In Food & Wine Cocktails ‘09, the 150 recipes included here are the deemed the best of the best, with a wonderful at-a-glance type of guide to let you know how complicated, what type of liquor, and what shape of glass for each.  There is also an entire section of Mocktails, which I really appreciate since I found out anew that I am a lightweight when it comes to mixed drinks!

Being a Campari lover, I decided to try out the Negroni (page 123), a delightful mixture of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari.  My only problem was that the drink ended up being 3 full ounces, with no fillers, and that was TOO MUCH for me!  Next time, I’ll mix it up and split it with my sweetie instead of making us one each 

Negroni

Check out The Bookshop for more links to books about fine food in addition to this excellent guide!

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Book review: Cocktails ‘09

It’ll be perfect for barbecues and get-togethers, especially Mother’s Day and Memorial Day this month.

The recipe is originally from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, via 101 Cookbooks:

Blackberry Limeade

4 cups fresh blackberries, or unsweetened frozen blackberries, thawed, plus extra for garnish

1 cup turbinado sugar, natural cane sugar, or grated palm sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf, crushed, or 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 8 -12 limes)
Thin lime slices, for garnish
2 cups ginger ale
Ice cubes

Lay a doubled piece of cheesecloth on a nonporous work area. (As the berries will stain a wide array of cutting surfaces and clothes, this may be best done outside or over newspaper and wearing an apron or smock.) Place the blackberries on top of the cheesecloth and gather into a bundle like a hobo sack. Hold the sack of berries over a glass, stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic bowl. Twist the top of the sack to squeeze the juice from the berries into the receptacle. (This will yield about 1 cup very strong, tart, dark juice.) Refrigerate the juice until needed; discard the purple mash.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the lime leaf, and the cardamom pod. bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup. Remove the lime leaf and cardamom. Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then chill it.

In a 1-quart pitcher, combine the blackberry juice, sugar syrup, and lime juice. Stir to combine and then refrigerate until cold.

To serve, stir the ginger ale (or water) into the pitcher, fill glasses with ice, and pour in the blackberry limeade. Garnish with slices of lime.

Serves 8.

[image: flickr]

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Blackberry Limeade

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.

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Holiday Party Champagne Punch