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Stir & Strain

Monday Booze News today is the very last day to get your Mixology Monday entries in, drinking at Disney, and becoming a brand ambassador

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Flamingo Drink Stirrers- Booze News // stirandstrain.com

Not-so-classic Strawberry Rhubarb Fizz and making blogging a business

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Not-So-Classic Strawberry-Rhubarb Fizz Cocktail // stirandstrain.comIt’s one thing to feel inspired and be compelled to create, and then there’s the “oh crap, this is a business too and I have to find out about federal tax numbers” side to running a website full time. If you asked me what the scariest thing I’ve done in the past 6 months was, almost instantly from my mouth I’d spit out that clicking send on creating my LLC was it. That was a terrifying moment in my life; it made all of this REAL.

Now, before I get the onslaught of questioning smirks, let me clarify that just posting blog posts on here is not the whole of my business. If it was, there would be posts every day and my liver would need to get replaced every other year. I freelance outside of this space, write for other publications, create custom cocktails for parties and private events and sometimes even for people I never meet over the internet. Also, soon, like in less than a month, the first monthly Tiki of yesteryear inspired Supper Club starts up (if you’re in Los Angeles, sign up here for details). In just 5 months my life went from a steady 9 to 5 to a hodgepodge of randomly occurring activities that on most days feels out of control.Not-So-Classic Strawberry-Rhubarb Fizz Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

When you go from having a boss to being your boss you need to try not to crack up… daily.

You also need to get an editorial calendar, consider your brand, and try and put pants on by 11am. This past week, again, I took in a wealth of information in the form of a conference. This time my focus is on being a business lady. Can I mention how much I love the hashtag #bizlady? No? Move on? Ok.

Creating an LLC, was a big, big, big step. And then you move on and the next step is getting serious about having and maintaining a business. Did I know about incorporating and pass-through sole proprietorships last month? No. But now I do. Did I give a second to consider creating a media kit to send out to potential advertisers and sponsors? No. But now I’m on top of that. If you want to get serious about business, the worst thing you can do is be in the dark on these things. Then you’re just sitting around in yoga pants at 2 in the afternoon hating on people and that’s not a good look for you.

Attending an online conference is almost as exhausting as attending a face to face conference, especially if the information being presented to you is relevant and makes your brain work overtime. It also means you’re sitting in a chair trolling the internet between classes catching up on missed tweets and the fact that everyone else has access to rhubarb except you. Seriously, what the hell?Not-So-Classic Strawberry-Rhubarb Fizz Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

This recipe bordered on being an Instagram photo and just another “Cocktail Quickie”, except I was muddling the strawberries and thought to myself: it deserved its own post. Also, this was the only way it seemed I would get rhubarbs up onto this site.

1-1/2 ouces G’Vine Gin*
3 medium strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2″ ginger, peeled and sliced
4-6 ounces Dry Rhubarb Soda

  • In the bottom of a shaker, muddle strawberries and ginger. Add gin and ice. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice and top with soda.

Slight bite from the ginger and a pop of berry flavor to start with a whole lot of effervescent rhubarb. This gin is unique in that it is grape-based and has the most wonderful floral aroma and flavor. It all combines into a refreshing, spring-y cocktail.

Keeping some good quality sodas on hand means instant boozy refresher, FYI. Keep cool everyone!

*Items generously given gratis and appear here because I like them. For more info on sponsored products, affiliate links, and gifted booze, please visit the About page.

The Auld Draper and starting out small with a home bar

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Auld Draper Cocktail // stirandstrain.comNote: this post has nothing to do with Don Draper, but there are some real life drapers involved in the creation of the below cocktail. Ok, let’s continue.

One question I get asked pretty often is: How do you stock a home bar if you’re getting serious about making craft cocktails at home? If you have unlimited funds, then no problem, buy the liquor store. However, for most of us, this isn’t an option. I got started small. Every time I went to pick up a staple ingredient, like a bourbon or some more gin, I’d also pick up a bottle (or two if the paycheck was stretchy that week) of something unfamiliar to me, a liquor I hadn’t used or heard of. Before long, I had started to amass a decent amount of liquors that I could call upon when the time deemed it necessary. Now, I had also made a list after combing through some cocktail books first, and also checked on what brands to avoid, so if I picked up a bottle that cost me , I wasn’t going to be sad at the quality or taste (well, there were a few that took a bit to get used to. Canton, I’m looking at you!).

That’s how I ended up with a bottle of Byrrh. It was on the list of “to buy” although, long forgotten as to “for what”. Recently the folks at Serious Eats had me come up with a simple to make cocktail recipe, and I thought that perhaps I should try the Byrrh out in it. You can read more of the article, over here. Did you know the Byrrh is really old? And was created by a couple of brothers who were also drapers? History! It’s fascinating!Auld Draper Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

Ready for a drink now? This one is pretty easy, and more crafty than some of my recent drinks.

2 ounces dry gin, such as Caorunn Scottish Gin*
3/4 ounce Byrrh
3 dashes orange bitters

Flamed orange peel for garnish

  • Add gin, Byrrh, and bitters to a mixing glass. Fill 2/3 full with ice. Stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with flamed orange peel.

Caorunn Scottish Gin provides a clean, dry, and slightly spicy framework for Byrrh’s bitter nature. The citrus notes from the gin accent those found in the Byrrh, and the drink gets an added touch of bitter citrus from orange bitters and a flamed orange peel. The complete cocktail is a perfect balance of sweet and bitter with a rich texture that lets you linger.

*Items generously given gratis and appear here because I like them. For more info on sponsored products, affiliate links, and gifted booze, please visit the About page.

Monday Booze News most influential cocktails of all time, doing shots with Connie Chung, and one more week till Mixology Monday ends

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Monday Booze News // stirandstrain.com

Mother’s Day Cocktail Roundup

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Both my mother and mother-in-law are not big drinkers. So imagine this roundup more for those of you who have a booze lovin’ mamma. Or spend an afternoon at the club making the boys fetch you drinks while you never get around to playing tennis. Or better, perhaps, these are for the sons and daughters having to endure hours on Sunday being told you’re not coming around or calling enough. Yes, these drinks are for you.

Burnt Sage & Blackberry Sangria. One for you, one for mom. Or two for you.

sage blackberry sangria // stirandstrain.com

 

Pitcher drinks mean all day drinking. Try this  Apple and Rosé Sangria with Sunday brunch.

Drunken Apple and Rosé Sangria // stirandstrain.com

 

Need something quick but fancy? Try this Sparkling Hibiscus Cocktail, takes but a second but super pretty to look at.

Sparkling Hibiscus #Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

 

Sparkling Wine. Watermelon. Limoncello? What’s more impressive sounding than that? Whip up some Salty Melon Cocktails. They’ll be perfect with your edible fruit basket.

Salty Melon #Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

 

 

Need more pink on Sunday? Electric Pink Fields is ALWAYS a winner.

Electric Pink Fields #Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

 

And if you just need a stiff drink. Have a Smoky Manhattan.

Smoky Manhattan #Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

Mixology Monday LXXXV Announcement: Aw, Nuts!

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Aw, Nuts! Mixology Monday challenge // stirandstrain.com

Mixology Monday Logo

It’s that time again! Time to gather up the cocktail (and food!) bloggers out there to present this month’s cocktail challenge for Mixology Monday.

Last month we took a break from the booze, but not the delicious, as we sought out recipes sans alcohol. For May we’re back at with this month’s theme: Aw, Nuts!

Nuts? Yes! A few months back I tried, and was wowed by, a peanut-y take on an Old Fashioned at a bar here in L.A. They had infused peanuts in bourbon and with a touch of honey had made magic. Nuts of all sorts make it into cocktails now. Some black walnut bitters here, the sweet almond flavor of orgeat there… circus peanuts. Your challenge is to utilize nuts (and since we’re NOT adhering to the strict rules of what are nuts, peanuts and walnuts both count) in any way you see fit to create a cocktail. Infusions, bitters, almond tinctures are all game. Amaretto, homemade nocino, Frangelico too. Go nuts! (…sorry)

Want to participate? Here’s how:

  1. Create a cocktail using nuts of any kind.
  2. Post the recipe on your blog, or the egullet’s spirit and cocktail’s forum (thread here), with a photo and your thoughts on the drink.
  3. Add the MxMo logo to your post with a link to the Mixology Monday website, and one back here to Stir & Strain.
  4. Submit a link to your post here on the announcement post, tweet me at @stirandstrain (include hashtag #mxmo) or send an email to elana (at) stirandstrain (dot) com with Mixology Monday in the subject.
  5. Posts must be submitted by midnight May 19th.

I can’t wait to see what you all come up with (and who will be the first to post). As always, have fun and we’ll meet back here the week of the 19th!

Monday Booze News mandatory cinco de mayo links, 35 million year old beer, and the history of jungle juice

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Monday Booze News // stirandstrain.comThis week you’re getting your booze news a whole DAY early! Why? Because tomorrow there will be a big announcement that justifies bumping Monday’s news. Peruse at your Sunday leisure…

Your Cinco de Mayo Roundup

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Time to whip out those tiny velvet sombreros!

Am I really going to introduce a brand new and innovative Margarita recipe today? Nope. Right now you can search any number of food sites and see 60 different ways you can customize your Cinco de Mayo drink. Sometimes it’s hard to feel innovative. However, what I can do for you is make it easy to find all the drinks on THIS site that you might like to have this weekend, since you’re already here.

Let’s just start with last week’s Hibiscus-Tequila Cooler. It’s in a pitcher and no one can tell how many you’ve had until that pitcher is empty.
And then, really, who’s going to say anything?

Hibiscus Lime Cooler Pitcher #Cocktail // stirandstrain.com

 Mangoes and mezcal and chile peppers. Come on. You need this today.

Jewel of Oaxaca #cocktail // stirandstrain.com

If you want to be lazy, just throw a bunch of stuff into a blender. This will work for you.

lazy sunday punch // stirandstrain.com

If you have a lot of time on your hands, get creative with this hibiscus, vanilla-salt, inside-out take on a Margarita.

longmargarita-4

And if you just have to have a regular Margarita, here’s my favorite take on one with smoked salt and mezcal.

barkeepermargarita2

Blueberry Basil Smash or, how I stopped worrying and just made a damn cocktail

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Blueberry Basil Lemon Smash (and some notes on blogging) // stirandstrain.comDo you ever look over a cocktail recipe and think to yourself, this is too intimidating? Or maybe, I have no idea what any of these ingredients are! Sorry, I’m sure looking through this site some of you may have had those exact reactions. Although I like to challenge myself, because challenges build character or whatever, sometimes I just want something I can throw together and still think it looks delicious but wasn’t a hassle to make.

Sometimes I need to stop over-thinking these recipes.

This past weekend I challenged myself waaaaaay out of my comfort zone and went away for a few days to a food blogger conference (Big Traveling Potluck). Just so all of you cocktail bloggers know, we are under the vast umbrella that is food blogging (so if you get the chance, GO). Also, when you attend these things, chances are there isn’t another one of you around; you get to feel special in this weird, incestuous, high school-like cliquish group. I may be overstating that sentiment, but it’s close.

After getting over the initial I-don’t-know-anyone-here anxiety, people will just inherently feel pity on you and strike up a conversation. But the following day you can get over yourself and start having real conversations with people who all share the same passion and business questions you do. You can talk about blogging without wondering if the other person thinks you’re a hack or ask questions about CPCs and other acronyms that you’ve already forgotten what they stand for. What struck me as funny, was that there was this underlying anxiety everyone wanted to share: to slow down, give yourself some air to not feel in competition with the THOUSANDS of other people vying for the same internet space; but no one had any kind of answer. Regardless of what you were blogging about, there is always someone else you think you need to beat. Thinking about this sucks the fun out of creating for your site (at least for me…maybe you dig it).

Blueberry Basil Lemon Smash (and some notes on blogging) // stirandstrain.comAfter 3 days there I abruptly felt like I had been given my own answer: get out of your headspace and just make a damn drink. If your content speaks to people, they will read it regardless of whether it’s complicated or not. And if you’re not happy with what you did, don’t publish it. Move on to something else.

This conference may have been a tad more personal than some of the larger ones out there. There was probably way more crying (in public) and more opportunities to talk one-on-one with everyone, but for me, it helped clear out some mental blocks that I had been dealing with lately. I’m not seeking out challenges with any regularity, but I find that conquering one at least every once in awhile gets me motivated again.

Also, I appreciate you guys for visiting this site.

So, onto the drink. Basil and blueberries are not an uncommon flavor duo, and frankly, you could probably do an internet search and find some similar recipes. However, today this is what I felt like sharing with you all and what I wanted to make with ingredients not uncommon, and definitely readily available. I also wanted to make a good-looking garnish; I can never leave well-enough alone.

4-6 basil leaves
small handful of blueberries (like, 10 or so)
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup (more or less to taste)
3 ounces gin, Citadelle Reserve used here*

Garnish: 3 blueberries, 2 basil leaves, lemon zest

  • In the bottom of a double rocks glass, muddle basil, blueberries, lemon juice and simple syrup. Add about an inch of ice, stir, and add gin. Fill glass with more crushed ice. Zest lemon on top of ice and garnish with blueberries and basil leaves on a cocktail pick. Straw is optional.

Basil and lemons florals for the initial aroma. There’s a nice sourness to this that is picked up from the lemon and blueberries. The basil is subtle, but present, adding earthy, vegetal qualities while the gin adds a kick of flavor from the barrel aging. The rich, spicy gin brings the “lightness” of the other ingredients down a bit making the cocktail more robust.

*Items generously given gratis and appear here because I like them. For more info on sponsored products, affiliate links, and gifted booze, please visit the About page.

Monday Booze News get served booze in your underwear, experts say to drink a bottle of wine a day, and the magic food that prevents drunkenness

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Took me only 2 minutes to spill this full glass of wine in front of 70 food bloggers this weekend.