I have to say I will go back on what I said in my Skinnygirl Margarita post … the White Cranberry Cosmo is the smoothest Skinnygirl product going down (so far). Totally OK to drink without too much doctoring or really any at all and actually I started my taste test just simply pouring the chilled cocktail into a martini glass and was totally fine enjoying it as a relatively legit Cosmo! Needless to say, I am impressed – not too sweet and definitely tasty. The cocktail being good solo, however, did not stop me from trying out some new recipes.

Here are my three favorite recipes that came out of my taste test:

Pomegranate Cosmo
1. Fill a chilled martini glass with cold Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo

2. Next add 1-2 tablespoons of Pom Pomegranate Juice*

3. Stir slowly and garnish with a thinly sliced lime wedge or a few seasonal berries (NOTE: I usually use blueberries or pomegranate seeds, and during the winter months: cranberries)

*I have not tried it yet, but Pom makes several flavors of juice – It might be fun to try the Blueberry Pomegranate Juice and garnish the drink with blueberries

The Fizzy Cosmo
1. Fill a chilled martini glass with two and a half shots of Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo

2. Next add two and a half shots of Champagne or Prosecco (NOTE: I used Cupcake Prosecco and it complemented the Cosmo mix quite nicely)

3. Serve and Enjoy!

The Midday Cosmo Teaser
For a lighter version of the Fizzy Cosmo
1. Fill a highball glass with ice and two and a half shots of Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo

2. Next add two and a half shots of soda water

3. Stir slowly and garnish with a lime wedge after squeezing the juice into the glass

The Non-Skinnygirl Recipes
Since I am already posting about the cocktail, I will share a couple of my homemade cosmo recipes.

Pomegranate Lime Cosmo
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add two shots of vodka

2. Next add a shot of Pom Pomegranate Juice and half a shot of fresh lime juice

3. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass*

*NOTE: You can also put this mixture into a highball glass and serve as a cocktail over ice

Kate’s “Traditional” Cosmo
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add three shots of vodka

2. Next add a shot of Cranberry juice

3. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass

4. Garnish with a lime wedge in the summer and spring and frozen cranberries or pomegranate seeds in the winter and fall

5. Enjoy!

Hope all of you enjoy my post and varied Cosmo recipes! Cheers! Next be on the lookout for my National Gallery of Art Jose Andres Pop Up Restaurant Post and my Skinnygirl Piña Colada post – Definitely curios about this one given my aversion to sweet drinks!

*It is important to note here that the first time I tried it I did not realize the alcohol was already in it, so I promptly prepared the margarita using a shot and a half of tequila. Needless to say, one drink that time around was more than enough for me.

Here are my two go-to recipes, using the bottled Skinnygirl Margarita:

Original Margarita
1. Fill a tall glass with ice and add the juice of one lime (two if you particularly like the lime flavor). (Note: If you are using bottled lime juice, I put in 2-3 tablespoons)

2. Next fill the glass with the Skinnygirl Margarita

3. Finally add two pinches of salt and stir, combining all ingredients

Spicy Margarita
1. Fill a tall glass with ice and add the juice of one lime (two if you particularly like the lime flavor). (Note: If you are using bottled lime juice, I put in about 3 tablespoons)

2. Next fill the glass with the Skinnygirl Margarita

3. Add two pinches of salt and stir, combining all ingredients

4. Finally, add 3-4 thin slices of fresh jalapeño

The Non-Skinnygirl Recipes
Since I am already posting about margaritas, I thought I would share my homemade margarita and one of the coolest, most unique margarita recipes I have ever tried.

Kate’s Homemade Margarita
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the juice of three limes (an extra half a lime if you particularly like the lime flavor). (Note: If you are using bottled lime juice, I put in about two ounces)

2. Add one ounce of Tres Agaves Agave Nectar (this is my go to brand)

3. Add two ounces of Tequila and two pinches of salt – Shake to combine all ingredients

4. Put contents of shaker into a tall cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge or some thinly sliced jalapenos

Nadia G’s Spicy Vodka Margarita
(This recipe was cut out from the 28 May 2012 issue of People Magazine)
1. Combine 1 ½ ounces of vodka, 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, and two tablespoons maple syrup and some crushed ice in a cocktail shaker.

2. Shake well and pour into a salt-rimmed highball glass.

3. Drop two thin slices of fresh jalapeño pepper and serve.

I will say with regards to Nadia G’s margarita, you must add the jalapeño, as it combines well with the vodka and maple syrup to produce a delicious margarita – Who would have thought vodka with the right ingredients, could taste like an actual margarita.

Hope all of you enjoy my post and varied margarita recipes! Cheers and I look forward to hearing if you try any of the above recipes or have a great margarita recipe of your own.

Last year, a good friend of mine and fellow blogger recommended that I try making his peach brandy. I had never made my own alcohol before so I thought why not, this would be the perfect time to start. So, six months ago I set about making peach brandy. I carefully peeled the peaches, stacked them in a jar, and poured in an inordinate amount of sugar. Next, I waited, and waited, and waited—It takes six months for the peaches and sugar to combine into a wonderful concoction of peach brandy. When the beginning of March hit, it was time to taste the fruits of my labor (pun intended). So based on the instructions, I strained the peaches in cheesecloth (twice) and poured the brandy into an air tight jar. I immediately wanted to taste it, but I have to be honest, I was a little nervous—what if I had done it wrong and it was dreadful? So I put a very small amount in a shot glass and took a sip…

Success! It was delicious. It is very sweet, but also a little syrupy. Instantly ideas started running though my head on what to do with the brandy (besides the obviously—drinking it straight). Some recipes and ideas were obvious—like putting it over ice cream with fresh peaches, but some surprised me. I have included a few of the recipes below of what I have done with the brandy. Note for all the recipes below: Do not use a large pint glass—the peach brandy, because it is thick, sinks to the bottom which does not allow you to enjoy the full flavors. I used a thin, tall glass similar to those that Pom tea is sold in. Also I mixed the drinks by pouring them into a pint glass and back into the Pom tea glass to ensure they were properly mixed.

Mint Peach Brandy Tonic

1. Put four to five mint leaves in a glass and muddle them to release the oils

2. Fill the glass with ice

3. Add 2.5 ounces of homemade peach brandy

4. Next add tonic water (I prefer Q Tonic because it has a cleaner taste)

5. Stir vigorously to combing the drink

6. Enjoy!

Coconut Peach Brandy Cooler

1. Fill a tall glass with ice

2. Next add 1 ounce of coconut vodka (I used Smirnoff)

3. Add 1.5 ounces of homemade peach brandy

4. Stir vigorously to combine the drink

5. Enjoy!

Lime and Peach Brandy Soda

1. Fill glass with ice

2. Next add 2.5 ounces of peach brandy

3. Add juice of one lime (anywhere between 0.5 ounces and 1 ounce of lime juice)

4. Fill the glass with soda water

5. Stir vigorously to combine the drink

5. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these drink recipes. I think they are fun summer drinks that are great to enjoy in the warm weather out on a porch or balcony. It must be said, however, that the brandy is delicious on its own as well—a perfect after dinner or dessert drink. Next up is pear brandy, which will be ready the first week of July, so look this summer for some fun drink ideas!

The recipe for the peach brandy can be found on my friend’s blog at: http://thehipflask.wordpress.com/peach-brandy-pictorial/

Ping Pong is without a doubt my favorite “chain” restaurant. I was introduced to the full experience in 2005 in London by my boyfriend who thought a wonderful afternoon out would be lunch at Ping Pong and a tour of the Wallace Collection—it was perfect. I had never had dim sum before, so I let him navigate the menu, which was completely foreign to me. He came up with the most wonderful combination of dim sum or “tiny parcels of deliciousness” as Ping Pong refers to them, some of which I will share with you below in the “Navigating the Menu” section. The food is consistently great and so are the drinks, which are unique combinations of fresh ingredients—shaken, stirred, or muddled into fabulous cocktails. Since 2005, I have introduced everyone who has spent time with me in London to the restaurant and now that there are two new locations in DC, I have pretty much “forced” everyone I know to accompany me. Most recently I celebrated my birthday there with a group of close friends and it was a perfect dining experience. I highly suggest trying the restaurant with a few friends or even a big group.

Because it is fun to go to a restaurant with recommendations I thought it would be nice to include a section on how to navigate the menu—sharing with you some of my most favorite items. The dim sum generally comes three to a dish and is perfect for sharing. It is great to have a meal and not feel overwhelmed by the portion or so full that you can barely get out of your seat. I generally recommend 5-8 dishes for two people—depending on if it is lunch or dinner and the level of hunger. Certain selections on the Ping Pong menu change roughly every Spring and Winter, so I have noted that in my recommendations below.

Navigating the Menu/Kate’s Recommendations

Nibbles and Sauces
*I generally skip this section, but sometimes I like a little nibble with my cocktail
Edamame (also called Maodou)

Soups and Salads
Smoked Duck and Citrus Salad

Fried and Griddled
Crispy Duck Spring Roll
Chicken and Black Pepper Spring Roll
Vietnamese Rice Paper and Shrimp Roll
Spinach and Mushroom Dumpling
Prawn Toast with Sesame Seeds (London Only)

Baked
Chicken Puff (Winter)

Rice Dishes
King Prawn and Scallop Sticky Rice
Seafood Sticky Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf (Spring)

Special Dishes
Crispy Prawn Ball (my best friend insists we each get our own order)
Luxury Vegetable Spring Roll (Winter)

Steamed
Har Gau (My Favorite)
Scallop and Shiitake Dumpling
Black Prawn Dumpling (Spring)
Pork Shu Mai
Seafood Dumpling
Chicken Shu Mai

Desserts
Roasted Pineapple and Coconut Spring Roll (Winter)

Cocktails
Ping Pong
Asian Manhattan (Spring)
Lemongrass and Lime (Winter)

The dishes selected above are my favorites and samplings of each really compliment the experience. I try to get a few in each category (although generally I do not get dessert)—Trying one of the cocktails is a must, but if you are not interested in imbibing any of the flowering teas are amazing! The restaurant is perfect for happy hour dinner and/or a light lunch. Their happy hour consists of a selection of reduced price dim sum and cocktails each day.

My final rating is 5 out of 5 stars for food, cocktails, and providing a consistently good dining experience.

I hope you all a least try Ping Pong once, particularly if you have never had dim sum. If you do, let me know what dishes are your favorites—Happy Eating!

For more information: www.pingpong.us (for US locations) or www.pingpong.com (for UK locations)

A couple weekends ago my friend called and said she and her husband were going to be passing my apartment after a day of outlet shopping and asked if I wanted to do a drink. I told her just to stop by on her way back and I would have cocktails and snacks ready—a much better option after a long day of shopping. As I was collecting various cheeses and some crackers at the grocery store, I passed the refrigerated meats – for some reason the chicken sausage caught my eye. I tossed a package of Johnsonville’s chicken sausage with apples in the basket, not knowing what I was going to do with them. Nevertheless, they sounded good.

Upon arriving home, I set out the brie so it would get soft and set about relaxing. As I sat reading I thought that soup sounded really good on this particularly cold day. The best part: I could make it early and leave it simmer on the stove while we had cocktails. Even better, if my friends were cold and hungry I would have a nice dinner at the ready. In the end it proved perfect—my friends were tired and hungry and the soup was the best fix. We started with an assortment of cheeses and crackers, then moved to my newfound chicken sausage soup with some baguette. It was a wonderful winter’s day—good food, friends, and cocktails.

Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1 package Johnsonville fully cooked chicken sausage with real apple (4 sausages), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, diced (yields about 2 cups)
1 bunch celery, chopped (yields about 5 or 6 cups)
2 ½ cups carrots, chopped (I used baby carrots since they are smaller)
2 tablespoons butter (or 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil)
3 cups spinach
1 jar, 15.5 ounces Tostitos chunky medium salsa
5.5 ounces cannellini beans
32 ounces low sodium vegetable broth

Directions
1. Heat butter (or butter and olive oil) in a large pot.
2. When pot has heated, turn burner to medium/high heat and add chopped carrots, cooking about 4 minutes.
3. Next add diced onion and chopped celery, cooking 5-7 minutes
4. Once carrots and celery begin to soften, add 32 ounces vegetable broth and reduce to a simmer
5. Next, add the pieces of chicken sausage, cannellini beans, and jar of salsa and simmer for 15-20 minutes (you can simmer longer depending on when you want to serve)
6. Finally, bring the soup to a boil, add the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted
7. Spoon soup into big bowls and serve with baguette
8. ENJOY!

Today I thought I would blog about a recent discovery in London–The V&A Reading Rooms. About a year ago I bought a LivingSocial coupon for £10.00, which included a bottle of Prosecco and 15% off the purchase of a book at the V&A Reading Rooms. I had never heard about it and it was located in South Kensington, an area I don’t get to much, so I thought it would be fun to try something new. Since I lived in London and spend the equivalent of about two months a year here, I am constantly looking for new and different things to do off the beaten path.

So, on a chilly spring day the beginning of last year, my boyfriend and I set off to find the V&A Reading Rooms, which turned out to be a Notting Hill-esque bookshop with a bar that serves everything from a cappuccino to a hot toddy to a gin and tonic, little snack treats are also available. We spent about an hour and a half sitting at the bar sipping our Prosecco and perusing the books – seriously, can book shopping get any better? It was a totally relaxing afternoon and we had such a wonderful time that I decided on my current trip to London that I would return.

This time I set off after lunch on my own to rediscover the bookshop that I loved so much and I can report that a year later it is just as we left it. I sipped a glass of Prosecco, browsed the books (two of which I purchased), and worked on my blog. It was the perfect activity for a freezing cold, overcast afternoon. The setting is very London-esque and the sparkling wine very vacation oriented – the best of both worlds.

I encourage everyone to check out the V&A Reading Rooms when next in London (just down the street from the Victoria & Albert Museum; nearest tube – South Kensington). Stop in for a coffee or cocktail, and spend an hour or two looking at the books – it is the perfect venue.

My final rating: 5 stars (out of 5) — A truly delightful experience.

For more information visit: http://www.vandareadingrooms.co.uk/

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” –Samuel Johnson

The other day my boyfriend and I were discussing how little pumpkin is used (particularly in the canned form) after Thanksgiving. I personally love the flavor of pumpkin and think it can be used well after the holidays, in both sweet and savory dishes. In fact, recently my friend had a Top Chef pumpkin competition where all invitees were asked to bring an appetizer, main course, or dessert using pumpkin – and the results were quite interesting! Not only were there such things as pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin cheesecake, but there were such surprises as a pumpkin pie cake, a pumpkin chili, and most delectable to me – roasted pumpkin with a garlic yogurt sauce, a recipe that I have made for a dinner party after tasting it at the competition – delicious! (Note: For the pumpkin challenge, I made Martha Stewart’s pumpkin bread pudding with a dulce de leche sauce – it also turned out quite well.)

I have never really cooked with pumpkin in a savory way, minus recreating the roasted pumpkin, but my boyfriend (who is also quite creative in the kitchen) and I decided we could take on the challenge and created a dish from scratch using the canned pumpkin left in the cupboard.

Our results are below:

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
2 sausages (Johnsonville brats work best)
1 cup spinach
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup skim or 1% milk
Dash of whole milk (depending on level of thickness)
Fresh chopped sage, about 3 leaves

Directions
1. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. When the pan is hot, add chopped or broken sage leaves (about 3 or 4) and 3 minced garlic cloves.
3. Reduce heat to medium-high and add diced onion, cook until soft and translucent.
4. Next, take both sausages and slit lengthways, peeling off the casing. Once off, cut the sausages lengthways and dice into 1/4 inch cubes; add to pan.
5. Once sausage is cooked all the way through, remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
6. Next, add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan (wiping down excess oil before use) and heat to medium-high.
7. When the pan is heated, add 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin and 3 cups 1% milk; stir to combine.
8. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and add sausage and onion mixture and 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans; stir to combine and simmer.
9. Add a dash of whole milk and 1 cup of spinach, simmer for at least 5 minutes before serving.
10. Serve with a French baguette and Enjoy!

While I know that soup may not be the most creative of dishes, I will say that the flavors melded nicely together and with the addition of the sausage, it was quite hearty. Upon tasting it, I was immediately filled with warmth and memories of Thanksgiving! It perfectly complimented the insanely cold weather and gave us the opportunity to further prolong the holiday season. Enjoy!

Happy New Year! As we move into 2012, I am assuming that most if not all of you waited until today 2 January to start your New Year’s Resolutions. As one of my friends said, you cannot expect to even think about eating healthy or working out the day after you’ve rung in the New Year. In fact, I am assuming that many of you did not head to bed until well after 2012 started, as was the case with me. I spent New Year’s Day curled up under my favorite blanket watching movies, leaving only to partake in my favorite meal of the day: brunch! While I was not hungover, there was little to no chance I felt like doing much of anything or imbibing any of the drinks I consumed from the night before – so where do you go when you have eliminated champagne/sparkling wine, gin and tonics, wine, port, and beer? The obvious choice was not only the perfect cure for the previous night out, but the perfect brunch drink: the Bloody Mary. It tasted delicious – it was the perfect mix of spice and pepper, with a little dash of the hair of the dog.

The Bloody Mary is not only one of my favorite drinks (if made properly), but probably one of the most complicated drinks. The drink has an endless amount of components and each person has a different idea of how it should be made: spicy or sweet, vodka or gin, pickle or celery, old bay or salt rimmed, etc. There are an endless array of recipes and concoctions for this drink.

I am very picky about my Bloody Mary–it must be spicy, have some sour element from a pickle or an olive, have a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and always must include the obligatory celery stalk. My recipe is below:

Kate’s Bloody Mary’s

1. Fill a pint glass with ice and add 2 to 3 ounces of vodka (Absolut is my preference)

2. Next, add a dash of celery salt, two dashes of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of olive juice, and hot sauce and ground pepper (to taste–depending on how spicy you want your drink)

3. Add tomato juice (I use either spicy V8 or Mr. and Mrs. T’s Spicy Bloody Mary mix). Using a spoon, stir until drink is properly mixed

4. Add a celery stalk and olive. Finish off the drink with ground pepper and a dash or two of hot sauce (to taste) and garnish with a lime

As I finish this post, I think it is worth commenting on a couple of places I have been to recently that have surprised me in their Bloody Mary making:

*The Heights in DC: This restaurant actually has a proper/interesting make-your-own Bloody Mary menu. The menu can be found using this link: http://www.theheightsdc.com/menu.html and clicking on “Bloody Mary.” I chose to have an Absolut Bloody Mary with very spicy tomato juice, wasabi, lime wedge, celery stalk, dill pickle, and an olive – It was absolutely delicious!

*Village East in London: This is one of my favorite spots in London. I have eaten their brunch, lunch, dinner, and have just gone for cocktails – all reliable and good food or drinks. I recently tried the Village Mary for brunch (http://www.villageeast.co.uk/#menus/), just tomato juice, vodka, and lemon and was surprised at how “clean” and understated the drink tasted. While I do not think it would be my go-to Bloody Mary, it will be something that I would not mind having once in awhile.

*Cafe Deluxe in DC: While I know this is a chain restaurant, the location on Wisconsin Avenue in DC is my favorite (http://cafedeluxe.com/locations.htm). They make a consistently good Bloody Mary and it has become my go-to brunch and more importantly Bloody Mary restaurant. I would recommend going in the summer and eating outside under the umbrellas.

Hope everyone had a relaxing New Year’s Day and enjoyed a Bloody Mary or two! If anyone has any recipes to share, or restaurants to recommend, I am all ears and always up for trying something new. Happy 2012!

My best friend phoned me a couple of weeks ago to say she had a Groupon for $50 at Zengo and asked if I would join. I said yes for three reasons: 1) I have been working an insane amount lately; 2) This would be my first evening outing with her in several months; and 3) I have always had mixed feelings about the restaurant—never sure if I love it or hate it. This dinner would be the deciding factor – I would be paying more attention to everything for my blog and therefore would be able to make a more sound judgment. Let’s just say the experience, which is detailed below, has left me completely confused and unsure whether I liked the food or not.

We started with cocktails – I have always enjoyed the Mango Mojito, but decided for reasons unknown to start with a Lychee Martini (mistake number one). The Lychee Martini at Zengo had too much lychee juice and was overwhelmingly sweet. Lesson learned. Luckily, we spent some time studying the menu and I was able to correct my cocktail choice. Ahh, the Mango Mojito – something Zengo does very well.

Next, we chose our appetizers: Sea of Cortez Bay Scallop Ceviche, which consists of Thai Sweet Chili / Lime / Avocado / Peanut / Mint / Crispy Shallot and Shrimp-Shiitake Potstickers, which had Won Bok Cabbage / Chili Serrano. They were both delicious – the freshness of the ceviche balanced the bit of oil on the potstickers, creating a lovely appetizer pairing. The meal started wonderfully and continued on that path with the Angry Zengo sushi and Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps that we chose for our main course. The Angry Zengo is my favorite dish and is made up of Yellowfin Tuna / Wasabi Tobiko / Cucumber / Avocado / Sesame-Chipotle Rouille. Both the ceviche and the sushi were refreshing and very enjoyable. The Thai Lettuce Wraps had Chorizo / Peanut / Cilantro / Tamarind and the balance was perfect – not oily at all and very fresh – we should have ended or meal there.

We decided at this point that maybe we were still a little hungry and decided to order the Volcano sushi (Salmon / Blue Crab / Chipotle Aioli) and Fingerling Potatoes & Cotija Cheese. Things could not have ended in a worse way. The Fingerling Potatoes were extremely greasy, and in fact there was a pool of oil on the plate. The potatoes were not done properly and the cheese was covered in oil as well. The Volcano sushi was worse – it tasted as if someone had pre-chewed the salmon and rolled it up in rice, slathering on some aioli and then finishing it off but putting it under the broiler. Needless to say, it was awful and these feelings were only compounded by the situation that followed: My best friend told the waiter the sushi tasted like baby food and the Angry Zengo was far better; his response was “you can buy a tuna sushi roll on the street outside this restaurant out of the back of a car, the Volcano on the other hand, that’s real sushi.” All I have to say is, if that is real sushi, I will reserve my palate for things finer than regurgitated salmon with some aioli smeared over top.

As you can see, I am still left thoroughly confused and while I will always go back for the Mango Mojitos and Angry Zengo sushi – I will be hesitant to try any new dishes.

My final rating: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) for the Mojitos, Ceviche, and Angry Zengo, 1 star (out of 5) for the Volcano sushi and potatoes.

For more information: http://www.richardsandoval.com/zengodc/index.php