Vino - Heads Up

My two latest favorites in the wine realm have interesting names, and one would believe, from their very different websites, that they were totally unrelated (?) but they are both completely satisfying reds that while satisfying a different taste and appeal, there is a richness to each type that deserves a wide audience.

GNARLY HEAD
Authentic Red
 I found out from my local wine vendor that this had become his most popular wine and now, favorite recommendation.  Under $11 a bottle, this touch of sweet yet spicy bold red wine accomplished exactly what I sought from a blend.  I have grown an immense appreciation for red blends because I do not think my palate seeks what one type of grape can accomplish, I appreciate the mix of tart, sweet, bold, oaky, rich, fruity, and spice.  This is my perfect idea of a wine that can be enjoyed everyday, used for Sangria, enjoyed slightly chilled or room temperature.

TOASTED HEAD
Shiraz
One of the first types of red that I grew an appreciation for was the Syrah or Shiraz. Its blended boldness was what led me to appreciate Chianti later on.  I come back to the world of Shiraz as I found a perfect representation of the Shiraz, that spicy bold slightly tart and slightly oaky wine I first fell in love with.  It is hard to say if I like one over the other, as the Gnarly Head is definitely something that can be enjoyed with frequency, but the Toasted Head is definitely the kind of wine I like to savor, the spice notes are unique and the bold tart nature of this wine would be more appreciated in lighter rotation, like a fine cigar (or with a fine cigar!)

Revisiting Coquito for Dummies

It's that time of year again, don't forget to shower your loved ones with a little "spicy holiday spirit in a bottle".

xoxo
-Lainey

A Spicy Cocktail for Hot Spicy Days!

 

Ingredients:

1oz Powell & Mahoney LTD Old Ballycastle Ginger Cocktail Mixer 

1oz Any Tequila Blanco 

This delicious mixer was found at a local Bed Bath and Beyond.  This is amazing stuff...add to soda, drink straight, its delicious. 

For this drink, pour in shaker with ice, just to get it nice and ice cold, strain into a martini glass and voila!

Cheers!

Zweigelt!

Upon cracking open the cap of this spicy bottle of wine, a burst of Austrian air seems to fill me! I haven't felt this excited about a simple bottle of wine in a very long time. Amazingly priced, (usually $13.99) and almost perfectly tailored to my palate, this slightly briny, spicy, yet fruity wine by Weingut Hofer is pretty well received for its unique lightness in body with contrasting boldness in flavor.

Not the typical bottle, 750ml, beer style cap, it retains its tangy spiciness for days, and tastes best when slightly below room temperature (an accidental yet delicious discovery)

Zweigelt as defined in wikipedia is "a red wine grape variety developed in 1922, at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology at Klosterneuburg, Austria, by Fritz Zweigelt. It was a crossing of Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. It is now the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria, as well as having some presence in Canada's vineyards."

Hot NYC Fun In the Summertime: Part 1, FREE!!!

Who says you have to empty your pockets to have a fun summer in the Big Manzana? Tons of FREE events in NY this 2010. Found a nice comprehensive list on About.com.

Virtual Parranda

The easiest way to explain the Puerto Rican tradition of a parranda de aguinaldos involves a parade of local neighbors, family and friends singing traditional and folk christmas songs while playing instruments and traveling house to house serenading for food and beverages, spreading celebration and good cheer.  This originally began as a religious celebration of the coming birth of Christ beginning with masses held before Christmas day.  

In remembering such a wonderful tradition, and my family's wonderful neighbors (Hola Gonzalez family!) in Co-Op city who kept this tradition alive, please enjoy this medley of songs traditionally sung during this parade.  Share this story on your page or blog and help create the first (for what I know at least) virtual Parranda!

You might also like reading : Coquito For Dummies

Wine Lovin Misters

Wine Loving Lady

I love the full bodied, tangy oaky taste of Chianti. With a distinct raspberry tartness, and a little lighter than average, I am loving my recent purchase of Castello D'Albola Chianti Classico (2005). I am enjoying it so much I made an Etsy treasury about wine. Snuck it in there! HA!

As I was typing the beginning of this blog I searched google hoping to find an image of the wine label, and awesomely enough, I came across an interesting online wine store Wine Library, whom have this wine available for purchase ($10.99!), and provide a passage about the estate; “Nestled in the Tuscan hills, the Castello d’Albola is an architectural tribute to the 15th century. The estate was long the domaine of famous and noble families whose influence during the Renaissance remains legendary. The estate, its vineyards and the surrounding hills are located in the heart of the Chianti region. This Chianti Classico consists of Sangiovese (95%) varietal base blended with a balance of Canaiolo (5%) grapes. Red garnet in color and full bodied in character you will find it pairs well with roasts, pasta dishes and cheese.”-Winemaker

Holy Vegas!

Curmudgeon Detox

For some dumb reason I thought I would only have maybe a half decent time in Vegas, what is wrong with me? I've realized a few things. I realized that I really have to try to stop second guessing everyone when they think they know what I like. I realized how moody I've become with age. I realized I need to cut the self inflicted dullness and enjoy every possible thing I can. I also realized just how much Atlantic City would never become the Las Vegas of the east coast. Hello Vegas! Screw the boardwalk, when I can walk the streets with a 50 oz. Drink bong looking thing in hand! Somehow I let 24 hour news stations make me think Vegas would be a barren wasteland of barely functioning mega casinos, desperately trying to succeed with tourism down 30% or more on any given weekend. O.K! sure its slow during the week, but slow in Vegas equals a day of infestation of the masses in Atlantic City. I really enjoyed being there during the week and not being overwhelmed by the impending doom awaiting friday evening. And the view? The mountains surrounding this fantastic "meadow" are breathtaking. I felt better within 10 seconds of landing.

Ante Up

I have to say the Monte Carlo was not too shabby, not too shabby at all. With a fine, elegant lobby, fun shopping, 24 hour fast food and comfortable hotel rooms its totally worth a return stay. However, the pool was my favorite attraction. Luckily we arrived on a less than normal week weather wise. The temps averaged 85, perfect for some tanning by the pools. To my surprise I had a pool, lazy river, and wave pool to chose from. Props to the DJ for the most awesome set of songs that usually wouldn't go together well on a normal playlist. And to satisfy my slight enjoyment in the terror of other beings, watching the New York New York roller coaster from my room with blood curdling screams running more often than the weather on an AM station, was quite fun. Quite fun indeed.
Now for the Casino part, which I have to say might have been my favorite over all the other casinos on the strip. I enjoyed the selection of games at the Monte Carlo, I enjoyed the S_P_A_C_E, and I enjoyed the LOW MINIMUMS ON TABLES, YOU HEAR THAT A.C.?? I PLAYED ON A WEEKEND, AND I COULD AFFORD TO, IT WAS FUN. Ok, sorry had to get that out. My second favorite casino was at the Stratosphere, just cause it was big and was a teensy weensy nicer to me payout wise. All of the casinos had nice layouts for their machines and tables, the Sahara still had its old Las Vegas charm.

Old Vegas at its Best

The Fremont St. Experience featured all the old but goodie casinos and FREE incredible shows; sky shows on the half hour, and a Summer of 69 tribute full of impersonators and cover bands. The sky shows run on the canopy running down Fremont St. and, wouldn't you know, I got to see KISS play Lick It Up with video clips, crazy graphics, and explosions. Oh, I am not kidding. Lick It Up. Yep.

Standing on the Edge of the Hoover Dam

Looking towards the mountains made us want a car very, very badly. Who knew we'd get a fabulous upgrade to a non super gas guzzling pick up truck? I got to cross a time zone for a half hour and reenact as many scenes from Fools Rush In as possible. TRAMBIO! I've never seen such cool desert, red rocks and river water in my life. They're building this new bridge (looking like something out of Star Wars or Dune) going over the dam which is awesome and scary as hell when you can see how the pillars holding up the bridge look from the bottom.

Leaving Las Vegas

Having to leave was tougher than I could imagine. We did a lot in a few days, like visiting the Stratosphere, checking out the beautiful Lake Meade, watching the gondola rides at the Venetian and the volcano show at the Mirage. I've heard former New York residents living in LV tell me "I love it here" and now I can totally see why. I loved the weather ( I can do 110ºf, easy) and the people were super nice, everywhere. So what if its considered Sin City? Everyone respects their freedoms. The only time I saw a fight, was after arriving in JFK. Hey A.C.? forget about the boardwalk, you're just a city of walls, and so greedy that I think I'll save my money for return trip to Vegas instead, unless your open container laws dissappear and your main strip becomes extremely walkable and entertaining to the masses, and while you're at it, make the beach more fun. You have an ocean, use it.

Lizzard Caipirinha

Sick of Mojitos? Looking for something with a little more kick this summer? Thanks to Ñ in SoHo, I have enjoyed Caipirinha's for the last few summers, especially on a nice breezy day. Fair warning; its bolder, stronger, more tart, and absolutely delicious, not for the faint of heart (or tongue). However, like the Mojito, this one takes a bit of practice.

Lizzard Caipirinha

≈2 1/2 Ounces of Leblon Cachaça (or any other cachaça)
≈1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
≈1 tablespoon of brown sugar
≈3 1/2 to 4 limes, quartered.

Place limes, and sugar into mixing glass and muddle either with a pilón or wooden spoon, make sure to get as much lime juice out of those limes as possible. I add in a little brown sugar to give it a little kick of spice and color. Add two or three ice cubes, and the cachaça and shake for about 4 seconds. Add to an old fashioned or high ball glass, sprinkle in a tiny pinch more of the granulated sugar and, ¡disfrutes! Need it more tart? Add another quarter of a lime.

Can't find cachaça? I'd suggest Marti rum as a specific replacement due to the tart lime flavor of the rum. If you cannot find cachaça in the rum section of your local "spirits dispenser", check the aperetif liquer section.

Loving Day Flagship Celebration

I am volunteering between 2-5 and partying till 7 at the Loving Day celebration being held on Sunday June 7th, here are the details, come join the party!

Come celebrate the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that legalized interracial marriage in the US.

Sunday, June 7th from 3-7pm at Solar 1
East River at 23rd St. in Manhattan

FREE BBQ: all day long
FREE BEER: for the first hour
GET IN FREE: rain or shine
MULTICULTURAL: family friendly

Featuring:
DJ DHUNDEE, Sugarcuts Music (http://www.djdhundee.blogspot.com)
DJ TYLER ASKEW, Rude/MFT (http://www.rudemovements.net/)

Directions:
SUBWAY: 6 train to 23rd, then M23 bus or walk e. past Ave C & FDR. Look for Gulf gas station. Or, L train to 1st Ave: walk N. to 23rd
BY CARr: from south, FDR to 20-23 St. exit. Right on Ave C, right on 23rd almost to Gulf gas station, then service road to Solar 1

RSVP YOUR SPOT: lovingdayparty@gmail.com
LEARN MORE ONLINE: http://www.lovingday.org

200H8R's Unite!

"Good Riddance to 2008"...

I hear it everywhere, from the Streets of Wall, to the many bars full of believers and hopeful victims of a vicious year waiting for change. This country's turmoil has lead to many lives being completely thrown off and rearranged. Sometimes we must witness the worst in order to appreciate the best.

So for those looking for a new job, trying to maintain their life and home, praying for health, needing love in their life, waiting for positive experiences, searching for peace, this New Year should be a year of triumph, change, progress, absolution, resolution, inspiration, and love. Take it, give it, spread it, help yourself, help others, keep your head up, forge ahead and look forward to a brighter day. Its always what we make of it.

As far as NYE is concerned, I will be attending my own 200H8R's Ball, with my very own 2008 piñata, drinkin' Girlie Martinis, and blowing kisses in the sky, waving 2008 good bye!

While you wait for 2009, rock out to some Red Hot Chili Pipers and Auld Lang Syne:



HAPPY 2009!

Coquito for Dummies

Right about this exact time of year, millions of Puertoricans get a terribly strong hankering for some special Egg Nog, and its not yo mama's egg nog, its my mama's egg nog. Every family that makes Coquito is very particular about their version, just like any other dish they take pride in making once a year. Coquito is a Puertorican egg nog that involves a very special ingredient, Coconut.

In my family, this was the only time of year as a youngster that the kids could have some. My Abuela and I would sit around, she critiqued, I sat in absolute anticipation. My mother used Coco Lopez, a very sweet cream of coconut, and a touch of coconut milk, along with an egg, a very precise mix of Light Bacardi Rum and Bacardi Superior (dark rum) and various spices. The smell was not as intoxicating as the various attempts it took for my mother to get the correct blend of the above ingredients. I started learning at the age of 12 with each batch. The eldest and youngest waited for their shot to be poured, and judged accordingly. The older I became, the more my mother trusted my judgement, and the more I liked rum.

This was a long standing tradition in not only my household, but held amongst many families, brining everyone into the kitchen, men and women, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, as a time of family unity while learning how to spread the joy of the holidays to others, through alcohol. This tradition held up in my household; we made large amounts of the stuff to hand out to co-workers, teachers, neighbors, family and friends as gifts. I continued the tradition upon moving to Illinois and North Carolina, to the delight of many who never had the opportunity to drink during business hours. In the meantime, I simplified this recipe so as to make much more than Mom could ever make, all with a simple replacement. So, just in time for this holiday season, please try your hand at the recipe below, and make it your own. Salud! Feliz Navidad!

LaineyLizzard's Easy Coquito:

(Blender Required)
3/4 can or pint of Egg Nog (check your local grocer's milk section)
1 can of Coco Lopez or other cream of coconut
1/4 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon of Allspice
1 teaspoon of ground Cloves
1 teaspoon of Nutmeg
1 tablespoon of Cinnamon
2 ounces of Bacardi Superior, or jamaican rum
1 ounce of Bacardi Light Rum or equivalent

Blend all of the above ingredients. Add more egg nog should you find the consistency too thick. If not thick enough, add an egg yolk. Season with spices and enliven with more rum to taste. Shot test per addition of ingredient. Take asprin to prevent hang over before bed (just kidding, but seriously, drink lots of water) . Refrigerate before serving.