Also, just a quick reminder: There are only 36 hours left to enter this month's tea recipe contest, the theme of which is "Sparkling Tea Drinks." Enter your sparkling tea recipe by midnight EST on September 30th for a chance to win!
Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Traditional gin drinkers may not appreciate the scope of G'Vine and it's bordering on the line of what can be called gin, but it is a refreshing new take on the white spirit. The grape and juniper battle for dominance and sometimes you don't know if you're drinking distilled wine, flavored vodka or gin. And yet, those who are not particularly fond of ginny gin may really enjoy this one.
The aroma is very gin-like, filled with a fresh and exciting bouquet of juniper, rosemary and lemon. Inside the palate there is just enough warm juniper to constitute it a gin, but the grape flowers begin to take over to the point that they dominate the finish.
Is it a Martini worthy gin? No, the vermouth only adds more wine to the gin. But it does fair nicely in fruity gin cocktails like the Abbey Cocktail and Black Martini. A note of caution, whether it is the herb and grape combination or it's rich headiness, G'Vine is overly intoxicating and the inviting aroma and flavor can easily mask that quality. I recommend keeping to one G'Vine drink a night and moving onto other spirits. Otherwise, it is an exciting gin and fun to experiment with, especially in place of vodka.
More G'Vine Cocktails:
This recipe collection includes all the top hot chocolate recipes on About.com, including easy hot chocolate recipes, white hot chocolate recipes, spiked hot chocolate recipes, hot cocoa recipes and more.
This incredibly easy hot chocolate recipe skips over the need for contant stirring by combining the hot milk and chocolate in a blender. Similarly, this kid-friendly hot chocolate recipe is very easy to make, even though it uses chocolate instead of cocoa powder. Yet another easy, kid-friendly hot chocolate recipe is El Submarino, an Argentinian, make-your-own hot chocolate.
Lindsey Goodwin
Brown sugar gives this hot chocolate recipe a deeper, richer flavor than most. If you like flavored hot chocolates, check out these recipes for Orange-Ginger Hot Cocoa (pictured here), Almond Chocolat Chaud and Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
The Aztecs were the first people to prepare chocolate as a beverage. Although their version of drinking chocolate was very different from contemporary hot chocolate, one trait has remained -- the use of chili peppers for extra flavor. This Aztec hot chocolate recipe calls for one split, seeded red chili for two servings, but you can adjust the level of spice to suit yor tastes.
This spiced hot chocolate recipe includes vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. Other cinnamon hot chocolate recipes worth checking out include Mexican Hot Chocolate with Coffee and Cinnamon, Mexican Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon and Vanilla and Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.
This creamy hot chocolate recipe has been served in the White House. It is gets its dense flavor from milk and light cream, but it's easy to make, as it is a hot cocoa recipe (a recipe made with cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate). For a frothier texture, whisk it just before serving.
Decadent and delicious, Parisian Hot Chocolate calls for whole milk and heavy cream. If you like this recipe, you might also like French Chocolat Chaud from About.com French Food.
White chocolate and peppermint make this hot chocolate recipe more refreshing than most. If you prefer white hot chocolate, be sure to also try these recipes for White Chocolate Coffee and Chai-Spiced White Hot Chocolate.
This hot chocolate recipe produces a thick, viscous hot chocolate that is meant to be sipped in small quantities. There are two versions of the recipe -- one with baking chocolate and another with sweetened chocolate.
This hot chocolate recipe features two kinds of chocolate, plus half and half, for an extra-rich flavor. It's also whipped for a frothy texture.
This spiked hot chocolate recipe includes orange juice and, of course, Grand Marnier. If you like your hot chocolate with alcohol, check out Hot Chocolate for Adults (which is made with rum and Frangelico hazelnut liqueur), Kiev Chocolate (hot cocoa with vodka and Amaretto) and Hot Scotch Cocoa (hot cocoa with Butterscotch Schnapps).
