Learning about low-alcohol session cocktails at Art In The Age, a call for gift guide ideas, and my newest obsession.
[Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.]
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Start Shopping Early
I know, I know. August just ended and I’m already thinking about holiday shopping! I’ve always loved shopping for meaningful gifts, so I thought I’d try to pull together some special interest gift guides this year. The only trouble is, I don’t know what to make! My obvious talents lie in shopping for cocktail lovers and home cooks, but I love curating gift baskets and figuring out the right gift for the right person.
Are there any gift guides you’d love to see or types of people you struggle to shop for each year? Let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do!
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Bartending Class: Session Solutions with Daniela Diaz
I attended another fantastic cocktail class at Art In The Age last week – Session Solutions with Daniela Diaz from Philadelphia’s A.Bar. End of summer lull kept the class small, but we all had such a nice time chatting and learning how to make low-ABV session cocktails. Daniela is seriously talented, and I learned so much from her knowledgeable instruction – especially the proper way to stir a drink (something I need a lot of practice with!).
I definitely plan to use some of the tips Daniela taught us on some recipes for the upcoming holiday season. I’d heard of the trend to make session cocktails, but I had no idea that one of its primary goals was to showcase the craft spirit used with just the right mixers and bitters, rather than hide it in a sea of juices. A well-balanced session cocktail is definitely an art form, and I look forward to experimenting in the coming weeks.
Only disappointment? I’m having the hardest time finding a way to purchase the incredibly delicious Lo-Fi Genetian Amaro we used, due to the local liquor laws in Delaware.
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And now, the links:
- Quick – Make this Rosemary Chicken, Carmelized Corn & Peach Salad before it’s too late!
- So many cute sewing tutorials!
- Never sure what to do for overnight guests? This post has some stellar advice.
- Okay, now I’m craving homemade dinner rolls.
- Wouldn’t homemade cordials make a great holiday gift? I need to check out their book.
- Having trouble with decision fatigue? Emma Chapman has some helpful tips.
- I love this article on how to cut and store a mango!
- I’m obsessed with perfumes and fragrances right now. I don’t know what’s up. After trying on like a hundred (okay, probably only like 20 or so) scents, I finally splurged and bought a bunch of little sample-sized “imps” from a long admired website, Black Phoenix Alchemy. My only problem is that the lovely scents seem to fade way too quickly, so I’m hoping some of these fragrance hacks help rectify the problem.
Cheers until next time!
