Colombian Hot Chocolate

My first year in Colombia was full of new food, new music, new language, and new friends. Trips to the market and grocery stores were adventures that required advance preparation, such as looking up ingredients in a Spanish dictionary or calling friends to inquire about local terminology. I had studied German in high school, which [...]

Strawberry Lavender Lemonade

We started growing culinary lavender in our garden two summers ago, then last summer had to move the plants to pots to make room for more vegetables. One of my lavenders didn’t fare well, but the other two were doing splendidly until the uber snow storms of 2010. They look rather spindly now, a mere [...]

Pomegranate-Ginger-Chile Nojito Cocktail

Andrea Meyers - Pomegranate-Ginger-Chile Nojito Cocktail

Pomegranates are one of the most festive fruits. The deep red color of the arils captures the eye, and the flavor of the juice is a wonder on its own and is very versatile. Though we’ve enjoyed pomegranate juice for a while, this year marks the very first time we ever purchased pomegranates, and as [...]

Peppermint Paddy Cocktail

Andrea Meyers - Peppermint Paddy Cocktail

Peppermint and chocolate is one of my all-time flavor combinations, and this hot treat with white hot chocolate, chocolate whipped cream, and minty Altoids is a perfect dessert drink for a cold day. A twist on the classic Hot Peppermint Patty drink, this white hot chocolate cocktail is spiked with brandy, white crème de menthe, [...]

Pure Passion Cocktail

Andrea Meyers - Pure Passion Cocktail

New Year’s celebrations just aren’t the same without champagne, and mixing up champagne cocktails is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the bubbly. This cocktail recipe has passion fruit juice, lime juice, triple sec, and a brut cava, and the sugared rim with chili powder gives it a mix of sweet and spicy. Passion [...]

Cider Car Cocktail

Andrea Meyers - Cider Car Cocktail

As the snow fell and piled up during the now infamous blizzard of December ‘09, I stayed in the kitchen baking cookies and getting ready for Christmas with a mug of hot cider in hand. We like it spiked with spiced rum or cinnamon schnapps with a stick of cinnamon in the mug, but this [...]

Big O Cocktail

Andrea Meyers - Big O Cocktail

Christmas is past, New Year’s Eve is approaching, and whether you host or attend large parties, intimate gatherings, or stay at home with your loved ones, festive drinks are part of the celebration of the new year. We began taste testing new (to us) cocktails over the weekend and will share some of our favorites [...]

Rhubarb Margarita

Andrea Meyers - Rhubarb Margarita

I can’t imagine celebrating Cinco de Mayo weekend or enjoying a good Mexican meal without margaritas. My favorite margarita is the classic tequila/Triple Sec/lime juice concoction on the rocks with a bit of salt on the rim, but I’m always up for trying new varieties. This rhubarb margarita from 101 Margaritas by Kim Haasarud intrigued [...]

Avocado Smoothie with Soy Milk

Our weekday schedule is busy like any other family, and some days I feel like I meet myself coming and going with no opportunity to sit down and have a proper breakfast or lunch. So I try to keep easy healthy foods on hand such as fresh fruit and vegetables, things I can grab quickly [...]

Arancello (Orange Liqueur)

Andrea Meyers - Arancello (Orange Liqueur)

Last year Michael had a business trip that took him to Naples, Italy for the very first time. Needless to say he was very excited about the trip and sought all sorts of advice on local foods to try, and everyone familiar with the area told him he could not leave Naples without trying the [...]

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