Apothic Dark Sour

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Fall is upon us, and so are cozy blankets, crackling fires, and for me, goblets of big, fruity red wines.  I love a red wine that has lots of different flavors from fruit to tannin to chocolate!

Lucky for me, I was recently invited to try Apothic Dark, the new limited edition wine from Apothic, who you might remember from this summer's Orange & Chile Apothic Rose Spritz.

Tanqueray No. Ten Imperial Shaker

 
A proper hostess knows how to keep all of her guests fed, entertained, and most importantly, knows how to ensure that all of the guests have full cocktail coupes (at least that's what my grandmother taught me).  

Gastronomista's Garden of Eden Cocktail on Glass Backwards

I am thrilled to share with you my recipe for the Garden of Eden cocktail that I created for the Glass Backwards series!

I first saw Jude's videos this spring, and basically lost. my. shiz. because I loved the concept so much.  Since then, we have become fast friends - trading stories from the cocktail scene, sharing Saveur Best Blogs nominations, and plotting on ways to collaborate together.

 
I am beyond honored to be included in this series.  He has chosen so many wonderfully talented bartenders to feature, it was a bit daunting to step up to the plate (and behind the bar) to make this cocktail! 

Speaking of bars, many thanks to Iris Cafe who hosted us.  Thanks for letting me on the other side of the bar from my usual seat to make drinks for you!

Without further ado {Click Play!}

The Garden of Eden from Jugoe / GlassBackwards on Vimeo.

The best part of being a blog-tender instead of a real bartender, is that I always get to drink my own drinks!

Thank you SO MUCH to Jude for this awesome video - I'm blushing with delight! 

 

Follow Jude Here:  He's doing some awesome stuff, and you're going to want to keep up with this one. 

New Zealand Wines

I have had a recent obsession with New Zealand wines - first with the bright and zippy Sauvignon Blancs, and more recently, with the Pinot Noirs coming from the idyllic island.  I'm pretty much dying to visit New Zealand - hopping from region to region tasting how the grapes change from coast to coast.  With gorgeous beaches and epic mountain ranges surrounded by vineyards that make amazing wine, I'm starting to think that maybe I should just retire early as a kiwi and live the good life.

Until then, here are some of my favorite New Zealand wines as of late:

Absolut Vodka - Ethos & Execution

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Portrait of a Bottle - Andy Warhol - 1985

In today’s cocktail scene, vodka has a bad rap.  Vodka is often joked about amongst bartenders for “paying the bills”, and is not even served in some cocktail bars.  Despite what the naysayers say, Vodka is the backbone of the spirits industry, dominating over a third of the sales in 2013 (DISCUS).

Empire Oyster - A Hedonistic Oyster Feast

Last weekend I was invited to the Empire Oyster event at the Maritime Hotel - a hedonistic feast of all you can eat oysters for New York’s Oyster Week.  The event was hosted by Thrillist, and featured restaurants such as the BLT Fish Shack, The Blue Water Grill, Crave Fishbar, Soju Haus, The Liberty NYC, and The Monarch Room.

Cointreau + Eye Swoon Rooftop Soirée

Photo by Winnie Au

I was recently invited to the most gorgeous rooftop soirée hosted by Athena Calderone of the lifestyle blog Eye Swoon and Cointreau liqueur.  The event was hosted at Ms. Calderone's Dumbo rooftop that overlooks the Manhattan skyline, and delicious edibles were provided by Franny's of Brooklyn.  Chef John Adler put together a lovely menu of seasonal, elevated-yet-rustic cuisine.  For those of you who have not yet visited Franny's - run, don't walk, to this gem of a neighborhood eatery.