The Spirit World

Nothing says “Christmas in Spain” like Freixenet (pronounced, “fresh-in-NET”).
Freixenet–headquartered an hour’s drive from Barcelona–is Spain’s largest and most well-known brand of cava. You’ve all seen Freixenent at your local liquor store. It’s that sinister-looking black bottle with the gold lettering and foil-wrapped stopper.
“Ahhhhh,” you’re now saying. “*That’s* Freixenet?! So tell me…what […]

Last week it was all apples, this week we are focusing on another fruit of the season, the beautiful pear! Lara has already provided you with the Pear Nectar Martini which would be a great choice for this weekend but here’s another alternative, the Pear Brandy Champagne Cocktail.
I first had this cocktail at one […]

It has been hot here in the Northwest - not as hot as some areas of the country but very hot for those of us with webbed feet!
On Monday I had a little gathering at my house and found the perfect beverage to serve. Light and refreshing, and best when prepared several hours […]

I tend to travel by myself quite often - it started back when I used to do a lot of business travel. After being out on the road so many times on my own, I came to actually enjoy it. You have total freedom over what you do and when you do it! […]

Last May, Oprah’s magazine, O, celebrated it’s 5th anniversary. In the July 2005 issue the published the cocktail that was created for their celebration.
This cocktail would serve a variety of needs but with it’s light pink color, it would be especially fitting for a Mother’s Day Brunch.
O Fizz
Makes 4 cocktails

3 […]

I entertain quite often and one thing I try to do - both to give my guests a way to be part of the party and as a way to take a bit of the load off me - is set up the beverages in a way that makes it easy for everyone to handle […]

I hope you enjoyed St. Patrick’s day as much as we did! In our young family, we are always low key. No bar hopping, no drinking at all actually (that ensures no hangover the next day, something that you do NOT want around an early rising toddler) BUT, we do a whole lot […]

For Valentines Day I can think of no better cocktail to celebrate with than the Kir Royale. It has the obvious benefits of being Champagne for celebration, French for romance, and tinged with pink to take on the appropriate color. There is however another important aspect of this drink that makes it oh-so-appropriate, and that […]

Champagne Cocktail

Another New Year winds the calendar back up again, and to help you utilize some of the extra champagne you might have on hand, I thought I�d introduce you to one of my favorite champagne libations, the Champagne Cocktail.
The first bartender�s guide ever written was aptly named “The Bar Tender�s Guide”, and was published […]

So, you love sparkling wine but were looking for something a bit different than just a simple glass of bubbles? How about one of these ideas?
Bellini
The original Bellini was created at Harry’s Bar in Venice. (That would be Italy, not California!) That recipe calls for a scant ¼ cup of purée of […]