Bottle/Tap: Bottle
Once in a while I like to pick a beer based on the name and give it a try. Since I had no idea what sorghum was, I picked up a bottle and did some research. Sorghum is a grain that is raised in warmer climates, like China and other parts of the Pacific; it is a cousin to the sugar cane family. Texas A&M is using sorghum as a basis for producing clean ethanol products. I wonder if I’ll be able to crack open a bottle of this for my gas tank one day; that would be cool. (more…)
Bottle/Tap: Bottle
Considering the sun hadn’t shown his face in a month, I thought to mark the occasion I would have a summer beer to celebrate the heat. Maybe I should have picked a different beer. I have tried really hard to like Gritty’s, really I have, but this one didn’t seem to do the trick for me. (more…)
We have had a crummy start to summer- far too many rainy days with temperatures hovering in the 60s. With weather like that, we have spent many days inside, drinking coffee with a kick, and reminiscing about summer days in which we complained about it being too hot and humid. (more…)
Bottle/Tap: Bottle
One of the best parts about living in New Hampshire is the ability to pick fresh produce. I am no farmer, but there are plenty of folks in Hollis that are. Last week I embarked, with some friends, to Hollis to pick strawberries before they went out of season. After a few hours, and 28 pounds, later we headed back to core them and get them ready to make jam at another point. I enjoyed a few Sierra Nevada’s and Harpoons during the process and considered it a good day all around. (more…)
Our Fourth of July was quiet this year. We had no children at home, and the couple with which we were to spend the day was unavailable due to illness. So, with a wide open schedule, we decide to have a day of cooking and relaxing.
After a shopping expedition that took us to our favorite butcher, the liquor store, and the grocery store, it was time to begin working in our kitchen. We had a list of items we wanted to create: two infused vodkas, homemade sausage patties, a slowly braised prime rib, and a new version of chicken salad.
Being a day of indulgence, we wanted to have some munchies and a cocktail while we worked in the kitchen. I made a quick appetizer of espinaca dip and created a cocktail for us. Although it would have been appropriate to make a red, white, and blue cocktail, I decided to go with a simple recipe. However, with watermelon as the main flavor in this drink, it seemed quite festive. Who doesn’t enjoy some watermelon on Independence Day?
So, with a delicious martini and yummy dip to enjoy, we spent a few hours chopping, measuring, grilling, and mixing. Although for many, a day in the kitchen wouldn’t seem like a fun way to spend the holiday, for my husband and I it was a wonderful way to enjoy each other’s company.
Fourth of July Martini
1-1/2 oz. vodka
1 oz. DeKuyper Watermelon Pucker
2 oz. cranberry juice
1-1/2 oz. berry seltzer
Fill a martini shaker with ice. Add vodka, pucker, and cranberry juice, and shake well. Pour into a martini glass, and top with seltzer.
