Cooking Method: Mixing

La Marguerite

In the US, few remember that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French - I think that Empress Carlotta escaped, but Maximillian was lined up and shot at Puebla - so there is some irony in David Lebovitz’s French take on Mexico’s national drink, the Margarita. The use of the Bordeaux-based orange-infused aperitif Lillet makes this a much lighter alternative to the traditional Margarita but equally as delicious!

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White Knight

Last year, the British grocery chain Waitrose published an article on “Whisky Cocktails You’ve Never Heard Of” and the White Knight one caught my eye. A Scottish milkshake for adults, the White Knight is basically a Scotch-focused Brandy Alexander and is perfect for after dinner, when a nightcap and dessert become one.

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Sesame Mayonnaise

I got this Sesame Mayonnaise recipe from my cousin-in-law's sister Julianne. It reminds me a lot of my Asparagus with Wasabi Mayonnaise. It's a mayo-based dressing  (which is rather obvious!) with a burst of sesame flavor. I think this recipe was adapted from Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, The Silver Palate Cookbook, 1982. Anyway, it's really delicious and different. You can serve it with crudité or pita chips.

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Keep Calm and Quarantine On Martini

If you are stuck at home and really want to chill out, this refreshing lemon/lavender cocktail—complete with a calming dose of CBD—might just be the thing to help us get through trying times like these.
I used Lavender CBD Bitters from Mountain ELixirs.
CBD Bitters – Lavender works well in cocktails made with white spirits like vodka and gin, and it matches nicely to sparkling wine in spritzes.
Suggested Use:
Add 5 dashes (5mg of CBD) to 10 dashes (10mg of CBD) to any cocktail or sparkling water
Botanicals:
Organic Super Critical Cannabidiol, Lavender, Chamomile, Calendula, Yarrow, Vervain, Wormwood
Benefits:
Hangover Prevention/Aid, Anxiety, Pain, Anti-inflammatory, Sleep Aid
Pairings:
Vodka, gin, tequila, tea, sparkling water

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The Ritz Dunhill Cocktail

My husband, my late friend Brady and my father all love things from British tobacconist turned luxury goods purveyor, Dunhill. Their belts, ties, leather goods and their colognes are all favorites. I think that if any of them smoked pipes they would smoke Dunhill tobacco in Dunhill pipes. One of the best Dunhill offerings is their EDITION cologne. This fresh, spicy scent has notes of Lemon, Lavender, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Musk. Edition is a favorite of my husband’s, the scent he chose to wear on our wedding day. It drives me wild, but I won't go into that here.....

When this was launched in 1984, Dunhill had the launch party at the Ritz in London, around the corner from their Jermyn Street headquarters. They approached Bob, the master bartender at the Ritz bar, to create a cocktail that tasted the way this cologne smells--and thus the Dunhill cocktail was born. For a few years, it was listed on the bar menu at the Ritz. You can still order it, which was guaranteed to bring Bob out to see who the "in the know" drinker is. The late, great Bob, who passed away a few years back, shared the recipe with us and here it is--splash on some Edition, mix up one of these and enjoy!

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Catalina Salad Dressing

I don’t know about you, I am always making a balsamic vinaigrette. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but I get sick of the same old salad dressing. I used to have this Catalina Salad Dressing as a kid out of the bottle. Since it’s rather déclassé to have a bottle of Kraft dressing on the table, I decided to make my own. Once you taste this, I guarantee you will be hooked!

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Basil Grape Crush

We went away last weekend to do some wine tasting in Santa Ynez. On the way home we stopped at this restaurant in Montecito, CA called the Honor Bar. The food was outstanding. I noticed they had a drink called a Grape Crush on the menu, which I had never heard of before. So my husband made me one when we got home. It's very refreshing. You can use red or green grapes.

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Creamy Champagne Vinaigrette

One of my favorite salads is ridiculously simple. It's butter lettuce, hearts of palm and this smooth and delicately sweet vinaigrette with the elegant blend of champagne vinegar, olive oil, fresh shallots and Dijon mustard. Mixing this the dressing in a food processor or blender gives it a creamy consistency. 

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Wise Men Cocktail

For most, the Christmas season starts too early; by the time the day itself arrives, we are ready to clear out the clutter, spend our gift money on bargains and make resolutions to go to the gym. The reality is that Christmas starts with Christmas and lasts for twelve days, at which point the Epiphany season begins. The term epiphany means “to show” or “to make known” or even “to reveal.” In the Christian tradition, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child. The wise old man (also called senex, sage or sophos) is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure.

So, as we let our belts out a notch, head for the slopes, or just settle into our holiday rut, let’s focus for one brief moment on some holiday wisdom—or sagacity. To celebrate the season, here is a cocktail that focuses on the herb sage, or Salvia officinalis which is the perennial, evergreen plant that we use to season dressing, stuffing, pumpkin ravioli—and now, a cocktail!

Bourbon whiskey, infused with fresh apples and sage, forms the heart of this cocktail. Simply take an air-tight jar, fill it with Bourbon (I use Maker’s Mark) and add several fresh apple slices and a sprig of fresh sage. Let this sit overnight or even for a few days but not much longer as the sage can grow bitter if left in too long. Apple cider further extends the apple flavor and a rim of celery salt cuts through the sweetness and makes this drink—basically a Manhattan with cider instead of red vermouth—an off-sweet, celebration of seasonal flavors. The wisdom, we hope, will follow. I can’t vouch, however, for gold, Frankincense and Myrrh………

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Clearman’s Cheese Spread

Whenever my late mother-in-law made spaghetti, she always made Clearman's cheese bread. My family can't have spaghetti without it. They sell it locally only or online. Many of our family members have moved away, so I decided to search for a recipe. My friend Pat made the first batch and they gave it their seal of approval. It's basically a whipped cheese butter made with Cheddar, Romano, dry mustard, celery salt, garlic salt, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, paprika, butter that you put on sourdough bread and broil.  Oh, and by the way, it costs about a third less to make of what they sell it for. 

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