Happy National Pecan Day!

 

Happy National

PECAN DAY!

 

Take some time out today and enjoy one of these delicious

PECAN COCKTAILS

And, while you're enjoying pecans, try these as well:
Candied Pecans (and other) Nuts Recipe
Candied Pecan Liquor

Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

STRAWBERRY MARTINIS for CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY DAY

Spring is when all those big, juicy California strawberries start showing up in our local farmer's markets & grocers.  I'm especially fond of the giant strawberries that grow around Watsonville and in central California.  Strawberries the size of a child's fist with long stems that are perfect for dipping in chocolate or for making a cocktail!

Strawberries have many health benefits that are great for a body coming out of a long winter.  My mom used to say that they were great for "cleaning out the blood" and I guess that wasn't so far off the truth as a study from the Harvard Medical School found that strawberries may offer heart disease protection!

All I know is they taste great!  Whether dipped in chocolate, eaten as is, made into desserts or turned into the star of a delicious Strawberry Cocktail!

To celebrate California Strawberry Day

here are a few of my favorite

STRAWBERRY MARTINIS

HAPPY CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY DAY

from The Martini Diva!

Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

MARTINIS for the 1st DAY OF SPRING & the VERNAL EQUINOX!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING

Yes, I know it doesn't seem like it in a lot of the U.S. right now (in fact, here in Arizona it's not getting over 60 when it's usually around 75 - 85!), but it really is the first day of Spring!  The astronomical spring begins today and ends Tuesday, June 19th at midnight.

Also known as the Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring is equal parts day and night! The word equinox is derived from the Latin word equinoxium "equality of night (and day)".  The spring and fall equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

Bring some healthy Spring Rebirth to your Happy Hour with one of my: 


SPRING COCKTAILS

UPDATED 3-2016

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The DIE HARD MARTINI

Since today is Bruce Willis' Birthday I have decided to create a martini in his honor:

The DIE HARD MARTINI

INGREDIENTS:
2 Oz. Tequila

1 Oz. Fierce Lime Gatorade

1/2 Oz Triple Sec-sy

DIRECTIONS:

Add lots of ice for Cool
Blend with excitement
Garnish with a Yippi-Ki-Yay!

Just Loves me some John McClane!

Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

What? A Corned Beef Cocktail??

NO! I did NOT go there, but Top Chef favorite Richard Blais did a few years ago! Taking a dash of corned beef drippings and a splash of cabbage juice, Blais turned a Whiskey Collins into a unique St.Patrick's Day tipple.

 With a little bit of leprechaun humor and a bit of Blarney - not to mention a bit of Blais' trademark molecular gastronomy - here is his CORNED BEEF COLLINS.

MORE REASONABLE

ST. PATRICK'S COCKTAILS 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
from The Martini Diva!

Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The NUTTY IRISH MARTINI MOUSSE for St. Patrick's Day

THE NUTTY IRISH MARTINI MOUSSE!

This is what I'll be having for dessert with my corned beef and cabbage tomorrow!

It's a light and flavorful nut infused mousse with booze because no self respecting Irishwoman (or man) could possibly serve up a dessert without some alcohol in it!

Beannachtam na Femle Padraig
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Uodated January2016.

Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as PopArtDiva
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

Wild Hibiscus Martini

Spring is coming, it's time for some Flower Martinis!

I was recently sent some lovely jars of hibiscus flowers packed in syrup from Wild Hibiscus for creating some new and unique cocktails.  Edible flowers are all the rage in the culinary world at the moment, though floral flavors are nothing new to the world of food or drink.  The Bible mentions dandelions as one of the "bitter herbs", the Romans used mallows, roses and violets often in their dishes, teas have been infused with flowers for thousands of years, and the Victorian era was big on fresh flowers in salads.

The resurgence of the popularity of flowers as food* has opened up a surge of creativity in the garnishing and flavoring of cocktails, bringing a whole new bouquet of bounty to happy hour.  In my Hibiscus Martini I have used the unique tartness of the flower to bring a subtle floral flavor to a citrus cocktail.  I also used the hibiscus syrup in place of simple syrup, bringing even more flavor and adding a burst of magenta color!

*Not all flowers species are edible and not all edible flowers are "food quality". Here's a great list of Edible Flowers from Epicurian.com and here's a good article from Chef's Blade on How to find and use edible flowers.

Purchase the WILD HIBISCUS MARTINI RECIPE Here.

updated 8-2016

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY