Flair Project
First off…holy sh*tballs – it’s been way over a month since our last blog post! Sorry guys! Don’t want to sound like I am making excuses here, but Mikey and I have been so busy with events and classes, we have had zero time to get our cameras out and shoot.But it’s not all bad news people – over the last month, we put some new recipes up to the test, and now lots of good stuff will be coming your way.
We all know that team building activities promote harmony and create good working relationships that can be so vital to a company’s efficiency and productivity.
The problem here is that the typical office team building ideas tend to bring out more sighs that smiles among co-workers, and it can often feel like a child’s play rather than a grown-up’s activity. But, put a cocktail glass in almost any adult’s hand, and immediately, attitudes begin to shift.
In today’s busy world, it seems like Valentine’s day has a way of quietly sneaking up on us every year, leaving us somewhat unprepared to do something special for our better halves.
And while chocolate-covered strawberries, roses, and a copy of 50 Shades of Grey are perfectly acceptable valentine’s day gifts, we thought you might want to set the mood with something a little less cliche this year.
Southern California winters are like a dream. Take it from a kid who grew up with the harsh Bulgarian winters; I still find myself watching in disbelief while people surf in December, kayak in January and play beach volleyball in February. But if I were to tell you that January is also one of our favorite months to make fresh juice cocktails, you might scratch your head and wonder if I’ve been hit one too many times in the head by one of those volleyballs.
In the winter, you might find yourself a bit disappointed with the fresh fruit selection in the farmer’s market. But while tropical fruit, melons, and berries are not up to par, January is, in fact, the best month for everything citrus.
However, we don’t necessarily follow the rule that when life gives you lemons, you must make lemonade!
I know that Brandy Alexanders were a big hit on the dinner table in the 20’s when dessert cocktails were a bit more simple-minded, and sipping on a milky nightcap was a classy way to wrap up a meal. But with the rise of the craft cocktail, this vintage after-dinner treat has fallen out of fashion, and it has fast turned into the ultimate retro cocktail.
I don’t know if it was because chestnuts usually come out Christmastime and Christmas and eggnog is such a good combo, but there was something about chestnuts that just screamed milk to me. So I decided to infuse some milk with chestnuts and make some cocktails.
I know that we can’t quite call it a winter in California, but I am very excited about the cold-ish weather that we have been experiencing in the last week or so. Now, I know that for those you who have “real” winters (with snow and whatnot), 60 degrees doesn’t necessarily make you dream of curling up on the couch with a hot toddy in hand, watching reruns of Friends in your coziest PJ’s.
I love cocktails…I know, it’s a bit obvious at this point. But everyone who knows me, knows that I also have a sweet tooth, especially when it comes to Italian desserts! Panna Cotta, Tiramisu, Cannoli, you name it, I will eat it. Even though I grew up in Bulgaria, one of my favorite ways to indulge after a meal was to nibble on coffee soaked biscotti cookies.
I know that Halloween is all about creative costumes, trick or treating and allowing yourself to eat candy like there is no tomorrow. But “The day of the dead” is also about spending time with friends, and yes, we are all adults here so I’ll just say it: it’s a day to drink.
With online recipes in the thousands, it almost seemed pointless trying to get on the limoncello tutorial bandwagon. But I have been working in an Italian restaurant for the past nine years, where the owner, Sofia makes homemade limoncello every week.
Yes, when you hear “dream wedding,” you most likely think this was the bride’s perfect wedlock (and we really hope it was), but Lacey and Bill’s wedding was one of our favorite celebrations we have had the pleasure to bartend this year.
If you are anything like me, then you might hate yourself just a little bit every time you use grenadine. I mean, I try to do my best to avoid it, partly because it’s a bit predictable, and partly because of its bad rep (even though homemade grenadine is actually pretty good). But let’s be real, once I see grenadine on that cocktail menu, my mind is immediately taken back to my college years and memories of drinking tequila sunrises with funky orange juice and overly syrupy grenadine dripping down the glass. Well, now, I am most likely skipping to the next page of that cocktail list!
If you asked me what’s the quintessential autumn cocktail, a fluffy whiskey sour would definitely be on the top of my list. And yes, I did say fluffy! Even though you can certainly combine a healthy dose of bourbon with some sour mix and call it a day, I would always vouch for egg whites in my “sour” cocktails.
And while I dig the frothiness the egg whites bring in a shaken drink, it seemed unfair that my vegan friends were stuck on drinking flat whiskey sours, while I was licking the foam mustache off my face.