Just in time for your next backyard barbecue party, Williams-Sonoma is offering sale prices on 3 different cocktail mixes. Each of these sale items is more than 50% off the suggested retail price, so stocking up is a good idea. These items are all exclusive to Williams-Sonoma.

Gramercy Tavern Cocktail Mixes
Suggested retail $15.95, on sale for $5.99
The Cranberry Daiquiri mix and the Gramercy Parksider mix are both included in this sale. The Cranberry mix is a combination of cranberry and orange juice that match well with dark rum. The Parksider is meant to mix with either vodka or gin. It contains …read more

I realize that I’m a little late to the party, but I just discovered  the HBO hit True Blood (Season One) this weekend. I am renting the dvds and in one episode, Sookie goes to a bar and orders a gin and tonic. She makes the comment that one gin and tonic is much like any other (she uses different words and a cuter expression, because she’s Sookie). Ever since that episode, I’ve been craving a cool, refreshing gin and tonic.
I can remember my very first one. I was 20 and in cosmetology school. A group of us went over …read more

As a kid, I was always fascinated by the different alcoholic drinks mentioned in television shows. Having grown up in a house with no alcohol, drinks like martinis or an Old Fashioned just sounded so sophisticated and grown-up.

Though my husband and I still aren’t big drinkers, I think it’d be fun to learn some of the basic, classic cocktails:
Allrecipes has a list of ten classic cocktails, including a rye Manhattan, whiskey sour, and gimlet, as well as basics like screwdrivers and margaritas.
The Art of Manliness has five that “every man should know,” and includes the Old Fashioned, Tom Collins, …read more

After a long week, and another long week looming, my husband I decided Saturday night to kick back after the kids were in bed!
Several years ago we had a restaurant here in town called Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill. Sadly, they’ve since left the state and took with them one of the best drinks I’d ever had — a Chambord Raspberry Margarita.
One day I was hunting around online, browsing through a couple of those “secret recipe” websites that supposedly reveal the secret ingredients and methods restaurants use to prepare certain dishes, and came across one for the margarita.
I printed it out but …read more

After writing about cooking with champagne the other day I did a little searching for some fun drink recipes.
The above video by Marie Guaragna-Beirne illustrates a simple idea for a holiday champagne punch, perfect for a New Year’s Eve get-together!
Check out other videos for artichoke dip, quick and easy appetizers, and warm raspberry brie.

I’ve never really given much thought to cooking with champagne, though I’m not sure why. Food Network has put together a list of 100 Champagne Recipes, and if I think about it next time (and can find it at a reasonable price) I might try making my pork chops with champagne next time!
Champagne Brie Fondue isn’t so far-fetched (and actually sounds divine), and Emeril’s Champagne Sabayon couldn’t be any easier.
The majority of the recipes are really just easy add-ins (strawberries, apricot nectar, etc), but I like the ones that offer a little more creativity, like Jacques Torres’ Champagne Truffles or …read more

I love eggnog but have yet to make it from scratch, and truth be told I don’t think I’ve ever had it with alcohol in it either!
The video above, made by Lauren Braun Costello of Gotham Caterers, makes it from scratch with a recipe used by George Washington. It uses two cups of brandy, one cup of dark rum, one cup of rye whiskey, and one cup of cream sherry!
A happy holiday indeed!

 
 image:  www.freeimages.co.uk
If you are preparing for a Halloween party, looking for a basic cocktail for your guests or maybe just something to down while you are handing out Halloween Candy, this may be a nice pick-me-up. 
Rachael Ray’s Evil Spirit Cocktail:
Ingredients:

Ice cubes

2 1/4 cups vodka

Juice of 6 lemons

1 cup grenadine

Club soda, chilled

Directions:
Fill a pitcher with ice cubes. Pour in the vodka, lemon juice and grenadine and stir until chilled. Strain the mixture into martini glasses and top with club soda.

I have been reading around our Lifestyles channel and came across a tidbit of information…September is the month of the Flamingo.
Sandi Mitchell at the All Holiday Cafe gives us some fun Flamingo facts.  Now you are probably wondering why exactly this caught my eye.  At one of my son’s school they have a theme each year with a new mascot and this year is the year of the Flamingo.  I also come from Florida and one of my favorite tacky Florida gifts is anything with Flamingos.
In case you didn’t know, Flamingos get their pink color from the brine shrimp they …read more

Since the infamous hurricane season of 2004, it seems that ever year we are given the scary news of “This hurricane season will be even worse.” 
So, each year, you prep, you feverishly watch the Tropical Update on the Weather Channel and you wait.  We have been very lucky the past four years.  We have had a few hurricanes but nothing to be too concerned about.  Now, today those of us in Florida prep, feverishly tune-in to the weather updates each night and wait to see what will be the outcome of what looks like may be one very scary storm, …read more