Sauced In New York Sometimes the food is in the sauce, sometimes we are

Silly, but awesome. A recent trip to Staples for the all too often blood-letting purchase of printer ink led me to this beauty:   It now sits on my desk and makes me smile. Claire, martinis at work?  Doesn’t that significantly alter the learning environment? Someone brilliant over at Scotch brand knows how to make me smile! Oh, and it’s Friday! ... Read More »

Nothing says fall like cider donuts, apple picking and, of course, hard cider. And Hick’s Orchard is the place where all three autumn classics can be found, purchased and consumed. Hick’s hard cider is sold under the Slyboro Ciderhouse name with offerings that run the gambit from bone-dry to dessert-wine-sweet. After consuming enough-cider-donuts-to-feed-a-small-country just a few donuts, my friends and I made our ... Read More »

While I definitely believe in drinking what makes you happy (i.e., if you want a pinot grigio with your steak – go for it), I find that I am usually a seasonal drinker. Guinness, red wine and brown liquor in the cooler months (which, in the North Country, happen to be about half the year).  White wine, rosés and clear alcohol ... Read More »

I recently discovered cookie butter from Trader Joe’s.  That’s right. Cookie butter. They suggest it being delicious on a number of things (hello waffles!) but I find that it’s fabulous off a spoon while standing in-front of the fridge at 2 a.m. Fortunately, my roommate doesn’t like it, thus leaving more for me. On closer examination of that previous sentence (and ... Read More »

Somehow… Somehow… How? The first times I visited Ireland – at 20 years old, at 28 years old, and then again in my 40s – Irish pub culture escaped me entirely!  If you know me at all, I am no stranger to bars or restaurants.  A wine and food blogger, no less, completely clueless about the vital role that pubs ... Read More »

Apparently, the one week of 80+ degree weather that the Adirondacks had back in the beginning of May is all that we’re getting for summer here in the North Country. I should never have put away my long johns or packed up my winter sweaters. It was foolhardy behavior on my part. I mean, Lake Placid got 3 feet of snow ... Read More »

Certain drinks go with certain film characters. Nick and Nora Charles? Martinis. Leon from The Professional? Milk. The ladies from Sex and the City? Cosmos. Alex from A Clockwork Orange? Maloka Plus. Dr. Hannibal Lector? A nice Chianti with a side of Fava bean (may I suggest Fattorie Melini’s Chianti Classico Reserva?) And let’s not forget Caucasians and the Dude. Better known as ... Read More »

The long-term loan of an Irish kitchen table (from a friend who doesn’t have room for it in her house and doesn’t want it sitting in her the barn during the winter months) has encouraged me to do some redecorating in my apartment. Luckily, my roommate’s been on-hand for the heavy lifting. One of the changes we made was to ... Read More »

I mentioned in my last post that I had been put in charge of cocktails for Thanksgiving. After scouring some of my favorite sources for cocktails online, I decided to attempt the following: Rosemary infused vodka with cranberry simple syrup and seltzer Whisky sours with homemade sour mix Bourbon with vanilla pear nectar and hard cider While the cranberry simple ... Read More »

  I just got back from NYC and the 4th annual Paella Parade (hosted by Frederick Wildman), where I got to eat some amazing paella and drink some of my favorite wine from El Coto de Rioja. If you missed the Paella Parade this year, don’t worry: it will return in 2013 and you’ll have the opportunity to not only enjoy ... Read More »