Oct 15, 2010 -
Around this time of year, I look for alternative uses of pumpkin puree. While I've stirred it into soups and cake batter, I've never seen it as a cocktail ingredient before. Naturally, when I read this recipe, I was very interested in how it would taste.
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Oct 14, 2010 -
If you think the assortment of food in the tasting tent at the New York City Wine and Food Festival was overwhelming, wait till you hear about the drinks! There was sparkling wine, red wine, white wine, tequila, rum, flavored vodka, kombucha — basically every spirit and drink imaginable. As your fearless representative, I sampled and sipped my way through the tables.
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Oct 13, 2010 -
What's better than enjoying quality wine? Only, I'd argue, enjoying wine for a greater cause. Although wine auctions at charity benefits are one way to do it, there's an even easier way: get acquainted with a wine label that donates to various charities.
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Oct 08, 2010 -
The transition from Summer to Fall is always hard; I don't want to let go of the warm days and luscious fruits. But, alas, it's October and there's no use holding onto Summer anymore. It's time to embrace the new season, and there's no better way to do it than with a refreshing and delicious cocktail, like the one featured here.
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Oct 06, 2010 -
Although I've driven by the Domaine Carneros winery in Napa countless times, until this weekend, I had never checked it out. Upon arrival at the busy sparkling wine house, which sits on a hill overlooking rolling fields of grapes, one is invited to a sampling of their sparklers. My favorite pour was the 2006 Brut Cuvée ($26).
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Oct 04, 2010 -
Recently, I got a little carried away in a canning experiment and wound up returning from the farmers market with a 50-pound crate of tomatoes. Needless to say, the past week has involved a lot of meals made with tomatoes — an insightful exercise in cooking with (and trying to get rid of) ingredients that are already available at home.
After learning how to be a bit more resourceful with my refrigerator and pantry, I decided to try the same thing with cocktails, so I made a drink using whatever was already in my kitchen.
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Sep 29, 2010 -
San Francisco's recent heat wave has left me craving nothing but cold, crisp, bone-dry whites. My recent favorite? The 2009 vintage of Pedro Escudero's Valdelainos Verdejo.
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Sep 24, 2010 -
San Francisco Cocktail Week is in full effect, and if you don't live in the city by the Bay, don't worry: I've got the official cocktail recipe for you! Named for the Italian founder of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Domingo Ghirardelli, this vibrant concoction is a potent mixture of several liquors including pisco, vermouth, Campari, and Benedictine. When selecting a pisco, I recommend Encanto, a new brand that was created by one of San Francisco's top bartenders, Duggan McDonnell.
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Sep 22, 2010 -
If you're of the mindset that Merlot is a grape that's boring and not worth drinking, I've got a bottle that will change your way of thinking. Swanson (yes, it's a descendent of the company that makes the chicken broth!) Vineyard's 2006 Merlot is unlike any other Merlot I've tasted. It's easy to drink, yet complex with a rich berry aroma and deep ruby color.
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Sep 20, 2010 -
I wish there were more dishes in my repertoire for that transitional period when warm weather's not quite ended and Autumn's yet to really begin, but thankfully I've discovered at least one cocktail. By its name alone, the Harvard Cooler sounds like the start to a crisp, cool Cambridge Fall — but its spritzy, bright appearance still sings of summertime.
This oddly named cocktail, which is apparently a staple at bars in Japan, is a combination of lemon, sugar, seltzer, and apple brandy.
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