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Archive for the ‘Bar Drinks’ Category

May 17th, 2024

Bar Drinks, Blog, Food & Drink Reviews

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Uniquely Flavorful, Locally Made Branford (Rice) Vodka

I love finding local flavors I can bring home when I’m on the road, like Branford vodka, made in Branford, CT, by the two guys not in neon above.

What distinguishes Branford vodka is that it’s made with Asian rice, which gives it the uniquely fused Japanese sake and grain-based vodka flavor. I was sold on that full flavor after tasting a room temperature sample at Val’s Putnam Wines in Greenwich, CT. That flavor, though, only rocket-shotted after I chilled the bottle in the freezer at home and then enjoyed it in a frozen glass.

Funny thing: as I was leaving Val’s last Friday evening, the woman behind the counter, Arona, said to the Branford owners, “Maybe that guy (me) can help you get your brand in North Carolina.”

Right on, Arona (I hope I spelled your name correctly)! I’d love to help and know even better that many others would love the flavor!

January 17th, 2022

Bar Drinks, Blog

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Hickory Snow and Glühwein (Mulled Wine) Picture Book Directions

Hickory snow + Glühwein (mulled wine) = great combination

Here’s how it looked in Hickory, NC, yesterday and today.

My heart raced the whole day, especially when I was outside, just as it did in my younger childhood days decades ago. I then made this with dinner: Glühwein (pronounced “glue-vine”), which is German for mulled wine – and very easy to make.

All you need is a robustly flavored red wine, some sugar, lemon rind, cinnamon stick(s) and whole cloves, like what I used last night.

Click this link or any picture on this page for complete picture book directions.

December 13th, 2016

Bar Drinks, Blog, Drinks

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Glow (Mulled) Wine Picture Book Recipe

Here’s an easy-to-make, fully flavorful hot wine drink to warm you down to your soul on a cold winter evening. The original term for this drink, “Gluehwein”, is pronounced “glue-vine” in German. We in America refer to it as mulled wine, but replacing the word “mulled” with “glow” makes this drink sound much more magically appealing.

December 30th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Seasonal/Holiday Recipes

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New Year’s Eve Sparkling Wine & Rum Punch Blast

This Sparkling Wine & Rum Punch Blast combines combines dry, crisp Italian Prosecco (sparkling wine) with white rum and the summery citrus flavors of lemon, lime, and orange for a great tasting, easy to make twist on the traditional New Year’s Eve bottle of champagne. Read more »

December 22nd, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Seasonal/Holiday Recipes

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Fresh Mai Tai: Full-On Tropical Holiday Flavor – All in Pictures

All right, the winter holidays – every one of ‘em – is right here and now, and I sure wish you Happy Holidays!

The other day while I was in downtown Boston, a good friend of mine, Andrea, mentioned that she and her family were going to have a luau Christmas this year. Terrific! It turns out Andrea will be in charge of the drinks and was thinking about making mai tais. Great! “Only, I’m quite sure I know how to make them,” she said. No problem, I told her. I have a recipe – all in pictures – at my site. I drilled up the site on my phone to show her right then and there and realized that what I’d had available wasn’t quite as clear as wanted it to be. Again, no problem. That’s one of the beauties of working digitally.

I got home, reshot and rewrote the recipe, and now have it here good to go.

July 27th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Cycling Food, Drinks

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Tour Toast to Vincenzo Nibali – Sparkling Wine and Rum Punch Blast

By holding the overall leader’s yellow jersey virtually end-to-end, Italian cycling champ Vincenzo Nibali has more than proven his hard-earned magical dominant status this Tour de France 2014. En français: Incroyable (incredible)! In italiano: Congratulazioni, Vincenzo!

As a toast to Vincenzo’s victory, which he’ll nail down during the Tour’s final stage ride into Paris today, here’s a really cool drink that combines the crisp, bubbly flavor of dry Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) with the tropical flavors of rum and citrus juice: Sparkling Wine and Rum Punch Blast.

July 12th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Special Recipes

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Tour de France Stage 6 & Wine and Gin Citrus Chill

The tour ripped on from Epernay to Nancy in Northern France yesterday during the second longest stage of the Tour this year. Here’s a drink that – ok, it’s a stretch – commemorates the unified England and France flavor of the Tour: wine and gin citrus chill.

July 8th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog, Breakfast, Cycling Food, Drinks, Special Recipes

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Tour de France Yorkshire Pudding Ideas – In Pictures

Yorkshire Pudding Ideas Montage Right now, here in this post, we’re pausing – just briefly – with a refreshingly crisp Tom Collins toast to a terrific 3-day Tour de France start in England with a crunching win – again – by Marcel Kittel in London yesterday. And now, on to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage to Lille Metropole in France and Belgium

On the food side of life, it’s been a real thrill finding ways to use both the traditional savory version of Yorkshire pudding and an improvised breakfast version – that I’ve enjoyed everyday since this past Friday. Read more »

July 7th, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog

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Tom Collins Toast to a Great British Tour de France Start – All in Pictures

Inspirationally strong, gutsy rip-from-the-break-a mile-from-the-finish-line win by freshly crowned Italian National Cycling Champ Vincenzo Nibali in yesterday’s grueling climb and descent 2nd stage of the Tour de France from York to Sheffield.

Today, the men ride from Cambridge to London in the 3rd and final stage of this year’s Tour on British roads. So, how ’bout a refreshingly appropriate toast to a blaze-fast Tour start and incredibly enthusiastic fan support with an unmistakably British cocktail favorite, the Tom Collins, which is just as quick and easy to make as fresh lemon or limeade.

January 3rd, 2014

Bar Drinks, Blog

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Glow Wine: Biting Cold Antidote

Glow wine comes from the German word “gluehwein” (pronounced “glue-vine”). The American term for the same or similar drink is “mulled wine”. But “glow” makes this very simple and fantastically flavorful hot drink sound so much more magical, which is just what you need to warm you right down to your soul when it’s as biting and dark outside as it will be tonight.

Here’s a picture of the ingredients you’ll need – all commonly found. Just click either picture on this page for a complete step-by-step picture book recipe. Stay warm!

Glow wine ingredients