During this episode, Rachelle chats with Robert Simonson, cocktail and drinks writer for the New York Times, six-time Tales of the Cocktails Spirited Award nominee, and the author of The Old-Fashioned. As one of the leading authorities on spirits and cocktail culture in the United States, he also writes for Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Imbibe,…
During this episode, Rachelle chats with April Wachtel, Founder of Swig + Swallow — a cocktail party that comes in a box. She’s a twenty year veteran in the beverage and hospitality industry, and has worked in every role from busser to bartender to beverage consultant. She’s developed recipes for Lincoln Center Kitchen and MetLife…
During this episode, Rachelle chats with Brian Christenson about his family’s bootlegging past, the craft spirits trend, and what goes into making the perfect cocktail. Brian is co-woner of Blinking Owl Distillery, the very first craft distillery in Orange County, California. Brian’s great grandfather was a bootlegger in Nebraska, so the love of hand-crafted spirits…
During this episode, Rachelle chats with Anthony Caporale, the director of beverage studies at the Institute of Culinary Education about classic cocktails and how he brings them from the classroom to the state. Anthony is also the Producer and Host of Art of the Drink TV, the leading cocktail web show with millions of viewers worldwide…
Rum punch and large batch cocktails are a new trend, and Patick Williams with Punch Bowl Social gives us the scoop on this cocktail revival during this episode. Learn about the five ingredients that make a classic punch, the history of punch, and a few great recipes to try at home too. Look for the…
Ever wonder about cocktail history and the story and behind your favorite cocktails? Want to know how egg nog got it’s name? Or which historic figure was known for rolling a barrel of cider? From mulled wine, to hot toddys, this episode is full of holiday spirit. Rachelle chats with Tim Hewes, a bartender at the…
I’ve had a stuffy-nose kinda cold this past week. I know, lousy way to start off the new year. But the good news is that I had a gin hot toddy recipe I’d been intending to make and this cold gave me the perfect excuse to open up a bottle of gin in the name…
Ever since visiting London Cocktail Week and exploring gin distilleries around Great Britain, I’ve been on a bit of a gin cocktail kick. And out of all the gin cocktails I’ve researched (*cough* tasted *cough*), this one was the most surprising. Here’s the story: I had just spent the day exploring Belfast, Giant’s Causeway, and…
If there were ever a cocktail perfect for a winter warm up, it would be the hot spiced cinnamon rum drink known in Ecuador and Columbia as the Canelazo. Not only is it mildly sweet and deliciously flavored with holiday spices, but I’m pretty sure this would knock out a cold too. At least, that’s probably what…
Some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted was in Cape Town, and this iced coffee cocktail is a delicious reminder of the creative coffee drinks I sipped while visiting South Africa. There’s a liquor from South Africa made from the marula fruit. Legend has it, elephants would eat this fruit and get a little…
Inspired by my trip to London to explore gin, and my recent trip to Thailand, here’s a cocktail that infuses the tropical and spiced flavors of Asia including ingredients like mango, ginger, and an unusual gin I found in London that is cardamom forward, Ophir Spiced Gin. I garnished these with rambutan, a hot pink…
I love the flavors of rosemary and lemon blended together and this recipe for Lemon Rosemary Gin Fizz is light, refreshing, and perfect for any occasion. The combination of aromas are zingy, fresh, and remind me of Italy where Pete and I spent our honeymoon. We even had a similar cocktail served at our wedding! While visiting…
This is perhaps one of my favorite gin cocktails. It’s like dessert in a jar. Inspired by one of the strawberry cocktails I tried in Belfast at the Belfast Bar & Grill while visiting Ireland, I tried making something similar at home and added blueberries, blackberries, and a big old mason jar to give it…