Friday, March 22, 2013

Wine Specialists Try Wines for you!

WILLIAMS SELYAM BOB CABRAL TASTING

At Spec's we strive to be the best at helping you make excellent wine selections. That means trying wines from all over the world. Recently we got to try wines from William Selyam, a huge treat to be sure, and meet the wine maker Bob Cabral.

Oh, for the love of Pinot they were great!! They even won at the Rodeo this year...Reserve Grand Champion!

Here are some of the specialists...

Remember to ask for recommendations the next time you come in. We work hard for you!

Spring time Prosecco Cocktails

Prosecco is a refreshing wine that is perfect for springtime entertaining. It is a popular bubbly pick. Prosecco pairs wonderfully with your favorite light dishes. Although it shines on its own, Prosecco really sparkles in a cocktail. You must mix up some of these great cocktails!

Prosecco Spritz (Makes 4 cocktails)

Ingredients

8 oz. chilled Ruffino Prosecco
6 oz. Aperol
Chilled Club Soda
4 Orange Slices

Preparation: Combine Ruffino Prosecco and Aperol into glasses over ice, splash with club soda and garnish with orange slice.

The Prosecco Smoothie (Makes 4 cocktails)

Ingredients

16 oz. Chilled Ruffino Prosecco
2 Cups of Plain or Fruit Flavored Yogurt
4 Cups of Chopped Fresh Blueberries and Strawberries
Fruit or mint for garnish

Preparation: Combine yogurt and fruit in a blender, process until smooth. Pour mix into glasses, top off with Ruffino Prosecco. Gently stir, garnish with mint sprig or fruit slice.

The Fresco (Makes 4 Cocktails)

16 oz. Chilled Ruffino Prosecco
4 Cucumbers
4 Lime Wedges
Hot Sauce
Sea Salt

Preparation: Peel cucumbers and puree in blender. Strain cucumber juice into 4 glasses. Top off with Prosecco, finish with a dash of hot sauce and pinch of salt. Garnish with a lime.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Oscar Cocktails...

“The Diplomatic Escape” (recipe courtesy of Manny Hinojosa, Bacardi USA mixologist)
Best Picture "Argo"

Ingredients

1 oz. Dewar’s 12 year old Scotch
3/4 oz. St-Germain elderflower liqueur
3/4 oz. Campari
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 small sprig basil
Canada Dry ginger ale
Orange peel, garnish
Fresh basil, garnish

Preparation: In a mixing glass, combine the scotch, St-Germain, Campari, lemon juice and basil with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain and serve over the rocks, topped with ginger ale. Garnish with orange peel and fresh basil.
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“Silver Linings” (served Sunday night at The Weinstein Company’s Oscar viewing and after-party at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood)
Best Actress – Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Ingredients

2 oz DeLeón Diamante

3/4 oz Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice

1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

1/4 oz. Agave Nectar

2 drops Jamaican Jerk Bitters

Sprig of Fresh Mint

Preparation: Combine ingredients into shaker. Add ice. Shake well. Strain over fresh ice into double rocks glass. Garnish by smacking a cold blanched sprig of mint. Slide mint into glass where it is high enough to reach the nose of whomever’s consuming.

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“President Lincoln’s Cocktail” (recipe adapted from Pacific Wine & Spirit Review San Francisco, November 30, 1900 as retold in a posting by Butterfly Absinthe)
Best Actor – Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Bourbon

3 dashes simple syrup

2 dashes orange curacao

2 dashes orange bitters

1 dash absinthe

Seltzer or club soda

Preparation: Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Top with club soda.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Lava Flow

There are numerous variations for making a Lava Flow. This biggest difference is that some recipes use 1 oz. of light rum and 1 oz. of coconut rum.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 oz. light rum
1 oz. coconut rum
2 oz. fresh or frozen strawberries
1 small banana
2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut cream

Preparation:

Blend the 2 rums and the strawberries in a blender to form a smooth paste. Pour this mixture into a tall (Collins or Hurricane) glass. Rinse the blender. Blend the banana, the coconut cream, and the pineapple juice in blender with crushed ice until smooth. Pour this mixture into the glass with the rums very slowly and watch as the strawberry mixture oozes its way to the top along the sides of the glass creating the flowing lava effect. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and paper umbrella.

Cherry Brandy and Chocolate Mousse

Dish type: Dessert

A favourite dessert with a grown up twist. Soak the cherries in a little brandy or cherry brandy the day before you plan to serve this dessert.

Serves 6

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Soaking time: overnight

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Chilling time: 4 hours

Ingredients

400 g (14 oz) British cherries, reserve 6 on stalks for decoration, remove stalks and stones from the rest

3 tablespoons brandy or cherry brandy

200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces

15 g (½ oz) butter

4 medium eggs, separated

2 tablespoons icing sugar

5 tablespoons double cream

To decorate

120 ml (4 fl oz) double cream

25 g (1 oz) dark chocolate, melted, optional

Little dusting of cocoa

Method

1. Soak the stoned cherries in brandy in a small bowl tightly covered with cling film in the fridge overnight.

2. Next day, add the chocolate and butter to a large bowl and set this over a saucepan of very gently simmering water making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water then leave for 5 minutes or so until the chocolate has melted.

3. Stir the egg yolks one at a time into the warm chocolate then take the bowl off the heat and stir in the sugar and cream until smooth. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks. Fold a spoonful into the chocolate mix to loosen the mixture then gently fold in the remainder.

4. Drain off any excess brandy from the cherries into the chocolate mousse then divide the cherries between small champagne, wine or liqueur glasses. Pour the chocolate mousse into the assorted glasses then chill for 4 hours or until set.

5. To decorate, softly whip the cream then spoon over the glasses and dust lightly with a little sifted cocoa. Dip the reserved cherries on stalks into the melted chocolate if using and arrange on top of the cream. Chill until ready to serve.

Champagne and POP ROCKS???

What? Pop rocks and champagne?

Why not! I found a recipe for jello shots using champagne and sprinkles...just substitute pop rocks for the sprinkles! Use the flavor recommended OR change it up for St. Patrick's Day! Go Green!!

Champagne Jell-o Shots with Pop Rocks

1 package white grape sparkling Jello mix (3 ounces)
Maybe something green?

1 cup boiling water

1 cup chilled Champagne

Directions

Combine the Jello and boiling water in a boil. Stir until completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Let set until it comes to room temperature. Slowly stir in the Champagne. Pour into 9×9 tray and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Once firm, dip the tray in hot water for 5 seconds. Use a thin knife to slice into squares.

2. Sprinkle with colored sugar just before serving. OR Pop rocks.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Valentine's Drinks!

Sweetheart Swizzle

1oz Citrus vodka

1 oz lime syrup

Angostura bitters

Tonic Water

Preparation: Garnish with lemon, lime and cucumber wheels.

Cupid’s Bow

2 oz Belvedere Vodka

¼ oz Simple Syrup

½ oz Lemon Juice

6 Raspberries

Dash Egg White

Preparation: Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a raspberry.

Love Potion #9

Ingredients:

1.75 oz El Dorado Reserva Rum
5 Marachino Cherries Muddled
.5 oz Frangelico
1 oz Half & Half
.5 oz Simple Syrup

Preparation: Muddle cherries. Add ingredients in Boston glass. Shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry and a pinch of powdered chocolate.