tomato pork tacos with queso fresco and homemade crema, fried plantains with homemade cajeta

Two nights of authentic taqueria dinners. Why not? This post details night 2 of 2. 

Night two, quite different than the first, even with many of the same elements.

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Start out with some sweet, tangy Mexican sangria. Bring out more of those homemade tortillas, heirloom beans, and tomatillo salsa.  Then some slow-braised pork tinga, packed with chipotles and tomatoes and onions. Maybe some creamy, tangy queso fresco and homemade crema for topping your tacos. Later, whip up some quick fried plantains with homemade cajeta caramel and more of that homemade crema. Read more

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