Premier Protein

I've become a fan of protein drinks, but when my usual CorePower Strawberry Banana doubled in price, from $2 to $4 per bottle, I said, "No way, Jose," and began searching for a reasonably priced alternative.  While I haven't found a permanent solution, I ran across a deal during the recent Amazon Prime Days and ordered the 12-pack of Premier Protein for just $15.56.  I think the Pumpkin Spice wasn't selling well, and they wanted to get what they could.  The taste is a bit over the top, but adding a few ounces of whole milk gets it to where I like it.  

You can search for protein shakes using the link below.  There are a few options for around $2 per bottle, which is my happy price.  

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=protein+shake

Pepino Martini

We recently stayed in downtown Cleveland at the Westin, and attached ot the hotel was the Masa & Agave Cantina.  I was in the mood for something different and decided to try the Pepino Martini you see below.  It's a combination of cucumber vodka, Ancho Reyes Verde (a chile liqueur), simple syrup, and a few other ingredients you'll find in the second image, which the bartender was sweet enough to let me take a picture.  It was a perfect combination of cucumber, sweetness, and heat.  I'll try to recreate it at home, but if I come close, that will be good enough.

If you're not familiar with Ancho Reyes Verde, you can read about it at the link below.

https://www.anchoreyes.com/products/ancho-reyes-verde

Frederick's Coffee

I was fed up with ground Starbucks coffee costing so much more at Meijer lately, so I decided to give their store brand, Frederik's, a try. I bought the Espresso Roast pictured below, and I honestly can't tell the difference in my morning cup of joe. I'll still buy Starbucks when it's on a great sale, but it's nice to have a cheaper everyday alternative.

https://www.meijer.com/shopping/c/collections/frederiks-coffee.html

Primer

I don't believe I blogged here about the twelve words I used to describe how a night of partying in Pittsburgh always played out.  You can read, if you like, about the Capper, Splitter, Slammer, and the others at the link below.  But recently, a friend who had read "Then The Party Really Starts" asked if I had a word that describes a drink you have before you go out drinking.  I said I did not, but I would noodle on that.

With a little research and an online thesaurus, I made a list of words:

• Beginner
• Foreword
• Intro
• Opening
• Overture
• Preamble
• Preface
• Prelude
• Primer
• Preview
• Prologue

I sent out a whittled-down list, and we all agreed that the most appropriate word was Primer, just like the guy pictured below who is priming a pump.  Now I have thirteen words...

https://lifeexperiences.paulishing.com/2017/11/then-party-really-starts.html

Don Julio VIP Margarita

The Mad Mex North Hills is my favorite place for a margarita in Pittsburgh, and my go-to variety is the Don Julio VIP.  It comes with a floater served in an inside-out, used lime shell.  The margarita is made with Don Julio Blanco (Silver) Tequila, Cointreau, a premium orange liqueur, and Mad Mex’s signature sour mix/citrus blend.  I asked for the Tajín rim (a Mexican spice mix consisting predominantly of lime, chili peppers, and salt) for an extra kick.  A full menu and a list of their nine locations are at the link below.

https://www.madmex.com

Fancy Bloody Mary

The wild Bloody Mary you see below comes from Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh.  It features a whole fried soft-shell crab that forms a body, arms, and legs, a pickle spear for a mouth, and pimento-stuffed green olives for eyeballs.   Add crispy bacon, jumbo shrimp, and a couple of celery stalks, and you have an afternoon cocktail, a delicious appetizer, and a sideshow for the thousands of people strolling down the street.

https://www.lukewholey.com

Bag Of Nuts

The unopened bag of salted cashews you see below came home with us from the Austin airport.  We decided to have a Bloody Mary since we were at our gate with plenty of time to spare.  We found a seat at the bar where we were told they didn't serve alcohol until 10:00 am on Sunday mornings.  A short wait wasn't a bother, but then when we went to order, we found out about the strange Texas law that you had to order food with your drink from 10:00 am to noon.  The kitchen didn't open until 10:30 am, but the workaround was to order one of three snacks, and we opted for the nuts.  Texas law doesn't say you have to eat that food while you drink, and being that we were not hungry, we just packed it away for another day.  Sigh.

Hat Trick

A great perk at the swimming pool at Walnut Grove Country Club is the pitcher of ice water they bring you right after you've picked your lounge chairs.  We used to keep the pitcher out of the sun's rays by putting it under a table, extending the time before all the ice melted.  Recently, Gourmet Chef Elaine wore a hat to the pool, and I repurposed that into the shade device you see below.  We now bring the hat every time we go.  

Spiced Watermelon Paloma

The Spiced Watermelon Paloma you see below is a combination of Patrón Silver Tequila, watermelon, lime, and grapefruit juices, topped off with club soda and served in a glass with a Tajín rim.  It's a refreshing heat-of-the-summer alternative to a margarita and is considered by many to be the true favorite, everyday tequila cocktail in Mexico.  Paloma literally translates to dove, which I have no idea why they named a drink after a bird.  Life's mysteries.  Full directions are at the link below.

https://mybartender.com/recipe/watermelon-paloma

DLM OJ

The fresh-squeezed orange juice at our local Dorothy Lane Market stores is the best.  It's a bit pricey, but on these hot summer days it's an indulgent treat.  On a recent shopping trip, we spotted the OJ taster you see below.  Just a little cupful is enough to make you smile in delight and throw a quart in the shopping cart.  But I couldn't resist getting a second cupful.  Am I bad?

https://www.dorothylane.com

Point-Of-Sale Advertising

Coco's Crush Bar, located in Clearwater Beach, Florida, is home to its famous Orange Crush cocktail, the drink shown on the right below.  Some smart lawyer figured out they could reach their target audience by supplying the paper coasters you see on the left.  Pure (and pour) genius.

https://cocoscrushbar.com

Lunazul Primero Añejo Cristalino

Lunazul tequila is both very good and moderately priced, and we keep a bottle on hand at all times.  I thought it just came in Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo varieties, but I was recently served a shot of the Lunazul Primero Añejo Cristalino you see below.  It's an añejo tequila that's been aged in American white-oak barrels for 18 months and filtered eight times to achieve a crystal clear color.  "Cristalino" essentially means "Añejo in disguise."  It has the soul and age of a dark tequila but the look of a clear one.  You'll smell sweet vanilla, honey, and white flowersand taste flavors of caramel, toasted oak, and citrus, with surprising fruity notes like green apple or pear.  

https://lunazultequila.com

Volcan Tequila

Not only is the Volcan shown below a delicious tequila, but its 14.5" tall bottle is stunning.  It comes from the western Mexican state of Jalisco, where tequila is thought to have originated.  When we finish it, we will add it to our small collection of repurposed liquor bottles, which we fill with water and serve at special dinners.

Big shout-out to our friend Janet for this tasty treat!

https://www.volcan.com

2002 Château Lafite-Rothschild

I recently had the bottle of 2002 Château Lafite-Rothschild, one of the five First Growths, the highest classification of wines in the Bordeaux region of France.  I've been holding onto this for fifteen years, and the story of how I came into its possession is one of those rare, right-place-right-time stories.  

Back in 2010, I was searching for a 30th birthday present for my daughter, and thought one of the First Growths would be appropriate.  I searched and searched but could not find a bottle at any reasonable price.  Two days before her birthday, I decided I needed a "plan B", but as a last desperate try, I visited one of our local Arrow Wine stores.  I inquired if they had any First Growths, and was not surprised when they said they hadn't carried them for years, as the demand for such a pricy wine was nil.  He asked me if I wanted him to call the other Arrow Wine store to see if they had some. I  almost said "Don't bother", but a little something told me to have them check.  He called the other store and asked.  They said they did.  He asked how much.  His eyes widened.  When he hung up, he told me they had two bottles of Château Lafite-Rothschild for $180 each.  I was shocked and made the drive in record time.  I looked around the store for glass cases, sure they would be locked up.  No so.  I found them on a shelf out in the open, and as I stared at them, I thought to myself, "You have to buy both of them."  One made the birthday gift I had hoped to give, and the one below waited for the right occasion to open, which was this last Christmas family dinner, shared with Elaine's youngest son and his wife.  It's the most amazing glass of wine I've ever tasted.

https://www.lafite.com

Grinch Mimosa

For a different take on a mimosa, we made the Grinch Mimosa shown below. It's about a half a flute of orange juice, 1/2-ounce of blue curacao, and topped with champagne, prosecco, or another bubbly. The ratio of OJ to blue curacao is important to get the perfect grinchy green, so add a little at a time until it's just right. We opted for a rim of Rainbow Nonpareils Sprinkles, but a sliced strawberry with a piece of marshmallow on top, resembling the Grinch's hat, would be totally cool. The simple details are at the link below.

https://thetoastykitchen.com/grinch-mimosa

Orange Crush

I've had mass-produced versions of an Orange Crush drink at Dewey Beach, Delaware, which are okay at best.  But the Orange Crush cocktail you see below comes from Benny's Coastal Kitchen on Hilton Head Island.  It's a delicious combination of Deep Eddy Orange Vodka, triple sec, orange juice, and a splash of Sprite.  I enjoyed this at the bar on the second floor of Benny's with a view of Skull Creek. 

With dinner, I had a Bourbon Peach Palmer and for dessert, an Espresso Martini, both equally delicious.  More on Benny's coming tomorrow.

https://bennyshiltonhead.com

Eddy’s Peach Mule

Deep Eddy is not a vodka brand I was familiar with.  But that didn't stop me from ordering a peach mule made with their peach-flavored spirit, ginger beer, and a lime slice served in the freezing cup cooper mug you see below.  Really hit the spot on a warm Fall afternoon.  A long list of Deep Eddy cocktails can be found at the link below.

https://deepeddyvodka.com/drinks

Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned

Hilton Head Distillery is worth the visit, both for its eclectic cocktail options and its friendly bar.  The drink below is a Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned, which is made with rum, cherry syrup, and cherry bitters.  Instead of the normal Solera Rum, I had them make mine with their bolder Ghost Pirates Gold Rum, which has aromas of caramel, warm oak, vanilla, and a subtle hint of baking spices.  

https://www.hiltonheaddistillery.com

Watermelon Margarita

Good fortune was smiling on me at Gringo's in College Station, Texas, when I found out that day was the last day of the year for ordering their specialty Watermelon Margarita, shown below.  I opted for the Tajin rim to spice it up a little, and the larger, chalice-sized goblet.  Things are truly bigger in Texas.

Gringo's has a free (I love free) vanilla and chocolate ice cream machine that's a hit with the grandkids.  They always seem to have some extra room in their tummies for ice cream.

https://www.gringostexmex.com

Biggee Size

Most Long Island Iced Teas you'll order at your favorite watering hole will be served in a tall glass of 16 or 20 ounces.  But the bad boy shown below is served in a 64-ounce pitcher with an extra-long straw to reach the bottom.  You won't find it on the menu at Jorrge's Restaurante Cantina in Kettering, but George will make you one if you ask.