blackberries


Four Roses Bourbon Opening Day Cocktail
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Cocktail O’ Clock: Knock it Outta the Park with the RBI Cocktail

Four Roses Bourbon Opening Day Cocktail
Happy Opening Day! Today we’re celebrating the start of baseball season with lots of bourbon. Wait, bourbon? Yes, bourbon. Think beyond the Kentucky Derby, because this versatile liquor is great for spring and summer sipping during any sporting event, including baseball.

Today we used the classic Four Roses bourbon to create the RBI… no, not Run Batted In, the Raspberry Blackberry Infusion! We combined Four Roses with fresh berries to create a sweet, flavorful infused bourbon, then shook it with local honey and bitters and served it on the rocks for a refreshing libation perfect for drinking while watching your favorite team.

The Four Roses RBI Cocktail

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Put It In a Jar: White Sangria

I don’t know about the rest of you, but all weekend long I have been reaching, itching, longing for some crisp fall weather. I toiled for a while about what the hell to put in a jar this week. Fruit…again? I wanted comfort food. Something sweet, with chocolate…maybe some peanut butter and malt! Ok. OK. I told myself to get a grip. It’s August. I’ll have months and months of savory food up ahead. So, what did I decide to do instead…?

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What the Hell am I Supposed to Do With All These Egg Whites?

As I mention in the custard-based ice cream recipes, egg whites can be refrigerated or frozen and used later. If you refrigerate them they should be used within a couple days; in the freezer they will last for a couple weeks.

Now there are quite a few ways to use them up. One is to simply beat a couple into your omelet or scrambled eggs in the morning. Another is meringue topping for a pie, or light meringue cookies (like French macarons). Coconut macaroons are always delicious (and easily frozen for a make-ahead dessert). Egg whites are great for sealing homemade pierogies or raviolis. My favorite way to use up a good amount of egg whites is making these utterly awesome friands, or tea cakes, from Ottolenghi.

To say I’m obsessed with Yotam Ottolenghi is a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much. I love that man. The accessibility and ingenuity of his recipes never fails to surprise me. To date, I’ve easily made over 3 dozen of his recipes, and not one has been a flop. This is my favorite of his desserts.

Blackberry and Star Anise Friands

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Sunday Brunch Cocktail On a Stick

You know what goes with brunch besides buffet-size food portions that can break your zipper? Cocktails. Really, what other day of the week can you order a drink at 10am and not worry that your sunburnt nose will be suspiciously given a once over as an indication of a pickled over-indulger? I mean, who decided drinks at 10am on a Sunday is totally acceptable but asking for a drinking at 10am on a Tuesday is not.

So as a workaround I’ve combined a traditional Sunday brunch cocktail with an everyday, any time of the week treat: a cocktail popsicle.

That’s right, what you are looking at is a Kir Royale-inspired Popsicle. Since I couldn’t stand to freeze good champagne, and cheap champagne — well, sucks —  I used Prosecco instead and muddled some fresh blackberries, with a splash of lime, a bit of zest and some crème de cassis.

Lick your drinks away, my friends!

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in Endless Cocktails / Endless Poptails / Featured / Recipe 9 comments
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A Promise I Will Keep

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The contempt I maintain toward measuring has seeped into my cocktails. Even though it barely ever works (although my friend Tim can eye the hell out of a drink), I refuse to pull out a jigger to ensure proper proportions.

But that is because I think I found the secret ingredient, er, science behind enhancing an otherwise unsuccessful cocktail.

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in Drinks / Endless Cocktails 6 comments