I had lots of food and drinks to taste over the last month and it was time for a party. Delicious Meals with Popkoff’s… The email I received grabbed my attention with throwing a “Pierogi Party.” I love pierogis so I definitely wanted to try it out, but as soon as the freezer box came, I knew I had so much more. Popkoff’s makes a selection of Eastern European frozen items, all quick and easy to make. While the basic premise is a pierogi-style dumpling, they are so much more. I invited some friends over, melted some butter, made a marinara sauce, and had a lot of fun! No one went home hungry either. The Pelmeni are a cross between ravioli and tortellini. The ones I received were stuffed with chicken and beef. The beef were very tasty and filled with meat. The chicken weren’t quite as flavorful. Vareniki are almost identical to pierogis and Popkoff’s are delicious. The Potato Onion are my new favorite pierogis and the Farmer Cheese was excellent, sort of a swe...

It’s the season for graduations, weddings, and summer parties. As much as I love a good cocktail, they are work. If you are hosting an event, here are some things you might want to pick up. All they’ll require is a little ice – if you want—and are filled with fruit. SUMMER RUMS… Cruzan Blueberry Lemonade Rum The possibilities on this flavorful rum are endless, but you can keep it simple with a little ice tea, lemonade, or water if you don’t want to work too hard. You’ll love this latest favor from Cruzan, Blueberry Lemonade Rum . Plantation Pineapple Rum Make a quick pina colada, or just enjoy it is as. Plantation Pineapple Rum is as juicy as the ripe fruit. MATHILDE LIQUEURS… It’s difficult to find liqueurs that are full of fruit and not just sugar. That’s why I love the collection from Mathilde . I sampled Peach, Framboise (Raspberry), and Pear.  I don’t think I could pick a favorite – they were all great. Best of all, none of them are heavy s...

It’s just before Valentine’s Day and my mind is wandering to wine and roses… and chocolate, spirits, and cocktails. I’m sure your Valentine would enjoy any of these treats. Skinny Girl White Cherry Vodka It’s been a while since I tried any new Skinny Girl products and I was anxious to taste the White Cherry Vodka. It did not disappoint. It has a hint of vanilla and just subtle cherry flavor, making it a fantastic low calorie cocktail just served with plain soda. If you’d like something a bit more festive, give this a try: Royal Cherry 1 oz Skinnygirl White Cherry Vodka 2 oz champagne 1 frozen cherry Pour champagne into flute and top with White Cherry Vodka. Garnish with one frozen cherry. Chateau Chantal Cherry Wines You can keep it simple with Chateau Chantal Cerise Cherry Port Style Dessert Wine and Michigan Cherry Wine. The Port is incredible sipped with dessert, or put it on a dessert like ice cream or pound cake. As for the Michigan Cherry Wine...

There is still quite a bit left here to checkout*, but I couldn’t wait to talk about some of my latest finds. After all, we are getting near the holidays. It’s time to put some ideas in your head… Wine… Prinz Von Hessen Rieslings Some of my favorite wines have been Rieslings. It’s a grape that’s gotten a bad rap because everyone presumes it’s supposed to be sweet. The truth is that Rieslings can run from super sweet (like a late harvest) to dry. I tried a trio of Rieslings from Prinz Von Hessen in Johannesburg, Germany. They varied quite a bit in both taste and price, but I liked them all. 2012 Prinz Von Hessen -A semi dry wine with strong citrus, especially lemon. A great find for $16. 2012 Prinz Von Hessen Royal -A bit drier, with some apricot mixed with the citrus. Worth $25. 2007 Prinz Von Hessen Weingut -A lot less fruit, more toast and vanilla. This wine is closer to an aged chardonnay. A good splurge wine at $60. Spirits… Dark Chocolate Godiva Liqu...

My friendly FedEx delivery man has been at my house again recently and he’s left some goodies. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been sampling lately… Voga Italia Wine First, let me say that I love these bottles. They have re-sealable caps, but no one is going to accuse these of cheapening the wine’s look.  I wish I had room to store these bottles and urge other winemakers to check them out because I am a believer in the screw cap and Voga Italia has proven that it can be done with class. The Voga Italia Premium Sparkling, a bland of 80% chardonnay and 20% pinot grigio, was delicious. It was full of citrus and tropical fruit and would be easy drinking with any food. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Pinot Grigio. I do like light white wines, but felt that this one needed a bit more flavor. Voga also makes a rose, a merlot and blend, which I have not tried yet. All of the wines sell for under $20. Angel’s Envy Bourbon Angel’s Envy is the only Kentucky bourbon that is ...