recipe

Master A Cocktail – Level Easy Peasy

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We’re going to tackle three different types of cocktails to make to impress – a super simple classic cocktail, a unique drink everyone will be talking about, and a showstopper. Let’s start with our easy peasy classic, the Aperol Spritz.

This simple drink has grown in popularity. Before traveling to Italy, we did some research on the food and drinks to see what are the must haves while visiting. An Aperol Spritz was top of the list to try when arriving. Leading up to the trip we started to notice Aperol Spritz on every menu in America. We clearly were late in the game on this trend but patiently waited to have our first spritz in Italy then compared it to an American version. They’re exactly the same but you know a spritz will always be better on vacation overlooking the Amalfi Coast.

So here’s the easy peasy recipe. No tools required besides a glass. It’s vibrant orange color will make it instagramable and everyone will think you were a professional bartender in your past life.


To make it extra fancy, add an orange slice.

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Copycat Raising Cane’s Secret Sauce

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I can’t eat enough of this stuff. I want to buy it by the vat full to eat but they don’t sell it. They only have teeny tiny containers of their sauce served with their chicken meals. So we did a little investigating on the web and knew someone would have leaked a recipe of their famous dipping sauce. We found several recipes and tried a bunch. Here’s what was successful as the closest to the original. Plus we made an organic, vegan version and it was still delicious! So imagine how good it is. Here’s the recipe to share.

Add all ingredients in one bowl and whisk together.

We found it tastes best eaten fresh rather than letting sit overnight.

Tastes great on salads!

Honeycomb Recipe

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We experienced this sweet treat at Peggy Porschen in London and have been wondering why America doesn’t have this. So we had to search the internet for a recipe. Well actually we had to find out what exactly this treat was. It’s a toffee referred to as honeycomb. It’s crispy but chewy and definitely very sweet but light and airy.

It’s an easy recipe with simple ingredients but still may take a few tries to nail the proper consistency. Some things that may affect the crispy texture is the weather, inaccurate measurements or wrong boiling temperature can all drastically change the texture of this treat.

We have a fool proof recipe and helpful tips to nail this British treat.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 cup Sugar
  2. 1 TBSP Honey
  3. 4 TBSP Water
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla
  5. 1 tsp Baking Soda

What you’ll need: Measuring cups/spoons, Baking pan, Parchment paper, Stew pot, Whisk and Spatula.

Directions :

  1. Measure out all ingredients and line baking pan with parchment paper as this recipe moves fast.
  2. Add water, sugar and honey to a large stew pot.
  3. Bring to a boil of 300°F
  4. Quickly add vanilla first then the baking soda and briskly stir to incorporate ingredients.
  5. Stop stirring when baking powder is no longer visible or chunky.
  6. Immediately transfer hot mixture onto parchment paper that is placed in a baking sheet.
  7. Let sit for 5-10 mins until hard.
  8. Once hardened, remove from baking pan and smash on counter top to break into pieces.

Notes: A humid day can effect the outcome. Aim for a nice, sunny day to make this treat. Make sure to have a thermometer as you must reach 300°F when boiling or the honeycomb will not set and you won’t get the experience of the famous break at the end. Don’t use too much honey or it will turn the honeycomb into goo instead of a crispy toffee. Remember the honey is for flavor so only a little is needed.

Aperol Spritz in NYC and Austin

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Aperol Spritz was the drink of the summer, tailor made for the social media generation. Originated in Venice in the 1950s with its popularity revived today due to Campari’s aggressive marketing campaign. This drink is more than just the next rosé as Americans conform to the European lifestyle of sipping and relaxing while they drink. There has also been a noticeable shift amongst US palates towards more bitter flavors. This cocktail is here to stay.

Aperol took off in trend-setting cities like New York. They took this already trendy cocktail and reworked it as a frozen version mnemonic of the frosé. The demand heightened for the classic Aperol Spritz so much that bars put Aperol on tap.

Aperol Spritz has made its way to Austin which is no surprise as this growing city is at the forefront in the cocktail scene. Not only is the spritz popular at bars but they have given this drink a southern touch. If you look closely on cocktail menus you will find different variations of this bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb-floral aperitif.

NYC: You can find Aperol Spritz on tap at Dante or The Maritime Hotel. The Maritime also serves frozen Aperol Spritz (credited to creating this frozen drink). If you not only want an Aperol Spritz but also the European vibe to come with it, Bagatelle is your spot. Tip: Aperol has become so popular that if you do not see it on the menu, just ask for it as any bar or restaurant will serve it.

Austin: Find an authentic Aperol Spritz at Italian restaurant Italic on Sixth St. or at Gelateria Gemelli where the founder was inspired by his sojourn in Italy. Get a frozen Aperol pink lemonade at The Line Hotel at Dean’s One Trick Pony.

Is Seltzer bad for you?

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With any new craze there’s always someone out there who finds the downside. The rise of seltzer beverages have skyrocketed in the last 5 years and reports have surfaced that claim seltzer is actually bad for you. How could this be? It’s just bubbly water. What could possibly be so harmful with that?

There’s a few reasons why seltzer is said to be bad for you – One main accusation being that it causes stomach problems and people who suffer from IBS shouldn’t drink it. Ok, well that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad for everyone else. Two being it causes erosion of the enamel on your teeth. That’s a pretty lame accusation as seltzer is obviously better for your teeth than soda or any citric food item. I have science to back that up!

What are the ingredients in seltzer? Mineral water which is considered medicinal. You’re basically drinking the fountain of youth. The other ingredient being carbonic acid which is what gives it it’s bubbles. Carbonic acid is the accused culprit to what causes erosion of the enamel. Carbonic acid is falsely accused. Don’t be fooled by it’s name because it’s actually not a problem. Flavored seltzers have citric acid which is the acid that’s bad for your teeth when combined with carbonic acid.

So seltzer is fine for you. Flavored seltzer is a smidge worse but we can all agree soda is the devil. Just don’t replace your water intake with pure seltzer.

So is seltzer bad for you – NO. Seltzer is simply water with bubbles. Go pick on soda and leave seltzer alone.

Seltzer facts:

  • Carbonated water was accidentally invented by Joseph Priestley in 1767 who was referred to as the father of the industry.
  • Seltzer Is Originally A German Thing.
  • Several of the mineral springs in Germany are naturally carbonated. One of those is in a town called Selters, which eventually gave us the word seltzer.
  • Germans drink mostly carbonated water. If you order water at a German restaurant, you will get carbonated water, unless you specified otherwise.
  • Seltzer, soda water, club soda, sparkling water and fizzy water are basically all the same thing with the only difference being where the water is sourced.
  • Soft drinks are about 100 times more erosive to teeth than sparkling mineral water.
  • Seltzer was originally only sold in glass bottles.

Seltzer Tip: If you love seltzer as much as we do and want to up your seltzer game you can buy seltzer in old school vintage glass bottles from Brooklyn Seltzer.