Sexy Sparkling Shiraz

One of our favorite sparkly sips is this sexy bubbly- SHINGLEBACK’S SPARKLING SHIRAZ.

Hailing from Australia’s McLaren Vale where grapes grow like Napa, this wine retains all the characteristics of a great shiraz, plus bubbles. The wine is hearty and the dose of bubbles doesn’t diminish its medium to heavy body. The flavor offers a big hit of dark fruit- blackberries, black cherries, with spice, even licorice. The wine is less sweet than most other sparkling shiraz I’ve tasted. That allows for a depth of layered flavors.

The grapes are pulled from multiple years and, obviously the manipulation to achieve the sparkle, tends to keep purists from this wine. For me the unique qualities of the result and because it’s damn delicious precludes that bias. I call it sexy because its extremely rewarding in flavor and mouthfeel.

We drank a bottle of this last weekend in our first Snowpocalypse in the Northeastern US. We drank it before a meal, but I think the wine would make a great pairing with a variety of foods. The body and spice in the wine would make it a hit with anything spicy and/or sweet, in particular Indian, Chinese or BBQ of any cuisine. I’d also drink it with braised beef dishes like short ribs or pot roast. A roasted chicken with sweet potatoes would be another idea.

Check this baby out. I think you’ll find it a rewarding sipper!

My Milkshake Brings All the Beer to the Yard

NORTHWAY BREWING COMPANY, MANGO MILKSHAKE IPA

Milkshake beers aren’t just for stouts anymore.

The milk sugar and lactose give a sweetness to the beer as well as an incredibly smooth finish. NORTHWAY BREWING COMPANY’S MANGO MILKSHAKE IPA is no exception.

It is brewed with Citrus, Mosaic, Waimea and Kohuta hops. I thought it was a brewery-only release that I missed, but lo and behold I walked into my local beverage mart and it was on tap for growler fill. SCORE!

The sweetness of the milk, sugar and mango balance the bitter flavor some people enjoy in an IPA. You still get the expected and appreciated grassy/citrus notes. Enjoy this with a cheeseburger and fries, or any other meal you would eat with a milkshake!

The best thing you've never sipped

This liqueur is one of the most unique and delicious liquors I’ve ever tasted. It is made from grapes of the Galicia region in Spain. They make several versions of this spirit- some being oak aged, some being held and released after years. For this particular blend- No. 4, ABADIA DA COVA, Cream Liquor, a milk cream is added to the traditional distillation.

The blend is extremely smooth and satisfying- not as thick as Bailey’s, but more thick than a glass of milk. The texture offers a comfort of sorts. The flavor is like nothing I’ve had before- it is a combination of cream, cinnamon, almond (though there are NO nuts in the liqueur) even coconut. It is sweet, but not cloyingly sweet like a Schnapps. The balanced sweetness offers a very pleasant richness, very similar to panna cotta.

Just pour a bit in a glass. It is best at room temperature, and definitely without ice. You don’t want to dilute this in any way. It is very rich and a two-ounce pour is a healthy serving.

This is meant to be sipped slowly. We’ve enjoyed it with almond biscotti, chocolate chip cookies, even chocolate truffles. God knows, it needs no help, but it did pair well with baked goods after a meal. I would have no problem serving it as the singular dessert next time.

This is truly one of the most unique and satisfying sips I’ve had in years. If there is one liqueur I’d tell you to try this winter, there is no question it would be this magical distillation from Galicia.

Wizard of Blizzard!

TRÖEGS INDEPENDENT BREWING’S BLIZZARD OF HOPS

The holiday break is over and now it’s time to get back to beer! We’re past all these Christmas spiced beers and on to some brews to enjoy over the winter.

TRÖEGS’ BLIZZARD OF HOPS is a "‘Winter IPA’, and the closest thing we’ve had to a real blizzard here in the northeast so far this winter. Cold, yes. Snow, no.

This beer is like a cross between a traditional IPA and an east coast IPA. You’ll see that in the clearer texture of the beer with just a touch of haze. The bright straw color is a welcome sunburst on a cold day.

I was hit first with the pine notes followed by a citrus finish. Though it is a stronger beer at 6.8% alc. and IBU of 80, it has a smooth finish.

Don’t be afraid to pair this brew with hearty faire. It will stand up to a nice stew on a cold winter’s night.

Fresh Citrus Margarita fights those winter time blues

Happy New Year, everyone!

After all our holiday entertaining we have eaten and sipped our way through dozens of cuisines, bottles and kegs. In addition to a few extra pounds….we also find ourselves with an abundance of lemons and limes .

One of my favorite sips is a mixed citrus margarita. This bongs so many bells- it’s relatively light; it uses extra citrus fruits; you can customize your favorite citrus flavors; it can be made blended or served on the rocks; and its a killer start to nearly any meal.

Pile any citrus fruits you have on hand. To our heap of lemons and limes we added clementines (Halo, halo…). If we had a grapefruit it would have joined the party. Choose citrus flavors you love. Then juice them. I’m convinced we own every kitchen gadget and small appliance known to man, but we do not own a juicer. We use the pointy kind that looks like a mini-UFO, and a lot of elbow and wrist grease.

Add some tequila, triple sec, and wham! If you’d like it blended, add ice and use your blender to the slushee consistency you like. If you’re a rocks person, mix it all in a shaker and serve over ice. Salt rimmed glasses perfectly compliment the tangy sweetness of the cocktail. That’s it.

The pic above is made in the rocks style. And as we’re big advocates of garnishes that feature ingredients used in a cocktail, the answer was obvious. We munched on tortilla chips and homemade guacamole which is an ideal pairing. But the citrus in these sippers would pair well with nearly any munchie- it cuts the richness of buffalo wings or a cheese pizza like a boss. Make up a batch of these and we promise this month will feel less January-ish, if even for a few hours.

Glasses up for a wonderful 2019. We wish you your best year, yet!

FRESH CITRUS MARGARITA

2 parts silver tequila
1 part triple sec
1 part fresh citrus juice (limes, lemons, clementines, oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit- combo of your faves)
Salt-rimmed glasses
Citrus slices for garnish

ON THE ROCKS: Add tequila, triple sec and fresh juice to a shaker with a few cubes of ice. Shake the hell out of it, at least until the shaker is ice cold. Pour into salt-rimmed glasses full of ice, and garnish with fresh citrus slices.

BLENDED: Add tequila, triple sec and fresh juice in a blender with a healthy amount of ice. Pulse to your desired consistency. Serve in salt-rimmed glasses and garnish with fresh citrus slices.

SALT-RIMMED GLASSES: Use a quarter of a lime and rub it around the rim of a glass. Dip the glass into a bowl of kosher salt. Done….!