Oct 16, 2022 | cocktails at home, home
If you’re making cocktails, you know the importance of proper dilution. There’s nothing worse than ice that tastes like a freezer or smells bad. Since I built my basement bar, I’ve had to learn how to clean a countertop ice maker. If you have one,... 
Oct 1, 2022 | cocktails, lists
Regardless of what holidays you celebrate, we can all can appreciate a drink. Whether it’s a toast to a special occasion or a quiet cocktail fireside, these gifts for mixologists are sure to bring joy. Plus, if you live in the same house as your favorite... 
Sep 24, 2022 | cocktails, cocktails at home, Mexico
I had my first sip of sotol in Chicago at Estereo. Since then, I have seen a couple of sotol cocktails popping up on menus. It’s definitely not a common spirit you’d find in most parts of the world. But, hopefully you’ll be able to find some near you... 
Sep 17, 2022 | city guides, cocktails, gin, Maine, mezcal, pisco, rum, tequila, vermouth
I moved away from the Portland area about 20 years ago – yikes! I return annually to visit friends and family, and enjoy keeping up with the local food and drink scene every time I return. Growing up, it was mostly breweries and lobster shacks and now it’s... 
Sep 17, 2022 | cocktails at home
The first time I wrote a guide for setting up your home bar, I included mixing glasses as optional. I know! My own journey as a home bartender has helped me learn and grow my cocktail making and knowledge. Along with that has come a love of stirred cocktails.... 
Sep 14, 2022 | city guides, Louisiana, New Orleans
I’ve been to the Big Easy quite a few times over the years. But in 2022, I’ve been lucky enough to go twice to check out the best cocktail bars in New Orleans. I visited in January with my husband and in July for Tales of the Cocktail. Both visits were... 
Aug 16, 2022 | cocktails at home, home
Ever since I was a little kid, my favorite part of any house shown on television or in movies was the basement bar. Granted, most of them were pretty ugly, but I liked the concept of having a place to chill with drinks and friends. When I moved into my last house, the... 
Aug 10, 2022 | city guides, cocktails, Indonesia
My husband planned a trip to Indonesia for my 40th birthday in August of 2019. Two of the cities we visited in Bali were perfect cocktail spots. Ubud, located in the uplands, is quieter than other parts of the island and it’s often called the cultural capital of... 
Jul 20, 2022 | Iceland, ingredient travel, spirits
With some of the cleanest water in the world, it’s no surprise that Iceland has a signature spirit. Brennivín is a type of aquavit that came into the world in 1935. When prohibition in Iceland was partially lifted, it allowed for hard liquor, but not beer, to be... 
Jul 17, 2022 | city guides, cocktails, Iceland
Iceland is an incredible place. So incredible in fact that I traveled back in July 2022 after visiting in 2018. Full of natural beauty and fresh seafood, it may not to be a place you’d think of for inventive cocktails. With the country being an island, the...
