Blackberry Fizz

I’m lucky enough to have a mother-in-law that makes her own blackberry jam every year.  I hold this jam very close to my heart and love slathering it on buttery toast and, yes, even making the occasional pb&j.  And obviously I’ve been looking for more and more ways to enjoy this perfect present!

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That’s where a jam cocktail comes in.  Jam adds the perfect sweetness and acidity to classic cocktails (think orange marmalade in an Old Fashioned or raspberry jam in a Tom Collins) and is easy to pair with your liquor of choice to make an endless amount of tasty combinations.  For me, that choice is always bourbon.

Blackberry Fizz

-Blackberry Jam

-Bourbon

-Sparkling Water

Combine a heaping tablespoon of jam to about 2 ounces of bourbon and stir until the jam is dissolved.  Top off with sparkling water and lots of ice.  It really doesn’t get easier (or more delicious) than that!  Enjoy!

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Spiced Christmas Cocktail

 It’s almost Christmas, and we all know ’tis the season for lots of eating and drinking.  And while I love so many holiday drinks, sometimes there is only so much eggnog you can consume before going into a cream coma.  That’s why I love this lightened up Spiced Christmas Cocktail.  It has such a good zip from the fresh ginger and orange juice, and the cinnamon and bourbon make it feel really festive without going over the top.  You can make the infused simple syrup ahead of time and store it in the fridge for weeks.  Then it’s just a matter of mixing up a drink for yourself or making a large batch to serve as punch.

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Spiced Simple Syrup

-1/2 c. sugar

-1/2 c. water

-2 inches of ginger, sliced thin

-1 cinnamon stick

Combine all of the ingredients in a small sauce pot and bring to a gentle boil.  Let it boil for a minute or two, remove it from the heat, and let the mixture completely cool before straining and storing it in the fridge.

 

Spiced Christmas Cocktail

-1/2 part spiced simple syrup

-2 parts bourbon

-2 parts orange juice

-1 part water

Combine all of the ingredients and top with lots of ice.  When making this for a single cocktail, I used a jigger to measure the different parts, but if you want to make a punch (as I’m sure all of those family members staying at your house for Christmas will want you to), just increase the volumes while sticking with this same ratio.  Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

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Four Faves of the Week

  1. Homemade Halloween Costumes. Like the good old school kind that you actually make for yourself or your children. I don’t mean like actually sewing them, just pulling things together from your house to make most of your costume. Sure more effort, but also so much more fun and funny. Julia and I were always the neighborhood kids in the homemade costumes. I chose to be things like David the Gnome, so cute and girly. Julia would be Dorothy or one year she was Lambchop.

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2.  Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats.

I am obsessed with this band–they are feet tapping good. Perfect driving or weekend music. My favorite song, S.O.B., is one that I would have had to tell my parents that “I just liked the music and beat and was not even paying attention to the words”.. I tried this trick starting at age 12 with the Spice Girls ‘Wanna Be’ through high school rap songs. I feel sure it never actually worked, but it made me feel better. Look them up on Spotify or better yet download the record from iTunes. You will actually be able to listen to the entire album, not skipping a single song, unless you have children that can talk and are in the car..  Then just skip my favorite one and come back to it after you’ve dropped them off. Not to mention I love the squash blossom necklace on the cover of this album, I am ALWAYS on the search for a good, vintage version of this necklace.

  

3. Burnt

Previews and press for this Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller film have been everywhere, but it comes out tomorrow and we are SO excited. It hasn’t actually my gotten rave reviews, but a coming of age story filled with great actors and lots of cooking – count me in.



4.  The Hot Toddy 

It’s chilly enough for a nice warm drink, and one of my favorites is a classic Hot Toddy.  1 oz. bourbon, 1 Tbsp honey, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 hot water.  It just doesn’t get easier.  And hey, it apparently also cures the common cold, so you’re basically helping your immune system.  You’re welcome.

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Summery Date Night In with a Sweet Tea Smash

My fiance and I will be married in less than a week, and we are more than a little excited! But with all of the friends, family, and festivities coming up, what we really need right now is some time to ourselves to get ready for this next big step together.  So last night we threw together a simple date night in to give us a little time to get to hang out before all of the hubbub commences!

The last thing either of us needed was to add anything else to our crazy to-do lists, so a simple meal on my teeny balcony with lots of sunshine, happy summer music, and a Southern cocktail really hit the spot!

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The Menu:

-fish tacos with creamy jalapeno slaw

-chips and salsa

-ice cold watermelon

The Cocktails:

-Sweet Tea Smash:  sweet tea and bourbon with lots of lemon and ice–this is so refreshing and cool on a hot summer afternoon

The Soundtrack:

-Railroad Earth–check out some of their hits while you sip a summery cocktail!

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026-Julia