Category Archives: Vodka

How to “Présoireé” for Dîner en Blanc

Planning to attend Dîner en Blanc? If you didn’t attend last year, I can imagine the whole concept is incredibly exciting and romantic … with that nagging feeling of terror. “Did they really say we have to bring in a TABLE and CHAIRS?” Yes, you bring your entire party in our your back … and leave with it, for that matter.

The basics:

You MUST take yourself and a guest, a square table (28-32″ wide), chairs, and a white tablecloth. (Keep in mind that not showing or breaking the rules could get you banned the following year. Tough.)
You MAY take food, drink, tableware, table decor, flowers, a garbage bag, etc.
You CANNOT take anything that’s not white (woof) or alcohol (major womp).

Apothic Wine is this and last year’s wine sponsor, so if you were preemptive and ordered your wine beforehand for pickup at check-in … bravo you. If not, sucks to suck because it’s not a BYO event bc of the grumpy old TABC. But fear not, DEB attendees, I have some options for you.

Option #1: Don’t forget your opaque “water” bottles. (It’s important to stay hydrated, right?) ????

Option #2: Get your friends together before for a few drinks. Last year we noshed on charcuterie and some snacks while throwing back a few before heading to the bus pickup. Establish a solid booze situation and food base so you’ll have less to carry. (And make sure to avoid anything that would be a problem for people wearing white. Duh.)

Here are the drinks that I’ll be making at my DEB Présoireé this year:

SILVER 75
1.5 oz Patrón Silver
1 oz Elderflower liqueur
0.5 oz Local lemon juice
0.5 oz Simple syrup
2 oz Sparkling wine (I’ll be using Moët, the official champagne of DEB!)

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker except the sparkling wine. Shake vigorously and strain into a champagne flute. Top off the cocktail with some sparkling wine and finish with a lemon twist while making sure to twist the lemon over the cocktail to release the oils.

Recipe and image courtesy of Patrón International

AGAINST THE GRAIN MARTINI (gluten-free martini)
3 parts Stoli® Gluten Free
Splash of Dry Vermouth
Garnish with an olive or cocktail onion

Shake or stir ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.

LAST YEAR’S WINNING RECIPE:

THE INDIAN SUMMER
3 parts Hendricks Gin
1 part lemon juice
1 part St. Germain
Muddled grapes

Muddle grapes with other ingredients, then shake with ice until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe.

Absolut Elyx Gibson Tour

Hi, my name is Tiffany, and I’m a cocktail onion addict.

Whew! There, I said it. It was love at first sight – I remember that night so clearly: My friends and I were sitting in a dimly-lit corner of a New Orleans restaurant during Tales of the Cocktail and were primed to order our first round of drinks. Our local Absolut Elyx brand ambassador, Kyle Paris, was with us and suggested that I try the Gibson martini, and I’M SO GLAD I LISTENED TO HIM. (He knows things sometimes.) I love me a well-made dry martini, but when you garnish it with a crunchy, briny, house made cocktail onion? Game over. Take me away.

What I couldn’t believe was how long it took me to eat my first ever cocktail onion. In all honesty, I vaguely remember seeing the little pearls on various bar tops, but it never occurred to me that they were briny. I always thought they were raw, and I’m definitely not a fan of eating raw onions. Yuck. However, now that Kyle had set me straight, I had so many questions. Why have my bartender buddies been withholding this pickled treasure from me? Do all of my favorite bars back home have cocktail onions? If so, do they make the cocktail onions in-house? Am I the only one with whom Kyle shared this brilliance?

I needed answers.

My Dallas Gibson cocktail discovery mission had a rough start. I had the unfortunate incident of receiving a Gibson that was garnished with cocktail onions from the bottom of a very large, very old-looking jar. (The bar name will be withheld to protect the not at all innocent.) To say the least, it was an unpleasant experience – the onions lacked the freshness and crunch that I enjoyed so much with my first Gibson. I learned a paramount lesson that night: Store-bought jarred cocktail onions be gone. Say it with me: House made garnishes only!

That’s when I partnered up with Kyle to organize the first ever (as far as I know anyway) Absolut Elyx Gibson Tour. We reached out to some of our favorite bartenders around the city to see if any would be interested in coming up with their own cocktail onion recipes. As it turns out, many of them were.

Five bars.
One night.
Six friends on average at each boozy stop.
Who knows how many Gibsons to consume.

The Absolut Elyx Tour was officially on.

STOP #1: VICINI

Our first stop was in the ‘burbs at Vicini Frisco. Barman Brian McCullough served up some delightful Elyx cocktails with his variation of the cocktail onion – pickled spring onion bow ties. I really enjoyed Brian’s version; it had welcome, grassy notes, the familiar brininess, and a touch of whimsy. What’ s not to love?

STOP #2: BOULEVARDIER

From Frisco, the Tour braved Friday rush hour traffic all the way down to Bishop Arts District to pay Boulevardier a visit. This popular restaurant/bar is one of the few spots that already make their own cocktail onions. Ashley Williams made an excellent classic onion garnish; so excellent, in fact, that I enjoyed six of them. (Two onions per cocktail, carry the three … you do the math.)

STOP #3: THE MITCHELL

After two delightful stops, the Tour was starting to hit its stride. From Boulevardier, we Uber’d our way downtown to The Mitchell where they offered not one but two cocktail onions to sample that night, one in a “garden brine” and one made with hatch chilis. I’m a bit of a spice wimp so I steered clear of anything marinating in a hatch chili situation, so I opted for the garden variety. Without hesitation, I popped the onion in my mouth, anticipating a deliciously briny vegetable medley. What I got instead was a mouthful of sharp, raw onion. Oh boy, that was surprising. No kissing for me that night for sure. I downed the rest of my Gibson to alleviate the biting flavor.

STOP #4: MIDNIGHT RAMBLER

Without hesitation, the Elyx Gibson Tour soldiered on to a tried and true spot down the street, Midnight Rambler. They garnish their Gibson, The Silvertone, with a mighty fine and smoky chipotle onion, to which I was no stranger. The Elyx was flowing and skewers of golden brown onions perched on about half of the cocktails on the bar top for a solid hour. This was the 4th stop on the tour and the group was feeling gooooooood — and Susie had finally joined us. (A little tardy to the party.)

: Picture by Susie O.

By the time we made it to the fifth and last stop of the night, most of our friends had already bid us farewell. So then there were the final four.

STOP #5: HIGH & TIGHT

We approached the bar at High & Tight, excited to see what our favorite bar-behind-a-barbershop’s man behind the stick, Austin Gurley, had in store for us, and I am so happy that we made it to the last stop. The cocktail onion was so surprisingly flavorful, with citrusy notes of grapefruit and a spicy, peppery kick. It was by far our favorite of the night!

: Picture by Susie O.

The Elyx Gibson Tour proved a success, and what kind of cocktail onion addict would I be if I didn’t try to cover more ground? A few days after the tour, I visited Hugo Osorio at The Theodore to sample the onion batch he prepared. The onions were wonderfully balanced with crunchiness, brininess, and jalapeño spiciness … so yeah, pretty much cocktail onion heaven.

This last Gibson falls outside of the Dallas area … like, really far outside. But, due to its Absolut awesomeness, it had to be included. A few weekends ago, I went to Chicago and had the pleasure of ordering the Elyx Gibson off of Vol. 39‘s brand spanking new cocktail menu at The Kimpton Gray Hotel. As far as I was concerned, it was kismet. The cocktail onion had bursts of Chinese five-spice and red wine vinegar. It sparkled atop my glass like a garnet jewel. If you ever find yourself in downtown Chicago, don’t think twice before visiting this bar. Thank me later.

: Picture by Susie O.

I write this in hopes of drawing out existing Gibson lovers and converting the Gibson-ly ignorant into cocktail onion enthusiasts. And then, maybe one day, this particular tipple will experience a comeback of Old Fashioned’s proportions. A girl like me can dream, right? In the meantime, if you’re curious about trying out the Gibson for yourself, give me a call. I’m always down.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ABSOLUT ELYX FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS NIGHT HAPPEN!

Vicini: 7777 Warren Parkway #104 (Frisco)
Boulevardier: 408 N Bishop Avenue #108 (Bishop Arts District)
The Mitchell: 1404 Main Street (Downtown)
Midnight Rambler: 1530 Main Street, inside The Joule Hotel (Downtown)
High & Tight: 2701 Main Street #180 (Deep Ellum)
The Theodore: 8687 North Central Expressway #1804, inside NorthPark Center (North Dallas)
Vol. 39: 39 S. La Salle Street, inside the Kimpton The Gray Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)

#DrinkingWithSusie: Melissa Rountree

With summer winding down and the impending arrival of cooler months (that can’t seem to come soon enough), pants are a very real thing in my future. Since I want to fit into them when the time comes, I’ve started going to spin class, eating one less cookie, and walking Tully an extra time each day … but I thought I’d call in the big guns. Meet Melissa Rountree, a friend that, when we met, I was immediately jealous of her because she was incredibly fit. Well, turns out, when you sweat your butt off in your workouts and eat right, you can be fit. (Who knew?)

I asked Melissa to take some time out of her busy day as a mom, realtor, fitness instructor, and business owner to show me some of her go-to moves to help me kickstart my workouts. In return, I introduced her to a healthy (and delicious) cocktail.

KOMBUCHA MOSCOW MULE
6oz Salty Dog Kosmic Kombucha (or whichever you choose)
2oz vodka
1tsp agave
Citrus

Combine all ingredients over ice, squeeze in a wedge of citrus, and stir. (Yeah … this one is that easy.)

So why kombucha instead of ginger beer? Kombucha* has beneficial elements like probiotics, antioxidants, and amino acids that are meant to be good for your digestion and liver function (WOOOHOOO). We chose Kosmic Kombucha’s Salty Dog with citrus (Vitamin C), ginger (inflammation), sea salt, and agave (deliciousness).

And why Bellion Vodka? It’s the world’s “first functional vodka” thanks to some magical element called “NTX Technology”. While it’s super mysterious because the FDA hasn’t approved their claims, they say that the technology protects your liver. I’ll take it.

Now for the less delicious, but very important part … the workout. Melissa walked me through a few exercises that she uses in her fitness classes–maximum results for minimal effort.

Side Lunges are a great way to stretch your inner thighs while gaining strength in your glutes and quad muscles. Start in a standing position and take a wide step out to the left and then back to standing. Do 10 times on each leg.

Kneeling Seat is a way to stretch and open up your hips while defining your seat muscles. Start on your hands and knees. Raise your right knee up to hip height and back down to kneeling. Use your arms to support your balance. Do 10 times on each side.

Pro Tips

Push-ups: Lead with your chest and keep breathing. Do them slowly to increase the challenge in your upper back and arms.

Crunches: Keep them small. Large range crunches can be hard on your back. Raise your upper body high enough to feel your abs and then make small movements from there.

How long have you been a fitness instructor? Off and On since college so most of my life.

Is there anything you do daily that changes your whole day? I have to break a sweat everyday to relax my mind. I also love stretching because of the flexibility it gives me.

Tell us about your line of activewear, and where can we find it? It’s a limited edition brand. Currently it’s available at The Bar Method as well as online at level3active.com.

What makes your activewear stand out? All of our prints are in small quantities so you’re always going to stand out in the gym instead of wearing the same thing everyone else is wearing. Plus they’re all designed to work out or wear in your daily life.

What’s your favorite healthy meal? I am a huge fan of quinoa salads with tomatoes and cucumbers.

MELISSA ROUNTREE (Fun, Fashion, Fitness)
level3active.com
Instagram: @funfashfit
Twitter: @MelissaRountree

Pictures by Madison Mentesana.

*Kombucha is a fermented tea made with yeast and bacteria that grows on top of the tea throughout the fermentation process. “After a short period, fermentation yields raw kombucha, a lightly effervescent tea with unmistakable notes of vinegar.” – Kosmic Kombucha

VDKA6100: Call it Whatever You Want.

I want to start out by confessing: I’m still not sure how to pronounce the name of this vodka. VDKA6100 even devotes a section on their website to explaining how they got their name–it’s the distance between the territorial waters of New Zealand, from which the product is sourced, to those of the United States, where the brand was born, is 6,100 miles. Unfortunately, it doesn’t give any clues as to how one might pronounce it. Ultimately, I concluded it doesn’t really matter; you can call it whatever you want, and it’s not going to change the fact that this is a damn fine vodka.

VDKA6100 is made in Reproof, near Lake Taupo on the North Island of New Zealand. Their vodka is produced using fresh, seasonal whey sourced from the Bay of Plenty Region. That whey is fermented using a rare strain of yeast, imported from Ireland over 30 years ago.

Given the purity of the ingredients, VDKA6100 requires limited distilling in order to ensure the character of the vodka is retained. VDKA6100 is filtered through carbon “rockets” (I hope these are half as cool as I’m imagining) and blended with locally sourced New Zealand spring water. The result is a vodka that is sugar-free, gluten-free, lactose-free (because …. vodka), and free from chemical additives.

Before experimenting with any cocktails, I decided to try VDKA6100 straight up in order to form a real opinion on the quality of the vodka. Right away, I noticed the lack of that all-too-familiar burn that accompanies so many lesser vodkas. VDKA6100, on the other hand, was silky smooth with a very soft mouth feel. I initially noted a crisp citrus flavor and a faint but pleasant hint of vanilla with a kick of peppery spice on the finish.

VDKA6100 is perfect for crafting the classic martini. (I think James Bond would agree.)

VDKA 6100 Martini
2.5oz of VDKA 6100
0.5oz dry vermouth

Glassware: Martini glass
Garnish: Lemon twist

Combine VDKA 6100, dry vermouth and ice in a cocktail shaker, Sitr until cold, Strain into a martini glass. Top with a lemon twist.

VDKA6100
www.vdka6100.com
ABV: 40% / 80 proof
Price: $38/1L

Product Review: Balls Vodka

It’s hard to look at the packaging and marketing materials for Ball’s Vodka and not go through an internal rant. For me it was a combo of, first, a solid chuckle … but then the follow-up thought, “Ugh … is this all we’re doing here?” as the puns continue. I’m definitely not one to eschew a terrible joke or ten (Susie very clearly told me I was the person destined to write this review as soon as the email came in), but the line between a good and a lazy ball joke is quite fine.
Do I smile, make a cavalcade of crotch riffs and call it day? Does the world need more stiff drink puns? (Duh.) Am I overthinking this? And if I am, why don’t I ask you to look at the freaking bottle and tell me anything about this is meant to be serious?

[Takes deep breath.]

Alright, let’s go ahead and put some Balls in my mouth and see where this goes. (Yeah … I just wrote that.)

Balls_Vodka1-e1426082024629 I first experimented with just the Balls to get a straight taste and then I went for a vodka soda – just to set a baseline. My vodka palette is by no means refined, but I’m confident enough that I avoided burning my necessary taste buds when I was a teenager that I can make good decisions. I know what I hate and can tell what isn’t quality … and I didn’t hate this. The taste was clean with notes of vanilla that only briefly lingered, and it only took a few sips to realize this was actually pretty damn decent stuff. I was actively looking for reasons to choke* on every sip, but it never happened.

* I just can’t keep doing this – if you have a good pun/joke/idea, just say it aloud to yourself right here or leave it as a comment.

The third and final test was to invite vodka (and some ball)-loving friends over and see how they reacted. After a few puns, they dove in along with me and had the same feedback. This is a solid vodka for simple drinks (we never felt the need to do anything besides sip the classic soda and/or tonic with some lemons and limes). The suggested price point is around $10 below Grey Goose, so this could be not only a solid pun-based conversation piece, but a good versatile bottle for your home bar.

The TL:DR version: These Balls go down smooth and even your mom will love them. (Please try to understand how much I hate myself right now.)

To learn more, score some sweet merch or find a bottle near you, visit ballsvodka.com.

BALLS VODKA
ballsvodka.com
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Store Locations

Proof: 80
Nose: vanilla
Favor: clean, slight mineral and sweetness
Distilled from: American corn
Sipping suggestions: mixed in simple cocktails
Price: $29.99 for 1.75L

#DrinkingwithSusie: @Natalie_Keinan of The Fashion Hour

I have some really fun friends. I thought the other day that it’s a damn shame that I don’t get to show them off more. Enter: #DrinkingwithSusie! I’ll be hanging out with some of my foodie/fashion/fit friends to bring you fun recipes and introducing you to some Dallas movers and shakers. Stay tuned for more next month!

My first #DrinkingwithSusie victim is Natalie Keinan. I was lucky enough to meet Natalie about a year ago and knew we would be great friends right off the bat because, well … we both love happy hour. Natalie runs the popular fashion and happy hour blog, The Fashion Hour–a lot of fashion and a little booze!

When we got together to make our cocktail, she had requested the following: no tequila, nothing bitter, and something light and refreshing. Oh, and it had to have champagne in it … and she wanted to use the copper pineapple I’d given her for Christmas. (The pineapple just happens to be a part of a gift set offered by Absolut Elyx, and for every one sold they donate a week of clean water to people in need!)

So, what did I come up with? A lotta bit of Elyx, a little coconut water, and plenty of champagne. (And that’s how life should be.)

3 parts Absolut Elyx
1½ parts sparkling wine (I chose Veuve Clicquot)
3 parts coconut water
1 part fresh lemon juice
1 part honey syrup
Garnish: Coconut shavings

Either shake or stir the Elyx, coconut water, lemon, and syrup with ice until chilled. Fill pineapple with fresh ice and strain contents over ice. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with coconut shavings. (Bonus: mound shaved ice on top of cubed ice.)

Protip: when pouring the champagne into the pineapple, since it’s opaque, it’s hard to see when the level rises and the sparkling wine can bubble over. To avoid spilling, pour slowly.

[slideshow_deploy id=’10241′]
How and when did you decide to start The Fashion Hour?
I created The Fashion Hour in October of 2013 after kicking the idea around for several months and doing a lot of googling. I started it as a creative outlet from my job in corporate America where I would share good deals on clothes I found along with my favorite happy hour spots. It has grown quite a bit since then but both of those topics are still the core of what I write about!

What are you must-have items for Spring?
My must-have items for spring are: a pair of retro sunglasses (I love these clear and tortoise shell Illesteva ones), a straw hat, and turquoise jewelry like this spike bib necklace!

What clothing trends do you see being hot this spring?
Anything off-the-shoulder, frayed denim, necktie scarf/bandana, overalls, fringe, pom poms … is that too much? I also think we are going to see more people investing in replica pieces. It can be all too easy to assume that your favorite designer pieces are just out of reach. However, nowadays, there are some brilliant replica websites like LuxuryTastic where you can find replica pieces based on all the latest designer items. I was actually introduced to LuxuryTastic by a friend of mine who showed me this Luxurytastic review. Feel free to check it out for yourself. Who knows, you might even find a replica alternative to some of the must-have pieces for this spring.

What’s your go-to spring outfit this year?
I always gravitate towards simple and casual so my go-to spring outfit is a pair of skinny or ripped jeans, basic tee, and this suede moto jacket (I seriously wear it over everything).

Where is your favorite happy hour in Dallas?
That is HARD. There’s just so many so it’s impossible to choose a favorite, but I am pretty excited about the new House of Blues patio. Who doesn’t love food and drink specials before a show?!

Follow Natalie around Dallas (and some other fabulous destinations) for her style tips, sale scoops, and, from time to time, boozy recipes!

THE FASHION HOUR
thefashionhour.com
Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Natalie’s Outfit:
Suede Moto Jacket, Nordstrom
Black Skinny Jeans, Nordstrom
Tank, T.J. Maxx (similar: Nordstrom)
Necklace, BaubleBar
Shoes, Nordstrom Rack

Susie’s Outfit (like it matters …):
Denim Dress (similar: Bloomingdales $78, Asos $47.77, Macy’s $62.99)
Flip Flops, Nordstrom Rack
Bracelet, Cartier

Barware:
Copper pineapple, ReserveBar.com, $98
Copper Japanese Style Jigger, Cocktail Kingdom, $19.95
Copper Barspoon, Cocktail Kingdom, $25.95
Copper Strainer, Absolut Elyx (similar: Cocktail Kingdom, $18.95)
Mixing Glass, Absolut Elyx (similar: Williams-Sonoma, $29.95)
Wooden Muddler, Amazon, $4.09
1oz Glass Bottle with Dropper, Specialty Bottle, $0.84

Photography by Adam Stewart

Mardi Gras 101

Let’s start here … Mardi Gras isn’t just a big party. There’s a lot more to the holiday than strong drinks and a ~~good~~ great reason to party on a Tuesday. Let’s start with some basics …

Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French
It’s celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday as a last hurrah before Lent begins (this year, that’s February 9)
The first Mardi Gras celebration can be traced back to medieval Europe to the House of the Bourbons (I won’t go into all of the history, but if you want to read it all … check it out here.)
The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold–purple for justice, gold for power, green for faith.

I have an unexplained love for Mardi Gras. (I think it comes from my dad receiving a King Cake each year from a friend in New Orleans. Since my dad had a job that took him to New Orleans during the week for a few years, I apparently attended parades before I could walk.) Each year, I try to bring the spirit of the Big Easy to Dallas in a small way for some friends. Here’s how I do it …

DRINKS … you can’t miss hurricanes, the quintessential Mardi Gras drink originally created by Pat O’Brien’s in NOLA. This year I borrowed a recipe from a NOLA-born chef, John Russ of Lüke San Antonio that he demonstrated at his seminar at the SACC this year. For my group of heavy-hitters, I made the recipe x10. I also like to add a little pineapple juice and just a bit of cherry juice or grenadine to add a red hue. They’re quite strong, so make sure to warn your guests and provide something to dilute it a bit like soda or Sprite. I also use an orange slice and cherry for garnish.

Katrina’s Folly (Recipe from Chef John Russ of Lüke San Antonio)
2 oz Bacardi light
1 oz 151 Bacardi
2 oz Kraken spiced dark rum
2 oz orange juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz lime juice
2 oz passion fruit juice
crushed ice

Combine and stir. Serve chilled, preferably in a tall glass or red Solo cup.

Since a party cannot exist on a single drink alone, I laid out a bevy of usual suspects so people could make their own concoctions if desired. To really get the party going, I also offered shots of Pinnacle King Cake Vodka (the best of the king cake vodkas I’ve tried–which is a lot … dedication, y’all) and Abita Beer (brewed an hour from New Orleans in Covington, Louisiana). The kind cake vodka is surprisingly easy to drink and it has a nice sweetness without being overpowering. The party shared many a round of shots to toast the night. I chose two Abita brews–their most popular Purple Haze and their seasonal Mardi Gras Bock.

Sustenance at these parties is key. This year I offered homemade jambalaya, Zapp’s Potato Chips, hushpuppies, a King Cake, iced sugar cookies from Pokey O’s, and Cafe Du Monde beignets. Each has some significance …

Venison and Chicken Jambalaya – because … yum. I’ve adapted the recipe so it can be made ahead of time and cooked in a crock pot. (Send me an email if you’d like the recipe!)
Zapp’s Potato Chips – they’re made in Gramercy, Louisiana and are “New Orleans kettle-style chips”. I got individual bags from Potbelly along with their Voodoo flavor (nice and spicy) from Tom Thumb.
Hushpuppies – sometimes it’s important to know your limits when hosting a party. I haven’t ever made hushpuppies … so I left it to the experts and had three dozen delivered by Favor from Dodie’s Reef, complete with remoulade sauce. I should have gotten four dozen because they were the first thing to run out!
King Cake – the aforementioned friend in New Orleans sends my dad a cake–for years they have been shipped to us from Manny Randazzo’s and are always the traditional flavor that tastes just like a cinnamon roll … only 15x better. This year, my good friend Meryl’s family also sent me cakes from Caluda’s. Many bakeries in NOLA will ship their cakes, by my favorite has been the maple bacon praline version from Caluda’s (it was a flavor of the week option and isn’t available all the time).
The tradition says that a small, plastic baby is placed in the cake and the person who gets it in his piece is “King for the Day”. (It’s also said that he has to bring the cake to the next year’s party. Like that ever happens.)
Pokey O’s Iced Sugar Cookies – because they’re delicious and festive. (I added the little, plastic babies myself to add a bit more fun.) Call ahead to make sure they have them or to preorder.
Cafe Du Monde Beignets – it has been a goal each year to make beignets for this party and, this year, I finally did it! The mix that you can get in most stores made it quite easy to throw them together and they were freaking delicious.

Other fun touches I like to add are handing out beads (earned or not) and adding a little fun decor. (My plaster deer head is always festive at my parties …) In past years when I’ve lived in apartment complexes, we’d make sure to throw beads from the balcony, but now that I’ve moved we didn’t have anyone to throw them at … but do that, because it’s a blast.

P.S. Upon walking into my living room this morning … I came upon this scene. It must have been a good party.

Product Review: Willa Vodka

Low-cal vodka? Don’t mind if I do. Willa vodka is touted as a “natural, healthier, lighter premium craft vodka”, and it being low in calories means it’s lower in alcohol content than other vodkas (70 proof compared to the industry standard 80 proof).

Even better that the lower calorie count? Willa is all about advertising to women. (Even though it was created by two men!) “Independent spirits for independent women” is their tag line that scrolls across the top of their website … but don’t let that fool you, guys. (You won’t lose your man card for buying this.) Anyone who is looking for a more health-conscious vodka, this is the one. I let some guy friends visiting my boyfriend try it … and let’s just say it wasn’t just me who liked the taste.

It was awarded the silver medal for best “Small Batch Craft Vodka” at the New York International Spirits Competition in 2012. In 2013, Willa brought home the gold medal for both taste and bottle design at the SIP Awards.

This non GMO vodka has a smooth taste and a great price. It’s made with 100% organic Italian wheat and the water used for distilling is from the Nantucket Aquifer. The nose has a bit of citrus and just a slight bit of charcoal. The taste was smooth (thanks to the lower proof) and had the same citrus notes, but was incredibly clean.

The Willa brand is in the process of expanding. They have started a Fundable page looking for investors to help expand into flavored vodka, gin, and rum. I look forward to what is to come for this new brand.

Lemon Drop

WILLA VODKA
willavodka.com
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~$29 for 750mL

Here are a couple of the recipes that Willa suggests:

Lemon Drop
2 parts Willa Vodka
1/2 part fresh lemon juice
1/4 part stevia simple syrup

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist.

Cos-lo-politan

Cos-lo-politan
3 parts Willa Vodka
1 part cranberry juice
3/4 part fresh lime juice
1/4 part fresh orange juice
1 barspoon of light simple syrup

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a an orange twist.

***Willa gave our team a bottle to try out.***

SusieDrinks

Drink well. Travel often.