cocktails | kimberly ah

Jun 04 2014

Summer Manifesto 2014

Naoto and I wrote up our summer manifesto during our anniversary dinner. It looks a lot like last year’s manifesto. What can I say? We are creatures of habit around here.

This summer we will:

* tend to our garden and balcony garden

* create three new cocktails using herbs from our garden

* invite special guests to Hasegawa Happy Hour

* hang out on the balcony whenever possible

* rediscover Chicago

* try three new tomato recipes

* take more walks

* visit some new Farmers Markets

* wear sunscreen & sun hats

* enjoy live music…somewhere

And that’s our summer in a nutshell. What’s on your list this summer?

Tagged adventures, cocktails, food, forest park, garden, gardening, summer

Jun 03 2014

6 Comments

adventures, celebrations, cocktails, some stuff about me

Yesterday Naoto and I celebrated eight years together. We both had the day off, so the morning involved a whole lot of relaxing, gift exchanges and, of course, coffee.It was rainy, but we sat out on the balcony to eat breakfast and exchange gifts. According to the Anniversary Gifts by Year (which we have been following all along), the eighth anniversary gifts are pottery (traditional) and linens (modern). I got Naoto a fancy new alarm clock that will hopefully wake him up with light and bird tweets. Not a theme gift, but he is a serial snooze pusher and I’m hoping this alarm clock helps make mornings a little bit easier for all of us. And, for the “pottery” theme, I bought him a cat spoon rest from Chicago’s Circa Ceramics. It will add the perfect amount of whimsey and usefulness to our kitchen counter. Naoto got me a new juicer (the kind I used at North Shore’s cocktail class) and this amazing vintage table runner. It’s currently residing on our dining room table. I’m in love with it. Once the rain stopped, we headed into the city for no real reason. On the way, we decided to go to Little Goat Diner for lunch. You can see our entirely healthy meal above…we had to push back our dinner reservations because we were so full. (Oh, and that’s a Ol’ Blue cocktail above: bourbon, blueberry jam, benedictine and lime…go get it before they change the menu!) Oh, and there was pie…because well, chocolate cookie crust with sea salt caramel and caramelized bananas…how could we not?It was a teeny bit warm, but it really was a perfect day in Chicago. We walked along Michigan Avenue and lingered along the river.

Before dinner, we headed to the garden to check out our plants. (More on that later this week.) We had a late dinner at Golden Steer, our tradition since we moved to Forest Park in 2010. As usual it did not disappoint. For the first time in the history of our relationship, Naoto could not finish all of his steak and we both ended up bringing something home. During dinner, we wrote our 2014 Summer Manifesto–simple but spectacular. (I’ll share tomorrow!)

And with that, eight years are in the books…

Tagged adventures, celebrations, cocktails, forest park

May 22 2014

1 Comment

cocktails, homemaker's challenge

Homemaker’s Challenge #4: Barrel-Aged Cocktails

I’ve been intrigued by barrel-aged cocktails ever since I had the Foghorn at Girl & the Goat last summer. When I got home and googled the ingredients, I kept coming across the Martinez which led me to the barrel-aged Martinez. I was really excited to try aging cocktails, especially once I poked around the internet a little bit more and realized you could age just about anything (minus fresh ingredients) to make a more mellow and slightly different cocktail. I researched and researched barrels vs wood chips. Aging in a barrel seemed more “authentic” and fun, but shipping wood chips was a more economical option. But when it came down to it, aging my first cocktails in a barrel just made me more excited about the project, so I went with that.

So back in December (notice the Christmas decorations in the picture above) I ordered my barrel from Oak Barrels Ltd. Their prices seemed reasonable (though, I’ve never ordered a barrel before, so take that for what it’s worth) and when I asked a question about their manufacturing process, I received a clear, friendly and positive response. Their barrels are made by a cooper in Mexico who sources the wood from American barrels. I bought the 1-liter black hoop barrel. I was going to go higher end with the galvanized hoops or the brass hoops, but the barrels can only be used three to five times before they don’t seal anymore, so I figured I would buy the least expensive barrel this time since I was just experimenting.
The barrel is hilariously tiny, but mighty. It holds thirty-three ounces which is enough for about eleven magically aged cocktails. I followed the directions and rinsed the barrel and filled it with water for a few days so it could swell and seal properly. Then I rinsed it some more and I was ready for mixing.

Then I used my math “skills” to create the recipe, basically dividing how many cocktails I could get out of a one liter barrel and then multiplying the basic recipe for a Martinez by that amount. Because the recipes for a Martinez vary greatly–some have a 2:1 ratio of vermouth to gin, some have a 2:1 ration of gin to vermouth, some are 50/50, I felt like I had a little freedom to play around with my recipe to make it work for the barrel size. Here’s my “recipe” for a one liter barrel:

Barrel-Aged Martinez

21 oz gin (I used Letherbee because I happened to have two bottles on hand.)

11 oz sweet vermouth

1 3/8 oz maraschino liqueur

a few dashes of orange bitters

Using a funnel, add all ingredients to the barrel. Put in the stopper and swish things around. Then let the barrel hang out on the counter for a week or two, rolling it around every day or two and strain into a bottle when it’s ready (1-2 weeks).

Once your cocktail is bottled, pour the desired amount into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel. It’s kind of nice to have a ready-made cocktail in your cabinet!

***

Since the one liter is such a small barrel, things aged pretty quickly. (Oak Barrels Ltd recommends 1-2 weeks of aging for this size.) I started tasting on the seventh day and ended up bottling mine on the twelfth day. I just used an empty Letherbee bottle and a mason jar for the overflow.

I think my first try was a success. The barrel aged Martinez is richer and deeper than the freshly made version. I think it’s going to be fun to experiment with a few old favorites to see how they change once they are aged. I have a long list of cocktails I want to try in barrels this summer…stay tuned!

To see more Homemaker’s Challenge posts, go here.

Tagged cocktails

May 14 2014

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cocktails

Cocktail Perfected: Moonlight Cocktail

I’m not sure when it happened, but I have a huge aversion to the color purple lately. I used to like it. Then one day I realized that I have no purple clothes, I never choose purple pens or stationery and all of my purple washi tapes (there are only three rolls) are almost completely untouched. (I mostly use them for grandma mail…because I think she likes purple.) When we were shopping for flowers for the balcony last weekend, I steered clear of the purples and went for the reds, the pinks, the yellows and oranges.

One exception to the purple aversion: cocktails. I’ve been using my violet liqueur pretty often lately for cocktail-making…apparently I love a purple cocktail. On Friday night, I made Aviations for a little “craft club” night with some friends. On Saturday, I made the cousin of the Aviation–the Moonlight. Like the Aviation, it’s very purple, but also very delicious. It has the same basic ingredients as the Aviation, but it replaces the maraschino liqueur with triple sec.

The Moonlight Cocktail

1.5 oz gin (We used North Shore No. 6, a favorite around here.)

.75 oz Cointreau (or another triple sec)

.5 oz créme de violette

.5 oz lemon juice (freshly squeezed, always)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled. Pour into a coupe or a cocktail glass. Enjoy on a spring Saturday night while planning your garden.

Tagged cocktails

May 02 2014

Scenes From Hasegawa Happy Hours-April Edition

Catching up on April’s Hasegawa Happy Hours:

In April, we experimented with Matcha Martinis, using Naoto’s matcha powder from Japan. They were a fun experiment, but I think we’ll save the matcha powder for tea from now on. We used this recipe (the “classic” with gin) and while it was good, it wasn’t good enough to make it into the book of great cocktails. In more successful experimentation, we made the Casino and really liked it. Gin, lemon, Luxardo and bitters make a fresh combination that was perfect for watching Law & Order together!

Tagged cocktails

Apr 28 2014

1 Comment

cocktails, Japan 2014, My Love Affair with Tokyo

Scenes from Hasegawa Happy Hours-March Edition

Before April comes to an end, I figured I should do my March Hasegawa Happy Hour update. Sorry for the third cocktail related post in a row…I promise more variety for the rest of the week! In March, we had two happy hours in Forest Park and two happy hours in Tokyo. And because our schedules were a mess before vacation, both “home” Hasegawa Happy Hours happened at local restaurants, Amelia’s and Fat Duck. In Japan, every night was Hasegawa Happy Hour–well, every night that I was actually awake for dinner anyway. I’ve already shared some cocktails at Bunbougu Cafe and our tapas night in Tokyo, so I thought I would share a couple of interesting cocktails I had at a couple of izakayas in our hotel neighborhood. The first one, shown above, is a grapefruit sour. A sour is a cocktail offered at izakayas that consists of shochu (Japanese vodka), soda and fruit juice. Sours are my izakaya drink of choice. This particular izakaya offers really freshly squeezed citrus in their sours–as in you squeeze the fruit at the table and add the juice to the shochu and soda. It was delicious! Another sour I enjoyed (at a different izakaya in the neighborhood) was a kiwi sour with freshly muddled kiwi floating around the drink. It was good–in spite of the fact that I was constantly thinking about kiwi seeds in my teeth! (Naoto was nice enough to warn me.)

So those were the Hasegawa Happy Hour adventures in March. It feels like so long ago…I’ll be back next week with an April recap, all while dreaming of warmer temperatures so we can take the HHH show on the balcony!

Tagged cocktails, I *heart* Japan, Japan

Apr 26 2014

2 Comments

cocktails

Cocktail Perfected: Pining for the Queen

As I mentioned yesterday, we were given an opportunity to create our own cocktails at the North Shore Distillery cocktail class. It wasn’t hard to choose which spirit would be the base of our cocktail–gin. Then we all kind of just started adding what sounded fun to work with. I wanted to experiment with the Earl Grey simple syrup and then we decided lemon and rosemary would be fun to add to the mix. What we ended up creating, if I may say so myself, is a pretty tasty spring cocktail. Brett came up with the name…genius, no?

The rosemary and the Earl Grey flavors are very subtle, but the hints of flavor complement the gin and lemon perfectly. I have a feeling this is going to be the year of the herbal cocktail around here so I’ve decided to devote a portion of our garden plot to cocktail-making ingredients like basil, lavender, rosemary and thyme. Now, it just needs to warm up so we can get started!

Pining for the Queen

2 oz gin (We used North Shore Distiller’s Gin No. 6.)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon

1/2 oz Earl Grey simple syrup (recipe below)

In a cocktail shaker, lightly muddle the sprig of rosemary with the simple syrup…very lightly, as in barely bruise the leaves. Add gin, lemon, tea syrup and ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with lemon zest.

Enjoy outdoors on a spring afternoon…or while watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Earl Grey Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2-3 Earl Grey tea bags (or loose tea equivalent)

Boil water and steep tea according to recommendation. (I used 2 tea bags and steeped for 6 minutes.)

Add in sugar and simmer until dissolved. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Tagged cocktails

Apr 25 2014

2 Comments

adventures, cocktails

Shaking Cocktails at the North Shore Distillery

Earlier this month, we headed back up to North Shore Distillery for a cocktail class. North Shore recently started offering cocktail classes in their tasting room. The classes teach basics of cocktail making through four seasonal cocktails, three are pre-determined and one is self-created. We had three people in our party (Brett, Naoto and me) and each cocktail is shared, so no one was drinking four entire cocktails. Naoto was our designated driver, only sampling a sip of each cocktail. There was also a snack spread with meats and cheeses, chips, salsa and cupcakes…perfect cocktail bites. There were more than twenty other people in the class, but it felt cozy and comfortable because the North Shore team created a really fun and laid back atmosphere. Brett, Naoto and I split up the cocktail-making duties, squeezing, muddling, measuring and pouring our ways through the cocktail list. We made a Gin Smash (North Shore Gin No. 11, lemon, simple syrup and mint), a Moscow Mule (North Shore Vodka, lime and delicious Fever Tree ginger beer) and an Eden’s Prayer (North Shore Tahitian Vanilla Vodka, pomegranate, orange liqueur, and lime). Each one was light and perfect for spring. I now need a channel knife (shown by Brett above) so I can create lovely long spiral garnishes for my cocktails at home. And, I don’t have a lemon squeezer (shown above) at home (we have a reamer style juicer) so it was fun to use one and experiment with a new tool. For our last cocktail, Brett, Naoto and I came up with the perfect combination of gin, citrus, herbal and sweet. I will share the recipe tomorrow.

(Because right now, I’m getting ready to watch the Blackhawks game and I’m going to need to make a cocktail!)

Tagged adventures, cocktails

Apr 16 2014

1 Comment

celebrations, Peggy's Parties

Peggy’s 50th Birthday Party

Taking a break from all the Japan posts to share another party hosted by Peggy…

The “other” Peggy in our book group, Peggy L, is turning fifty this month, so a few of us got together to celebrate, and as usual, (hostess) Peggy outdid herself. The table, the cocktails, the dinner and the dessert were “springy” and amazing. The table was full of pastels, bunnies, eggs and flowers. The sun was setting, leaving a dark glow in the room, and showing off the pretty pastels perfectly. I made an appetizer of cheese and roasted grapes (I promise to share the recipe soon!) and Peggy made Rossini cocktails. We drink a lot of sparkling wine cocktails at Peggy’s and I love every one of them, but this one–with the bright strawberry puree–was perfect for spring. While we were eating appetizers and catching up, we used these sweet vintage cocktail napkins. They were hand-embroidered and each said something different: wipe, dab, pat and blot. Aren’t they wonderful? I love the handwritten script.

We enjoyed asparagus soup and a chicken, cashew, swiss cheese, strawberry salad. Then we took a break from eating to open gifts before Peggy brought out the cake. The cake, while not a traditional decorated birthday cake, was divine…coconut and Meyer lemon, moist and delicious. Yum. I regret not bringing a piece home.

Thanks for another fun night, Peggy!

And Happy 50th, Peggy L! Enjoy your Irish Adventure!!

P.S. To see other “Peggy Parties” go here.

Tagged celebrations, cocktails, decorating

Apr 15 2014

4 Comments

adventures, celebrations, cocktails, Japan 2014, My Love Affair with Tokyo

Birthday at bunbougu cafe

When we planned our trip to Japan, I knew exactly where I wanted to spend my birthday…bunbougu cafe. Last year, I fell in love with the cafe that mixes stationery, coffee, letter writing, cocktails and tasty food all in one comfortable and eclectic location. We’d never been to bunbougu at night, so both Naoto and I were excited to try out their one-of-a-kind cocktails. At the risk of this turning into a Hasegawa Happy Hour post, let me tell you about these cocktails!! First there were the Adult Ramune and the Lychee Squash. Ramune is a Japanese soft drink that has a lemon-lime flavor, but really doesn’t taste its American counterpart…it has its own distinct taste that is tangier than the American drink. The Adult Ramune was made with blue curaçao and soda and it was my favorite. Who doesn’t love a blue cocktail? The Lychee Squash was lychee liquor, soda and grapefruit juice. It was so refreshing! (This might explain why it’s called a “squash” if you’re curious.) Neither of these cocktails packed a serious punch, but they were fun and tasty. For our appetizer, we ordered edamame that was sautéed with pine nuts and soy sauce. The edamame, presented beautifully on Japanese paper, was oh so delicious…I can’t even explain how much I loved it. We want to try to recreate it at home. For the next cocktail round, I got the Adult Ramune and Naoto got a Tea Mojito–a mojito that came with a shot of “tea espresso” to pour on top. I didn’t manage to take a picture of our dinners. Naoto had a miso coated pork chop and I had roasted chicken with herbs and apples. You’ll have to take my word for it. Naoto had a third cocktail. It was called “Sketchbook in the Tropics” and the only thing you need to know about it is that it came with a pencil stirrer!! (They sell the stirrers at bunbougu, too!) For dessert, I had Matcha Tiramisu…I’m a big fan of real tiramisu, but dare I say the matcha version is better??? Under the tiny paper box was a bowl of kuromame, sweet black soybeans typically eaten on New Years for good health. Naoto enjoyed those immensely while I ate up the tiramisu. I did a little birthday shopping at bunbougu, but I will share those treats later.