Shaker Two deserves all the credit for this lovely find.
A sweet (pleasantly so, not at all cloying) fizzy pour of sparkles in your flute. The perfect end to a summer dinner, perhaps with some fresh fruit. This is not a mixing bubbly and I would definitely not cook with it….except perhaps to make a champagne sorbet.
Under $20 a bottle. Shaker One grabbed the sole bottle on hand when she spied it at the Candy Store (Beverage Warehouse).
A sweet kiss to end the evening.
Watermelon season is in full swing and Shaker One has discovered baby seedless watermelons. Like a personal pan pizza of melon…..sweet and ultra juicy, these babies beg to be made into a cocktail.
Rooting around in the fridge and freezer one 90 degree evening I discovered some Trader Joe’s lime ice pops abandoned in the door. <lighbulb moment>
Watermelon Lime Martini:
2 shots mostly melted lime pop
2 shots vodka of choice (I used Titos)
2 shots strained fresh watermelon juice
splash of fresh lime juice
Shake with ice, strain and slurp up faster than you can believe. Wow and yum!
If you don’t have any sad abandoned lime ice pops in your freezer, simply substitute Rose’s lime juice (and up the fresh lime juice to equal the Rose’s to counteract the sweetness).
Welcome bubbly aficionados to another episode of Bubbly Tales. Today I’d like to introduce you to one of Shaker One’s favorite players:
Purchased at Trader Joe’s, this go-to sparkler retails for under $8. Yes, you read that correctly. It is perfect with mimosas or other mixed cocktails and really very pleasant on its own. I often enjoy a glass or three simply with a strawberry dropped into the bottom of the glass.
And as I am not a white wine drinker, other than the bubbly types, I also use this to deglaze a pan or make a sauce….anywhere you’d use a dry white wine. At this price point I don’t even feel bad if I open a bottle, enjoy a few glasses over two or three days and end up pouring the rest out. Not what I’d select for a celebration or fancy dinner, but a solid choice for your everyday workhorse bubbly. Affordable, drinkable, mixable, cookable…….this bubbly is one to keep on hand.
Give it a try. Unless you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby. Then I’m so, so sorry for you.
One of the most interesting thing in life is how it changes both in small ways and on the larger scale. The latter is the scale of Shaker Two’s big change, which is a move to another state. Now, not to fear, this blog will still be going and plans are in place and being formulated on the most fun way to keep bringing you all the crazy martini recipes and fun we have been writing about since 2009.
So, in light of Shaker Two’s imminent departure, we put together a So Long, Shaker! Shake
Shaker Two Says A Sip For The Hostesses~John joins us via skype
A few of our friends joined in both locally and via Skype and we revisited some of the favorites from the blog this far and, wow, they were just as tasty this time as they were when we first made them pair that with some of our favorite recipes and it was a night of fun, food and – of course – martinis.
First off is the Spicy Lemon Drop.
We first wrote about this in July 2010 and included it in part of our Founding Fathers 4th of July Shaker Night. This was a summer favorite with a lovely kick to a somewhat traditional lemon drop.
This was a hit with the guests and there might have been more than one consumed by a few.
As drinks were flowing, the table was set with a veritable buffet of tasty bites ranging from smoky cheezee poofs (gougeres), vichyssoise, red pepper puff pastry rolls, grilled vegetable wraps, an assortment of cheeses and fried chicken from KyoChon.
Next up is the Citrus Bliss.
Shaker One spent lots-o-time juicing citrus for these bad boys and is it worth it. The fresh citrus takes this drink from good to *SLURP*.
Third on deck is the Balsamic Martini created by Jacopo Falleni.
This one has some really amazing flavors going here and it was well worth revisiting it.
To round out the evening and to somewhat taper the spice from the KyoChon chicken (YUM!!! Thanks, Simon and Bill!) we ended with a Shaker Two favorite – the Parisian. In honor of Shaker One’s quickly approaching firtst trip to Paris, we thought this beautiful drink would be a nice addition.
All in all, this was a lovely night of friends, memories and cocktails.
So, aside from our obvious enjoyment of all things martini, the Shakers love a nice sparkling wine. Champagne, prosecco, cava…..each of them do the happy dance on our tongues.
As a bit of a break from the stronger drinks, Shaker One would like to introduce you to the first in a series of all things bubbly. Our favorite brands, tools, storage tips, bubbly friendly cocktail recipes….if it sparkles I’m determined to cover it. The world of bubbly is infinite and magical, so we shall take our time with this journey.
But to begin-Blackberry Prosecco Cocktail:
Blackberry Prosecco Cocktail
Fresh blackberries muddled with just a splash of Cointreau or Triple Sec, topped with prosecco and a bit of orange zest. I also threw in a few drops of Bitters, but if you prefer a sweeter experience leave those out. And of course you can use champagne or cava in place of the prosecco if you prefer.
Oh my, I do love berries in bubbly….as when you’ve finished drinking the liquid you get to fish them out, plump and succulent from their marination. They are the Crackerjack prize at the bottom of my glass.
Summer is just around the corner….the perfect time to stamp your libation passport with as many effervescent trips as you can take. Cheers!
As time grows near for Shaker Two to leave Planet LA, we’re revisiting a few of our favorite martinis. Both of us have been craving this one in particular.
The Earl Grey MarTeani:
You’ve seen it here more than once…….a lovely blend of tea infused vodka, lemon, simple syrup, and an egg white for that soft foamy layer on top. All at once soothing and relaxing. Shaker Two wonders if she should consider replacing her English Breakfast Tea with one of these each morning? I say yes, depending on what your day brings.
If you haven’t tried this drink yet, please do so without delay. A five olive masterpiece.
(and for those of you who don’t care to click through the link, quick recipe below:
In a Boston style shaker with ice add: 1 1/2 ozs. Earl Gray Vodka infusion
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
one egg white
Shake vigorously, strain into glass, garnish with a lemon zest or slice. Double for larger martini glass. Now, go click the link for infusion details!)
No scones necessary.
Shaker One here. I enjoy a good flip. And by flip I am referring to a cocktail shaken with an egg white to create a foamy “head” on top. In addition to the head, you also get a sort of velvety mouth feel to the drink itself. I find it lovely.
But there are many who have an aversion to the idea of using raw eggs in any form. For this there are foaming products which are supposed to create the same result without the accompanying danger of salmonella. I’ve long been curious about their efficacy and on my last trip to The Candy Store (Beverage Warehouse) I picked up a bottle to try.
My liquid guinea pig? The Spicy Lemon Drop. Feeling a bit scientific, I threw a few dashes of our new friend Frothee into the shaker with the ice and ingredients as instructed. <shakeshakeshake>
It poured out into the glass with a somewhat more subdued head than I get with an egg white, but still noticeable. And as I raised the glass to my lips I noticed a subtle smell. Not quite plastic, not quite chemical, but also not quite pleasant. Hmmmm, maybe it just has a bit of an odor. I forged ahead.
Gahhhh~there was that oddness in the taste as well! I got about 1/3 of the way through, trying to tell myself that I’d get used to it. It isn’t overpowering, but because I could smell it as well as taste it with each sip, I found it mildly repugnant. My poor lovely Spicy Lemon Drop, sacrificed down the drain in the name of science. (a moment of silence in deference to his service please)
Conclusion: Frothee-darken my shaker no more. I’d sooner risk raw egg ramifications. If you’re pregnant or immune compromised I would not recommend a flip. But then if you fall under those categories perhaps you shouldn’t be having a cocktail to begin with. I’ll stick to my egg whites to get a good foam.
And now I’m off to wash the taste of Frothee from my lips. Gahhh.
Sadly, both Shakers have had to take a bit of a hiatus from Shaking and tend to other things… but we felt we had neglected the shakers, vodka and our faithful followers long enough so we are sneaking in a mid week oasis of tastiness and relaxation. Yes The Shaker Girls are back! It’s March. It’s 75 degree sundress weather. The sun is setting, casting streaks of deep pink and scarlet across the sky and we are dipping our shaking toes back into the cocktail waters.
In a somewhat unorthodox departure from our martini theme, we are tasting some proseccos. First up: a lovely rose from Mendocino California called Etoile! Bottled by the people at Domaine Chandon, this shy girl splashes into the glass with a pale blush as if we’d told an off color joke. Light, subtle and a fresh compliment to our mini appetizer feast. Oh, did we not mention the tasties?
A walk back to some of our favorites: cheezy poofs (petits gougeres), caramelized onion tarts (and Shaker One has finally cracked the perfect pastry crust!) and one new entry-eclectic endive spears with spicy/bacony/slightly sweek smoky filling and a balsamic glaze drizzle. Yeah, we had at them. Yum. (I am not sure how Shaker One comes up with some of these combinations, but I think she would kick the snot out of those TV chef wannabes… and I am not just sucking up because I want more of her cooking. 😀 )
And then we moved on to dessert: Sliced strawberries over a pool of meyer lemon curd with fresh whipped cream. And with it?
OMG Shaker Two-where did you find this gem??? One sip and both Shakers flipped. A surprisingly delightful spumante: La Montecchia. You can be sure we’ll both be hunting down more of this. Delicious~!
Overall, the evening was a lovely catch up session and planning of things to come as big changes are in store in Shaker Land. Ought to be exciting and fun… stay tuned and we promise we won’t be away so long next time.
<One side note about the Etoile bubbly. Though it is in a normal champagne style bottle, it has a beer bottle type cap on top. No cork. Shaker one was dubious, but it did not seem to have any effect on the flavor/effervescence at all. I shall remember this one for tailgating. Very easily opened with a regular bottle opener.>
Shake, mix and pour with the Oxo good grips cocktail shaker with jigger cap and built-in strainer. Double wall construction prevents sweating and keeps the cold away from hands during use. A soft gripping surface on the jigger adds comfort while pouring and prevents hands from slipping while shaking. .75-ounce, 1-ounce and 1.5-ounce measurement markings are located on the inner surface of the jigger for easy liquid measuring. Simply pour in favorite ingredients and shake in style.
List Price: $ 9.99
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This is a video primarily about the ‘rules of the table.’ It has been in VHS format since 1998 and it was entered on Amazon in April, 2000. It quickly became the top selling etiquette video on Amazon and it remains the No. 1 etiquette video that Amazon lists. Please refer to the VHS information page of “American Dining & Entertaining Etiquette; Manners for the Table” for a more extensive review of this video.
List Price: $ 19.95
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