drinks



i did a detox cleanse to reboot my insides.
i drank this beet apple ginger juice.

BEET + APPLE + CARROTS + GINGER + LEMON

palmy springs

last weekend, we loaded up the car with some hot weather clothes, AOC for car entertainment, and a watermelon. we stopped for a sub sandwich. the dick guy next to me in line made fun of the size of my sandwich, and then we drove to palm springs.

these are the photos i took that weekend. but mostly, our skins didn't leave the pool and it was really deserty beautiful there and we ate an absurd amount of mission chips for two people.

we also made a drink that became the signature trip drink. so good that we felt the need to name it. it became the palmy - because we're young originals - and we made them everyday starting around 11am with the limes we snatched from the trees.

The Palmy

adapted from the things we had in the fridge 

silver tequila

limes

fresh mint

guava nectar

grapefruit juice

ice

pour some tequila into medium tumbler glass. 

squeeze in 1 juicy lime. 

add 4-5 mint leaves. muddle together with a wooden spoon.

pour in a generous splash of guava nectar.

add 3 ice cubes

fill to the top with grapefruit juice

stir

repeat

beet orange carrot ginger


beet orange carrot and ginger juice.

happy halloween!
because it's halloween, i give you blood juice.

really beautiful zappy tasty blood.



Beet Orange Carrot Ginger Juice

1 beet
2 oranges
2 carrots
1 small knob of ginger

juice! consume!

mules in the sunset

i haven't seen many sunsets as of late.

so this one felt extra good.

for the last year, when monday came around and bars were empty, when everyone was moping and complaining with monday blues, i was the happy one.

and now the time has come, it feels uncomfortable and exciting..things are about to change. this was one of my last monday 'saturday nights'. i think i will miss them in the most nostalgiac way.

there were three wee pears left in the fridge. too mushy to eat, too sad to let die.

let us juice them! for boozy juice. what a smart brain

boozy juice for this sunset.

ginger beer + vodka + pear juice + mint leaves.

food. we need food.

pretty red salmon, rubbed down with some brown sugar and chili powder. and a miso sugar snap pea salad that might knock your socks off.

this salad is for now. sweet snap peas, radishes sliced thin, napa cabbage, and a miso sesame gingery dressing that is awesome.

switch to wine, go back for seconds, forget about taking pictures of everything, and appreciate monday. it might as well be saturday.

Sugar Snap Salad with Miso Dressing

from the smitten kitchen cookbook

1/2 lb sugar snap peas

1/2 lb napa cabbage, in thin ribbons (about 3 cups)

4 ounces radishes (4 medium-large), julienned or thinly sliced

3 large scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on bias

3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

sesame miso dressing:

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp milk yellow or white miso, plus up to 1 more tbsp to taste

2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 tbsp honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil

2 tbsp olive oil

blanch sugar snap peas. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare a small ice-water bath. boil the sugar snaps for about 2 minutes until just barely cooked but still crisp. scoop them out with a large slotted spoon, and drop them in the ice water bath. once they're cool, drain and pat dry. trim ends and cut sugar snaps on bias into thin slices. toss in large bowl with cabbage, radishes, scallions, and 1 tbsp sesame seeds. 

make the dressing: whirl all ingredients, using the smaller amount of miso to start out, in a blender until smooth. taste and adjust ingredients - use the extra tbsp miso if desired. 

toss the salad with half the dressing, and taste. use more dressing if you like (you do). sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds. feast. 

orange carrot ginger

JOOS. what whaaat.

everyone's doing it.

they're doing it because it's awesome.

this is my most perfect drink in the morning. in the noontime. in the nighttime. i buy carrots in bulk and i pulverize them.

Orange Carrot Ginger Juice

*this is about the ratio of ingredients i use, but this is juice here, so 

by all means, tamper to your liking. 

2 oranges*

2-3 large carrots

small thumb or two of ginger

assemble juicer. pulverize. drink juice. 

*citrus is awesome right now. mix it up with 

cara 

caras, honey tangerines, tangelos, blood oranges! or just.. don't. 

habanero and bacon infused vodka + bloody marys


hellooooo. hi, it seems i have been slackin.

it's summer. i think you'll understand.

on most days, you choose to go about your life routines, everything feels normal and you are totally your responsible self and doing the things you need to do. these life routines totally keep my brain in check.

i ride my bike to work in the early morn. when the air is dewy and i can zig zag all over the place without being hit by a school bus.
i work. i rarely take a lunch break, i get flour everywhere. when i cut myself, it's usually while i chop bacon. it's too dang slippery.
i ride my bike home. i dodge the big hills. everyday i lose balance and almost fall once.

i eat everything in sight when i get home. i rip off my chef coat and black pants. i revert into boxers. i avoid humans.


many days i go grocery shopping. i spend too much time on the computer. i watch brainless trashy tv while exercising.
i get excited about food. i make food. i spend hours up at night writing this blog.

and then a serious thing happens.
it's heavy, it shocks your system.  it interrupts all the normal. it makes you scared and sad.

these are the times it becomes clear that sometimes you must, Must, chuck all this routine stuff over your shoulder. and do something else.


we need to harness some positive energy. and when i say we, i mean i do.

so i've been trying.

and summer makes it easier. with it's light, balmy nights.
yesterday i went out, picked a random brick ledge, sat on it, and read my book.


i've been riding my bike just to ride. i've been buying more flowers just to have flowers.

i've been going up onto my roof to sit. i wrote a letter to my future self.

i went to the hollywood bowl. with the people that make my life feel good. we ate olives, we swayed and took in the night. it felt like a night vacation. the trees looked beautiful.


and while none of this stuff is erasing the crummy, serious stuff, i think it's helping. i'm forcing the good things to slap me in the face and remind me to appreciate, love, and enjoy.

and if i'm still down, if i just don't care about the yellow flowers or have the focus to read words on a page, there is always the kitchen, and a good stiff drink.

and no ho hum drink, i am trying to break routines and throw away the normal here, aren't i..


habanero and bacon infused vodka. infused for six days.
do you hear me? i'm giving you bacon and booze together.

then, bloody marys.


bloody marys are not my normal. i'm one who tends toward the mimosa route at brunch. but bloody marys and i have been making slow progress.
i felt it was finally time to try making them myself.
so i crisped up bacon. sliced habaneros with complete caution. and got to infusing.

my plan was to make the best bloody mary i could muster, and then i could finally pass judgement on whether i was a bloody mary person, or just not.


wanna know what happened?
they were phenomenal.
they were full of not-watered-down flavor.
i made mine spicy as heck, which i loved.

they made for a good morning.
which lead to a good day.
which is all i want really.



Habanero and Bacon Infused Vodka
adapted from kitchen konfidence via Croce's Restaurant and Jazz Bar

5 strips of bacon
3 habanero chilis
1 serrano chili
about 1 liter of vodka

cook bacon in a dry skillet until very crispy. transfer to a paper towel lined plate and cool. 
remove stems from the chilis and slice in half. add them to a large jar with the cooled bacon. fill the jar with the vodka, making sure the peppers and bacon are completely covered. seal the jar and let steep for 6 days in the refrigerator. (if you want it less spicy you can steep it for a shorter amount of days)
after 6 days, strain the vodka through a cheesecloth lined fine mesh strainer into a clean jar or bowl. make sure you don't see any floating particles left in the vodka, if there are, strain a second time. alternately you can strain through a coffee filter, as i did, and it worked wonderfully. 


The Habanero and Bacon Bloody Mary

3 cups tomato juice
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp prepared horseradish
fine grain sea salt
fresh black pepper
bacon and habanero infused vodka
tobasco
olives and olive juice
celery
pepperoncini

add tomato juice, lemon juice, lime juice, worcestershire, garlic, and horseradish to a food processor or blender. process until smooth and combined. season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, pulsing to incorporate. transfer to a pitcher and set aside.
fill glasses with ice. add desired ratio of vodka and bloody mary mix..about 1/3 vodka and 2/3 bloody mary mix. stir well. taste, and add tabasco, olive juice, or extra seasoning if desired. garnish with a celery stalk, pepperoncinis, and olives. drink up. 


summer champagne sangria


hey, you! whatever you are doing right now...now is the time to make sangria.

maybe you are taking a mini break from washing dishes. or watching a tv show with your computer in your lap. you might be hanging out with an animal that lives in your house.
i totally am. we're chilling in bed.


but now, right now, it's time. the time to open up a bottle or two, cut up some fruit, throw it in the refrigerator, and then go back to whatever friday laziness or productiveness you were doing before.


and later, whether it's later tonight or tomorrow afternoon, a chair most definitely awaits you. it is there for you to kick up your feet, relax a minute, slurp if you want, and make your most graceful attempt at fishing out the wine-soaked fruit with your fingers.


i like some strawberries in my sangria. their bright red color fades the longer the sangria sits in the fridge. i like to think that the wine is sucking up all their sweet juices.

oranges. nectarines or peaches. fuji apples for their crisp perfection.


and hey, also.
champagne instead of club soda. it's a good move.

but seriously, use whatever. let's not complicate booze on a friday. use red wine if that's you're fave. use apricots, watermelon, pretty green kiwi!!?! that sounds too good. why did i not use any of those things?


any day can be good with sangria. and it's the weekend...so, yea. we win.


White Wine Sangria
these are very loose measurements. add any liquors or fruits to your hearts content!

2 bottles dry white wine
1/2 cup cointreau or other orange liquor
1-2 cups fresh orange juice
2 oranges, sliced
2 peaches or nectarines, sliced
handful of strawberries, sliced
1 apple, sliced
champagne
mint and ice for serving

mix wine, orange liquor, orange juice, and fruits in a large bowl or pitcher. chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight. to serve, pour over ice, leaving an inch or two of room. top with champagne and mint. 

raspberry mint limeade


MOCK. Si.

ing. Si.

bird. sii.

mint. Si.


raspberries. si!

limeade. heck si! lez make it.

it's spring. summer is a creepin. refresh yourself with iced beverages. lez make limeade with raspberries.


make some easy mint simple syrup. sugar water mint. boil. strain. done!
if you are impatient like me, stick it in the freezer to cool faster. we need this juice asap.


squeeze limes with your fingers.
do you have cuts on your fingers? brave through it, you lime squeezing champion you.

throw some raspberries in a little pan and let them turn to thick bright juice. strain out those finicky seeds.


gather some glasses and ice cubes and fill them with lime juice and minty syrup, fizzy club soda and some pretty raspberries.


annd lastly! pour a little raspberry juice on top.

now you have cups of raspberry mint limeade. or weekday lunch mojitos.
look! they're lava lamp pretty.


tomorrow is cinco de mayo. you should make this drink and add rum to it. or champagne where the club soda is supposed to be. YESyum.

and you know not to drink on an empty stomach..so enchiladas, obviously right?
or brussels sprout tacos!

i'm also seriously considering a pinata for myself.
si? siiii.


Raspberry Mint Limeade
adapted from food52

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 pint raspberries
ice
club soda
limes and mint leaves to serve

make a mint simple syrup by combining sugar, water, and mint in a saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. remove from heat and let cool completely. then strain the leaves. 
place raspberries in a small saucepan over low heat with a pinch of sugar and tablespoon or two of water. let the berries break down and release their juices. press through a strainer to separate the juice from the seeds. set aside to cool. 

to assemble, add about 1 ounce each of mint simple syrup and lime juice in a glass with ice. top with club soda, about 6 ounces. stir together with some mint leaves, a couple raspberries, and a wedge of mint. top with a generous spoonful of the raspberry sauce. 

serves about 2 quarts




two green things: avocado toast + green juice


weekend getaways are GOOD. even if only for a day. it feels great to just drive away.

out on the open road, with green nature-y things all around you, and a costco muffin stashed in the glove compartment.


road trips are also code for eat all the pizza and pancakes and milkshakes as you possibly can. didn't you know?

by sunday night my stomach was pretty pissed off with me.

and it was fiending for green. not green sprinkles. green planty food.


i ran with the theme and came up with a major power lunch.
avocado toast. the most perfect simple delicious lunch. and juice that is GREEN.


this is what's in the juice: apples, cucumber, basil, and lime. it's frothy and fresh and surprisingly sweet.
don't fear the froth. it might look a little strange, but froth is a good thing.

kids will not believe you when you tell them it's really good. they'll make gross faces while you drink it.
ignore them, they're judgers by nature.


anyway, this lunch was good. i felt the nutrients and vitamins rushing back into my bod.
then, i made a coffee cake.

Apple, Cucumber, Basil, and Lime Juice
adapted from Goop

1 cup fresh basil
2 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise
1 lime, skin and pith removed
2 apples, cut into wedges
1 inch knob ginger, peeled

starting with basil, juice everything into a glass. stir and drink. serves 2

Avocado Toast

1/2 avocado
lemon
sea salt
olive oil
rustic crusty bread

toast slice of bread. mash the avocado with a bit of lemon juice and sea salt. smear on the bread and top with another pinch of sea salt and drizzle of olive oil. 



hot malted vanilla with chocolate whipped cream + sour cherry cream scones



it's that time of year.

right now, your drinks should have 3 qualifications:

1. they should be hot.
2. your drinks should not skimp on whipped cream
and 3. all spoons shall be replaced with peppermint sticks.

kapeesh fools?


ok. it's tea time. (with scones!)
except that the tea is replaced with hot malty delight.

hot malted vanilla. with dollops of chocolate whipped cream.


it's like an inverted hot chocolate, where the chocolate and vanilla switched rolls. like in a freaky friday movie. or one with jason bateman.

now as for the scones...they are everything a good scone should be.


it's my favorite cream scone. with some dried sour cherries and chunks of white chocolate.

don't have sour cherries or white chocolate? use dried apricots or blueberries or currants! throw in candied ginger, or toasted almonds, or chocolate covered espresso beans!


OR we can get crazy and add absolutely nothing at all. i relish in the thought of a perfect unadultered cream scone...they are toootally delicious and delicate enough to hold their own with no shmancy add ins.

yesterday was just a sour cherry kind of day. mm. i am quite fond of sour cherries. and butter on a hot scone. and tea time with no tea.


would you be more likely to show up at my door if i invited you for afternoon tea or for afternoon hot malted vanilla with billowy chocolate cream?

yea.

EAT That UP.

Hot Malted Vanilla with Chocolate Whipped Cream
adapted from here

*it's important to use good vanilla here since it is the star of the show. i used tahitian vanilla extract that i love dearly. alternately, you can use the scraped seeds of half a vanilla bean. 

4 cups milk
2/3 cup malted milk powder
1/4 light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
little pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. add the remaining ingredients and whisk until dissolved. remove 1 cup milk mixture and puree in a blender, about 2 minutes. divide the milk in 4 mugs and top with the pureed milk. 

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp good cocoa powder

sift powdered sugar and cocoa. whip cream in a mixer until soft peaks form. add sugar and cocoa mixture and mix til all incorporated. dollop over hot vanilla. 

Cream Scones with Dried Sour Cherries and White Chocolate
base scone recipe from America's Test Kitchen, can be found here

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/3 cup dried sour cherries
1/4 cup white chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup cream
raw sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 425. place flour, baking powder, sugar, zest, and salt in bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. whisk together or pulse six times. 
if making by hand, use a pastry blender or fork to quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few larger butter clumps. stir in cherries and chocolate. if using a food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. add cherries and chocolate and pulse once more. transfer dough to a large bowl.
stir in the cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough forms together. transfer dough and all the dry, floury bits to a floured countertop and knead dough by hand until it comes together in a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. form scones by either pressing the dough into an 8 inch circle cake pan, then turning the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cutting 8 wedges with a knife or bench scraper...Or patting the dough on a floured work surface into a 3/4 inch thick circle, and cutting circles with a biscuit cutter. 
place scone wedges or rounds on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle the tops with raw sugar, and bake until tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. serve warm or at room temperature. 

these scones are best eaten the day they are made. 


citrus banana smoothie



things are on the mend. i drove my car successfully AND exchanged money for goods at the market.
i'm a human again!

to celebrate being able to do stuff for myself, i made myself this citrus banana smoothie.


and now an ode to afternoon snack time... to be interpreted in either poem or song form.

afternoon snack time is the best time.
i will sit and make smoothies and be in temporary pajama pants.
oh afternoon snack time, you are the only time for me.
he he!
ha ha!
afternoon snack time, never leave my side.
because then i won't get to slurp smoothies.
smoothies that are like creamsicles.
and that would be a terrible loss.
laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. la!

fin.


Citrus Banana Smoothie
*these are roughly the measurements i used. feel free to taste and tweak recipe to your liking

about 1 cup fresh squeezed 
orange juice, (i used the juice of 2 oranges)
1/4 tsp orange zest
1 banana
1/2 cup greek yogurt, (i used chobani vanilla greek yogurt)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground flaxseed
2 tsp honey
1/2 cup ice

place all the ingredients in a blender. blend up. enjoy!


almond milk + raspberry almond milk smoothie


is your fireplace pretty hot and toasty? 

maybe your fireplace is making you a little too hot.. and a creamy, icy thing sounds awesome. 

no eggs going on this morning. no english muffins or anything drenched in maple syrup. 

somedays i just feel like drinking my breakfast. 


shall we make almond milk?

yes. we shall. 

it's dreamy delicious. i was never so good about drinking milk. i can inhale it with granola. i will always accept a milkshake with open arms. but sitting down to drink a big glass of milk...um, no, i'll politely decline.

UNTIL i learned the joyousness of nut milks. i could drink goblets and goblets.


first we shall soak the almonds in water overnight. in the morning they will be bigger and plumper and totally good-looking.

2. blend those dudes up with some water into a milky white cloud.


then squeeze all the pulp through some cheesecloth. and there, we totally just did that. we made our own milk. that was satisfying. today is already a success and i'm still in sweatpants.


and don't get too overly excited and gulp down all of it right away. put it in your oatmeal. stir it in your coffee. make a white russian with it. or make a bomb diggity smoothie.



Almond Milk
makes about 3 cups

*you can make thicker or thinner almond milk by using more or less water. also i just put a dash of vanilla and no sweetener and it was delicious. also, you can blanch the almonds beforehand to remove their skins...i didn't care to fuss over that one. 

1 cup raw almonds
3 cups water
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
maple syrup or agave (optional)

place the almonds in a bowl and cover with plenty of water. let soak overnight. 
the next day, drain the almonds and place into a blender or food processor. add 1 cup of water and a pinch of sea salt and blend into a paste. add the last 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. 
line a large sieve, set over a bowl, with a couple pieces of cheesecloth. pour the mixture into it (i did this in two batches) and pull the sides up, not letting any pulp escape. pinch the corners together and squeeze as much milk as you can from the pulp. sweeten it with vanilla and/or agave if you'd like. 
bam. you just made milk. drink it right away or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Raspberry Mango Almond Smoothie
adapted from the goop detox

1 1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup mango, chopped and frozen
1/4 cup raspberries
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (i like bioChem vanilla "greens and whey" powder)

put everything in a blender and then blend it. 

strawberry peach banana smoothie


1. i have come down with a stomach bug thing
2. mad men and six feet under
3. all i feel like consuming: smoothies and grape juice and english muffins. 

i made this one today and i think i would be happy to drink it just about anytime. 

Strawberry Peach Banana Smoothie

5-6 strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 peach, cut in chunks
a frozen banana
a scoop of greek yogurt
almond milk

blend. drink. feel better.