Things have slowed down since the holidays, but I did get a few tasty spirits this month you’ll definitely want to check out. Porter’s Fruit Whiskey… When Porter’s asked if I wanted to try out some of their whiskey, I looked at the selection and responded, “Yes” very quickly. It was hard to chose what to try first, but the Peach and Huckleberry sounded like good choices. Porter’s has produced their whiskey in their micro-distillery in Ogden, Utah, since 2009. Their flavored whiskey (they also have Fire and Apple) consists of Canadian whiskey blended with fruit. Tasting the Porter’s Peach Liqueur gives you no doubt there are actual peaches involved in the making. This is not just a flavored whiskey. The flavor is strong, with just a bit of sweetness, to give you a great sipper. While I enjoy cocktails out, at home I prefer to have bottles like this you can enjoy with a little ice. The same could be said about the Huckleberry Liqueur from Porter’s. The peach w...

I have some delicious ideas for you this month, including one that brings me back to a place with a lot of memories. A Sweet Serendipity… As a teenager growing up on Long Island, I would go with friends into New York City a few times a year, on breaks from school. We’d go into a museum or to see a play (from the half-price ticket booth). Whenever we had extra money, we’d also head to Serendipity for Frozen Hot Chocolate. In the following years, my trips were less frequent, but I did make it back occasionally to this iconic place for delicious treats with my daughter when she was younger and when we were both adults. Given my history, I was all too happy to get a copy of Sweet Serendipity: Delicious Desserts and Devilish Dish . The book, by the restaurant’s founder Stephen Bruce, was issued to celebrate the 65th anniversary of one of the most famous eateries in Manhattan. This is far from just a recipe book, even though it provides the recipes to the famous Froz...

There was lots of frost on the pumpkin this Halloween, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying fall food and spirits. A little bit of spirit in my bread… I first tried Sugarland Distilling’s Pumpkin Spiced Latte Sipping Cream two years ago . I loved it and it was a huge hit with my friends.  I received a note from the company promoting it for the fall season. I asked them to send me another bottle, this time for cooking. I had a pretty good idea of what it would work in and I was right. You definitely want to try this recipe I created for Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cream Cheese Bread . Try this tequila selection… I didn’t know much about Alacran Tequila before I received a box to sample. I am a tequila lover and was impressed with their selection, as well as the product. My favorite of the bunch was the Autentico Tequila Cristal. This premium tequila will remain one of my favorites. It’s got the perfect mix of smooth and sweet that I wouldn’t waste mi...

It’s time to celebrate the warmer weather with some refreshing drinks and healthy foods (with recipes). If You Like Piña Coladas… How about a French vodka with all-natural flavors? That’s what Alize makes and for this summer they introduced Alize Pineapple, priced at only $20. Pineapple happens to be my favorite fruit, so it was easy to get me to try this one and I wasn’t disappointed. It was the star of my tasting event over ice. I’m sure there are plenty of cocktails you can make with this, but it’s so flavorful and not too sweet and I want it straight. If you are in the mood for a Piña Colada, just add a little coconut milk. Speaking of coconut milk… Gefen Coconut Milk also arrived at my door. The company sent me the Sweetened and Unsweetened. I haven’t worked with the unsweetened yet (stay tuned for next month), but I came up with this recipe for Easy Blueberry Coconut Ice Cream with the sweetened.  It’s a cool, refreshing, treat that tastes more li...

The holidays are often a time for me to try some interesting spirits, new and old. This year is no different. Rumchata options… Rumchata has been a favorite of mine since it first hit the market. I love cordials that you don’t have to get too creative with if you aren’t in the mood. I love it straight over ice, but you can mix it with just about anything. They even sell a gift box that includes shot glasses so you can measure perfectly. One of the options for Rumchata is to put it in your coffee and the company has no made that even easier with Rumchata Creamer. This is not a flavored creamer, it has the real liquor in it and it will make your coffee into a major treat. Another cordial to enjoy… I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark , but it was a perfect mix of sweet, creamy and minty, without too much of any of those.  My friends devoured the mini bottles (great for picnics) chilled. I managed to put one aside to have with...

Halloween isn’t the only thing fun this month. I got to try some new products, that included a kitchen creation. Black Box Spirits… I’ve had mixed feelings about Black Box wines. I thought a few were good, but when my local bar replaced their pinot grigio with Black Box, I switched to another blend. I can’t say anything bad about the Black Box whiskey, vodka, and tequila. They were all fantastic, and so easy to put out at a party. I especially had my doubts about the whiskey (whiskey in a box?), but it had nice vanilla notes and blended well in the cocktails we made. Speaking of Wine… Just the Wine   is for people like me who are sensitive to sulfites, a compound used in food to prevent browning (think about all those bright vegetables on the salad bar). spiritstraveler-20 Sulfites are most known for being in red wine, though they are there to a lesser extent in white wines. It’s sulfites that are responsible for “red wine headaches” in people who are...

I had a lot of sampling to do this month and actually had to leave some for next month. It’s harvest season for wine, plus there are some great new spirits out there. Here are some of the things I loved this month. A very special scotch from Glenfiddich… What do you get when you blend together 20 single malt whiskies? Something especially delicious. Glenfiddich Project XX is a treat for any scotch lover. It’s full of vanilla and oak, with a bit of apple, and a cinnamon finish. Try these wines… I’ll never forget when I was in Burgundy, France, and we headed to Chablis to taste some of its namesake wine. It was the first time I had tasted true Chablis and I fell in love with the wine. The William Fevr Chablis brought that memory back. It’s buttery, but not heavy, has a touch of vanilla and a bit of lemon. When I saw the “sweet” on the label of Aime Sweet Moscato , I saved it for dessert. That wasn’t necessary as this wine is less sweet than most moscatos. It’s...

Scott’s Food Products… Full disclosure: my cousins own Scott’s Food Products , but that’s not the reason I’ve been using them for years to flavor my food. I just got a refresher of Garlic Oil, Santa Maria Seasoning, and Mediterranean Grill Marinade, and they are delicious as ever. The thing I love about Scott’s is that they can easily dress up a steak, plain chicken breast, or bowl of pasta. Be creative, or check out some of the recipes on their website . I was looking for something quick and comforting yesterday and I threw this together. It was delicious. Easy Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie 1 10 oz bag Frozen Mixed Vegetables 3 Cups Cooked Chicken, chopped 1 Can Low Sodium Cream of Chicken Soup ¼ Stick Butter Scott’s Santa Maria Style Seasoning 1 Can Refrigerator Biscuits Mix Vegetables, chicken, soup, one half can of water (add more if you want it soupy), and butter in crockpot. Sprinkle with Santa Maria Seasoning. Cook on low for two hours. Stir. Unwra...

I had quite an unusual mix of products to write about this month, from wine and spirits to make-up and clothing. I even had a little nose spray with some big benefits. Uncommon Vodka by Deep Eddy Deep Eddy Vodka sent me a bottle of their straight stuff (smooth and fruitier than most plain vodkas) and a mix of some slightly different flavors. I have to admit, in this world filled with flavored vodkas, I was quite impressed with these offerings. They also run only about $20 a bottle. Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka What a great idea? After all, we put cranberry in vodka. It was my favorite – not too tart, not too sweet. After we were done tasting, I put some club soda in it and enjoyed an easy cocktail. Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka This was totally unexpected. We all agreed that it wasn’t at all sweet, but it had more tea flavor than any tea vodka we’d ever had. Perfect for the tea – not sweet tea – lover. Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka I have to plead citrus allergy so I ...