The Spirit World

With the coming of the fall weather our thoughts turn to those things that remind us of the season. Apples play a big role in these thoughts. For this weekend’s Happy Hour at Home we are going all apples!
We’ll start with our cocktail for the weekend - an Apple Manhattan. […]

The name of the appetizer may have caught your attention but before we get to that let’s quickly touch on our beverage for this week’s Happy Hour at Home.
I’m selecting Ouzo on the rocks. This slightly sweet, anise flavored beverage is what we think of when we think of Greece. As the summer […]

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating in a wine-pairing dinner. We were each assigned a wine in advance and then tasked with coming up withe a food pairing. My assignment was Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir styles run the gamut from lighter bodied, fruit-filled wines to stronger bodied wines […]

The people at Martin Miller’s Gin don’t think you are drinking enough of their product and recently sent out an interesting sounding sorbet recipe that uses their gin. I’ve made a similar sorbet with vodka and it was super refreshing! It was a big hit at the parties where I served it. […]

It’s time for another Happy Hour at Home. With the warm weather continuing our thoughts are still with refreshing and cooling drinks and appetizers - although this appetizer certainly has a little heat to it!
Cucumbers are in full swing in all areas of the country and, probably, in most areas in the […]

I have been drinking a lot of rosé lately - it is crisp, refreshing and a nice light alternative on a hot day. This last weekend, though, after doing tons of yardwork and working up a big thirst, rosé just wasn’t going to cut it. No, my mind was set on one of […]

Perfect timing - sometimes things are so serendipitous you just have to go with them!
Tuesday night I attended the opening of a new restaurant in town, Perche’No Pasta and Vino. I had an appetizer that was so simple and beautiful that I wanted to go home and replicate it for myself. […]

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 […]

Sometimes I find the most interesting cocktail recipes in those little pamphlets that often are attached to your bottle of liquor - I mean the people who make the liquor have a vested interest in providing great ways to use their product, right?
Last week I opened a new bottle of Chambord for the […]

We are right in the middle or prime growing season and it’s time to make sure we use the bounty that is available all around us! I originally made these daiquiris last weekend with raspberries I had leftover after making jam. At that time I thought the recipe needed a little adjustment but […]