Category Archives: spirits

Drinks at the lake

Posted on September 2, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Here’s the final installment of Ms. S&C’s Seneca Lake recap. Over the course of three fun-filled days, here’s what you could find friends imbibing by the water, on a sailboat, by the grill, on the porch, on a swing, playing games, by the bonfire (did I miss anything?): Grapefruit Crush, Bloody Mary, Mai Tai (for the luau-themed dinner), Gin & Tonic, Dark ‘n’ Stormy, Pimm’s Cup (and variations of), Beer, Wine, Champagne.

One specialty cocktail (that was planned in advance): Five Island Punch.

The Five Island Punch was made with Banks Rum, a new rum on the market that is a blend of aged rums from five island distilleries. Ms. S&C doesn’t know a whole heck of a lot about rum (not like this guy), but she certainly loved it in this cocktail. And naturally, fresh watermelon this time of the year is a perfect mixer for cocktails.

The Banks Five Island Punch

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Banks rum
  • 1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 4 oz watermelon puree

Directions:

Shake all ingredients together, serve over ice, and garnish with mint sprig and lime wheel.

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Another specialty cocktail (that was totally random and totally awesome): Iced Double Espresso.

Coffee is probably the one beverage Ms. S&C can’t live without (actually, coffee may have to fight it out with Champagne). So, when another friend came with a surprise bottle of Van Gogh Double Espresso vodka, she couldn’t have been happier to make iced coffee drinks. Then, the drinks were paired with these amazing orange glazed cookies. The lake is like a culinary wonderland.

Iced Double Espresso

Directions:

Pretty simple stuff: fill glass with ice, pour a few ounces of coffee-flavored vodka, add a dash of cream, milk or half-and-half, and stir.

Ms. S&C’s has a three-part series covering her favorite weekend of the year. Part one: Sights of the lake. Part two: Overheard at the lake. Part three: Drinks at the lake.

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Collaboration

Posted on August 31, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Miss Mojito thought she was really on to something when she decided to whip up a batch of Cherry Bourbon Lemonade for a bourbon-loving-pal’s recent summer birthday picnic celebration. Sweet, dark cherry juice and tart lemonade would be the perfect companions in this delectable punch.

And they were – sort of. The punch was good. Very good, in fact. But something was. . . missing. The drink was sweet, but not too sweet. It packed a lovely, bourbon-y punch. But it just wasn’t spectacular.

So, what is any responsible cocktail-maker to do when faced with such a conundrum? Why, collaborate, of course! A friend and fellow picnic-goer came up with an idea that turned this cocktail into something truly special: a splash of sparkling wine gave my Cherry Bourbon Lemonade a bit of light fizz.

+ + + = YUM

I highly recommend you make the most of this recipe before the last days of summer slip away!

Fruity Bourbon Fizz
Serves one.

  • 1.5 ounces bourbon (nothing too fancy, Miss Mojito used Jim Beam)
  • .75 ounces cherry juice
  • Large splash lemonade
  • Small splash sparkling wine or champagne

Mix bourbon and cherry juice in a large glass. Top off with a healthy splash of lemonade and a slightly smaller splash of sparkling wine – just enough to add some fizz. Serve on ice and garnish with maraschino cherries, fresh cherries or lemon slices.

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Get ready, waves coming

Posted on August 13, 2010 by | Leave a comment

As Ms. S&C mentioned in her recent Rehoboth Beach update, the “crush” may be the perfect beach cocktail, which means it may be the perfect summer cocktail. It is certainly a damn refreshing cocktail. And, it is a cocktail that is very easy to make. Did you hear that? It is a cocktail that is super easy to make. Make one. This weekend.

There’s one month before Labor Day, so Ms. S&C begs you — pleads with you — to make a “crush” before summer is over. Did I mention how it is so easy? And, how it tastes like a summer drink is supposed to? If there is one thing Ms. S&C can give you this summer, it is the Grapefruit Crush.

Ms. S&C’s favorite cocktail of this hot, hot summer?
The grapefruit crush.

Grapefruit Crush
(recipe adapted from Going Out Gurus, and what they claim to be a proper and traditional recipe)

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz.  Grapefruit Juice — preferably ruby red, and the fresher, the better
  • 1 oz. Vodka — the original recipe calls for grapefruit-infused vodka (i.e. Absolut Ruby Red)
  • Lemon Lime Soda — Ms. S&C also plans to try it with Fresca
  • Lime wedges — for garnish

Directions:

Fill a collins-style glass with ice. Combine one part vodka, two parts juice, and top with soda. Stir. Garnish with lime wedge.

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When you’re beachside or poolside or lakeside — or, wishing you were beachside, poolside, lakeside — here’s a playlist that can help set the mood.

Some of the songs are on the playlist because of name alone. Beach House is one example  (I’m glad the band name works because I’m totally digging their Teen Dream album right now). The Velvet Underground’s “Ocean” is another (I think the song is about heroin?). Some of the songs are, naturally, from surfer bands: The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. And bands who are inspired by surfer bands: The Morning Benders, Caribou, and Surfer Blood. (And, good god, it was hard not to pick most of the songs from The Beach Boys’ Surfer Hits album, or from Pet Sounds, which is actually my fave.)

Perhaps Ms. S&C was destined to surf because all these songs come directly from the S&C music library. They’ve just been waiting to be compiled on a playlist, and to be heard with a grapefruit crush in hand.

Surf Songs

  1. Swim – Surfer Blood
  2. The Tide is High – Blondie
  3. Surfer Girl – The Beach Boys
  4. Charlie Don’t Surf – The Clash (this may be my favorite on the playlist)
  5. Ripple – Janes Addiction (yes, the Grateful Dead cover)
  6. Surf City – Jan & Dean
  7. Ocean Breathes Salty – Modest Mouse
  8. Ocean – The Velvet Underground
  9. Redondo Beach – Patti Smith
  10. Wipe Out – The Beach Boys
  11. Inaudible Melodies – Jack Johnson (or any Jack Johnson for that matter — he’s a Hawaiian surfer for crying out loud)
  12. All Day Day Light – The Morning Benders
  13. Melody Day – Caribou
  14. Zebra – Beach House
  15. Tides of Time – The Soft Pack
  16. Surfin’ Safari – The Beach Boys
  17. Sea of Love – Cat Power
  18. Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys

Ms. S&C would like to know: Do you have favorite songs that remind you of the beach? What songs should be added to the surfing playlist? Please share!

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Beach amusements

Posted on August 8, 2010 by | 1 Comment

Parades of people, salty air, smells of ice cream and boardwalk fries — there are so many delights at the beach! (Ms. S&C wishes she was still at the beach.)

She has shared Rehoboth Beach experiences before (fortunately the weather was much more cooperating this time around). Favorite spots that were revisted during her recent stay included:

  • Dogfish Head – this brewery still has the most interesting beers around. Where else can you find Sah’tea (made with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper),  Festina Peche, Saison du BUFF (a collaboration with Victory and made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme)?
  • Nicola Pizza – when carrying around the box, on local said to another: “she knows where to get pizza.”
  • FINS Fish House and Raw Bar – great oysters and fun bar staff, one of which we nicknamed Rehoboth’s Vinny Chase.

Ms. S&C also came across some new spots that will now be included in the rotation:

  • The Ice Cream Store – homemade ice cream with over 70 flavors, including: Bacon (more subtle than you think), Better Than Sex (almost), Lucky Charms (yes, the cereal), Mayan Chocolate Cinnamon (made spicy with cayenne).
  • Purple Parrot – modeled after bars in Key West, everyone’s welcome at this karaoke bar.
  • The Starboard – a super fun, high-energy bar in Dewey Beach, who’s motto is: Happy Hour Proudly Starts at 9 am! The Starboard is also famous for their Bloody Mary Smorgasbord which includes a wall of mixers, hot sauces, spices, and tons of garnishes. Ms. S&C made herself a liquid salad indeed!

In Bloody Mary heaven at The Starboard in Dewey Beach.

The Starboard is also famous for their “crushes,” a super refreshing mix of fresh juices (orange or grapefruit), vodka, and soda. Ms. S&C first heard about “crushes,” from Washington Post’s Going Out Gurus. And, she agrees with Fritz Hahn, crushes are a favorite beach drink (recipe to come, promise!).

Orange you glad you tried those crushes, Ms. S&C? Yes, she is.

As for other beach amusements, Ms. S&C tried surfing for the first time. She arranged lessons with Rehoboth Beach Boarding School and will never forget this call: Get Ready (waves coming), Paddle Hard, and Pop-up. The adrenaline rush was pretty incredible. Plus, there’s something great about paddling around on a surfboard in the ocean. (And, there’s something badass about coming home with bruised knees and sore ribs.)

PS) You better believe that a S&C surfer playlist is in the works. Stay tuned for that because it will go great with those “crushes.”

posted by Ms. S&C

The Bloody Mary smorgesbord at The Starboard in Dewey Beach.

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Powering Through

Posted on July 29, 2010 by | 1 Comment

I have to say, this season of Top Chef isn’t packing the punch I hoped it would. It could be that, in its seventh season, Top Chef is starting to lose the novelty factor.

One new feature that I am enjoying about this season is the Washington Post’s fun coverage. Most weeks, they host a live Web chat with the week’s loser, plus a video chat with Food section writers and editors to break down the episode’s challenges. Check it out!

With Top Chef on location in DC, naturally, our own Washington Post gives it ample coverage with live Web chats and video chats.

This week’s Quickfire Challenge was basically a new spin on the amuse bouche challenge: create a delectable bite that can fit on a toothpick. The inspiration here is that, apparently, the only food that lobbyists can serve to members of congress must fit on a toothpick. Is that news to anyone else?

The Elimination Challenge wasn’t anything special – create a power lunch dish using “big” proteins provided by and served at The Palm – but the luncheon guests were an eclectic bunch. Sen. Mark Warner, Luke Russert, Savannah Guthrie and Art Smith (of Art and Soul) were just a few of the big names in the crowd.

The good news is that the high points in the meal were pretty high, resulting in some new chefs entering the winner’s circle. While Andrea’s vanilla-infused swordfish got her booted off, Tiffany, Alex and Ed received props for their creative and tasty power lunch dishes. Ed wins thanks to a superior applewood-smoked salmon with pea puree – but it’s not a win without controversy. Accusations quickly fly that Alex’s puree – perhaps the element that put him in first place – was stolen from Stephen’s cooler! Could it be?? A little thievery in the competition would certainly make for a more scintillating season.

Miss Mojito must admit that the Top Chef Drink Pairing for the salmon dish is a bit tricky, given that I don’t particularly have a predilection for its taste. Salmon seems to break the white wine/fish pairing tradition thanks to its bold flavor, so I’ll suggest a summery pinot noir rose: a full-bodied glass from the California Toad Hollow Vineyards might be just the ticket.

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Blood, sweat, and beers

Posted on July 27, 2010 by | 1 Comment

A little over a year ago, Ms. S&C ran her first 5K. Since then, she’s run in ten 5Ks and one 5-miler. Her 11th race was this past weekend, when she ran the Crystal City Twilighter. It was sweltering, it was tough, but it was also so freakin’ gratifying. I don’t know if it was because of the cheering crowd, because other friends ran in the race, or because it was one of the hottest days of the year — this race was memorable.

What shoes was Ms. S&C wearing? A new pair of Brooks. What was Ms. S&C drinking? Well, a hell of a lot of water before and after the race. But, a little after 9 pm, she opened a beer — a Bud Light — and no beer has ever tasted better.

There was at least sweat and beers as Ms. S&C ran her 11th race on
one of the hottest days of the year.

Continuing with the S&C music momentum, Ms. S&C thought she’d share her current running playlist. While she doesn’t listen to music during races (she tries to make it on pure adrenaline), her iPod is a necessity for everyday runs.

The S&C running mix includes:

  • Bruises — Chairlift (the song made popular by the iPod Nano commercials)
  • Hey Ya! — Outkast
  • MMMBop — Hanson (a little embarrassing, but whatevs, it is fun)
  • Rill Rill — Sleigh Bells (love that it samples Funkadelic’s “Can You Get to That”)
  • Drunk Girls — LCD Soundsystem
  • Party in the U.S.A — Miley Cyrus
  • Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z (and the Jay-Z song was on)
  • You Know I’m No Good — Amy Winehouse (remix, featuring Ghostface Killah)
  • Crazy — Gnarls Barkley
  • Here Comes Your Man — Pixies
  • My Place — The Adverts
  • No Woman, No Cry — The Fugees
  • Time to Pretend — MGMT
  • Cold War — The Morning Benders

And finally, our public service announcement: go for a run. Go for a walk. Get outside. Then, drink to your health!

posted by Ms. S&C

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Top Chef DC: farm-to-table

Posted on July 21, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Last week’s Top Chef episode featured local ingredients: Chesapeake Bay blue crabs and food from a local Virginia farm.

The Quickfire Challenge had the chefs cooking our popular local treasure: blue crabs. Ed won the challenge with his dish of jumbo lump crab, thai basil, mango and cucumber. Considering I’ve picked crabs for the past *three* weekends straight, I tend to agree with local boy Tim’s philosophy: you don’t need to add a lot of flavors to blue crabs — the crab can shine on its own. But, I also don’t think anyone was planning to throw a half dozen crabs, covered in Old Bay, in front of Padma with a beer, a mallet, and some hushpuppies (I’d be in heaven).

The Elimination Challenge took the chef’s to Virginia’s first totally certified farm,  Ayrshire Farm, — a farm of locally produced, humanely raised meats and organic produce — to prepare elegant rustic farm dishes. I love elegant, rustic farm dishes. I love eating outdoors. I love eating outdoors wearing a scarf. And, I would love eating outdoors, wearing a scarf, with Eric Ripert. A few other comments about the episode:

  • Speaking of elegant, rustic food, Patrick O’Connell, owner of The Inn at Little Washington, was guest judge (how about that plaid blazer, and his very interesting deliberate manner of speaking?)
  • Angelo is kinda grossing me out with his oversexualization of food. The whole “I made love to that duck” bit made me gag.
  • Remind me never to serve salad in a bowl, since it can be referred to as “a concrete truck pouring on silk.”
  • Hooray Kenny! His dish of curried eggplant won. (Tim was sent home, btw.)

The Top Chef challenge was family style fare, but turn your focus to Kenny’s Hot and Sour Curried Eggplant with Peppers & Carrot Tops

For the Top Chef Drink Pairing: Virginia is for Viognier, not lovers. In a Washington Post article last year, Dave McIntyre reported that Viognier is very popular among Virginia vintners because the grapes are suited to this climate, and can remain balanced because it tolerates the heat and humidity (apparently the thick skin and growing in loose clusters makes it resistant to rot in the humid climate).

The wine is described as nuanced: lush and opulent with exuberant fruit, but also “austere and subtle in the classic fashion of the wines of Condrieu, Viognier’s homeland in France’s Rhone Valley.”  The only Virginia Viognier I can recall buying was a bottle from the Tarara Winery in Loudoun County, Va. I think the richness and slight sweetness of the Viognier would be a good match for the spicy curry in Kenny’s eggplant dish.

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Making (music) references

Posted on July 19, 2010 by | 4 Comments

You may or may not know this: Ms. S&C likes music. All kinds of music. She particularly likes listening to music with a cocktail in hand.

Over on Facebook — both on the S&C fan page and my personal page — I often make reference to what I’m eating, what I’m drinking, and what I’m listening to. (When it comes to status updates, they are like my holy trinity.) A friend suggested that I incorporate more music selections/recommendations in my S&C blog posts. You know she’s a good friend when (a) she reads my blog, and (b) says she likes my taste in music (thanks, AV!)

What you also may or may not know: I fancy using a song title as a blog post title. Some of the references are more subtle than others, but here are a few faves:

  • Femme Fatale — snakeskin Louboutins are a perfect match for this song from the Velvet Underground & Nico album. The shoes are wicked cool and so is the song, the band, and Nico.
  • Paint it Black — the patent leather boots post was inspired by the Rolling Stones song (which Rolling Stone magazine lists as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.)
  • Dancing Queen — easy reference for a Project Runway blog post about drag queens, but the ABBA song is deserving.
  • Dry the Rain — when writing about rain boots, I couldn’t help but think about all the movie scenes with John Cusack in the rain, and also the scene from High Fidelity,when he tries to get customers to buy the Beta Band album by playing this song.
  • Such Great Heights — I love the original Postal Service song, but the Iron & Wine version is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard (like so beautiful it hurts beautiful). And, high heels = great heights, right?
  • Killing the Blues — things that go well together: purses and shoes, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Then, there’s an occasion when a song inspires a drink selection. Who wouldn’t want a sloe gin fizz after hearing Portland, Oregon, from Loretta Lynn and Jack White? Loretta Lynn is amazing. Jack White is amazing. This song is amazing. Too bad a sloe gin fizz isn’t quite as amazing (but worth trying).

Sloe Gin Fizz
(recipe courtesy of Esquire)

  • 2 ounces sloe gin
  • 1/2 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
  • club soda

Shake the gin, lemon juice and sugar with cracked ice in a chilled cocktail shaker. Strain into a small, chilled Collins glass and fizz to an inch or so from the top — splash the club soda or seltzer in rather carelessly, so that it foams.

“Well Portland Oregon and sloe gin fizz / If that ain’t love then tell me what is uh huh, uh huh.”

“Well sloe gin fizz works mighty fast / When you drink it by the pitcher and not by the glass uh huh, uh huh.”

posted by Ms. S&C

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Summer picnic: Top Chef DC style

Posted on July 2, 2010 by | 2 Comments

This week’s episode of Top Chef DC had the cheftestants baking pies and grilling picnic food for Capital Hill interns, while they played badminton, croquet, and lounged on George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. (I want to picnic and play lawn games at Mt. Vernon! Right now. It’s gorgeous outside!)

I also want to see more of pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini, who was guest judge for the Quickfire Pie-Baking Challenge. Not sure I was all that excited about the upcoming Top Chef: Just Desserts until this dark haired, tattooed chef (who has a book titled “Dessert Fourplay”) came into my life. Um, yeah, he is super hot. He was also a good judge. I particularly appreciated his comment to Amanda when she said she was not a pastry chef. He responded, “I think it’s kind of a cop-out to say you’re not a pastry chef. My grandmother’s not a pastry chef either, and she can make a pie.” (In the end, it was Kenny who finally came through with a win with his bananas foster pie. I like Kenny.)

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs prepared picnic food. It was interesting that most of their menus did not go in the direction of the Great American Picnic. A lot of the dishes were heavily Asian-influenced. And, the winning dish was Arnold‘s Lebanese-inspired lamb with lemongrass.

Arnold’s winning dish: Sesame Lamb Meatball, Tabouli Salad, Gazpacho

For the Top Chef Drink Pairing: given the picnic-y setting, lawn games and warm climate, it is hard to choose something other than beer. (Except that the distillery at Mount Vernon is now making a Rye Whiskey!) Considering the Mediterranean flavors of Arnold’s dish, Goldstar Beer from Israel could be an option (remember this funny advertisement?). Or, you could have the Great American Lager to go with the Great-but-not-so-American-Picnic.

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Daiquiris with Tom

Posted on July 1, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Anyone who knows Miss Mojito is well aware of her particular obsession with a certain Washington Post food critic. My sister introduced me to Tom Sietsema about 10 years ago, and ever since then I just can’t get enough of his writing. His thoughtful critiques are backed up by a truly excellent and imaginative writing style. Most days at noon find me sitting at my desk with my lunch, reading Tom’s reviews, travel stories or online chats. Like I said, something of an obsession.

So when Tom (we’re on a first-name basis, he just doesn’t know it) started coming out with a series of short videos, my spirits soared. Topics range from “what’s in Tom’s fridge” to easy dessert recipes. But recently, his video series touched on a subject near and dear to our hearts: the cocktail.

Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema has a series of videos on the WaPo website. Check out episode 9 where he shows how to make his favorite summer cocktail, a Hemingway Daiquiri.

Tom’s video about the Hemingway Daiquiri was certainly well timed. It’s a drink that I find irresistible when the weather turns hot and steamy. Check out how our fave food critic prepares his.

The history of the Hemingway Daiquiri has been debated every which way possible, but I’m not so much concerned with its origins as its flavor. Tart and a bit sweet, it’s the ultimate in refreshment.

The Hemingway Daiquiri
Serves one.

  • Juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
  • 3/4 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum

Add ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake well. Serve in chilled cocktail glasses, straight up. Enjoy!

Bonus Tip: This is one cocktail that can stand up well to being prepared a couple of hours in advance, if need be. Moreover, if you prepare a humongous batch and have some leftovers (a highly unlikely scenario), it stores well in a jar in the fridge for a couple of days. I love love LOVE to come home from work to a cold Hemingway Daiquiri waiting for me! I highly recommend you do the same!

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