the hearty project: a Hearty Happy Hour

Showing posts with label a Hearty Happy Hour. Show all posts

On a recent trip to Buffalo to visit Sweet Lips' rents, we had cocktails at an unassuming establishment called Vera Pizzeria. I honestly did not have high hopes for food or drink while in Buffalo, but this place changed my attitude. Besides ordering a Hot Buttered Rum to warm me up, I ordered
Neptune's Trident, which consisted of:

Dark Spiced Rum
Elderflower Liqueur
House Made Grenadine
Coconut Water
Orange Spice Bitters

It's description (Spicy and bold with a surprisingly delicate balance) was accurate. I was really surprised by the addition of Coconut Water, which has been popping up all over the place as a way of rehydrating, but never have I seen it inserted into a drink that didn't have a tropical umbrella. It was a nice way to mellow out the spice and add some richness. May need to perform experiments of my own... I'll keep you updated on my scientific findings.

Hangover Cures via DC's Finest

Brightest Young Things interviewed a few of DC's chefs, bartenders and restaurant folk to see what their secrets were for recovering from a night of good/bad decisons. Making the list multiple times were:
– Coconut Water
– Excedrin
– Pho!
– Coffee
– Nice Greasy Breakfast
– H20!!! (before, after and in-between)
Check out some other tips here.
My go-to's are usually: Excedrin, a Coke Slurpee, Ginger Ale (if the tummy hurts) and some sort of greasy meat product :)

Drinkify

Love the concept of this site. Two simple pleasures paired together... Music and Cocktails! Just enter a band or musician and the site with match you up with a fitting alcoholic beverage. Perfect.

Seen via

A Hearty Happy Hour

During the fall months, my beverage of choice is apple cider! So crisp, refreshing and delicious!
I'm looking for a couple other ways to spice it up... May give these recipes a whirl.

Cinnamon Toast Cocktail

12 ounces Apple Cider warmed, 3 ounces Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum,

1 tablespoon Cinnamon, 1 tablespoon Sugar, 1 Cinnamon Stick to garnish

Heidi's Comet Cocktail

2 ounces Disaronno Amaretto Liqueur, 2 ounces Vodka,

2 ounces Apple Cider, 1 Cinnamon Stick, Ice
Seen via

A Hearty Happy Hour

Boxed wine has seriously stepped it's game up. I recently discovered Cuboid at the Liquor Warehouse. I haven't tried the Cabernet variety yet, but I've already purchased 2 boxes of the Chardonnay and it's mighty tasty. A delicious medium-bodied white with delicate fruity/floral notes and a woodsy finish. Honestly, I'm not the best at describing wines. Just trust me... it's good, dammit!

A Hearty Happy Hour

I'm not even sure if you can purchase juicy melons in the store any more, but as i said before... I'm still in end-of-summer denial. If so, I def want to give this beautiful drink a shot!

Melon Rumballa Makes about 8 cocktails

• 3–4 ripe melons, depending on size

• 1/2 liter white rum

• 1 bunch fresh mint, cleaned and stemmed

• 3 limes juiced

• 8 oz ginger soda

• 8 oz coconut water

• whole vanilla beans

• candied ginger (for garnish)

• sugar for rimming the glasses

• ice

via

A Hearty Happy Hour

Tuesday night after the Caps game (in Baltimore-weird), Sweet Lips and I strolled into Pazo for a nightcap and to suck some prawn heads – true story. Our first prawn head sucking experience had been there a week ago and I guess neither one of us was able to forget it. To accompany my prawns and goat cheese empanadas (yummm!), I ordered La Vie en Rose. A sexy cocktail consisting of: –Moscato d’Asti –Soho Lychee Liqueur –rose water –fresh petal It was light, refreshing and super floral, but mostly I just liked saying the name... La vie en rose... because life is pretty rosy these days.

A Hearty Happy Hour

Screw the milk and eggs, stock up on UV White Cake Flavored Vodka. In all honesty, I haven't tried it yet but I'm sure it will provide comfort thru the oncoming hurricane this weekend :)

A Hearty Happy Hour

Cool off with this hydrating cocktail this steamy weekend.

Meloncello

I picked this tasty recipe up from here, only 1 thing missing... simple syrup – it helps bind the liquids together and adds a bit of sweetness that it needs.

A Hearty Happy Hour

This is a recipe I saw that I'm salivating to try... and looking at the ingredients, it's bound to be delish.

Muddled Mint & Cucumber, Vodka, Grapefruit Juice,

Soda Water & Simple Water Simple, Fresh and Refreshing

Summertime entertaining inspiration courtesy of JL Designs

A Hearty Happy Hour

Alki-Pops!

I picked up these popsicle molds at TJ Maxx for $8 bucks and decided to experiment with alcohol-spiked pops. This first batch consisted of: 1/4 cup of Cherry Rum, 1 cup of Limeade, 2 cups of Mango Nectar. They were pretty darn tasty! In the nearish future, I'd like to try margaritas, mojitos and pina colada versions.

A Hearty Happy Hour

The following dreamy concoction is brought to you by my dear friend Lil Miss Almond Joy (pictured 4 rows down). She stopped by last Sunday and brought with her the means to make a Coconut Tosser.
The drink is comprised of equal parts 2 Coconut Rums, 1 Dark Rum then add enough Coconut Milk to keep you honest. After taste testing... I added some Pineapple Juice for sweetness. All I was missing was the sand between my toes... enjoy!

A Hearty Happy Hour

with Hello Kitty Pink Bubbly

Yup, it does exist... can't say I'm entirely shocked considering I do own a Hello Kitty TV and toaster.

This week, I had cause for celebration so Sweet Lips brought home this bottle of bubbly that he found at Beltway Fine Wine. I'm usually not a champagne drinker, but who can resist Hello Kitty in a onesie??? Not I!

The Brut Rose was slightly sweet/smooth and a lil nutty to my inexperienced palette. A fun spirit to toast a special occasion with. Prices online run from approx. $27-$37, but MD has funky liquor/wine laws – not sure they will ship here. You can pick it up at Beltway for $34.99 or I'd try the sister location in Laurel. Actually... after doing a bit of research, I'm a bit annoyed that I missed out on the Hello Kitty charm that apparently accompanies each bottle (most likely swiped by some under-age girl). Def making sure the bubbly has it's appropriate bling next time!

A Hearty Happy Hour

The Easy Peasiest Summer Cocktail Recipe just got Skinny!

1 part Firefly • 1 part Water, over ice (lemon wedge optional)

Firefly and water is my number one summer go-to. Simple and satisfying. Truly tastes like a spiked ice tea and less bitter than just adding vodka to brewed ice tea. Firefly just recently released a "skinny" version and I tried it last night. It's naturally sweetened with Truvia and I taste a hint of honey flavor, but besides that it's pretty darn close to the original. So close, that I'll opt for the 72 calorie version vs. the 110 calorie one.

If the establishment you're at does not have Firefly, Jeremiah Weed (Fun Fact: Jeremiah Weed and Water is known as a... Michael Phelps :) is on par with the same flavor (maybe a bit more of the brewed taste), but do not settle for that Seagrams crap, cuz it's crap.

A Hearty Happy Hour

This post was the inspiration for my

Blackberry Plum Mojito

Directions: Muddle (love that word) a bit of simple syrup (boil a cup of sugar and a cup of water), 6 blackberries, 1/2 plum (peeled/diced), 8 mint leaves, Add ice, rum, lime juice, shake vigorously (love that word too), pour over ice in glass, add some of the muddled fruit, top with more mint and a splash of club soda.

Serious Yummmmmm...........................................................................

A Hearty Happy Hour

I have a feeling that this is what my Hearty Happy Hour is going to look like :(

My eyes feel like they are about to start bleeding, my tongue is in a constant state of having tasted scolding hot soup and my nose feels like someone keeps upper-cutting it with a sledge hammer. Not very TGIF.

I do not condone abuse of NyQuil btw. Been there, done that and it was not a pleasant ride... Left it on my nightstand one night when I was disgustingly sick, kept taking swigs during the night so I could sleep. The next morning, like a zombie, I went to work and thought to myself, "Self, I think you're high or tripping or hallucinating or somethin'." Not a good scene in a corporate office.

So word to the wise: Keep your NyQuil in your medicine cabinet.

A hearty Happy Hour

This is how my day will begin tomorrow.

Jello Shots + Alcohol Spiked Whipped Cream + Drunken Cherries

Trouble + Trouble + Trouble

a hearty Happy Hour

It's Friday, have a cocktail!

I first became enamoured with these cocktails at Gertrudes at the BMA (Baltimore Museum of Art). They are a delightful addition to your Sunday Funday... when mimosas just won't cut it.