Did a little housekeeping!
Click here for the recipe.
20110328
20110327
WHAT'S THE BEST VODKA?
VODKA, VODKA, VODKA, VODKA*
I get asked all the time, "What's the best vodka to buy?" and I kind of consider that a loaded question. When it comes to what "tastes good" the first thing to be considered is the subjectivity of flavor. Like food and art, a person's favorite flavors are determined by their own personal preferences, each person's unique palate will determine what "tastes good" to them.
Vodka is considered an excellent alcohol for mixing cocktails by many because it's said to be flavorless** however, that is not completely the case. Traditionally made from fermented substances like grains, primarily wheat and rye, and/or potatoes, vodka is composed primarily of ethanol and water, but each vodka brand has a flavor, nose and backtaste of it's own stemming from the recipe and distillation processes used.
Though these differences are a subtle distinction, most "experts" would tell you that a good vodka has a smooth "finish" while a cheaper vodka will burn as it goes down your throat. As for most of us - the non-experts - the video below is pretty revealing:
In the Happy Hour world of today there are literally hundreds of vodka brands on the market worldwide with new companies jumping on the bandwagon on a weekly basis. The fight for domination of the vodka market continues and everyone wants to enter the fray and become the champion of the most popular liquor of this generation. In order to do this they are pulling out all the stops with new flavor infused vodkas, sexy bottles, expensive packaging and branding campaigns that want to convince you that if your don't drink their vodka you are not Cool, Sexy, Young, Vibrant, Powerful, Intelligent, Rich or whatever other desire they can feed into to sell you their vodka.
So, can I tell you what is and isn't a "good" vodka? Not really. I'm not a "vodka expert" by any means, and judging by the video above, not too many people are. I don't drink vodka straight as a cocktail, for me vodka is my favorite liquor for mixing my martinis and that's because of it's subtle taste. What I can tell you is that a good vodka will not burn as it goes down your throat and the better made vodkas are, in my experience, less likely to leave you with a hangover because they have been filtered more and have removed more of the cogeners (toxins) that cause your body strife. As for taste, I suggest you belly up to the bar at your local bistro and do some taste testing of various vodka brands to see which vodka goes down the smoothest and leaves you with an aftertaste you consider pleasant.
I will also tell you that price does not always reflect quality. Price reflects only two things; how much money was spent on the packaging and branding and what the market will bear. It's a common belief that "expensive is better" and marketing people are well aware of this, it's simply a matter of how they decide to position their brand to their desire target demographic or market.
That being said I have to tell you I'm a sucker for a really cool, sexy or arty bottle - I can't help it, I'm an artist by trade and pretty things appeal to me. So, instead of telling you what a good vodka is I would rather show you some of the coolest looking vodkas out there:
ED HARDY VODKA
Really cool "ink" tattoo art inspired branding with a beautifully designed crystal bottle.
Dan Ackroyd's CRYSTAL HEAD VODKA
An incredible skull head glass bottle inspired by the famous 13 crystal skulls found (to date) around the world. The vodka itself? Filtered through 500-million year-old crystals known as Herkimer diamonds.
MEDEA VODKA
A Technogeek boozers dream, Medea's bottle comes with it's own programmable LED Label! You can program up to six messages of 255 characters each and they will scroll across your bottle sending out whatever message you want to input! You not only get vodka, you get mood lighting and a cool way to light up your thoughts!
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Though these differences are a subtle distinction, most "experts" would tell you that a good vodka has a smooth "finish" while a cheaper vodka will burn as it goes down your throat. As for most of us - the non-experts - the video below is pretty revealing:
In the Happy Hour world of today there are literally hundreds of vodka brands on the market worldwide with new companies jumping on the bandwagon on a weekly basis. The fight for domination of the vodka market continues and everyone wants to enter the fray and become the champion of the most popular liquor of this generation. In order to do this they are pulling out all the stops with new flavor infused vodkas, sexy bottles, expensive packaging and branding campaigns that want to convince you that if your don't drink their vodka you are not Cool, Sexy, Young, Vibrant, Powerful, Intelligent, Rich or whatever other desire they can feed into to sell you their vodka.
So, can I tell you what is and isn't a "good" vodka? Not really. I'm not a "vodka expert" by any means, and judging by the video above, not too many people are. I don't drink vodka straight as a cocktail, for me vodka is my favorite liquor for mixing my martinis and that's because of it's subtle taste. What I can tell you is that a good vodka will not burn as it goes down your throat and the better made vodkas are, in my experience, less likely to leave you with a hangover because they have been filtered more and have removed more of the cogeners (toxins) that cause your body strife. As for taste, I suggest you belly up to the bar at your local bistro and do some taste testing of various vodka brands to see which vodka goes down the smoothest and leaves you with an aftertaste you consider pleasant.
I will also tell you that price does not always reflect quality. Price reflects only two things; how much money was spent on the packaging and branding and what the market will bear. It's a common belief that "expensive is better" and marketing people are well aware of this, it's simply a matter of how they decide to position their brand to their desire target demographic or market.
That being said I have to tell you I'm a sucker for a really cool, sexy or arty bottle - I can't help it, I'm an artist by trade and pretty things appeal to me. So, instead of telling you what a good vodka is I would rather show you some of the coolest looking vodkas out there:
ED HARDY VODKA
Really cool "ink" tattoo art inspired branding with a beautifully designed crystal bottle.
An incredible skull head glass bottle inspired by the famous 13 crystal skulls found (to date) around the world. The vodka itself? Filtered through 500-million year-old crystals known as Herkimer diamonds.
A Technogeek boozers dream, Medea's bottle comes with it's own programmable LED Label! You can program up to six messages of 255 characters each and they will scroll across your bottle sending out whatever message you want to input! You not only get vodka, you get mood lighting and a cool way to light up your thoughts!
So, tell me, What's your vodka of choice and why?
*The word vodka comes from the Slavic word voda which translates as water and, according to the Gin and Vodka Association (GVA), it was first distilled in Russia in the late 9th Century. Other sources, such as the Encyclopædia Britannica trace the birth of vodka back only to the 14th Century.
**The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the agency which governs spirits sold in the United States, vodka is defined as a neutral spirit "without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color."
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
20110325
TOAST PECAN DAY with Pecan Martinis, Candied Pecans & Pecan Liqueur!
Hi!
Did a little housekeeping and things have moved!
Here's the archived recipes for
and
Enjoy and have a lovely, nutty PECAN DAY!
Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
Friend me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
20110322
IT'S NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY so GOOF OFF WITH A MARTINI . . . or 2 or 3 or 4 . . .
Image in the Public Domain
March 22nd is
NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY!
NATIONAL GOOF OFF DAY!
Martini Excuse #16
What are your plans for Goofing Off??
It's National Goof Off Day so I goofed off and didn't post any cocktails.
However, may I suggest you use my search option at the top right of this site and search for any spirit, flavor or cocktail you might need to help you goof off too.
However, may I suggest you use my search option at the top right of this site and search for any spirit, flavor or cocktail you might need to help you goof off too.
Now, excuse me - I have to get ready to Goof Off the rest of the day. . . . where's my cocktail and the remote?
Tweet
Follow me on Twitter as TheMartiniDiva
FOLLOW me on Facebook
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
20110321
TOAST NATIONAL JACKASS DAY - JACKASS, THE MARTINI
TODAY IS
NATIONAL JACKASS DAY!
I wonder why there is a day to celebrate jackasses. Seriously, are you going to celebrate the fact that you have to deal with jackasses? No, me either. So I prefer to look at National Jackass Day as National Jackass Therapy Day - this is the day you get to toast yourself for having to put up with all the jackasses that pop up in your life!
Now, this martini is not for you good folk who have had to put up with the jackasses - you need to treat yourself to one of my other cocktails. No, THIS martini is for the jackasses themselves - after you read it you'll understand why.
Yes, the recipe is a joke . . . . but putting up with jackasses isn't a joke, so if you have had to deal with one lately (or ever) today is your National Jackass Therapy Day. Shake up one of my non-joke martinis and spend Happy Hour telling stories about the biggest jackasses you've ever encountered.
You can actually make this cocktail, minus the jockstrap and probably the Beano, but, really, who'd want to?
“The hardest thing to believe about the Bible is that there were only two jackasses in the ark” - Anonymous
You can actually make this cocktail, minus the jockstrap and probably the Beano, but, really, who'd want to?
“The hardest thing to believe about the Bible is that there were only two jackasses in the ark” - Anonymous
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
20110320
SPRING MARTINIS for the 1st Day of SPRING!
Your Martini Excuse #14
IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!
March 20th - March 21st, The Vernal Equinox
Celebrate the Beginning of Spring with my
Traditionally those of us in the Northern Hemisphere have celebrated the First day of Spring on March 21st, however astronomers now say Spring usually starts one day earlier, on March 20th. According to the Farmer's Almanac,
"the earth’s elliptical orbit is changing its orientation (skew), which causes the earth’s axis to constantly point in a different direction, called precession. Since the seasons are defined as beginning at strict 90-degree intervals, these positional changes affect the time the earth reaches each 90-degree location in its orbit around the sun."On those years when we have that extra day (think Leap Years here) Spring may fall on March 21st!
All I know is that sometime in the middle of March flowers are starting to sprout, the weather is warming up and all sorts of wonderful seasonal fresh fruits and veggies are showing up in the local markets! That, of course, means they are ending up in my cocktail shaker and martini glasses!
Spring is a time for rebirth, renewal and regrowth and the bounty of the earth at this time of year is particularly good for refreshing and renewing the body after a long winter. I like the idea of bringing all that fresh Spring goodness to my martinis - a healthy martini is yet another excuse to have a martini, right?
Get ready for Spring with my
POP ART BUTTERFLIES
AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING
and is
Available on
on Posters, T-shirts & Tops, Shoes, Cards, Business & Personal Stationary, iPad/iPhone Cases, Ornaments, Aprons & More:
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
20110319
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MARTINI
The fun part of this cocktail is the chocolate syrup swirl inside the bowl of the glass. It not only looks pretty but it slowly adds a little more chocolate to each sip.
The
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL
MARTINI
MARTINI
1 Oz Chocolate Vodka
1 Oz Bailey's Caramel Liqueur
1 Oz Creme De Cacao
1 Oz Half & Half
Garnish: Whipped Cream, Dark Chocolate Shavings, Pinch of Sea Salt
Tools: Vegetable Peeler, Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Cocktail (Martini)
DIRECTIONS
Chill your glass in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the glass from the freezer then drizzle the chocolate syrup in a swirl inside the bowl of the glass. Return glass to the freezer to chill.
Shake the ingredients in an ice filled cocktail shaker until chilled.
Strain into the chilled glass and top off with whipped cream.
Take the vegetable peeler and shave several curls of dark chocolate on top, sprinkle on a bit of sea salt then serve.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)