Tag archives: alcohol
Grilling season is officially here, and summer is unofficially kicking off. It’s time to explore one of my favorite flavors to incorporate into summertime cocktails: smoke. The exquisite character of smoke evokes something ancestral in us, the smell of a wood-burning fire or the aroma of delicious food grilling away over a bed of hot […]
The temperature is starting to rise, beautiful garden gatherings are ramping up, and humming bees collecting pollen can be heard any time you step outside. It is music to my ears for so many reasons, and it instantly brings to mind one of my favorite spring cocktails: The Bee’s Knees. Let’s take a look at […]
One of the things I love about Montecito this time of year is the incredible scents that start filling the air. Each week something new is wafting in the breeze. Today, as I walk out the door, a wall of jasmine greets me. Next, it will soon give way to the intoxicating aroma of orange […]
One of Santa Barbara’s most prolific wine producers just expanded its impressive portfolio. Miller Family Wine Company, with brands from high-end Bien Nacido to mainstream Butternut, premiered the Hand on Heart label earlier this month. What makes these wines unique is the alcohol – there isn’t any. Hand on Heart inaugural wines, with a launch […]
Wine Pioneer Jim Clendenen Passes Santa Barbara County lost one of its most prominent champions in 2021. Jim Clendenen passed away May 15 at age 68. His ebullient, electric personality was certainly a Clendenen calling card, much like his undulating blond hair and steady parade of loud shirts. “It’s funny, I always think that winemakers […]
As we wind down 2021 and ring in the new year, it is time to discuss the single most important concept in crafting a cocktail and that is balance. Balance is that elusive point where all the ingredients harmonize, and the result is so much more than the mere sum of its parts. Have you […]
The Martini. The Old Fashioned. The Manhattan. Names steeped in cocktail lore, each a classic, stirred cocktail (despite a famous, suit-wearing movie spy who requests his martini shaken, not stirred). As the temperature dips and the holiday gatherings commence, I find myself reaching for a spirit-forward, stirred sip that livens the tastebuds and hastens the […]
‘Tis the season for seasonal beers. Between Oktoberfest and Christmas beers, this season has many beers that are only available at this time of year. Whether you are bringing beer to a holiday party or grabbing a gift for the beerdoe in your life, these warming brews simply fit the foods and moods of the […]
Turmeric tends to get all the attention when it comes to anti-inflammatory spices, but don’t overlook these five other spices that functional food expert Kanchan Koya, Ph.D. touts as her favorites for fighting off inflammation. Here are five anti-inflammatory spices that aren’t turmeric: Cayenne: Cayenne is a great choice for spicy food lovers, as it […]
Until my early 30s, I had never smoked anything. In fact, the practice of smoking appalled me. Sometimes I’d be with a group of friends, and they would start smoking a cigarette of some kind, which they passed from hand to hand. They would invite me to join in, but I made it plain that […]
As we begin to push out of this pandemic, and as the light at the end of the tunnel grows brighter, many Americans are taking stock of how their drinking habits have changed over the last year. As one would guess, the angst and anxiety wrought by many months of lockdowns, restrictions, and Zoom calls […]
I love chatting alcohol with Brett Escalera – as in the alcohol content in wine. Many seasoned sippers, after all, make judgment calls on wine based on the percentage marked on the label, with their predilection for lower alcohol based on the assumption that a wine with less booze will be a better match for […]
For many people, addiction is a scary word. So scary, just reading it will have some skip over this piece entirely. Maybe it’s a challenge you or a loved one faces today? But don’t feel ashamed – you are not alone. I’ve been there and I still struggle. Alcohol was my first bag and marijuana […]
I’m hoping you know my wines. I suspect many Montecitans know Marni and I as participating residents. I have been involved in the wine scene as a retailer, restaurateur, and now as a full-time vintner for some 38 years. I am the producer of Margerum and Barden wines and a consultant for many other wineries […]
I enjoyed a lovely rosé wine over the weekend. It was refreshing, with a pretty light pink hue, a delicate fizz on the tongue and yummy flavors of red berries and citrus. The finish was especially quenching – dry, perky, and clean. There was one thing about this wine that was especially remarkable, though: it […]
Fantasma de México is made with Blanca or Reposada tequila on the rocks, fresh lime juice (or three limes, if you don’t trust it’s fresh) with a splash or “float” of mescal shaken or not. The mescal imparts just a ghost of smokiness to remind the drinker of old Mexico. Mescal, the ancestral form of […]
