I’m usually not one for sweeter, creamy cocktails. At least not anymore. There are two exceptions, though.
Sometimes I can swing one for dessert. And, if they are spiced, I think they fit right in with the holiday season.
So when I was flipping through my review copy of Maggie Hoffman’s The One-Bottle Cocktail, the On the Sly caught my eye. I took a second glance due to the combination of it being spiced, creamy, coffee-infused, and…it uses Scotch!
The Beers Knees cocktail is a drink that feels like it was made for me. Gin, honey, lemon, and beer! It’s from Booze & Vinyl, a book that is going to lead to all kinds of fun for upcoming parties.
After the kitchen remodel was finished up last year, it was finally time for my husband to work on getting his home office in order. The first step involved finding a slab of black walnut that he finished as a beautiful table. Second, getting a record player for that table along with some new vinyl.
He’s the music person in the family so I simply get to reap the benefits of the music being played. But we have some other related things in common, our enjoyment of throwing a party with friends, and making and drinking cocktails.
So when I received a review copy of Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks by André Darlington and Tenaya Darlington a little while back, as you will see, it was downright perfect.
This recipe for Spanish Fideos, a toasted pasta dish, comes from the new cookbook by the Editors at America’s Test Kitchen, Just Add Sauce.
I mentioned that inspiration has been a little low in the kitchen lately. I don’t think I’m alone, if I can believe what my social media feeds are telling me. Everyone seems to be in a bit of a creativity drought.
To help solve it, I’ve been turning to my cookbook shelf. It’s not quite as heavy as it once was. I am a lot better at keeping around only the ones that inspire me and that I at least plan to cook from in the very near future.
While I’m a little more selective these days, if a book offers me something that I’m not yet familar with or a special look at food that can change the way I cook, I’ll dig in.
This time around, that something was sauces.
I don’t read nearly as often as I feel like I should or as often as I want to. I make an effort to set aside time during the week, but most of my reading time still ends up being when I’m traveling, on a plane or between exploring new destinations.
There are so many books I want to read. The list is endless. I’m usually reading a couple different titles at the same time.
This year I have encountered some excellent books so I thought I’d share this as a bit of a gift guide in case you have food and drink lovers in your life who also love reading.
I have four that inspired me and really stood out over the past several months.
There is still time to order these books online or hop in your favorite local book retailer to see if they have a copy. No affiliate links here, but one book was sent to me as a review copy as noted. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
I welcome the tartness and I shy away from adding too much sugar.
That’s my relationship with cranberries.
I love cranberry. It easily ranks in the top 5 for my favorite holiday flavors. Or I guess I should say foods, with it being an actual fruit and all.
It’s why this cranberry upside down cake immediately got my attention.
Lately, I find myself being associated more with beer, given my new book. But truth be told, I love cider, too!
I’ve done a bit of cider writing this year and I’m intrigued not only by the varieties cider but by the varieties of cider apples. There are so many types I’m just beginning to learn about them along with the type of flavors they bring to the finished product.
So I drink cider, but I have yet to attempt making cider on my own.
When that time comes, though, good news. I have the perfect resource.
Citrus is such a highlight in the winter. I look forward it every year. The oranges, lemons, and mandarins – there are so many varieties to choose from around here.
The season is just getting started and navels have started popping up at the farm stand.
As soon as I spotted that the local, in-season oranges had arrived, I knew exactly what I was going to make.
We’d been living in the Central Valley for weeks before we finally stepped into the beer garden. How had we not known this place was here? Succulents, rustic reclaimed wood and antique farm pieces for plant holders, and outdoor seating.
Then, the beer list. The beer list!
Faction, Fieldwork, and so many others. Breweries we used to spend our time at in the Bay and travel to around the state.
Not to sound too dramatic, but this feeling fell over me as if to say – wow, we might fit in here after all. Walking into Pita Kabob‘s downtown gastropub that day was the most settling experience I’d had since we’d moved from the Bay to the Valley.
Not just great food and a killer craft beer list, but people who appreciated great food and killer craft beer. I find it important to surround myself with both.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago.
It is finally here!
Food on Tap: Cooking with Craft Beer publishes today!
I’m so grateful to everyone who helped make this book possible and to those who have been so excited to share about it. Notes from Instagram stories and other social outlets have been flowing my way over the past couple weeks and it’s like a big virtual hug.
I’m not sure how other cookbook authors feel, but I find it a bit awkward to promote my own book. I share bits and pieces on social, but I’m never quite sure what to write about it here on the blog.
This twist on one of my favorite brunch meals pairs Crab Cakes Benedict with the crisp 2013 Oak Knoll Chardonnay sent to me this month from Cultivar Wine.
We were at least a year into our time living in the Bay Area before I discovered Crab Cakes Benedict. To be honest, I’d probably only started eating regular Eggs Benedict not long before that.
The crab cake version, though? Well, it blew the old standby away. In all honesty, I can’t say that I was a super huge fan of the original anyway. The Canadian bacon on the English muffin didn’t do much for me, nor did the sauce.
But Crab Cakes Benedict is a whole different story.
