Anti-Cocktail of the Week – Rekorderlig Winter Cider

Ok ok…don’t start screaming at the computer just yet. So I know it’s not technically a cocktail and I certainly didn’t make it with my own little Tom Cruise Cocktail hands. But it’s utterly delicious. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. I will start at the beginning.

I was lucky enough to get a four day weekend starting yesterday and I decided to drive to the big smoke and go to, wait for it, IKEA! Yay!! I love Ikea. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but whatevs. It’s a fun experience. I spent 3 hours following those arrows around the store. Thinking about the wicker chair, stockpiling napkins and pondering over an outdoor setting. It was wonderful.

When I came to the end, I even went to the Swedish Food Market and picked up some meatballs. Guess what we’re having tonight? I was also intrigued by the potato chips. Yes sir, two bags of those!

Which finally brings me to the drink of the week. Last Friday night I went to my first ever work social club drinks thingy. I’ve only worked there 5 years. It was great though and I was introduced to my drink of the week…Rekorderlig Winter Cider. The description reads… “Swedish apple cider from Vimmerby with cinnamon and vanilla.” Ah, yummy much? Indeed.

So tonight, its Swedish all the way and I’m excited. Oh which reminds me, better get those meatballs going. I’m doing them with mashed potato, lingonberry jam and cream sauce. Apparently that’s traditional. Sorry if it’s a grossly inappropriate way to really eat Swedish meatballs.

Have a great weekend!

 

Cocktail of the Week – Punch Blush!

Guess what? It’s Friday! And I’m excited because this weeks cocktail is kind of my own little thing. It’s completely delicious and far too easy to drink. But then again, it’s not as alcoholic as some others I’ve done so don’t even sweat it.

Get yourself a tall glass and add some ice. Pour over 1 nip (30ml) of Cointreau. Add the juice of 1 fresh lime. Top up your glass with apple and pink grapefruit mineral water*.

*If you can’t find the apple and pink grapefruit mineral water, use some pink grapefruit juice, splash of apple juice and top up with mineral or soda water.

POW!! That's a punch of blush!

 

Cocktail of the Week – Mojito

Ok kids…its Friday.

The sun kissed our cheeks for the first time in weeks...

And what do we do on Fridays? Well I’ve been giving you cocktail recipes to try over the weekend. However this week has been mega busy and I simply haven’t had time to try any new ones out.

This afternoon the sun was shining its glorious magic. So my girls and I decided to have cocktails on the front lawn of the very grand old Carrington Hotel. Perfect mountain afternoons are hard to come by so I couldn’t think of any other way to spend it.

So, here is a picture of me, enjoying the sunshine and my mojito.

There are a thousand recipes out there for mojitos…but basically its lime, vodka, mint and soda water. And some sugar syrup. It helps if the barman is impossibly cute and loves to ham it up while shaking your mojito furiously.

Enjoy!

Mmmm mmmm, mojito madness.

 

Cocktail of the week – Between the Sheets

I mean, who names these cocktails? Seriously.

Despite the ambiguous name, this is a really delicious cocktail. Previously the COW’s have been long, thirst quenching drinks. That’s a technical name by the way “long drink”. So this week I decided to give a classic grown-up cocktail a go.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add 1 nip white rum*, 1 nip brandy, 1 nip Cointreau, 1 nip lemon or lime juice. Shake! Strain into martini glasses. Garnish with lime. Drink. Be careful not to operate heavy machinery.

*I have to confess that I didn’t have any white rum, so I added coconut rum instead. It gave it a lovely holiday feel. I’m quite positive that using white rum would be just as delicious but not as exotic.

Photo cred to me http://www.jenniferwhichelo.com

 

Cocktail of the Week – Salty Dog!

Cocktail of the week will now appear on Friday’s. I mean its only logical, right?

So I can’t take credit for finding this one. I can only take credit for drinking it and enjoying it heaps. My dear friend made this for me and we sat drinking and talking about life on her deck in the sun. I always say give credit where its due… So this one’s for you barelypoppins!! (If you want to visit an awesome site that also has cocktail recipes and lots of other super rad stuff, visit http://barelypoppins.wordpress.com/).

I think its only fitting you pronounce this drink as Salty Dawwwwwg! Especially after you’ve had a few.

Take one big tall glass, run lemon or lime around the rim and dip in salt. Fill with ice, pour over 1 nip vodka and 1 nip Cointreau. Fill with ruby-red grapefruit juice and garnish with mint or thyme leaves. Ooooh, mama. You’re gonna love it.

(I’d love to hear from you if you are trying these drinks …this lady loves feedback!)

Photo cred to me http://www.jenniferwhichelo.com

 

Cocktail of the week – Moscow Mule

Now Dear Reader….listen very closely. I’ve been working tremendously hard on my research here. Its a labour of love mixing and trialling and shaking and stirring just so I can bring you simple, delicious and lets be honest, amazingly tasty social lubricants. Nothing says, “let’s have some fun” like a gorgeous looking cocktail. So I’m telling you, this one you will definitely want to try.

HOT TIP: This baby is sweeet on a hot day. Its even sweeter shared with good friends and good food.

Moscow Mule

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour over 2 nips vodka, 1 nip lime juice, fill with ginger beer and a few splashes of bitters. Serve with a lime wedge garnish. Done, drink, smile, happy.

Photo courtesy of me… (c) Jennifer Whichelo Photography www.jenniferwhichelo.com

 

A modern woman drinks beer.

I must admit its taken me a while to understand the merits of drinking an ice-cold beer on a hot day – but now its my first beverage of choice when the sun is shining.

So on a recent trip to Newcastle to visit my little bro and his girlfriend (the most amazing magical couple), I really got in touch with the age old art of a good hops brew. As Katie said “hops is hip”. I hardly think she was serious but Richard (my brother) seems to think its the second coming. He’s just started the home brewing journey to nirvana. 

We ended up at Potters Brewery in the Hunter Valley where you can taste, discuss and dissect beer like it was a fine French wine. My man and I shared a tasting plank as seen below but I was a little disappointed as the over-worked bar woman gave us two of the same thing. Where was my cider?? Oh well, two glasses of larger instead. I have to say I was pretty overwhelmed by how strong they were. I guess I’m still on my beer training wheels. I was however, pleasantly surprised by the beer cocktail….that’s right, I said “beer cocktail”. Its simple really, a nice tall glass with half larger and half mango or guava nectar. Mmmm, refreshing.

So I guess what I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to try a beer or many beers in fact and I guarantee you’ll find something you like. There is a beer out there, in an ice-cold fridge, with your name allllll over it.