Barefoot Bubbly, coffee and tequila... piqued your interest?
I am a liquids girl. While spending time on my computer, I like to have a beverage nearby. A coffee, a water, some tea. In my car is no different: a coffee or water nestled into a holder. At home, dinner time and with guests: some wine, a cocktail, an aperitif. Even in college and grad school, I would make myself huge lattes---while plugging my way through homework. Plus water... to off-set the caffeine.
Even now, while I sit at Cafe Ladro in Fremont [in Seattle], I am sipping a cappuccino.
On weekends I love to make cocktails. For holidays, I create new cocktails. I will be honest: I am not a big fan of flavored vodkas or liquors. I like to stick to 'plain' vodka, and add my own fresh-squeezed juice. My margaritas are often sans the overly, sugary 'margarita mix' (most are pretty nasty if you look at the ingredients, though hats off to Trader Joe's for their margarita mix. If you haven't tried it---and you normally use a mix---this one is worthy). I usually use Hornitostequila, with a splash of triple sec---cointreau if I have it---and lots of fresh squeezed lime. (Of course, it has ruined me. I rarely order margaritas in restaurants anymore, I find them too sugary).
(I was sent a tiny sample of Partido Tequila. Yummo---more on that in another post).
Barefoot sent me a bottle of bubbly to ring in the New Year. How nice was that?! It made my day when the UPS guy showed up end-of-DEC with a special bottle---compliments of Barefoot Wines---to help me ring in the New Year. I was torn between using it to count down the last minutes of 2010 OR combining it with some fruit and yumminess for a holiday brunch.
Then I found a fun recipe in Fine Cooking's recent magazine for a holiday cocktail with bubbly, a little simple syrup and pomegranate juice. (And you know I have an affection for pomegranate cocktails, right?). It was a perfect way to add dazzle to a holiday brunch, a nice treat for our out-of-town guests. (You can buy Barefoot Bubbly from the barrel room or locate a store near you).
