Category: Wine and Drink

Hearty, flavorful, vegan: Indian-style Butter Beans

Fragrant and spicy (but hot overly hot), this vegan dish with canned butter beans is a quick, satisfying main course when served with rice, naan or roti. It can also be a flavorful side. Recipe below.

Indian-style Butter Beans
Indian-style Butter Beans

LIKE MOST EVERYONE, WE’RE COOKING AT HOME. A LOT. So we’re trying to mix things up as much as possible, keep things interesting. A recent grocery delivery included canned butter beans. We both love butter beans, and I primarily equate them with the American South. But when Marion was too busy to cook one evening, she nudged me toward dishes of the Indian subcontinent. Continue reading “Hearty, flavorful, vegan: Indian-style Butter Beans” →

A peppery, herbal Mexican liqueur stars in a bourbon cocktail: the Vaquero

A wintry bourbon cocktail is given a spicy, herby kick with Ancho Reyes Verde Liqueur, made with poblano peppers. Recipe below.

Vaquero cocktail

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]O[/su_dropcap]n our recent trip to Mexico City, mezcal was everywhere. Nearly every bar and restaurant served it, sometimes in elegant, interesting cocktails, but most often, neat, with a simple orange wedge, alongside little plates and charcuteries. The smoke, the herbiness and the slight sweetness are marvelous. Mezcal is so popular in the CDMX that it is even appearing in some beers. We came away knowing… well, a little more than before. Continue reading “A peppery, herbal Mexican liqueur stars in a bourbon cocktail: the Vaquero” →

Smoke and fire: Spicy Mezcal Margarita

The classic margarita gets a smoky, spicy makeover, swapping mezcal for tequila, muddling in some jalapeño and firing up the traditional salt rim with chile powder and cayenne pepper. Recipe below.

Spicy Mezcal Margarita

NO BIG ORIGIN STORY FOR THIS COCKTAIL. I saw an article somewhere about quickly infusing tequila with the heat and pepper flavor of jalapeño, just by muddling it—no setting it aside for days. Then we were at La Mejikãna, a fun bar/restaurant that combines “the authenticity of the traditional Mexican kitchen with a modern flair,” according to their website (apparently part of the flair includes using the tilde over the letter A in their name as a design element). Our drinks featured mezcal and had spicy chile salt rims. Synapses fired. A drink idea happened—this one, to be exact. Continue reading “Smoke and fire: Spicy Mezcal Margarita” →

A classic summer cocktail gets a fresh twist: Spanish Gin & Tonic

In Spain, the classic gin & tonic gets more relaxed, more creative, more sippably refreshing, with more garnishes and lots of ice. Recipe below.

Spanish Gin & Tonic

THE CLASSIC BRITISH GIN & TONIC has been one of my summer go-tos for years. Easy to make, and crisp and refreshing to drink. Turns out Spanish bartenders have long been doing their own take on gin & tonics, amping up the drink’s classic taste with a whole range of interesting garnishes and dialing up its summeryness. Continue reading “A classic summer cocktail gets a fresh twist: Spanish Gin & Tonic” →

A travel-inspired cocktail: Rhubarb and Rye

Rye whiskey, Aperol and orange bitters combine with a simple rhubarb purée to create a tart, refreshing summer cocktail. Recipes below.

Rhubarb and Rye Cocktail

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]O[/su_dropcap]ur most recent road trip took us up through Wisconsin and Minnesota and up to the northern shore of Lake Superior. This was the first time we’d visited many of these places, and we loved it. Continue reading “A travel-inspired cocktail: Rhubarb and Rye” →

Mezzing with a vodka classic: Mezcal Mule

This summery riff on the Moscow Mule swaps mezcal for vodka; a chile/cayenne pepper mix adds a little heat to this refreshing drink. Recipe below.

Mezcal Mule

I’M A FAN OF WORDPLAY. Not puns exactly, but riffing on sounds and sometimes meanings. So when I came across a mention of a Mezcal Mule, based on the vodka classic the Moscow Mule, I was already halfway there. The mezcal quickly got me the rest of the way. Continue reading “Mezzing with a vodka classic: Mezcal Mule” →

Mezcal adds smoke to Mexico’s favorite cocktail: Smoky Paloma

The Paloma, usually made with tequila, is made here with mezcal. Grapefruit juice stands in for the more commonly used grapefruit soda. Recipe below.

Smoky Paloma

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BAR, THE BARREL, HAS MANY CHARMS. It’s tucked up under an El station. The mostly punkish jukebox offers a nice soundtrack to the evening, and the bartenders supply lively conversation when you want it. But one of the biggest draws for us is the cheap, delicious, inventively named cocktails. Our current favorite is the Rosemary’s Baby Daddy. Continue reading “Mezcal adds smoke to Mexico’s favorite cocktail: Smoky Paloma” →

A last splash of summer, via LA and a friend: Gin and Yuzu Tonic Melissa

Lemongrass, grapefruit and a pair of esoteric ingredients—yuzu tonic water and pink peppercorns—elevate a faithful summer go-to, gin & tonics. Recipe below.

Gin and Yuzu Tonic

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]hen we’re making cocktails at home, we generally keep things pretty simple. We make classics like Campari and sodas, gin and tonics, and old fashioneds, or play around in an offhanded way with bitters, simple syrup and splashes of lime or lemon juice. But sometimes, we get inspired by fancy bartender cocktails. And sometimes, that inspiration comes secondhand and long distance. Continue reading “A last splash of summer, via LA and a friend: Gin and Yuzu Tonic Melissa” →

Cocktail in a can: just add gin to Trader Joe’s Lemon Elderflower Soda

Gin and store-bought lemon elderflower soda—and maybe optional lemon—make a quick, refreshing summer cocktail. Recipe below.

Gin with Lemon Elderflower Soda

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’re big fans of fancy cocktails. We like the arcane ingredients, the layered flavors, the rituals of making them. We like sitting at bars and watching bartenders construct artisanal cocktails (everything is artisanal these days, so why not cocktails?). We like making them at home. But sometimes, all you need is something cold, refreshing, boozy and easy to make. This cocktail is exactly that. Continue reading “Cocktail in a can: just add gin to Trader Joe’s Lemon Elderflower Soda” →