We are continuing to work our way through my sister-in-law’s red wine collection, opening a bottle of California Syrah from 1999. Just as the 1998 Rombauer Merlot that I recently wrote about, the aging of this wine has produced a lot of sediment. My husband is less put off with it this time, since filteringContinueContinue reading “A Lesson in Wine Faults”
Author Archives: J Reilly
The Local Farm Stand
Where I grew up was solidly suburban and a local farm stand was not to be found for 50 miles. That didn’t bother us any since my dad had the biggest garden in the neighborhood. With the exception of a patch of grass and a few shade trees along the perimeter, the entire backyard wasContinueContinue reading “The Local Farm Stand”
Converting My Analog Past to the Digital Present
In a previous post I waxed nostalgic over all of my old albums, cassettes, and VHS tapes that live in the land that technology forgot. Is it possible to convert some cherished analog audio cassettes to a digital format? The answer is “yes” and everything I need to know is on the Internet. My GoogleContinueContinue reading “Converting My Analog Past to the Digital Present”
Rombauer Rescue
We don’t often have a chance to drink wine that has been cellar-aged, mainly because we drink all the wine we buy within a few years. So when my sister-in-law offered us her red wine collection as a consequence of their moving across the country, we were only too happy to take it off theirContinueContinue reading “Rombauer Rescue”
Cream Liqueur Drink Lab
We’ve collected a number of different cream liqueurs in our travels and decided to taste five of them back to back in drink lab. Our samples include Original Bailey’s Irish Cream, Caruva Horchata Cream, RumChata, Crisma, and 1921 Crema de Tequila. Caruva and RumChata are both examples of horchata. Originating in Spain, variations of horchataContinueContinue reading “Cream Liqueur Drink Lab”
Margarita Drink Lab and Muffuletta Crackers
Summertime is the best time for Margaritas on the deck. Before mixing a full-sized cocktail to take outside on a glorious Friday evening, we decide to do a little homework in the drink lab. We have a new Jose Cuervo Especial Silver tequila to put to the test. While Jose Cuervo is not usually atContinueContinue reading “Margarita Drink Lab and Muffuletta Crackers”
Nostalgia is taking over my life!
It started with a confluence of free time and the need to pare down our collection of stuff. What better way to take advantage of being unemployed than tending to long-ignored projects around the house. Downsizing and moving to a cheaper cost-of-living area is now within our less-than-five-year plan. I’m borrowing the exercise mantra “useContinueContinue reading “Nostalgia is taking over my life!”
Appletinis and Appetizer of Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella
Reading a drink menu at a local restaurant I notice that most of the martinis are made with vodka. Exactly none of them contain the old school gin and vermouth. In our drink lab, we decide to test the Appletini with gin instead of vodka. We choose New Amsterdam in which we noted citrus-y botanicals duringContinueContinue reading “Appletinis and Appetizer of Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella”
Myers’s Rum
Some rums, such as Captain Morgan Sherry Oak, we like to drink neat or chilled. Appleton is perfect in a frozen strawberry daiquiri. We’ve made Bacardi Gold the staple for our sangria. Myers’s rum has posed a challenge as to how it fits into our spirits repertoire. Should we drink it neat? The aroma isContinueContinue reading “Myers’s Rum”
Summer Sangria with Rum
After trying several different recipes, we determined that we like our sangria made with rum instead of brandy. Our standard recipe is: 8 oz. wine 4 oz. triple sec 2 oz. rum 2 oz. orange juice 2 oz. sweetened lemon juice Add fresh fruit if you are feeling fancy. Served over ice, this recipe yieldsContinueContinue reading “Summer Sangria with Rum”
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