Cold Brew Negroni from Measure Lounge

A few weeks back I enjoyed a delicious and wonderfully glamorous brunch at Measure Lounge in New York's Langham Place Hotel.  There were seasonal mimosas with fresh rhubarb and celery juice, lobster mac 'n' cheese, 4 cheese grilled-cheese sandwiches, and an incredible blood orange kale salad made with pomegranate, walnuts, feta and a lime dressing.  Perhaps my favorite of the whole meal was the Cold Brew Bottled Negroni, and luckily for all of us, I was able to track down the recipe.

Enjoy!

Cold Brew Negroni
Created by Measure Lounge

1.5 oz Owneys Rum

1 oz Campari

1.5 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth

1 oz Stumptown Cold Brew

.5 oz water

Pinch of Kosher salt

Pre bottle and store in the refrigerator.  Pour over ice into a low-ball glass, garnish with half rim black lava salt and an orange twist.

 

Coffee Gift Guide - and a Nespresso VertuoLine Giveaway!

In honor of today's Gift Guide, I'd like to quote my best friend who so eloquently says, "I like myself on caffeine".  And I do.  I like myself on caffeine very much.  In fact, it's the only way I ever get anything done.  But coffee is so much more than a vehicle to help us all get our work done, it is a ritual, and there is an art to making a great cup of coffee from the beans to the mug it's served in.  I've rounded up some of my favorite coffee gifts to the coffee lover in your life - for the people who like the ritual of a morning brew, to the coffee cocktail aficionados, to the people who need their caffeine quickly (ahem, me). 

Tales of the Cocktail 2014 with Tia Maria

 -sponsored-

Welcome back to my coverage of Tales of the Cocktail 2014!

This year I was a guest of Tia Maria Liqueur and Disaronno Originale for Tales of the Cocktail, and was invited to do an Instagram Take-Over of the Tia Maria Account!  I had a blast exploring the city, and finding new ways to use the classic coffee liqueur!

Upon arriving in New Orleans, I dropped my bags to the hotel, and hustled over to my first event, the Flavors of Jamaica Snack Stand with Tia Maria.  It was already a bit of a madhouse when I arrived, guests lined up through the hotel of the Hotel Monteleone to get a taste of the Jerk Chicken and Tia Maria Cocktails.

Tia Maria Montego Mule and Jamaican Jerk Chicken!

Brand Ambassador Lauren Ritchie prepared Montego Mule cocktails that were a variation on a Dark n' Stormy, made with Appleton Rum, Tia Maria, Fresh Lime Juice, and topped with ginger beer.  So yummy!

Orange & Chili Coffee Old Fashioned

 -sponsored-

It is very much iced coffee weather.  But how about boozy iced coffee weather?  Yes, Yes, and YES!

How about an iced coffee old fashioned?  With say, a touch of sweetness from Grand Marnier, and a kick of fiery chili bitters?  Yes please! 

Nespresso Pixie and Aeroccino Milk Frother Giveaway! - CLOSED

One of my favorite things I received this holiday was a Nespresso Pixie Machine and the mighty Aeroccino Milk Frother.  The Pixie is compact, handsomely designed, and it makes damn good coffee in a hurry.

Confession, I'm terrible at making coffee (ok, I'm actually terrified of making coffee).  But when the Pixie arrived on my doorstep, all my fears suddenly became a thing of the past.  I can make my own delicious coffee in under a minute, and in another minute the Aeroccino froths milk for a perfect cappuccino!  Take that Starbucks! 

There are so many other things I love about this machine: the beautiful and playful colored coffee pods, the water heats up insanely fast (which is fantastic at 6:30 am when I'm running out the door to hit the gym), and when I inevitably forget to turn it off, it automatically powers off after 9 minutes.  Swoon.  

It's fair to say I'm in love with this little machine.

Dear readers, I have some terrific news for you.  I have a machine for you, yes you. One lucky winner will win the full set up, a Nespresso Pixie in Aluminum and the Aeroccino+ Milk Frother!  Cure your holiday spending hangover with a buzzy treat for yourself! 

: : : THE GIVEAWAY : : :

Nespresso Pixie Aluminum
-AND-
Aeroccino+ Milk Frother

a the value of $350

: : : HOW TO ENTER : : :

1. Leave a comment on the post answering: Your favorite way to drink coffee.

2. *Extra entry* Tweet #ATastefulHoliday @xxGastronomista

3. *Extra entry* “follow” @xxGastronomista on Twitter
                          “like” us on Facebook
                              - or -
                          “follow” @xxGastronomista on Instagram


The contest closes Friday, January 24 (12 pm EST). Winner will be selected and will be emailed that day.

Note to the winner: Nespresso is dangerously delicious with a kick of Bailey's Vanilla Cinnamon Liqueur.  

Good luck, and many thanks to Nespresso for sponsoring this awesome giveaway!

xxemma

Nespresso Irish Coffee

I've recently become obsessed with Irish Coffees after visiting New York's Dead Rabbit on a cold winter's day.  As the sky turned to darkness, we sat at the bar, sipping on the most perfect Irish Coffee I've ever had, made with sweetened coffee, Jameson Irish whiskey, topped with heavy cream and freshly grated nutmeg.  Glorious, I tell you.

Now, to test it out at home.  Armed with a Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker and a Nespresso Aeroccino I was prepared to try to master the Irish coffee!  The maestros at The Dead Rabbit made it look so simple, effortlessly whipping up tipple after tipple.  I'm convinced that an Irish Coffee is a perfect holiday cocktail: warm, sweet, nostalgic, and of course, strong and concise.  It's a classic cocktail, and is sure to make your holiday tasty and memorable.

While I am an admitted coffee snob, I was pleasantly surprised to how the Nespresso held up in a boozy coffee cocktail, and the ease of the Nespresso machine makes late night libations easy and effortless.  You just turn it on, wait about a minute for the water to heat up, enter your selected cartridge (which come in the most delightful range of flavors and corresponding colors), and press the button to select the strength of coffee.  In the coffee cocktail, I recommend picking the larger, and thereby weaker version.

The Nespresso Frother is equally easy to use, add milk, and it on, and it froths away.  It even turns itself off so you don't have to worry about scalding the milk.  I'm starting to believe that Nespresso has designed its products for late night drinking schemes (and for imbibers a few drinks in), it's just too easy.  Unfortunately, I have not yet mastered the layering art of the perfect Irish Coffee.  But I will, dear readers.  In due time, in due time.

The classic Irish Coffee turned out to be a delightful tipple: sweet, savory, and of course, boozy and strong (just the way we like it).

Nespresso Irish Coffee

2 oz Jameson Whiskey
1 Nespresso cartridge
1 Bar Spoon Simple Syrup
2 oz Steamed Cream
Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Add whiskey to glass and add coffee.  Stir in a barspoon of simple syrup, and top with a layer of steamed cream.  Top with freshly grated nutmeg.

I also tried making an Irish Coffee with Baileys Cinnamon Vanilla liqueur, topped with steamed milk and freshly grated  nutmeg.  After the first sip, I'm pretty much convinced that this is the perfect application of both coffee and Baileys, perhaps the two were made for each other.  Baileys is my personal favorite of the dessert liqueurs on the market, and it's fantastic with Nespresso and cream.  Behold:

Nespresso & Baileys

1.5 oz Baileys Cinnamon Vanilla
1 Nespresso dark roast cartridge
2 oz Steamed Cream
Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Pour Baileys into a cocktail glass, add Nespresso coffee and top with steam cream and freshly grated nutmeg.

                             

Tune in to Gastronomista in the New Year - I have one of these amazingly simple and awesome Nespresso Pixie machines to give away to a very lucky reader!!!  

2011 Gift Guide - More Coffee Please

Because what does everyone need to get through the aftermath of any boozy holiday season? LOTS OF COFFEE.

1. Mugs for the myriad mustachioed gentlemen in your life.

2. A hand-crafted coffee grinder by the Red Rooster Trading Co, a family-operated business of hand-built goods. Support a small business and a caffeine habit simultaneously.

3. Guilty as charged: Gimme is this hostess's local coffeeshop of choice, and not without good reason: they're dedicated to creating a sustainable growing community by seeking out local farmers for collaborations. Plus, their Leftist blend is sweet, complicated and a little rough around the edges: just the way we like our coffee. And our women. And our men. And our gifts, hint, hint.

4. Did you know caffeine has anti-inflammatory tightening and firming qualities? Give someone that special body buzz with Wash With Joe, a coffee-mint bodywash.

5. Hello, coffeenerds (hello, self!) Make coffee over a Bunsen burner. Great for someone who likes beautiful, useful objects. Also for people who like to pretend its oldentimes.

6. Now that you've gotten everything for all the other coffee lovers in your life, treat yourself to these incredible mugs from Seletti. Settle in and put your pinky up. You deserve a cup.

Stumptown Stubbies

Stumptown, Portland has released these charming Stubbies; cold brew coffee bottles and ready to go!  We just love the ye olde-time bottles, and cannot wait for them to make their appearance in the NYC Stumptown locales.

Available in all Portland Cafes!

Im-Presso-ive

Exhibit A: Random bruises.

Exhibit B: Typo-ridden emails.

Exhibit C: Mismatched socks.

The evidence is all there, and our secret is out: We are completely unable to function without our first cup of coffee in the morning.

And more and more, our dowdy percolator just won't do. Not only is the brew too mild to get our neurons firing, but the old-school drip pot design leaves us cold and unstimulated.

Enter the Presso.
This vaguely avian beauty pulls a perfect shot of espresso using only coffee grounds, hot water, and a little elbow grease. Simply pour in the grounds, add hot (not boiling!) water, and press down on the ergonomic aluminum levers. Voila - instant concentration!

At $150, the Presso is an economic alternative to conventional espresso machines, and comes with the eco-friendly bonus of being electricity-free and made of recyclable materials.

Still not convinced? The kind folks at Presso throw in a milk frothing attachment, as well as a bifurcated spout that enables you to make two shots at a time.

So go ahead - retire your percolator and replace it with something prettier, more useful. Your boss can thank us later.

Image via Clive Coffee

Magic Carpets

We are total suckers for beautiful things.  Ok, ok, suckers is an understatement.  Some things are expected - gilded octopi - ok beautiful.  Chocolate nipples - very beautiful.  Pasta Carpets and Plastic Cutlery Tapestries - gorgeous.  

The "temporary contemporary carpets" are made by a group in Amsterdam called We Make Carpets - Stijn van der Vleuten and Marcia Nolte and visual artist Bob Waardenburg.  They "freestyle" their creations - drawing inspiration from the ready made objects they incorporate into such stunning patterns.

Behold::  The Fork Tapestry

Fork Carpet

We are loving the colors and the textures of these - but what we really love is the fragility of them.  Similar to Native American sand paintings, they are delicate and fleeting, and yet obsessively mesmerizing.   

More carpets after the jump >>

Serious Coffee Buzz

Wow.  We praise the heavens every morning when that glorious cup of coffee hits our lips, but we never knew that you could power more than just humans with coffee.  Seriously powerful stuff those magical beans.

Vienna designers Misher'Traxler made batteries - yes functioning, energy producing batteries from 700 used Nespresso capsules.  Each battery is made from coffee grounds, strips of copper, the Nespresso aluminum capsules, clamps and saltwater and 6 coffee pots power a clock, and the entire piece can power a radio.

"In this mixture between a soil battery and a salt water battery the aluminum functions as the anode, the copper as cathode and the salt water as electrolyte. Due to a chemical reactions a small, but usable, amount of energy is created. Each battery produces about 1,5 – 1,7 Volts of potential and enough power to run a electro – mechanical Quartz clockwork." 
                                                                                        -Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler

Did we mention is it also gorgeous?!?!  We are suckers for anything color coordinated.

via dezeen

Stencil It In

Reykjavik-based visual artist Megan Herbert has created a series of laser cut stencils inspired by knitting needle and pastoral imagery. Originally dreamt up for decorating coffee foam, the stencils can of course be repurposed for embellishing all sorts of goodies with "a dusting of sugar, a blizzard of sugar." The stencils are available on her website for 25 Euro for the pair.

Thanks, CoolHunting!

Concrete Ideas

This ingenious concept treatment of a Lavazza solo espresso machine by Israeli design student Schmuel Linski gives a double meaning to a "shot of mud."

via dezeen

We love the raw textures, rich grey colors, and physical heft of concrete design, and we would love to see more of it in kitchens, in restaurants, and as a medium for consumer products.

Here's a round-up of some of favorite uses...

Concrete kitchens, via Apartment Therapy:






This compact concrete sink by Danish designer Heike Meulhaus is the little washbasin that could:






There is something really playful about applying concrete to tables, and in a way, fancying-up the idea of a prefab picnic table.

And we are *really* lusting after the San Francisco artist Jeramy Kaplan's collection of mix-medium tables that seem to show off the sexiness that is concrete.

Oh, yeah, and there's also this, in concrete... Pasadena's fork in the road. Teehee.

Violent Mugging

Things that could happen when you don't get your coffee in the morning.

1. Violence.

2. Despair.

3. Violence.

Avoid at least two of the above with these weaponized beauties. Are you the kind of lady who believes in efficiency? Precision? Then these are the mugs for you.

Or maybe you're not the sharpshooting kind. Maybe you're more of a ... "hands on" kinda girl.

Because let's face it. Sometimes the first thing you want to do when you get up in the morning is put on your gold knucks.

Don't forget your coffee.

Available here.

Welcome to the Iced Coffee Club

Weather.com says it's 52
Skies with cumulus dotting the blue
But now in November
I’m still an Iced Coffee Club member
Even when white after Labor Day has long been taboo


In case your insatiable thirst for iced coffee can actually be reigned in, check "Is It Iced Coffee Weather?", which calibrates your exact location and weather, and takes all the guess work out of the equation for you.