Thursday Thirst Quencher: Barefoot Moscato Wine

In honor of the holiday weekend it seems befitting to showcase one of Are You Being’s favorite new wines from Barefoot, which is sure to be a happy addition to your Sunday supper.

The new Moscato is sweet, combining a fruity aroma with the juicy flavors of ripened peaches and apricots.  There are subtle hints of lemon and orange that adds a crisp edge to the wine.  For added sweetness I like adding some fresh raspberries or strawberries.

Though my Sunday spread will be a honey baked ham and potato salad, which will be complimented by the wine’s lush flavor, the wine also pairs well with mild cheeses, fresh fruits and spicy Asian dishes.  And if you have a sweet tooth, you can continue sipping this Barefoot Moscato throughout desert.

For more pairing options, check out recipes from Barefoot by clicking here.

Disclaimer: Samples were received in exchange for editorial coverage.

The Mixer: Drinks of the Day – A Toast to Elvis

In honor of Elvis’s would-be 75th  birthday today, here are three cocktail recipes from Three-O Vodka that will get you “all shook up.”

For a more complete celebration, try pairing your cocktails with some of Presley’s favorite foods, including fried peanut butter & banana sandwiches, sweet potatoes, cheeseburgers and burnt bacon.  To learn how to make The King’s favorite sandwich, click here to see the recipe from Paula Deen.

Jailhouse on the Rocks

Drink Recipe Ingredients:
2 oz. Three-O Mango Vodka
4 oz. Iced Tea

Drink Recipe Preparation:
Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with lemon wedge

Blue Suede Shooters

Drink Recipe Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka
¼ oz. black raspberry liqueur
¼ Blue Curacao

Drink Recipe Preparation:
Shake with ice and strain into a shot glass

All Shook Up

Drink Recipe Ingredients:
3 oz. Three-O Grape Vodka
½ oz. Blue Curacao
½ oz. grenadine
Splash club soda

Drink Recipe Preparation:
Shake first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Splash club soda and garnish with an orange wedge.

Drink recipes and images provided by Three-O Vodka.

Three-O Vodka Family of Flavors

Disclaimer: No products were exchanged for the above review.

The Mixer – Drink of the Day: Woodford Candy Cane

Christmas is only two days away, but you can warm your heart and satisfy your sweet tooth tonight with this delicious concoction that uses Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Woodford Candy Cane Hot Chocolate

Continuing with our holiday drink series, the Woodford Candy Cane Hot Chocolate recipe is as follows:

Drink Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz Woodford Reserve
• ½ oz peppermint schnapps
• 4 oz hot chocolate

Drink Recipe Preparation:

• Combine ingredients in mug and stir.
• Garnish with whipped cream and a candy cane.

The Mixer – Drink of the Day: The Ultimate Ketel One Pomegranate Martini

Continuing with our holiday drink series, this new drink featuring Ketel One Citroen Vodka brings a festive twist to the martini.

The Ultimate Ketel One Pomegranate Martini

The Ultimate Ketel One Pomegranate Martini recipe is as follows:

Drink Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Ketel One Citroen Vodka (25 oz. per bottle)
• .75 oz. pomegranate liqueur
• .5 oz. fresh lemon sour
• .25 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1 piece(s) orange twist

Drink Recipe Preparation:

• Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Serve straight up in a martini glass.
• Garnish with an orange twist.

Fresh Lemon Sour:

• 4 oz. fresh lemon juice.
• 2 oz. simple syrup.
• .5 oz water.
• Combine all ingredients and stir well.

For more recipies, log on to www.TheBar.com.

Disclaimer: Product was provided in exchange for editorial review.

The Mixer – Drink of the Day: The Ultimate Ketel One White Chocolate Martini

Christmas is only four days away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the holiday spirit today with this yummy drink recipe from Ketel One Vodka.  Not only will it feed your sweet tooth, it will give you one heck of a buzz.

The Ultimate Ketel One White Chocolate Martini

The Ultimate Ketel One White Chocolate Martini recipe is as follows:

Drink Recipe Ingredients:

• .75 oz. Ketel One Vodka (25 oz. per bottle)
• .75 oz. white crème de cacao
• .75 oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur (25 oz. per bottle)
• 1 tablespoon(s) chocolate syrup
• 1 tablespoon(s) cocoa powder

Drink Recipe Preparation:

• Pour chocolate syrup into bottom of glass.
• Shake other ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Serve straight up in a cocoa-rimmed martini glass.

For more recipies, log on to www.TheBar.com.

Disclaimer: Product was provided in exchange for editorial review.

The Mixer: Drink of the Week – The Harvey Wallbanger Cocktail

It’s Friday, and if your week was anything like mine, that means it’s time for a drink.  But not just any drink.

As the art of blending spirits grows in popularity, it remains important to honor the classic cocktails that paved the way for modern mixology.  On November 8, we celebrate the Harvey Wallbanger cocktail, which was created by Los Angeles bartender, Duke Antone, in the 1950s.

The Harvey Wallbanger Cocktail featuring Ketel One Vodka

As legend has it, Duke created the drink in honor of a clumsy local surfer, Harvey, who would often walk into walls after a drink or two.  The cocktail reached its heyday in the 1970s when it became the era’s essential brunch cocktail.

The classic Harvey Wallbanger recipe is as follows.

Harvey Wallbanger Ingredients:

• 1 ounce Ketel One vodka
• 1/2 ounce Galliano
• 4 ounces Fresh Orange Juice
• Orange Slice for garnish

Preparation:

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Pour 1 ounce Ketel One vodka and 4 ounces of fresh orange juice into the glass.
3. Stir until chilled.
4. Once settled, using a bar spoon, float the Galliano on top.
5. Garnish with an orange slice.

If the Harvey Wallbanger isn’t quite what you have in mind, checkout these other drinks.

• Newcastle Brown Ale
• Irish Boar with Bakon Vodka

What other spirits and liquor do you enjoy?  Share your favorite drink recipes with our readers.

Quench Your Thirst: Brown Ale 101

Intent on debunking the myth that hot weather begets light beer, Newcastle Brown Ale offers up Brown Ale 101: While the palates of dark beer lovers don’t change in the summer, restaurants, bars and backyard BBQers forego year-round appreciation of the brown ale for its thin, clear-ale counterparts.

Some myth-busting brown ale factoids for summer beer drinkers:

• Color: Golden-brown in color, Newcastle is not one but two beers, combining English Pale and Dark Caramel malt in a recipe perfected by Colonel Jim Porter in 1927.
• emperature: Unlike lagers/pilsners, ales are best enjoyed cool, rather than cold. The ideal temperature for Newcastle Brown Ale is 38F to 42F degrees. Your average refrigerator is between 35F and 38F degrees
• Calories: Darker beers don’t equal more summer calories. Newcastle Brown Ale weighs in at 140 calories per 12 oz. serving.
• Food: The robust flavor of brown ales, like Newcastle Brown Ale, allows them to pair well with red meat, fish and chicken – three cornerstones of summer grilling.
• Smoothness: Bottled with less CO2 than its competitors makes it a smoother option.

Newcastle Brown Ale