Some Contests of Note: Canton and The Glenrothes

I want to pass on a couple of the fun contests that have landed in my inbox lately...

• Domaine de Canton Bartender of the Year - The makers of that fabulous ginger liqueur are looking for original cocktail recipes using their product. The entries are open through February 28, 2012, followed by regional competitions and a final during which the chosen few will compete in front of the judging panel in French St. Martin. The grand prize is $10,000 and some well-deserved recognition. Visit their website for details and to learn more about Domaine de Canton and find cocktails, check out this article.
• Glenrothes Vintage Maker Contest - Want to win a trip to a Scotch distillery and work your magic in finding the best barrels of whisky? This is your chance and it is the answer to many a whiskey enthusiasts' dreams. The beauty of this contest is that you don't have to submit a cocktail, you only have to be able to tell a compelling, life changing story from your past in 1500 characters or less. Four stories will be chosen and their authors will make this trip to the Speyside region of Scotland to work on The Glenrothes 2012 Vintage. Share your 'Vintage Moment' at their website by January 31, 2012.

While we are on the contest notes, I want to remind you that next Sunday (the 27th) is the deadline for our gin cocktail contest. Thanksgiving dinner may be a good opportunity to run any experimental recipes by a tasting panel, or you may want to share one of the current entries with your family (there are some great options that would be ideal).

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Autumn Leaves

The Autumn Leaves cocktail is an interesting fall drink that is packed with intriguing flavors. It begins with a pisco on which the complex tastes of Drambuie and Campari. The result is a drink that is multi-faceted, deep, and soothing. It really is an fascinating libation that is ideal for autumn celebrations, and especially, because of the Campari, as a before dinner drink.

Prep Time: 3?minutes

Total Time: 3?minutes

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. of Pisco PortonR
• 1 oz. of Drambuie?
• 1/4 oz. of Campari?
• 1/4 oz. lime juice
• Lime twist and orange wedge for garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine and chill all ingredients.
2. Serve in a martini glass with an orange wedge and twist of lime.

View the original article here

Drinks for Thanksgiving Day

Every year Americans worry more about food on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. For many it is not only important to create a table filled with all of the standard favorites, but doing it in a way that impresses the entire family, some of whom are quite difficult. Yet, we often overlook the drinks that complement those great foods, but the Thanksgiving Day drink menu does not have to stop with the dinner table. From a morning of parade watching to watching the many football games or getting cozy for a family movie, there are special drink choices that can keep the festive mood throughout the whole day.

Thanksgiving Morning and Parade Watching

It is a tradition for many families to wake up on Thanksgiving Day, enjoy a hearty breakfast together then sit down and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is the perfect opportunity to relax before a day packed with family and cooking and these drinks are perfect for that time before that rush begins.

• Hot Drinks:
  Start Thanksgiving Day off right with a warm drink that also have kid appeal... How to Make Great Hot Chocolate... Orange Ginger Hot Chocolate... List of Hot Chocolate Recipes
• Morning Mocktails:
  It is possible to go beyond milk and plain orange juice... Sweet Sunrise, Berry Sweetheart, Banana Carob Breakfast Smoothie
• Brunch Cocktails:
  A little brunch cocktail, anyone?... Bloody Mary, Mimosa

Thanksgiving Dinner

The Thanksgiving meal can be a challenge when it comes to pairing drinks with the wide variety of foods that ends up on the dinner table. The About.com Drink Guides have put together some excellent suggestions to help you show off your pairing skills.

• Coffee and Tea:
  Rich and malty Assam, A Keep-You-Going Spiced Turkish Coffee
• Wine:
  Thanksgiving Wine Pairings
• Beer:
  Make It Beer This Year!
• Cocktails:
  The Thanksgiving Cocktail, Pumpkin Cocktails, Cranberry Cocktails, Autumn Cocktails
• For the Family:
  Pilgrim's Punch, Sparkling Cranberry Punch, Cinderella
• Specific Pairings:
  Turkey, Baked Pears with Cranberries and Walnuts, Whiskey Pairings

Dessert and After the Big Meal

We all have a tendency to overindulge during Thanksgiving Day dinner, it's hard not to when there is so much delicious food in front of you. These drinks are great during dessert or after to help you recover from the big meal. These are also ideal for that time later in the evening when you sit down to watch a favorite family movie or bring out the board games.

• Coffee and Tea:
  New Orleans Cafe Noir, Masala Chai ("Chai Tea"), Puer (also spelled pu-erh or pu’er, it is an earthy, dark tea that many compare to coffee or dark chocolate)
• For the Family:
  Hot Spiced Cider, Hot Not Toddy, Root Beer Float
• Adults Only:
  Top 10 Dessert and Ice Wines, Dessert Cocktails
• Specific Pairings:
  Pumpkin Pie

Game Time

Beyond the meal, Thanksgiving is also known as a day for football and you know what that means...Beer! Yet, we can go beyond the every day beer for such a special occasion and pick out something nice and unusual. Browse through the selection of specialty beers at the store and look for any seasonal beers, which have great flavors that are perfect for this time of year. To get you started, check out the Top 10 Beers for Autumn and 10 Winter and Holiday Beer Recommendations.

As an alternative, there’s nothing like old-fashioned drip coffee to get your energy levels up! If you’re looking for something a little more refined, Lindsey Goodwin suggests French press coffee or Lapsang Souchong, perhaps the smokiest, most macho tea out there.

View the original article here

Apple Cider Martini

Here is another apple-flavored 'martini' and it's an interesting one. This Apple Cider Martini is designed more for those with drier tastes than many of the other options.

The drink uses a Ultimat Vodka, which is ultra smooth and clean, and makes a nice base for the apple and ginger combination. For the cider, I recommend using the freshest cider available and when it comes to the ginger liqueur, Domaine de Canton is a nice option. The Velvet Falernum is the finishing touch that brings everything together. This is a versatile cocktail and can fit any occasion. It may even become your new favorite apple tini.

Prep Time: 3?minutes

Total Time: 3?minutes

Yield: 1 Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 oz Ultimat Vodka
• 1 1/2 oz apple cider
• 1/4 oz ginger liqueur
• splash of Velvet Falernum

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker.
2. Shake well and pour into a cocktail glass.

View the original article here

What Does it Mean to be Tea Drunk?

A conversation about 'tea drunkenness' recently popped up in a tea professionals' group on LinkedIn. It made me realize how few people in the West have experienced this incredible state of being, which is often compared to a buzz from drinking, but is (in my opinion) far, far better. Some people get it from good quality Matcha (one person I know compared his Matcha buzz to taking mild LSD), while others get it from aged pu-erh tea. Personally, I tend to get 'tea drunk' from high quality oolong tea, especially high mountain oolong, Tieguanyin oolong or aged oolong. (Hey, maybe that's really why I'm in Taiwan studying oolong!)

If you've never experienced 'tea drunkenness' before, read more on what it means to be tea drunk. If you have been tea drunk, I'd love to hear about your experience, as I'm sure other readers would, too! Share your 'tea drunk' story in the comments below, and happy sipping.

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Ginger Orange Hot Cocoa Recipe

This dark chocolate ginger orange hot cocoa recipe hot cocoa recipe is spiced with orange zest and ginger root for a dazzlingly bold flavor. Serve in small glasses or mugs -– a little goes a long way!

Prep Time: 10?minutes

Cook Time: 5?minutes

Total Time: 15?minutes

Yield: Two to four servings

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. peeled, chopped fresh ginger root
• 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• The zest of 1/2 orange (preferably organic; be sure to avoid grating the white pith of the orange)
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened, extra dark cocoa powder (available from Hershey’s and other brands)
• 1 cup milk (or milk substitute)
• 1/2 cup water

Preparation:

1. Combine the brown sugar, ginger root, orange zest and vanilla extract in a small food processor. Blend for one minute, stirring if needed.
2. Add the cocoa powder and continue to blend until the mixture is even. If needed, periodically stop blending, allow the powder to settle and stir the mixture with a spoon before resuming the blending.
3. Combine the milk and water in a small pot. Warm on low heat over the stove.
4. As the milk-water mixture warms to a simmer, begin to add small quantities of it to the cocoa mixture. Add about 1 tsp. liquid at a time, stirring well before adding more.
5. Once your cocoa has become a thin paste, very slowly stir it into the simmering liquid.
6. Once the mixture is well mixed and hot, it is ready to be served. Serve in small glasses or mugs.

View the original article here

Egg Nog Latte

How could I resist an egg nog recipe with coffee? You can use store bought egg nog for this recipe, or your favourite home-made variety.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups egg nog
• 1 tbs rum
• 1 tbs bourbon
• 1 cup hot coffee

Preparation:

Heat egg nog until hot (do not boil). Blend with liqueurs and coffee in a blender until nog is frothy. Serve warm.
Serves 5

View the original article here

Caffeine Headaches

If you frequently consume coffee or tea, it's not unlikely that you've experienced caffeine headaches before. Caffeine headaches are the result of excess caffeine consumption or caffeine withdrawal. They are usually felt most strongly behind the eyes, and can range from fairly mild to completely debilitating. (Hey, caffeine withdrawal wasn't recognized as a disorder without good reason!)

You can learn more about caffeine headaches, including causes and cures, with my new article on caffeine headaches.

Have you experienced caffeine headaches before? How did you cure them? Share your tips with other readers in the comments below!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Banana Smoothie (NA)

This is a tasty recipe for a non-alcoholic Banana Smoothie that is easy to make and fabulous for summer afternoons with the whole family. One of the best parts of this mocktail is that you probably have the ingredients right there in your kitchen. If you want to spike this drink add 1 ounce of banana liqueur or vodka. If you're really crazy, you can use a flavored vodka like vanilla or banana (it's hard to find but out there).

Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 sliced bananas
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a blender in the following order: honey, vanilla extract, bananas, vanilla yogurt and ice.
2. Gradually increase the blending speed and blend until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour the drink into a chilled hurricane or cordial glass.

View the original article here

Egg Nog Recipes

Love it or hate it, egg nog is a traditional holiday drink that's not going away anytime soon. (I thought I hated egg nog for years, and then I realized that I just don't really like uncut cream and whole milk in my drinks. Call me boring, but now I make egg nog with low-fat milk or a dairy alternative.)

Luckily, there are many ways you can make egg nog, so there's something to please (almost) everyone. Non-traditional favorites include cooked egg nog (which skips any risks associated with consuming raw eggs), dairy-free egg nog and spiked egg nog. You can explore traditional and non-traditional egg nog recipes, plus egg nog dessert recipes, in my egg nog recipe collection. Enjoy!

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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What's Up With Cake and Other Dessert Vodkas?

What is up with dessert vodkas? This is the question I've been asking myself lately. At first I thought it was just a passing fancy that one or two vodka makers were testing out on the market, but then they began to multiply and though there are still only a handful of vodkas offered, it seems to be a big hit.

UV Cake Vodka

So, then I ask why, how, and what? The last part of that is simple astonishment that someone would conceive of making a vodka flavored to taste like cake, cupcakes, marshmallow, or whipped cream.? Yet, if we think about those drinkers - many of which read this blog - who enjoy the sweeter side of cocktails, this trend is really a natural progression in the distilled spirits market. Many people enjoy drinks that replicate the flavor of their favorite desserts and baked goods (i.e. Chocolate Martini, Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Pie, Wedding Cake) and these vodkas make these drinks even easier to obtain.

A little open-minded exploration and a conversation with Dean Phillips of Phillips Distilling, makers of UV Vodka, and I get it... these vodkas are simply fun and an answer by the vodka industry to consumer demand. Also, I've learned that, while at first these vodkas seem limited in their use in cocktails, they're actually quite versatile. Phillips pointed out that you could mix UV Cake with almost anything from root beer to pineapple juice. The recipes I scoured included the indulgent (Dark 'n Fluffy) to the more savory with a sweetened twist (Carrot Cake) and I think that, whether the flavor is cake, marshmallow, or whipped cream, these flavors are almost interchangeable with one another in cocktails. One thing I noticed is that all of them are excellent with coffee similar to Irish Coffee, whipped cream included of course!

I know, I know... purists find these (and most) flavored spirits detestable, for lack of a better word, but no one says that you have to drink them. There are just as many people who adore these new vodkas and I say go for it! Explore the flavor possibilities and share your discoveries with friends. We don't know what is up next in the vodka category but I have a feeling this trend is not going to end soon, so go with it and have fun with whatever drink you choose.

Read more about Dessert Flavored Vodkas and find more cocktails...

On a side note, if cake vodka blows your mind, check out Rumskey. Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like (rum and whiskey in one).

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Thanksgiving Drinks

Do you know which drinks you're going to serve this Thanksgiving? Or, like most people, are you putting your drink menu off until the last minute, long after the food menu is planned? If you're in need of some ideas for Thanksgiving drinks, check out these suggestions for Thanksgiving coffee drinks, tea drinks and more:

• Thanksgiving drink pairings, including cocktails, beer and wine, as well as coffee and tea
• Pumpkin drink recipes, perfect for pairing with pumpkin pie
• Egg nog recipes, including many variations on a classic Thanksgiving drink
• Hot chocolate recipes, great for kids and adults

Have you decided which drinks are you serving this Thanksgiving? Share your drink menu with other About.com readers in the comments below!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Egg Nog Recipes

Like apple cider and hot chocolate, egg nog is a holiday drink that many people look forward to each year. Perhaps it's nostalgia. Perhaps its the warming spices, heavy cream or alcohol. Whatever the reason, egg nog is popular at many holiday gatherings. Here are a few of the many variations on egg nog recipes that you can serve during the holidays:

Rum Egg Nog Recipes

Rum is one of the most common liquors for spiking egg nog. These recipes spike egg nog with rum and rum alone. For egg nogs with multiple spirits, see "Other Spiked Egg Nog Recipes," below.

• Rum Eggnog is easy to make with the help of this how-to video.
• Cooked Eggnog can be made with or without rum.
• Rum Holiday Egg Nog uses Mount Gay rum, almond extract, vanilla extract, nutmeg and cinnamon for a warming flavor profile.
• Thanks to the bacteria-killing effects of rum, Make-Ahead Eggnog can be prepared over Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed at Christmas.

Brandy Egg Nog Recipes

Like rum, brandy is a popular additive for many egg nog lovers. Here are two of my favorite brandy egg nog recipes:

• Brandy Egg Nog is a quick, easy recipe akin to the type of egg nog cocktail you'd get in a bar or lounge.
• Homemade Brandy Egg Nog is a more elaborate brandy egg nog recipe.

Other Egg Nog Recipes With Alcohol

Beyond rum and brandy, there are lots of ways to spike egg nog. These recipes include multiple liquors, whiskey, peach brandy or other spirits:

• Old-Fashioned Egg Nog includes brandy and rum, as well as heavy whipping cream.
• Eggnog With Brandy, Bourbon or Rum is a versatile and detailed egg nog recipe.
• Chocolate Egg Nog provides a chocolaty, boozy flavor with chocolate milk, Kahlua and rum.
• Baltimore Egg Nog features peach brandy, plus regular brandy and light rum.
• Hypatia's Egg Nog includes Grand Marnier, rum and brandy.
• Bourbon Eggnog uses bourbon whiskey in lieu of rum or brandy.
• Easy Holiday Eggnog gets its kick from both bourbon and brandy.
• Vegan Egg Nog can be spiked with many vegan liquors, including various rums and brandies.
• Kenucky Egg Nog Spike is a spice-infused mixture of spirits that you can use to perk up plain egg nog.
• Egg Nog Martini is more a recipe for a martini with egg nog than an eggnog recipe, but it may be of interest to those who want their egg nog extra-heavy on alcohol.

No Alcohol Egg Nog Recipes

Although most of the recipes above can be made without alcohol, these are most easily adapted for non-alcoholic egg nog recipes:

• Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog is a great recipe for kids and adults.
• Cooked Eggnog can be made with or without rum.

Easy Egg Nog Recipes

Looking for quick, easy egg nog recipes? Look no further:

• As the name suggests, Easy Egg Nog is very easy to make.
• Brandy Egg Nog is a quick, shaken drink that can easily be made at a bar.
• These two recipes for Cooked Egg Nog are easy to make (plus you probably won't have to worry about salmonella even if you're a terrible cook).
• Easy Holiday Eggnog only requires six ingredients. If that's not enough to inspire a bit of holiday cheer, I don't know what is.
• Busy around the holidays? (Who isn't?!) Make-Ahead Eggnog can be prepared over Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed at Christmas.

Healthier Egg Nog Recipes

There's no denying that egg nog is unhealthy. These egg nog recipes may not be healthy, per se, but they are healthier than most egg nogs!

• Low Fat Egg Nog and Low Fat Spiked Eggnog use fat-free dairy ingredients.
• This Low Carb Egg Nog recipe uses Splenda for a lower carbohydrate count. This Low Carb Egg Nog recipe uses milk, unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk and the sweetener of your choice.
• This Vegan Egg Nog recipe is made with tofu and soymilk instead of milk and cream. This Vegan Eggnog gets its creamy texture from soymilk, non-dairy whipping cream and vegan vanilla pudding powder. This Vegan Eggnog uses silken tofu, soy ice cream and rice, soy or almond milk.
• Diet-Friendly "Virgin" Egg Nog cuts the calories, fat and alcohol found in traditional egg nog.
• No-Egg Nog is an egg-free version of classic egg nog.

Large Batch Egg Nog Recipes

If you're cooking for a large group, check out these recipes for large batches of egg nog:

• Hypatia's Egg Nog is makes about 12 servings of spiked egg nog.
• Homemade Brandy Egg Nog makes 16 servings.
• This party-friendly Festive Egg Nog recipe makes 32 servings of spiked or no-alcohol egg nog.

Regional / International Egg Nog Recipes

Variations on egg nog are consumed around the world. Here are a few regional and national recipes worth trying:

• Mexican Egg Nog (or Rompope) is an alcohol-optional egg nog made with almonds.
• Coquito (Puerto Rican Egg Nog) is a traditional punch that is made with cream of coconut, rum and spices and served at Christmas and New Years celebrations.
• Eierlikoer, also known as Egg Flip, is a German style of egg nog that requires multiple spirits and a whole vanilla bean.
• Advocaat is a type of Dutch egg nog. It can be made without dairy, topped with whipped cream, or folded with whipped cream to make a dessert called Tokkelroom.
• Likier Jajeczny is a Polish style of egg nog made with French brandy and rectified spirits. It is steeped for four days and served cold.
• Lon's Egg Nog is from Lon's Restaurant at The Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Although I don't usually associate warm drinks with Phoenix weather, I hear it's very good!

Unusual Egg Nog Recipes

Some egg nog variations step far outside of holiday tradition. These unusual egg nog recipes include everything from coffee to chocolate liqueur to cider.

• Chocolate Egg Nog is a spiked egg nog with a chocolaty flavor.
• Baltimore Egg Nog features peach brandy.
• Less like egg nog recipes than recipes that use egg nog as an ingredient, Egg Nog Latte and Cold Coffee Nog combine egg nog's flavor with a caffeine kick.
• Tea Nog is an egg nog-like tea drink made with sweetened condensed milk.
• Although Cider Nog (a blend of egg nog and non-alcoholic cider) is a classic non-alcoholic drink, you probably haven't tried it in recent years.
• White Christmas is a chocolaty cocktail with an egg nog base.
• Bourbon Eggnog uses bourbon, cognac and Grand Marnier to create an unusual variation on classic spiked egg nog recipes.

Read on to discover egg nog dessert recipes.

View the original article here

Coffee Grinders

To make the freshest cup of coffee possible, you should grind the beans yourself. Then you know it's fresh and you can also adjust the coarseness of the finished coffee.

1. Braun Aromatic Coffee Grinder

Now this is a grinder for the every day coffee drinker. It's got a stainless steel blade and can hold 2.5 oz of coffee beans. You can tuck the cord in to keep your counter tidy. $25

2. Delonghi Electric Coffee Grinder

It's hard to believe you can get a Delonghi for such a low price. This burr grinder comes in white or black. You can even set it for a certain number of tablespoons of ground coffee. $30

3. Solis Maestro Coffee Grinder

Another high-quality, conical burr grinder. It's clean and quiet, and it doesn't heat up. That helps to protect the essential oils and flavours in the coffee. It can hold 5oz of ground coffee when you're done. $100

4. Capresso Burr Grinder Select

The conical burr of the Capresso grinder grinds your coffee to uniform size every time. Simple to use with just one button operation. $60

5. Krups Fast Touch Grinder

Krups Fast Touch Coffee Grinder

Here's a name we all know and love. The Krups coffee mill is small and just right for folks on a budget. It's a blade grinder, and could be used for spices or herbs too. $22

6. La Pavoni

These grinders will add a stylish element to your counter-top, in either brass or chrome finish. Lots of features, with 9 settings and 1/4 lb bean capacity. $230

7. Kitchenaid Blade Grinder

A simple blade grinder that comes in standard white and black, as well as red (for a snazzier look). $40

8. Kitchenaid Pro Line Grinder

You'll be grinding your beans like a pro, with the Pro Line grinder. It's a compact burr grinder that runs with a low speed to prevent overheating your beans. The hopper holds 7-oz of beans and most of the parts are dishwasher safe. $150

View the original article here

The Raven

The Raven is a dark and mysterious cocktail that I've adapted from other recipes. I like this one because it contains ingredients that are more common in bars than those found in other Ravens. The key to this drink is the layer which is rather easy to obtain in this mix as the blue shaken mix is much lighter than the Chambord and they rarely break the layers unless stirred.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz rum
• 1 oz blue curacao
• 1/2 oz Chambord

Preparation:

1. Pour the vodka, rum and blue curacao into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Slowly pour the Chambord over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top.

View the original article here

November Cocktail Contest: Bring Out Your Gin

The big announcement of the week (besides that wonderful infusion cocktail by Judy Bronson) is that we have a new contest upon us. This month I decided to take it easy on everyone and go with a base spirit theme, and that is gin.

Martini

Gin is a spirit that is open to such a variety of interpretations that it is an excellent candidate for November's contest. There are so many ways you can use gin and such a variety of flavors it can be paired with that I think this should be a lot of fun and I'm very interested in seeing what you can do with it.

A couple of notes when it comes to gin cocktails... Because the flavor profile can vary so much from brand to brand, it may be critical to your recipe to note a specific brand. Or, you may want to distinguish that you use a London dry or recommend a few brands that you have found to work well in your recipe. The other point I have to make is that I'm going to be a stickler about originality with this one. There are many, many gin cocktails out there, including some of the great classics, so please do your best to give us something new to taste. Modern twists on classics are not out of the question, however.

Have fun and let's see what you got.

Submit your gin cocktail recipe here...

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Winning Infusion Cocktail: The Marriage of Figaro by Judy Bronson

A little over a month ago I took in the final submissions for the Infused Spirits Cocktail Contest. I knew that getting the results would take some time given the nature of infusions and today I am thrilled to announce the winning cocktail. It is The Marriage of Figaro by? Judy Bronson who writes the fun blog Cocktations.

What made this drink stand out from the rest? Complexity, creativity, and richness in balance. The drink begins with fig-infused Four Roses Bourbon and she prescribes not just any old fig, but a combination of Turkish and Mission figs and this combination with FR's yellow label is stunning. This is a bourbon you can take into a multitude of other whiskey cocktails, especially those bare bones classics like a Brown University or Ward Eight. There is a lot of potential in this whiskey infusion.

When we add the other two ingredients in Bronson's recipe the drink becomes even more interesting. One is the always useful St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram and the other is Cardamaro. The latter is a unique amaro (bitter liqueur) with notes of cardoon and blessed thistle? that add an exotic quality unfound in similar spirits and it works really well in this drink, consider it essential.

Anyway, check out The Marriage of Figaro recipe and Judy's original submission. Thank you to all who participated, it was fun to explore your infusions, and congratulations Judy!

The next contest theme will not be as labor intensive, but no less flavorful. More on that later.

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Berry White

The Berry White is a delicious mix of flavors that features UV Blue Vodka. This raspberry flavored vodka is accented in this drink with chocolate, orange and lime from the other ingredients.

Prep Time: 2?minutes

Total Time: 2?minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz UV Blue Vodka
• 1/2 oz creme de cacao
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz lime juice

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

View the original article here

In Case You Missed Them...

Just is case you missed them, here are eight new articles I wrote this month:

• What is Chicory?
• Herbal 'Tea' Recipes (including the Sage Tisane pictured above)
• Benefits of Soy Milk
• Soy Milk Recipes
• What is White Tea?
• Earl Grey Tea
• Dirty Chai Definition
• How to Make Kombucha

Enjoy!

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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What is White Tea?

White tea is an often misunderstood type of tea. It is celebrated for its low caffeine level, but many so-called white teas are actually HIGH in caffeine. It is often defined by how it is processed, but some say that true white teas are a much narrow category of tea than mere processing. There's a lot more to this gentle drink than it would seem! Learn more: What is White Tea?

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Stoli Accomplice

Combine a fine Champagne and a great vodka (like Stoli) with strawberries and you have a fantastic drink called the Accomplice. This is a great cocktail for elite celebrations and, especially, New Year's Eve parties. I like that it's served in a cocktail glass as opposed to a Champagne flute because it allows the bubbly to swell in the wider glass. Not to mention it's much easier to rim a cocktail glass with sugar, which is a necessary finishing touch for this and works best with a brut or extra brut for that sweet-dry combination that is stunning.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz Stolichnaya vodka
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• Champagne
• 3 strawberries
• superfine sugar for rimming

Preparation:

1. Muddle three strawberries and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the vodka and lemon juice.
3. Shake well.
4. Strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass.
5. Top with Champagne.

View the original article here