Umami Mart

From time to time I like to go back to the drawing board with certain cocktails and see if I can work in another twist while still maintaining the integrity of the original. The Bloody Mary is one of my favorite candidates for this, as it is a drink that lends herself to virtually infinite […]

When I committed to making the Happy Hour column a regular Wednesday thing, I realized that either I’d have it pre-written and ready to be posted at the designated time (ideal scenario) or that I’d write it on the day of and post it immediately. What I didn’t take into account is that I’m sort […]

It’s still winter in Brooklyn, and it’s colder than ever. Last I checked weather.com said it was 20 degrees with a windchill that makes it feel like 4 degrees (I wish I had the degree symbol on my keyboard so didn’t have to constantly type out the word “degree”). If you read my previous post, […]

It’s still cold as hell (or would that be heaven, since it’s the opposite of hell?) here in NY, and spring’s still a distant dream. So I figured while I can’t speed up time, I can at least travel back to when the winter was bearable, and when the possibility of receiving free things was […]

I’m a big fan of eggnog during the holidays (homemade, not store bought), but when the vibe calls for something a bit lighter and more refreshing without losing the flavors essential to the season, make a Gingerbread Cocktail instead. Here’s the recipe:Gingerbread Cocktail1 part vodka1 part Domaine de Canton3 parts apple ciderSplash of fresh lemon […]

Election day has come and gone, but the celebration parties are still going strong. So whether you’re celebrating the history-making inauguration of our first African-American prez, or you just want to drown your sorrows in booze after the electoral thumping of Mr. McCain, I present you with a couple of candidate-inspired cocktails that should be […]

Zipped into Red Hook last weekend with Matt, Sepi and Amira for a little Fairway getaway. We stopped into a chic new bar, Botanica, which opened just a month or so ago. The day has finally arrived when you can get a fancy cocktail in Red Hook- there’s no turning back now! (Red Hook is […]

Here’s a Bloody Mary that’ll not only help your hangover but kick your ass in the process. I made a Bloody Mary as you normally would except I replaced the standard vodka with the Chile Pepper Infused Vodka I wrote about in an earlier post, and added a chile and chopped cilantro for garnish.

What good is tasty food if you don’t have an equally tasty beverage (preferably alcoholic) to wash it down with? With that spirit in mind, I’ve decided to take a cue from Kayoko and start a column called Happy Hour, dedicated to all things alcoholic that make us, well, happy–we’ll leave the sad part to […]