1 cup of evaporated milk OR unsweetened vanilla almond milk (both are excellent with these ingredients)
1 Pitaya Foods frozen dragon fruit package
1 cup frozen chopped strawberries
1/2 cup of frozen pineapples
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup of frozen black pitted cherries
A little but of frozen spinach for good measure. Extra greens are a good thing was my thinking. Small handful worth..
1/2 cup of pomegranate kernels (reserve some for the garnish. I eyeballed this ingredient for the garnish. Maybe a tablespoon worth)
1 scoop of Agent Nateur & Dr. Will Cole holi (mane) collagen powder
1/2 scoop -1 scoop Vega vanilla protein and greens protein powder depending on desired sweetness
Method
Add all ingredients to a blending machine expect the reserved pomegranate kernels. Blend until smooth.
Glass: bucket glass
Garnish: pomegranate seeds
Where to buy the goods? Blending machine protein powders and stuff? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront, of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you!
Pickle juice adds tang and soothes the bite of the whiskey. Whiskey first pickle juice second.
Shoot or sip separate or combine, your choice. The “proper way” to partake is up for debate amongst many. All goes down the same way if you ask me. Cheers!
PickleBack Shot
Ingredients
2 oz of whiskey
2 ounces of pickle juice of choice
One (or several) pickles
Method
Using a jigger pour 2 ounces of room temperature whiskey into a bucket glass. Using the same jigger pour 2 ounces of of chilled pickle juice into a shot glass. Shoot one after the other. Sip one after the other or combine and shoot or sip combined liquids. Eat pickle after all the shot consumed.
Pickle juice adds magic to the whiskeyBack it up..
Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk about what Cynar is and how to pronounce it. Cynar is an Italian artichoke bitters digestivo that belongs to the amaro family. It is pronounced Cee-NAHR or CEE-nahr, depending on who you ask. The suggested serving recommendation is to enjoy it on its own or with cola and lime. You can find more information on the back of the bottle. I decided to have a little fun with it on a couple of occasions, adding fruits, molasses, and agave. Last October, I featured it in a post (see last October’s post here), and just recently, I created a delicious concoction with it. After all, who doesn’t love a frozen boozy treat to complete dinner?
Arti Berry Cynar Granita Slushy
Ingredients
1 cup of mixed berries (blueberries raspberries strawberries)
8 oz Cynar
1 oz agave
1 oz molasses syrup
Scrape using a fork to break up the mixture
Aren’t these ice crystals beautiful
In the glass..
Method
Muddle mixed berries. Add Cynar and berries together in a plastic container with a lid. Store at room temperature for about three to five days. Remove the berries by straining them from the mixture, if you like. To slow the infusion process refrigerate for the same amount of time to about a week. Check and taste to determine whether more time is needed for the berry infusion. Add agave and molasses. Stir. Place in freezer. Check it every few hours and break up the forming solid with a fork. I forgot one batch longer and left it I there longer than a week and after removing I did the scraping process with a fork and it worked fantastically. The mixture only partly freezes because of the alcohol content. I figured that out once by leaving my Lillet in the freezer. Once you have scraped a few times, add to a coupe glass and enjoy.
1/2 cup of Costco Signature brand unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup Whole Foods 365 frozen black cherries
1/2 frozen banana (peel and freeze your bananas)
1 1/2 cups of Whole Foods 365 brand chopped frozen kale
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 scoop Sakara Organic Protein + Greens Super Powder
1 scoop Agent Nateur Holi (mane) Hair, Skin, Nails Supplement
1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s agave (just enough to take the edge off the cacao nibs and greens)
12 fresh mint leaves and a sprig for garnish
1 1/2 tablespoons Navitas Organic cacao nibs and some to garnish
Handful of Pitaya Foods Aloe Vera pieces
Top with water for fluidity if consistency seems too thick as it should be l similar to a milkshake. The reason I needed water is because I ran out of almond milk and added the powders last. It worked out. This smoothie is a smooth creamy icy texture.
Method
Add all ingredients to your smoothie blending machine of choice. Hey Cuisinart, hey. Blend blend blend and maybe a pulse or two until smoothie. Pour into your glass and garnish.
If you like a mint and chocolate flavor profile, this is the smoothie for you. Packed full of antioxidants and does a body good goodness. Hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds.. you don’t need to worry about adding all that FYI. Sakara Protein + Greens has you covered; All in one scoop in fact. And since our largest organ, our skin, radiates starting from the inside out, why wouldn’t use want to add the Agent Nateur pearl collagen calcium hair skin and nails powder supplement? Mint is for freshness. Kale because we need our greens. Cocoa nibs adds a bitter chocolate flavoring and which plays off the sweetness of the banana and pineapple’s acidity. Not to mention crunch. No added sugar with the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Duh. There is a skosh of blue agave syrup though. Think if it as a balancing ingredient rather than sweet. Cinnamon a warming spice and blood sugar friendly.
Mint Cacao Nibs Smoothie #1T
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of Whole Foods 365 brand frozen kale
1 small chopped frozen banana (or half if it’s larger size)
1/2 cup Whole Foods 365 brand frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup of Signature unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop of Agent Nateur Holi (mane) Hair, Skin, Nails Supplement
1 scoop of Sakara Protein + Greens protein powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s blue agave
Pink of pink Himalayan salt
10 fresh mint leaves or about three mint springs and a sprig for the garnish
3 tablespoons of Navitas cacao nibs and some for the garnish
Method
Add all ingredients to the blending machine. I recommend adding powders after the almond milk as they have a tendency to sink to the bottom and/or clump. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bucket glass. Garnish with the cacao nibs and mint sprig.
Why mess with a great thing called champagne? There are exceptions, and the Kir Royal is one of them. It combines champagne and blackcurrant liqueur, with a lemon twist as an optional addition. Kir Royal is a classic French cocktail that is a variation of the Kir cocktail. The Kir is made with a dry white wine, usually white Burgundy, and was named after Félix Kir. The Kir Royal came about later, replacing the white wine with champagne. It is a superb and luxurious choice for any drinking occasion. Whether you need a reason to celebrate or simply want to enjoy a refreshing drink before with or after dinner, the Kir Royal is a perfect.
To make the Kir Royal cocktail, you will need the following ingredients:
Champagne (brand of choice)
Crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur or Chambord but traditionally it’s cassis but you can’t go wrong with either)
Cassis is a blackcurrant liqueur and is made by macerating blackcurrants in alcohol, typically brandy or neutral spirits, and then sweetening the mixture with sugar. The result a sweet rich viscous and slightly tart spirit.
Chambord is a premium raspberry liqueur that is made in Loire Valley of France. It is known for its deep red color and rich, sweet flavor. Chambord is made from a blend of raspberries, blackberries, and other fruits, which are infused in a base spirit along with vanilla, honey, and other botanicals. Chambord is thinner consistency than Crème se cassis.
Lemon twist (optional, for garnish)
Method
Chill your champagne flutes in the refrigerator beforehand to keep the cocktail cold. A polished glass is best as spots become visible as glass warms.
Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 ounce (15-22 ml) of crème de cassis into each chilled flute. Adjust the amount to your taste preferences – more for a sweeter cocktail, less for a drier one.
Slowly pour the champagne into a flute, filling it up two horizontal fingers from the top. The ratio of champagne to crème de cassis is typically 5 parts champagne to 1 part crème de cassis, but you can adjust it to your liking of course.
Gently stir the cocktail with a bar spoon (or not) to mix the crème de cassis and champagne together.
If desired, garnish the cocktail with a lemon twist. Simply twist a strip of lemon peel over the glass to release the oils, then drop it into the flute. Channel lemon peel looks prettiest of the twists.
Serve the Kir Royal immediately and enjoy! Duh!
Note: It’s important to pour the champagne slowly and carefully to avoid excessive fizzing and overflowing. Sometimes it helps to pour the champagne into the glass first, then the cassis or berry liqueur. Also, make sure to use a good quality champagne for the best flavor. I have been known to use a rosé champagne on occasion, fyi. Whatever you got is sometimes the answer.
Okay, hear me out on this one. I’m certain some of you might think this sounds like salad dressing or that saffron is expensive, or maybe you think this sounds amazing. It is all of those things. Everyone keeps saying to put out your best work, blah blah blah, well, I don’t know what is my best work, but what I do know is that these photos may not be amazing (lighting is different for each of them) but you should be drinking this drink. So, here are the photos for now and the recipe for the drink. I drank the second test recipe out of the Cuisinart cylinder, and I don’t like the glass pictured here. It’s a port-style glass, and but ordinarily, a bucket glass would be used. I don’t think the glass will change the flavor, so use whatever glass you want. Garnish with the top of a mandarin orange.
Ingredients
1 heaping tablespoon ish of Nutritional Yeast
5 peeled and frozen mandarins
1/2 cup of PITAYA FOODS frozen aloe chunks
10 raw walnut halves
Several strands of saffron, a small pinch is several
1/8 -1/4 teaspoon.. think a dash and I mean a dash of apple cider vinegar as to not over power the drink
1/4 teaspoon dried turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (activates the turmeric)
2 tablespoons of Erewhon sage honey or honey of choice this is more for taste and added sweetness
Water for fluidity. I eyeballed the amount. Less creates a thicker consistency similar to sorbet and more for more of a shake consistency.
Method
Wash and peel mandarins. Add them to a container and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, remove them and add them to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients to the same blender. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into a glass of your choice and enjoy. A tangy, sweet, earthy, and good-for-you goodness in a glass.
*I may receive commissions for eligible purchases. Thank you.
Oh, and this paper came from a company called Wall Pick. You can also purchase similar items from my store front link above listed in category Photography. The oranges can be peeled off the paper, added to any walls, and easily removed and reused. How cool is that? That’s originally why I bought them, as my kitchen needed a little something, but then I had the idea – a photo backdrop! What do you think? Leave comments below. Thank you!
A burst of berry goodness awaits with this Campari Smash. It’s a vibrant, not-too-sweet, and refreshing cocktail ready to be enjoyed. This drink could have gone a couple of ways: one with only sparkling water and two (what I chose) is to add a little sparkling water and top the rest of this baby off with a brut champagne. Billecart-Salmon brut champagne is my choice for this one. While it may be tempting to skip the sparkling water altogether, keep it. It’s a good addition. Cheers to this summer’s patio pounder!
Before we settle into the patio chairs and cheers, let’s discuss Campari for those of you just joining the blog and may not be familiar with it. Campari is a popular Italian aperitif, similar to its cousin Aperol. Campari is more vibrant in red color compared to Aperol, which is more orange, and has a slightly higher alcohol content, offering more complexities with hints of citrus and considerably more bitter notes. Some say it’s an acquired taste, but I find it to be divine really. You’re going to love it!
The Campari Smash
Ingredients
1 cup of mixed strawberries and blueberries
2 ounces of Campari (I always pour this one with the heart)
1 can of sparkling Pellegrini top off
1 bottle of champagne (I use Billecart-Salmon brut for this one) to top it all off, noting that you won’t use the whole bottle for one drink, I mean..depends the size of the glass maybe
1/4 slice of an orange to squeeze over the finished cocktail
Method
In a mixing tin add your berries. Muddle berries with a muddler until they are a chunky mush. Add Campari and ice. Shake and garbage dump all contents into a glass. Top with 1/2 ounce sparkling water and fill the remainder of space in the glass with champagne. Squeeze and orange over the contents of the glass.
Garnish: None other than the berries in the glass, okay, maybe one more blueberry (for the photo opportunity!) with the optional sugar rim.
Glass: Bucket Glass
Bar chef note: To muddle means to mash or extract, in this case, juices from the berries into a glass or mixing tin to enhance the flavors of the concoction. Typically, a long, slender stick, preferably one with teeth (I prefer the wooden ones), is best.
Testing drinks: one with sparkling water, one with white champagne, one with both, one with more fruit, one with less fruit, and one where I forgot the fruit. Check out the video featuring the drink where I forgot the fruit.
Life is but a bowl of cherries – or in this case, a cherry smoothie. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear this was a milkshake, but not sickly sweet. Surprise! It doesn’t have any milk at all. It’s so easy that you’ll definitely want to add this to your smoothie rotation. You’re going to love it!
All Cherries and a Little Bit of Chocolate Smoothie
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups frozen black cherries and about 8-10 for the topping (Whole Goods Market/Amazon Fresh)
1 tablespoon of Navitas cocoa nibs
1 scoop of Sakara Metabolism Super Powder
1 scoop of holi (mane) Agent Nateur & Dr. Will Cole marine collagen powder
1 teaspoon of Ceylon ground cinnamon
2 dashes of cayenne pepper
1 cup of water
Method
Add all ingredients to a blending machine and blend until smooth. Pour into a bucket glass.
Glass: Bucket glass
Garnish: Cocoa nibs and frozen cherries
Originally, I had these nibs, but they seemed so boring, so I plopped a bunch of frozen cherries in..Isn’t it beautiful! Delicious and you are gonna love it!
Where I get the glasses blenders and other supplies? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront, of course. Please know I may earn commission from eligible purchases.
A burst of berry goodness awaits with this Campari Smash. It’s a vibrant, not-too-sweet, and refreshing cocktail ready to be enjoyed. This drink could have gone a couple of ways: one with only sparkling water and two (what I chose) is to add a little sparkling water and top the rest of this baby off with a brut champagne. Billecart-Salmon brut champagne is my choice for this one. While it may be tempting to skip the sparkling water altogether, keep it. It’s a good addition. Cheers to this summer’s patio pounder!
Before we settle into the patio chairs and cheers, let’s discuss Campari for those of you just joining the blog and may not be familiar with it. Campari is a popular Italian aperitif, similar to its cousin Aperol. Campari is more vibrant in red color compared to Aperol, which is more orange, and has a slightly higher alcohol content, offering more complexities with hints of citrus and considerably more bitter notes. Some say it’s an acquired taste, but I find it to be divine really. You’re going to love it!
The Campari Smash
Ingredients
1 cup of mixed strawberries and blueberries
2 ounces of Campari (I always pour this one with the heart)
1 can of sparkling Pellegrini top off
1 bottle of champagne (I use Billecart-Salmon brut for this one) to top it all off, noting that you won’t use the whole bottle for one drink, I mean..depends the size of the glass maybe
1/4 slice of an orange to squeeze over the finished cocktail
Method
In a mixing tin add your berries. Muddle berries with a muddler until they are a chunky mush. Add Campari and ice. Shake and garbage dump all contents into a glass. Top with 1/2 ounce sparkling water and fill the remainder of space in the glass with champagne. Squeeze and orange over the contents of the glass.
Garnish: None other than the berries in the glass, okay, maybe one more blueberry (for the photo opportunity!) with the optional sugar rim.
Glass: Bucket Glass
Bar chef note: To muddle means to mash or extract, in this case, juices from the berries into a glass or mixing tin to enhance the flavors of the concoction. Typically, a long, slender stick, preferably one with teeth (I prefer the wooden ones), is best.
Testing drinks: one with sparkling water, one with white champagne, one with both, one with more fruit, one with less fruit, and one where I forgot the fruit. Check out the video featuring the drink where I forgot the fruit.
