Bittersweet love

Hallo! I wrote another lil’ something for Delectable about amaro! You can learn all the fancy fun facts (and lack thereof) and get my tasting notes on them here but in the meantime let me introduce you to my favorite new find of the year: Amaro Dell’Erbolista.

I broke down and got it after numerous people sang it’s praises to me. It’s a big ol’ bottle and once you taste you’ll be glad. It is one of the bitterest if the bitter yet has a backdrop of toasted marshmallow that haunts you. Close your eyes take a sip and see if you don’t see a campfire. Like if you could put a toasted marshmallow on an autumn leaf I imagine it tastes like this bathed in citrus juice.

Granted I haven’t had a toasted marshmallow in a minute, being vegetarian. But I’ve a had a vegan mallow here and there so I think I remember what the genuine article tastes like?

Get some and you be the judge.

Muah, dahlings. Off to shoot an audition then get back to work on my next two Delectable pieces for September. Hope to keep them bitter and sweet as my…personality? I dunno I’m not bitter. Just a little damaged. But hopeful. Okay not gonna get deep here.

Go get some amaro.

Stop! New things!

Okay I know. Cocktails aren’t a totally new thing but they are a break in the wine content.

It’s bloody 107 degrees in Los Angeles as I write and a frosty cocktail is called for. A cute frosty cocktail. Garnished with a bottle of amaro.

I don’t normally drink tequila but when I do I get fancy. Reposado? Not too shabby.

I regret nothing.

I give you:

Ice-Berg

From Brad Thomas Parson’s “Amaro”

1 oz reposado tequila

1 bottle underberg

1 oz orgeat

3/4 fresh lemon juice

Blend with about a cup of ice. Rejoice.

Shower wine?

I keep hearing of people who are so busy, so stressed, SO MULTITASKING they are drinking in the shower.

All this seems unnecessary to me? Like I could see tub booze if you are a soaker but…what the hell I was curious if wine in the shower was that delightful.

My consensus was it is. But only because other people said it was. Like only because I’m telling you I found a glass slender enough not to let the shower water in and chilled enough the shower didn’t make it unacceptably warm and wtf why the fuck are y’all ENJOYING booze in the bath?!

I think anything edible should not be in the bathroom. Chocolate in bed?! Ok. Wine in bed?! If you are careful. Wine in the shower? Nah. I cannot endorse.

This message brought to you by a concerned wino.

Lady MacDeath

Out, out damned wine spot!
This drink is blood orange and Campari and port and jealousy, ambition and hidden violence in the night. And psychotic breakdown

Lady MacDeath
1 1/2 oz ruby port
1 oz Campari
1/2 oz blood orange
Cava to taste
Stir the port, Campari and blood orange. Add the Cava. Plot domination.

Pairs Well With Queso

We took a hiatus. “Girls” may be over for the season, but we wanted to keep drinking. And so we did. And put it on digital for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy this beverage, please. I did.

Ps thank you Captain Morgan for the barrage of rum. It was delightful. 

Pps Everyone PLEASE get some friggin’ queso.

Pairs Well With Queso (makes 2)

• 2 1/2 oz grapefruit rum 
• 1 1/2 oz bourbon (used my favorite standby Maker’s Mark)
• 1 1/2 oz dry vermouth 
• 1 1/4 oz Purely Syrup Habanero simple syrup
• Tonic water
• Mixture of cane sugar and sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 a grapefruit

Press a glass into the grapefruit, then dip in the sugar/paprika mixture.

Shake everything else but the tonic. Strain and top with tonic.

Dunham Daiquiri

I have major issues spelling daiquiri. And I am generally a good speller. But I keep getting tripped up on this one. I keep wanting to add a c. I think that is because there is a thing called a dacquoise. It is layers of meringue and buttercream and I really want to make one. And maybe I will have time now that my web series is done.

Done for now. This was the “Girls” series finale drink! But I plan to keep making funny drink-making videos maybe every month or so.

I wanted to make something to honor Lena Dunham. Since she is a writer I thought a riff on a writer’s favorite drink would be apropos. I recently discovered the joys of a well-made daiquiri, and since Ernest Hemingway has one named after him I thought a Dunham Daiquiri was in order.

I turned to my arrangement of random booze and started playing. Then I asked the cocktail subreddit if they had ideas. Then I experimented more. This involved multiple tries to get a good balance. But I think I have it.

One more note–in the video somehow me adding the lime juice got edited out. But I did add it.

Here ya go:
Dunham Daiquiri a variation by moi
2 oz. rum (the clear type–I used Bacardi which is not fancy but not bad)
1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice (don’t use pre-squeezed, if you do you may as well not bother)
1/2 oz. demerara simple syrup (combine two parts demerara sugar to one part water in a small saucepan and heat and stir until it is dissolved–don’t let it boil!)
1/2 oz. tawny port
1/4 oz. fernet branca
Shake it up.

The GodDaddy

This episode was called Daddy Issues. Only two more of these acting-career-oriented posts I promise.
There is a drink called the Godfather I felt could use some sprucing up.  I called my mom’s dad Granddaddy.
Hence the multiple reasons the GodDaddy was born. A riff on Godfather and not to be confused with Godaddy. Great website host. Terrible drink I’m sure. 

 
THE GOD-DADDY a riff on the classic Godfather 

• 2 oz. rye 
• 1/2 oz. amaretto 
• 1/4 tsp. syrup from Luxardo cherries 
• dashes angostura

Stir n strain. 

The WOManhattan, a Classic Cocktail for Girls (and boys)

THE LATEST. Because I cannot help but be puny.

And some people have two cherries.

THE WOManhattan
2 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1 oz. sweet vermouth (I used Martini and Rossi)
Lots of angostura bitters
2 Luxardo cherries
Stir bourbon, vermouth and bitters over ice. Strain into chilled coupes and add cherries.

Look ma, I garnished: Pumpkin week day 3

Considerably more attractive than yesterday’s shake, eh? I am particularly excited for this Pumpkin Protein Shake, changed only a bit from Meals and Moves, because it is thanks to this blog that I discovered the wonders of xanthum gum. And as soon as I manage to find guar gum I hope to experience more shake magic. One of my complaints about protein shakes is that they either have too little body, or too much ice. How to get a thick, creamy texture without having to add ice? Use one of these gums. It makes your shake like almost like pudding. Liiiiiiike puddin’. So I’ll quit my yammering and give you the recipe I made last night:
Pumpkin Protein Shake(adapted-just barely-from Meals and Moves)
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup pumpkin(from a can)
4 tsp. cinnamon
generous pinches of ginger and nutmeg
small pinch ground cloves
dash of vanilla
1/2 tsp. xanthum gum
sweetener to taste(is used a few packets of Equal-yeah I know its bad for you oh well)
Blend it up. Pour it in a glass and if you’re feeling frou-frou garnish with a dash of cinnamon and a shot of Reddi-whip. Love that stuff.

P.S.

I Love You.
Wait, not you! Unless you are in my family or your name is Eleanor then I love you with all my heart.
But if you are not I’m sure you are a very nice person who I could potentially love. This is getting weird.
P. S. I Love You was the name of this DELICIOUS drink. So good I didn’t get a pic before it was gone. This was from the Bartender’s Companion and it contains the three liqueurs I adore above all others. Make it. Drink it. Fall in love.
P.S. I Love You(adapted from Bartender’s Companion)
Fill the glass you are going to use with ice. Dump this ice into a shaker and add:
1/2 oz. Bailey’s
1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Rum(I used clear Bacardi)
Shake, shake shake!
Pour it, ice and all back into the cup and top off with half and half. I added a pretty healthy amount. Yummmmm. Taste the love.