Drinks »Bourbon Smash Jelly Shots

from Michelle Palm

Thank you, thank you, Jessica. If any broad can class up a Jello Shot, it’s her and she did so with these Birthday Bourbon Smash Jelly Shots.

The recipe comes from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen, an entire site dedicated to boozing up the jiggly dessert by Michelle Palm – who has a book coming out soon. (Note that Jessica substituted strawberry juice for the cranberry.)

Shaun claimed he tasted peanut butter, and before we could roll our eyes at him, I realized he was right! They are like pb&j for adults… or at least adults that partake in jello shots.

See more: Drinks Booze Juice Puddings/Custards

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on February 14, 2011

Drinks,Restaurants »The Counting Room

44 Berry Street, Williamsburg

I have to preface that my experience of The Counting Room may be very different from yours, unless you too go to bars in the early afternoon when the neighborhood babies along with their booze starved parents take over. So don’t blame me if it’s full of techno and 19 year old jerks at midnight.

During this time, it’s a bright, lovely space with soaring ceilings, picnic tables, and chic barn light fixtures.

I was itching for a cocktail – but those don’t make their appearance until after 6pm, so I went for the Bloody Wilbur, a bacon infused (what isn’t bacon infused at this point) bloody mary that was pretty good, but not mind blowing and very weak as far as the vodka goes.

Much more impressive was the beer list which included the incredibly tasty and surprisingly American Domaine DuPage French Style Country Ale, a brew I will be keeping my out for from now on. It won over everyone at our table.

The food was also a pleasant surprise. Going far beyond expected bar food that can taste like an after thought, everything we tried was excellent: a well adorned sopressata sandwich on criso French bread, and yummy, slightly lemony deviled eggs.

See more: Drinks,Restaurants Bars Beer Cocktails Williamsburg

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on January 30, 2011

Drinks »Little Italy

Whiskey Cocktail

After months on the wagon, I dove right into the alcohol pool deep end by allowing Shaun to mix me one of his infamously potent drinks. Called The Little Italy, it consists of whiskey, sweet vermouth, Cynar (an aperitif derived from artichokes), and orange zest.

It packs a wollop and I have to admit I am the former shell of my old self drinking wise. I managed to only drink about a third of the glass, but it was enough to know this is one very fine cocktail.

See more: Drinks Cocktails

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on January 9, 2011

Drinks »Best of 2010 Drinks Round Up

Great Bevvies

Talk about going out with a bang. One of my last alcoholic drinks before ten months of pregnant sobriety was the best (I looked forward to having it again all ten months but have yet to). The rest of the year found me taking in my fair share of decaf lattes and iced coffees – fortunately I live in one of the best neighborhoods for coffee. Rounding out the short list is low brow strip mall sweetness and high brow Upper East Side daintiness.

1. Nama Sake

2. Blue Bottle

3. Coke Slurpee

4. Five Leaves

5. Cafe Grumpy

6. High Tea at Kings Carriage House

See more: Drinks Best of

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on January 3, 2011

Desserts,Drinks »Xocolata a la Pedra

from Spain

This thick hunk of Xocolata a la Pedra came home with us from Spain. We doled out chunks to eat like candy bars and I was instantly in love with the grainy rich deliciousness. We both agreed it tasted like hot cocoa powder condensed into a block, but not any old, bland Swiss Miss kind.

Well, after a little bit of research, I found out it tasted like that because that’s exactly what it is – condensed hot chocolate. Oh, turistas idiotas!

So, I tried it the correct way – as a hot beverage: Simply heat a block in a sauce pan with a little milk and add more milk as it melts. Without more precise instructions, I just eyeballed the amount of milk and under did it a bit but am happy to have a rich hot cocoa for the winter season that tastes this good.

Though, to be honest, I actually most prefer it the way I first tried it – nibbled raw – incorrectly or not. Wish I had grabbed a few more bars because it sadly doesn’t seem to be something I can purchase easily in the states.

See more: Desserts,Drinks Chocolate Soft Drinks

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on December 15, 2010

Drinks »La Venencia

Sherry Bar, Madrid

Thanks to Astrid and Marcus for sharing their fabulous Spain travels with us:

“We spent a little while looking for this place since it came up a lot in our Madrid research. It was well worth it. La Venencia is definitely a taste of old-world Madrid. They only server sherry on draft from large wood casks. The decor is authentically rustic with dusty old bottles and a chalkboard to tally up your orders.

It’s a great place to explore sherry while you eat olives near their fireplace and get closely monitored by the resident black cat.

One of our favorites was the dry Oloroso, which had a smoky vanilla flavor. We wish there was a place like it in New York, but for now it’s one of the many places we’ll want to go back to Madrid for.”

See more: Drinks Bars Guest Writer: Astrid Spanish

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on December 6, 2010

Drinks »Young’s Chocolate Stout

Luxury Beer

“Pure Luxury” it reads on the can of Young’s Chocolate Stout and while that would usually seem like a bold and 1980’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous type boast, I have to agree. As half a can has been my only foray into alcohol these days, the rich, slightly sweet and rich brew is pure luxury – especially when the foam fizzles on my top lip – yum.

See more: Drinks Beer Chocolate

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on November 24, 2010

Drinks »Blue Bottle Coffee

160 Berry Street, Brooklyn, NY

I’ve been hearing raves about the California transplant, Blue Bottle Coffee for some time, so it seemed like the perfect destination for baby’s first stroller outing. Being prematurely judgemental, I was expecting a staff of snobs, maybe because the coffee is taken so seriously here (they have several preparations and types which can be read about in great detail at their website), but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by very chipper, courteous people who didn’t even scoff when I tried to order an iced tea for Jim (which they don’t serve FYI).

We both tried the New Orleans, a light, sweetened iced coffee that still has me majorly buzzing hours later (a very strange feeling after being strictly decaf for months and months). This beverage is way strong and way delicious but if you don’t want the jolt that hard core coffee can give you, you might want to opt for a weaker neighborhood option. However, if you long for the kind of coffee that coffee lovers rave about, this is your place. It’s super pet friendly too, so you can sit with lots of local dogs as you take advantage of the outdoor benches while the weather continues to please us.

There are several locations in San Francisco, but so far, Berry Street is the first in New York.

See more: Drinks Cafes Coffee Williamsburg

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on November 13, 2010

Drinks »Red Jacket Orchards Apple Cider

At Your Local Farmers Market

Apple cider is the unofficial taste of Autumn and until recently it was one I was never able to appreciate as much as others. Our weekly stop by the Farmer’s Market Saturday changed all that when I suddenly felt the urge to buy a 1/2 gallon from the ever popular Red Jacket Orchards booth. Red Jacket is a Finger Lakes Region orchard that should be very familiar to anyone that buys at local farmers markets. Freshly pressed whole fruit without added sugars, coloring, water or flavoring, there’s is the most natural and refreshing. They also sell seasonal fruit juices that I assume are equally tasty.

See more: Drinks Fruit Juice

Be the first to leave a comment →
Posted on October 11, 2010

Drinks »Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

For Ladies

While the benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea for pregnant women is not necessarily proven, both my sister and cousin swear by it and most midwives believe that while it may not bring on labor, it does prepare the uterus may shorten the second stage of labor. Guess we’ll see. I was told by my doctor not to partake until full term, just because some herbs can have unexpected effects and now I’ve been brewing up a cup for myself semi daily. It’s an herbal fruity tea that is calming like chamomile.