Thursday Happy Hour: Cocktail Recipes, Drinks, Music, and Good Times

Alesmith Yulesmith

Winter Beer Is Here

If you’re like me, November 27th isn’t merely the day after Thanksgiving, isn’t merely an extra day off from work with turkey sandwiches and stretchy pants.

It’s the day when you can safely bust out your Christmas decorations without your neighbors looking at you funny.

And as I drag out the little white blinky lights, I’ve decided to put myself even more squarely in the holiday mood with a glass of Alesmith Yulesmith.

Alesmith makes two versions of this beer -- a hoppy summer IPA version and a winter version that is brewed as an imperial red. It’s darker, maltier, and more balanced than the summer offering. A perfect winter warm up.

Okay, okay. So it’s 72 degrees and sunny outside right now.

But an east coast transplant to southern California has gotta get her Christmas spirit any way she can . . .

Kir Royale

Party in the Kitchen

It's Thanksgiving morning! We've turned up a swingin' jazz mix, set the table, and have started prepping for pie crust rolling, potato peeling, and drink sipping. The cat gets a tiny splash of cream, G mixes his traditional Bloody Mary recipe, and I sip a tall glass of orange juice, hold the vodka (or I'd be asleep before lunchtime).

For our pre-turkey cocktail later on, we're ditching the planned Cranberry Mojito recipe -- a test mix came out face-scrunching sour. (Our Pineapple Mojito was much better.)  Instead, we'll be pouring sparkling Kir Royales worthy of the celebration.

Giving Thanks for Wine

Gobble Gobble

Turkey? Check. Cranberries? Check. Wine? Are you kidding?? Check. It wouldn't be a true Thanksgiving feast at my house without the bottles of wine flowing.

Undoubtedly, if your guests are anything like mine, they'll fall into one of two camps: red wine drinkers and white wine drinkers. Sure, more savvy wine connoisseurs will prefer the style of wine that pairs best with the meal--but I'd presume that the majority just drink what they like. A fantastic rule to go by, I say.

Better stock up on some bottles of red and white.

Capital Brewery's Autumnal Fire

Bikes Are Good, Beer Is Great, and Cheese Is Crazy Yummy

We southern Californians have to travel far and wide to really experience the seasons. So on a recent trip to the Midwest, I was determined to drink in as much brisk, sun-kissed November air as I could.

A bike ride on day one of my visit definitely fit those plans. When my friend and I returned from our trek through the chilly, sun-drenched hillsides blanketed with naked trees, we were ready for a nibble and a beer.

Some slices of smoked Gouda, a handful of pumpkin crackers, and an Autumnal Fire doppelbock by the fire quickly turned the tingle in my nose into a warm glow in my cheeks.

The spicy, malty beer was the perfect mouth swish after the cheese and cracker pairing.

And I couldn't wait to see what treats day two would bring . . .

Slightly Dirty Martini

Get the Dirt

Some of my friends live far, and I get to talk to or see them only occasionally. But when I do, the connection is immediate. That's why a planned (or unplanned) phone happy hour can be so fun.

"My 5 year old is writing sentences, and his homework is to trace the letter A." She was livid. "Education is now about staying in line, not discovery and challenge." Pause. "Tell me how to make a Slightly Dirty Martini."

We cracked up. I prefer the slightly sour martini of a Gimlet, but this is the third friend to tell me about the briny, oceany heaven of a Dirty Martini. This one is for you savory drink lovers.

Layer Cake Primitivo Zinfandel

Have Your Cake and Drink It, Too

Who can resist a wine called Layer Cake?

Not this chocoholic.

I made the mistake of passing up this bottle when I first came across it because my shopping basket was already overflowing.

When I found myself dreaming of the decadent 3-tier chocolate cake on the wine label, I knew I had go back and get it to share with my book club friends.

Alpine Beer Company's Great

 A Beer That Lives Up to Its Name

I had a great time at the San Diego Brewer's Guild Festival this past weekend. Great music, great location, great beer . . . and I mean it literally on that last item.

One of the little treats on hand was a barleywine called simply "Great." And it's why beer festivals are such a treat. This is one of those hard-to-get beers that you may only stumble upon occasionally at the brewery or at special events.

Head Cleaner

Take a Deep Breath

With colds, the flu, and even pneumonia flying around town, our pals are lying low this week. We got away easy with a little head stuffiness.

To breathe easier, we tried a variety of home remedies, from hot Earl Grey tea with honey to steaming Vietnamese soup Pho to this delicious, bright cocktail made with ginger wine.

Here's to your health, salud!

2004 Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva

A Nice Chianti

I needed a good excuse to make lasagna. It's one of those dishes that I love to cook, but I don't make unless I have both:

• an extended stretch of time to make marinara and béchamel from scratch and
  
• a large, hungry crowd to feed it to.
  

Happily, my two requirements were met last Saturday.

It had been much too long since we'd gotten together, so I extended the invitation for Chianti and lasagna to a few good friends. While my husband and kids were outside raking leaves, I got to work in the kitchen. I made not only a traditional lasagna, but a fantastic skillet lasagna (recipe from Williams Sonoma) with butternut squash and Italian sausage. 

Unfortunately, I had two broken wine corks during my dinner party. Thankfully, I had a solution.

Pizza Port Panzer Imperial Pilsner

Lost and Found

I’ve lost track of the number of beer festivals I’ve been to. But I always remember the exciting moment when a beer festival find makes an appearance in my everyday life.

And that’s exactly what happened last weekend when I went out to dinner with a group of friends. Perusing the bottle list, my eyes alighted upon something vaguely familiar.

Then bingo, I remembered. Pizza Port’s Panzer Imperial Pilsner.

Tokyo Fog

Emerging

I still can't believe summer is over. It's getting dark early and I'm getting over a cold and I'm wrapping up three projects at once -- it's really been a blur. But planning for the holidays is fun, and one drink that friends inevitably request at the end of an evening is a dessert drink -- a creamy, decadent truffle in a glass. 

Mud Slides are yum, but expected, so when G's friend and creative consultant Leslie suggested a Fog, something she enjoyed with her family at the holidays, we jumped all over it. And we weren't disappointed. In fact, we were gobsmacked.

Blandy's Rainwater Madeira - Dessert Wine

Sweet Art and Wine

My kids came home with a mountain of candy this Halloween. Fortunately, they are judicious with their stash--and creative, too. They eat a few select pieces and then get to work--sorting first by color, size, and type. Then they start building. Towns complete with furnished houses, pools, and walkways appear on the living room floor. Even lollipops are put to use as the local townsfolk.

Gradually, the town diminishes. First a table, then one of the neighbors. My girls are reluctant to dismantle their work of art, which suits this mom just fine.

But lucky for me--and my sweet tooth--they are also willing to share. And I had the perfect wine to pair it with.