This bottle is in a smaller format, measuring 375ml. This size bottle is equivalent to about two and a half glasses. Smaller format wines tend to age faster and are typically brighter and crisper. This wine is predominantly made from Pinot Noir grapes. It was gifted to me with the agreement that if I opened the bottle to pour a single glass, I would take the remainder home. This wine does not disappoint.
This wine pairs with shellfish, cheeses (cow and vegan), pork pâte, salads and chocolate mousse and ganache desserts.
This wine retails for about $50 USD retail. Drink now.
Ruinart is one of the oldest Champagne houses in the world, founded in 1729 in Reims, France.
Ruinart has a rich history and has been associated with art and culture throughout the years. The house has collaborated with renowned artists to create unique and artistic packaging for their Champagnes, reflecting their commitment to craftsmanship and creativity. Find out more from their website and social media accounts.
Where to buy stemware, champagne toppers, ice buckets and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront of course. Please know I will receive commissions on all eligible purchases.
What should I do when I want rice pudding, an acai smoothie, a magic bar and I want to use my coconut bowl made from an actual coconut? This.
The smoothie bowl has an earthy, tangy, and bright zingy flavor that is both light and filling. Worth the mention, sure is pretty. And most certainly satisfying.
The Earth Bowl
Ingredients you’re going to need:
Forbidden black rice
Plant milk (unsweetened vanilla almond and low-fat coconut milk, my choice)
Water
Fine pink Himalayan salt
Vanilla extract
Vanilla bean (optional usually ok almost always necessary if you ask me)
Turmeric (ground)
Cayenne pepper
Coconut palm sugar
Brown sugar
Mangos (frozen and fresh, if you can)
Original Açaà frozen packet by Sambazon
Walnuts (don’t forget to clean them)
Roasted toasty coconut flakes
Agave syrup
Goji berries (optional)
Cocoa Nibs (optional)
Earth Bowl Smoothie
Black Rice Pudding:
Rinse 1 cup of black rice at least twice. If desired, soak overnight at room temperature and strain with a fine sieve. (I use Lotus Foods brand)
In a rice cooker, combine the black rice, plant milk (unsweetened vanilla almond milk or low-fat coconut milk), vanilla extract, and water.
Set the rice cooker to the brown rice setting.
Once cooked, add coconut palm sugar, brown sugar, and fine ground Himalayan pink salt to taste. Stir well to combine. Add more milk if a more fluid consistency is desired.
Remove from the rice cooker and let the rice pudding cool. Refrigerate until ready to build the bowl.
Mango Açaà Freeze:
Ingredients:
1-2 frozen packet of açaÃ
1 cup of frozen mangoes
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons of agave syrup
1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric powder + dash of black pepper
Dash to 1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
Dash of Himalayan pink salt for good luck
In a blender, Magic Bullet, or Vitamix, combine the frozen packet of açaÃ, frozen mangoes, unsweetened almond milk, agave syrup, turmeric powder, dash of black pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper.
Blend all the ingredients until well combined and smooth
Pour into a bowl (coconut bowl pictured here)
Toppings:
Toast coconut flakes in the oven or toaster oven on the broil setting until golden brown. Alternatively, toast them on a stovetop or single burner in a pan if an oven is not available. They should be slightly brown.
Chop walnuts
Remove edible flowers from the refrigerator
(Optional) Add goji berries
Method:
In a bowl (I use a bowl made from an actual coconut) add the black rice pudding and the mango açaà smoothie mixture side by side.
Sprinkle roasted coconut flakes and chopped walnuts on top.
Garnish with edible flowers.
(Optional) Add goji berries if desired. Gojis become crunchy. Extra texture and crunch bonus.
Take a picture, or several and enjoy!
Note: Please adjust the quantities and ingredients according to your taste preferences. Black pepper helps with turmeric absorption/activation.
It’s a beauty and tasty..An afterthought..
Where to buy the goods? You know coconut bowl and Cuisinart, a spoon and maybe goji berries..
Rated the best water. Don’t tell the others? Did you know there are water sommeliers?Doesn’t it look refreshing?
With the weather being unpredictable these days, I am covering my bases. Yes, but who doesn’t want a refreshing, fancy water, especially if you struggle with meeting your daily recommended water consumption? Besides, I recently purchased a basil and mint plant, which are perched in my golden window box, basking in (seemingly) the only light in this apartment most days. The mint is growing out of control. This, a good thing. I can’t believe these little plants are still alive. I don’t have a green thumb. And now, please allow me to introduce, The Mint Basil Cucumber Drink.
The Mint Basil Cucumber Drink
Ingredients:
4-5 fresh basil leaves or 6
4-5 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lime, cut into wedges
1/4 peeled cucumber
1 small bottle of Topo Chico sparkling water
Method
In a glass or cocktail shaker, add the basil leaves, mint leaves, lime wedges and cucumber
Use a muddler or the back of a spoon to gently muddle the herbs, lime, and cucumber together. This will release their flavors.
Fill the glass with ice
Pour the Topo Chico sparkling water over the muddled herbs and ice
Stir gently to combine all the ingredients. Stirring release the bubbles
Garnish with additional basil leaves, mint leaves, lime wedges, or cucumber slices if desired, I skip the cucumbers.
Glass: Bucket glass
Garnish: herbs lime
Where to buy some of the goods from this post? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront of course! Please know I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Thank you so much.
Mead is an alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting honey with water, and sometimes with the addition of fruits, spices, grains, or hops. It is one of the oldest known alcoholic beverages, with a history dating back thousands of years.
The process of making mead involves mixing honey with water and adding yeast to initiate fermentation. The yeast eats the sugars in the honey, converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The fermentation process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the desired flavor and strength of the mead.
Mead can vary in taste and appearance, depending on the ingredients used and the fermentation process. It can range from dry to sweet, and can have flavors that range from floral and fruity to spicy and herbal. The alcohol content of mead can also vary, typically ranging from 8% to 20% ABV (alcohol by volume). These offerings featured around 12%.
I reached out via email to Sap House Meadery. Matt Trahan one of the owners and founders responded to my questions. Matt and his cousin, Ash Fischbein both own and founded Sap House Meadery.
Answers and more about mead below..
bbb: How much honey does it take to make a 375ml bottle?
MT: The honey amount ranges but around 1/2 lb per bottle.
bbb: How much honey does it take to make a barrel of mead?
MT: To make a 50 gallon barrel would be about 180 lbs of honey.
bbb: Where do you get your barrels and what kind of wood are they?
MT: We get barrels from either Cathedral Ledge Distilling in North Conway or a barrel broker for the more exotic stuff like mezcal/brandy barrels. Generally American oak.
bbb: Where do you source your honey?
MT: We have a couple hives but our honey for production comes from a variety of apiaries in New England and beyond when they are out.
bbb: Do you ship to California?
MT: We sure do ship to CA!
***They also ship to other states too per their website. I needed some in California. Photo shoot and more tastes, duh!
Mead can be enjoyed on its own, served chilled or at room temperature, or it can be used as an ingredient in cocktails or mixed with other beverages. It is often served in a glass similar to a wine glass or a goblet. We (my sister and I), on this day, chose shot glasses. You had to be there.
Mead is a unique and versatile alcoholic beverage that offers a wide range of flavors and styles, making it a popular choice for those looking to explore different types of drinks.
I was first introduced to mead attending and online class on the EdX platform during quarantine. HarvardX offers Food & Fermentation course and a Cooking & Science course. I highly recommend upgrading to the certification program as you gain access to more information and receive a certificate for your efforts in the end and I suppose some bragging rights. Links below.
This wine is pale pink. This wine is sparkling. This wine is light fruit forward with delicate bubbles. This wine is acidic and bright. This wine is from France. This wine is Pet Nat. This wine is.
This smoothie is earthy, bitter, slightly sweet, and packed with goodness. It’s fully loaded.
Where to buy the goods? Glasses, SAKARA and other ingredients, blender and stuffs? BlondeBehindtheBucket Storefront of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you.
fully loaded helps cherries smoothie
for the rim/garnish
Gather the necessary ingredients and materials: honey, hemp seeds, a small plate or shallow dish, and a glass.
Pour a small amount of honey onto the plate or shallow dish. The amount will depend on the size of the glass rim you want to coat.
Spread the honey evenly on the plate, making sure it covers an area slightly larger than the rim of the glass.
Take the glass and dip the rim into the honey, gently rotating it to ensure the honey coats the entire rim.
Lift the glass out of the honey and allow any excess to drip off.
Immediately after dipping the glass rim in honey, dip it into a separate plate or shallow dish filled with hemp seeds. Again, rotate the glass to ensure the hemp seeds stick to the honey-coated rim.
Gently tap the glass to remove any excess hemp seeds.
Place the glass upright and allow the honey and hemp seeds to dry and set for a few minutes.
Once the honey and hemp seeds have dried and set, your honey hemp seeds glass rim is ready to use.
Note: Make sure to handle the glass carefully to avoid dislodging the honey and hemp seeds. Additionally, be mindful of any allergies or dietary restrictions when serving drinks with a honey hemp seeds glass rim.
for the smoothie:
1 scoop Sakara metabolism protein (can be purchased in larger or smaller “travel” size packet)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Holi (mane) Agent Nateur collagen powder
1 tablespoon 200+ manuka honey (plus extra for glass rim)
3 tablespoons hemp seeds (plus extra for glass rim)
1 cup frozen black cherries
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Ceylon cinnamon
1 sambazon original açaà frozen packet
1 tablespoon of avocado oil
1 tablespoon sea moss gel (prepared according to packet instructions) I use Erewhon dried sea moss.
Add all ingredients to a blender. I use Cuisant to-go. Blend until smooth.
Glass: bucket glass
Garnish: honey hemp seed rim and maybe a few hemp seeds for the top
bar chef notes: additional goodness and a tang, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
This wine is clear. This wine is ruby crimson. This wine is casis with berries. This wine is medium body with mild notable tannins. This wine is earthy. This wine is Old World. This wine is a Bordeaux blend. This wine is Rothchild Prestige Bordeaux Rogue Selection. This wine is.
Domaines Rothschild Bordeaux wine refers specifically to wines produced by the Rothschild family, who are renowned for their winemaking heritage and expertise dating back to the 17th century. They have several prestigious wine estates in Bordeaux, France, including Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château Clarke. These wines are highly regarded and sought after by wine enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.
The Prestige Collection is a reflection the of Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild to producing wines even if they don’t undergo the same long aging process. This wine is can be found on various wine websites. The price is around $16-$18USD per bottle. It can be paired with marinated tofu, mushroom dishes, cheese, and meats. Drink now.
Please enjoy responsibly and be of the legal drinking age
On a Sunday morning, when the world seems to move at a slower pace, there is a certain charm to indulging in the lazies. I don’t know about you but cravings of something refreshing invigorating and decant all come to mind. What’s a better combo than fresh juice paired with flakey buttery and perhaps chocolate filled pastries with a side of strawberries? Nothing in this morning moment.
Sunday Morning Juice
Ingredients:
4 large carrots
2 medium-sized golden beets
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
1-inch piece of fresh turmeric
2 oranges
Honey or agave (optional for additional sweetness)
Squeeze of lemon (optional for additional brightness)
Instructions:
Wash and peel the carrots and golden beets. Cut them into smaller pieces to fit into your juicer chute.
Peel the ginger and turmeric using a spoon or a peeler. I like the spoon. Cut them into smaller chunks.
Peel the oranges and separate them into segments.
Set up your cold press juicer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I use Omega.
Start by juicing the carrots, followed by the golden beets, ginger, turmeric, and finally the oranges.
Once all the ingredients are juiced, give the juice a good stir to combine the flavors. Add optional honey/agave and squeeze of lemon here.
Pour the juice into a glass or a jar and refrigerate for a few minutes to chill.
Serve the cold press juice immediately and enjoy its refreshing and nutritious goodness!
Best served with fresh strawberries and pastries or a pancake, if you feel like cooking. It’s Sunday after all.
Note: Cold press juicers extract juice by slowly crushing and pressing the ingredients, which helps retain more nutrients compared to traditional juicers. If you don’t have a cold press juicer, you can use a regular juicer or a blender. If so, you may need to strain the juice using a cheese cloth to remove any pulp or fiber.
This wine is clear. This wine is a golden yellow. This wine is sparkling. This wine is Old World. This wine is apple and pear. This wine is citrus. This wine is brioche. This fresh crisp lively and delicate with fine bubbles. This wine is dry with subtle minerality. This wine is personality and finesse. This wine is Pinot Meunier. This wine is from maison Billecart-Salmon. This wine is limited edition. This wine is Les-Rendez Vous De Billecart-Salmon No. 1. This wine.
Those that may have underestimated this one will figure out with a few sips that it does just fine all on its own. No. 1 is a fun sparkling wine that pairs well with shellfish, sushi, patte, caviar, soft cheeses and French fries.
This wine retails $65-$110 USD depending on the site. Drink now.
Pinot Meunier is Pinot Noir’s fraternal twin, let’s say. This grape is one of three grapes that is often used in many non-vintage champagne blends to balance or soften the non-vintage.
Billecart-Salmon is located in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in northern France near Épernay. (Épernay is left bank of Marne and the capital of Champagne.) It was founded in 1818. This house has been family owned and operated for seven generations.
I have been getting creative with my morning smoothies. This one exceeded my expectations in the flavor department. It’s a vanilla creamy juicy sweet tart frozen dream topped with a little bit of magic. The goji berries and hemp seeds offer texture and a tangy earthy flavor while the mint adds a dose of freshness. A terrific way to start the day. This smoothie made me happy this morning. I am lucky I was able to get this many photos for you to reference. I was drinking it out of the blender.
Vanilla Terrarium Smoothie
1 cup of Whole Foods beans 365 frozen black pitted cherries
1 cup of Costco Kirkland’s Signature unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop of Truvani vanilla plant based protein powder (only five ingredients)
1 scoop of Agent Nateur holi (mane) collagen powder
1 packet of CYMBIOTIKA Super greens with chlorophyll greens supplement citrus lime flavor (this is a mixture of alfalfa powder oat grass powder, spinach powder, spirulina, kale, broccoli seed powder, 13% Glucoraphanin powder with other ingrienrs of citrus, pectin acid and syrup)
2 tablespoons of Navitas goji berries for the garnish
2 tablespoons of Manitova hemp seeds for the garnish
1 sprig of mint (I have a mint plant. I recommend this-green thumb or not; I predict it will grow)
Visual always help
Method
Swirl your half of you packet of CYMBIOTIKA super greens inside the glass and save half for the top. The liquid is slightly sticky and will stick to the glass. Get creative here. Set glass aside or in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a blending machine, add all other ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared green swirled bucket glass. Add more green goodness to the top. Add hemp seeds and goji berries. The great thing about gojis in our frozen drinks is that they harden which provides a sweet texture. No boring smoothie here. Lastly add sprig of mint. Sip or enjoy with a spoon.
Glass: bucket glass
Garnish: goji berries hemp seeds and mint sprig
Isn’t it beautiful. Delicious. Yup, more than a pretty face.
