1994 In A Bottle: Barbareso They brought it to me to taste. Sipped and spat. Sipped and spat. I was too busy to go to the table. The more brown the wine is a good indicator of age. This wine is DOCG, high classification for a wine under Italian law. The letters stand for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita and in other words, strict regulations for wine production. This wine is aged. This wine has a clear with halos of brown maroon colors. This wine is notes of dried fruit, wood, and vanilla. This wine is subtle cocoa nibs, bitter chocolate. This wine is earth. This wine is Old World European, specifically from Italian Piedmont, Barbaresco. This wine is considered a younger Barolo. This wine is 100% Nebbiolo grapes, one of the oldest in this particular region. This wine has light tannins and a calm finish. This wine is single vineyard. This wine is Martinenga estates. This wine is 1994. This wine is. This wines’s price retail USD varies from cellar. This wine pairs well with the usual suspects: Parmesan Reggiano, meats, truffles, mushroom dishes, bresaola, steaks, beef carpaccio, clean steak tartare, and amaretti cookies. Drink now. Where to buy the goods? You know decanters, The Durand and stemware? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront. Please know I may receive compensation from eligible purchases. Thank you so much!
Espresso Martini’s Stylish Friend: Sparkling Lillet Blanc Coffee Reading about coffee tonic earlier this week, I got to thinking about the suave version and a spin-off of our friend, the ever-popular espresso martini. This is a goodie. Lillet Blanc offers the tonic vibes with a kick, and the citrus effervescence from the club soda-style bubbles, topped with an Americano, surely checks all the necessary boxes. Coffee sparkling pre-dinner rally in style. Elegantly. Sparkling Lillet Blanc Coffee 2 oz Lillet Blanc 2 oz of citrus flavored bubbly water named Olipop (this water contains other ingredients like various roots citrus and fruits. A split tonic club soda 1:1 or cutis sparkling water an excellent substitute) Top with unsweetened restrato (strong) Americano coffee, about 1 – 1/2 oz for the ice Penny Pounder round (or square) large cube or many small ice cubes Method This couldn’t be easier. Add an ice cube to a chilled martini glass. Pour in the Lillet and then bubbly water, and then top it off with coffee. That’s it! Garnish with an orange wheel optional. Glass: martini Garnish: Orange wheel (optional) Bar Chef Notes: substituting ice and ingredients will change the recipe slightly and dilution may occur more rapidly. Where to buy the goods? You know martini glasses coffee bubbly water and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you! Behind the Scenes looks:
My Twist on a Classic: Arnold Palmer 2.0 I often take for granted that everyone knows what I know about drinks—and that some people know even more than I do. Way more. Here we are: Arnold Palmer 2.0, the drink of the moment. It’s a layered lemonade and tea drink that was requested so often by the famous golfer Arnold Palmer that it was named after him. Traditionally, it consists of unsweetened iced tea and lemonade. What makes mine 2.0? Pandan lemonade and honey drizzle spiced chai masala spice blend with black salt and lime garnish. Three lemons yield about 5 ounces of juice. Add rich pandan syrup and enough water to achieve a pH of 3; I prefer it a bit more tart. Check the pH using litmus paper. You can strain out the pulp or keep it—it’s a matter of preference. I tested this a couple of times. Varying pH. Stir in spices for the chai (I use Diaspora Marsala spice blend here); it’s heavier than regular tea, but the tea on top remains lighter. For garnish, rim the glass with black salt and garnish with a wedge of lime. Voilà! Arnold Palmer 2.0. Ingredients list Bag of lemons Diaspora Chai Masala spice blend Honey Pandan leaf Water Ice Lime For the Pandan syrup (I’ll do ounces since the other is in ounces) 1 cup of water (about 200 grams if you are using a scale) 2 1/2 cups of sugar (500 grams if you are using a scale) 1 Pandan leaf Method Steep the pandan leaf in boiling water (around 212 degrees F) for about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the leaf and add it to the sugar mixture. Blend until dissolved. This syrup lasts about two weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator. If you freeze it, because of the sugar content, it won’t completely freeze in a regular home freezer, but it will last longer that way. It tastes so good and delicious that I found myself eating it with a spoon. For the lemonade 1 ½ oz pandan syrup1 oz fresh lemon juice2 oz filtered water (to thin out the lemon juice, making it lemonade) For the tea Diaspora Co. Chai Masala spice blend recipe is 1-2 teaspoons to one cup of boiling water. Steep for 1-2 minutes. I add a tea of honey. For the drink Rim the glass with black salt using lime or boney. Chill the glass. Boil water and add Diaspora chai according to the directions. Stir in a teaspoon of honey and let it cool. Prepare the lemonade. Add ice to the chilled glass, then fill it a little more than half full with lemonade. Top it off with the cooled chai. Garnish with a neatly trimmed lime wedge. Glass: highball glass Garnish: lime wedge and lime wheel Bar Chef Notes: Oh, and what is Pandan? It is commonly used in culinary applications for flavoring dishes, desserts, and beverages. It is also known for its vibrant green color in certain food preparations. The plant is widely cultivated in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It is a long narrow tropical green leaf. Where to buy the goods? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront, of course. I may receive compensation from eligible purchases. Thank you!
For Orange H Day The cloves are from the Diaspora. They aid in digestion after a meal when chewed, not swallowed. They also make a great mouth for the garnish of this frozen goodness. This smoothie tastes like pie! So good! I mean so good! The citrus flavored activated charcoal liquid seals the deal—it’s too good to believe it’s healthyish. It really brings all the flavors together. And who doesn’t love a chocolate orange combo? Hey pumpkin hey! I did extra tests to confirm the first try wasn’t just a stroke of great luck. Just a great each time after; and because it was, again, so good! For a thicker consistency, use less liquid; for a thinner consistency, use more. I left the little half peeled Dracula oranges in the refrigerator for a day so they could develop a bit of skin and become firmer. A little extra security for the cloves. They are still juicy inside. I mean aren’t they the cutest little pumpkin garnishes ever? If there was ever a smoothie that caters to the inner child, this is it! Nothing has to be perfect in the decorating—that was my thought process. And because I piped the zigzags with hotter than recommended chocolate in the piping bag. Have fun! It’s so good! For Orange H Day Ingredients 1 single serve packet of Ancient Nutrition multi-collagen protein powder 10 grams collagen per serving 1 CYMBIOTIKA single serve lemon cream citrus activated charcoal (inside of the the glass and top swirl) Melted 74% Ghirardelli chocolate pieces add a little coconut oil for fluidity and shine 1/2 cup of goat milk 1 cup of filtered or distilled water 1 single serve pouch of vanilla Truviani protein powder Some cloves for decorating and chewing A pastry bag or zip locked bag to pipe a chocolate zizag pumpkin mouth 2 1/2 frozen baby Dracula oranges 1 baby Dracula orange for decorating 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Whole Foods 365 frozen mango chunks (use your best judgment regarding size). If you have fresh mangoes, freeze them ahead of time and use them when ready. Method This a second test. Are you real zig-zag mouth or zig-zag side eye? For the chocolate zigzags Melting, piping and chilling. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler (Ban-Marie) or microwave. Let it cool slightly. Place ziplock bag or pastry bag into the glass and fill with chocolate. Make zig zag shapes onto a plate. Place in the freezer to set. For the chocolate cover orange(s) Peel the oranges, keeping one half intact. Dip the top half into chocolate and place it in the freezer to set. Once set, decorate with the cloves. Use a cocktail pick to fasten it to the glass. Blending decorating consuming Snip with scissors or tear open the top of the charcoal single-serve packet. Roll the glass while adding some of the liquid to coat the inside. Reserve the remainder for the top of the smoothie swirl. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture into the glass coated with charcoal. Add more liquid charcoal and swirl it using a toothpick, fork, or your fingers. Add pumpkin garnish. Glass: bucket glass Garnish: little orange pumpkin Where to buy the goods? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront. Please know I may receive commission from eligible purchases.
Single Serve White Wine Sangria Spritz 2.0 Figs and Riesling, oh my! In the mood for Sangria? I almost always am. With some figs and Riesling on hand, I’m getting creative. Let’s get to it. Single Serve White Wine Spritz 2.0 Ingredients 2oz hibiscus tea (use tea bags if you wish, I prefer dried hibiscus flowers with hot water and steep, strain and chill) 2oz of honey syrup (2:1 ratio honey to water) 1/2 oz Grey Goose vodka 3 muddles figs (the plumpest you can find) 1 oz saville citrus (it looks like an orange but bitter like a lemon, sort of. It’s a hybrid? Hey Siri) 1/2 oz sparkling water (your choose, bubble texture doesn’t really matter here) Top with as much Kabinett Mosel Riesling crisp wine as you wish (I love a German Kabinett) I use Zilliken. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Method Muddle the figs and black pepper. Add citrus, honey syrup and hibiscus tea and then vodka. Best to put honey syrup in jigger first and then use the citrus to wash it; the remaining stickies from the syrup. Add ice and shake. Pour into bucket glass over ice. Add sparkling water then the wine and give a quick stir. Top with sliced figs. Glass: bucket glass or high ball glass Garnish: sliced figs Bar Chef Notes: more on the wine here. Remember when I attempted (wink, wink) to open my Riesling using a tuning fork?! Kabinett is specific to Germany, FYI. Please drink responsibly and be of the legal drinking age. Thank you. Where to buy the goods? Bucket glasses, black pepper and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront. Please know, I may receive compensation for eligible purchases. Thank you!
Another Goodie! A Smoothie. You are probably noticing a trend in the smoothie category for this site, right? One bag of protein powder can go a long way! This one is a fun one! It’s tart and sweet and packed full of goodness. Especially if you had too much wine or too many cocktails last night, uhmkay. Cheers to what does a body good when you need a meal on the go. Cuisinart To Go to the rescue! Another Goodie! A Smoothie. 1 fresh orange (save an end slice for the garnish) 1 1/2 cups of frozen mangoes 1/2 cup of goat milk (more for fluidity) 1 scoop SAKRA Metabolism Chocolate Protein Powder 1 scoop Agent Nateur collagen powder 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (who are we kidding, you know I did a few shakes and called it a day) 1/2 teaspoon for you. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bucket glass. Garnish with citrus slice. Glass: bucket glass Garnish: citrus 🍊 slice Before the light.. Where to buy the goods? You know, bucket glasses, spoons, blending machine and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront of course. Please know I may receive compensation for eligible purchases. Thank you so much!
Sweet Tart Smoothie Sweet Tart Smoothie 1 cup of frozen passion fruit cubes 1 cup of frozen cranberries 1 cup of frozen mangoes 1/2 cup of Diaspora Chai spice mix with water per instructions (this tea is the liquid here, wink wink) if you like it looser use more 2 tablespoons of honey 2 oz of goat milk Pinch of pink salt 1 scoop of SAKARA metabolism protein smoothie powder Pinch of cinnamon 1 heaping tablespoon of bee pollen for creating texture and the garnish (I love an edible garnish) Method Blend all ingredients until smooth. Top with bee pollen. Glass: bucket glass Garnish: bee pollen pearls Where to buy the goods? You know bucket glasses, protein powders and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront, of course. Please know I may earn commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you so much!
Mostly Blueberries Smoothie Woke up late and needed something to chase down my calcium pill and complement the citrus vitamin D liquid. So, I mixed blueberries, chai masala powder, cocoa nibs, ground cayenne, sea moss, water, and chocolate protein powder, with a few frozen extra blueberries for garnish and for good measure. And whoosh!! It’s a goodie. Interesting movement in the glass when sipping from the glass. You guessed it, the sea moss gel. Beautiful color. Plus, blueberries are a powerhouse of health benefits, providing a good dose of antioxidants. They support brain, heart, and skin health, and they also have anti-inflammatory properties to top it off. Some even say these powerful spheres help with weight management. All good reasons if you ask me. Which you are, because you are here. Mostly Blueberries Smoothie 2 1/2 cups (ish) of frozen blueberries 1 cup of water 3 tablespoons of Navitas cocoa nibs A single serve packet of Triviani chocolate flavored protein powder 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne ground pepper dash or two of cinnamon pinch and a dash of pink salt 1 tablespoon of sea moss gel (I make mine but it takes some minutes. You can buy sea moss gel premade should you want to save yourself time.) 1 tablespoon of Diaspora chai masala powder mix Recommended dose of Erewhon Vitamin D citrus flavor drops a few frozen blueberries for the garnish Method Add all ingredients to a blender; except the few blueberries for the garnish. Blend until smooth. Pour into bucket glass and garnish with the remaining frozen blueberries. Glass: bucket glass Garnish: several frozen blueberries Bar Chef Notes: Please check with your health care provider when incorporating new supplements and vitamins to your diet. Where can you buy the goods? You know, protein powder, spices, buckets, glasses, blending machines, and other stuff? The Blonde Behind the Bucket storefront, of course! Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you so much!
This Wine Is I’m jet-lagged and making my way to the supermarket, which is on my list of things to do. I’m glad I made it. Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised and wished I had known about it sooner. There was a tasting at Erewhon Market. This wine is clear. This wine is garnet. This wine is dark fruit. This wine is an Old European soul biodynamic New World California Syrah. This wine is you need a case for your personal cellar. This wine is don’t forget to tell your friends after you have secured all the bottles you can hold. This wine is 2015. This wine is Chateau Bellevue 1881. This wine is. This wine pairs well with mustard greens, as well as vegetable and meat pâtés. It also pairs well with pasta, cheese and charcuterie boards, herbed ricotta with toast and fish and Thai dishes. This wine retails for about $88 USA dollars. Drink now. Where to buy bucket glasses, wine openers and wine pumps? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you.
Pourquoi? I started testing smoothies and thought they couldn’t be that good. I didn’t even set up for the photos, but they turned out so dang delicious. Tossing ingredients into a blender and crossing my fingers sometimes works. Why did it happen like that? It just did. Lucky us. Stay cool. Pourquoi? Ingredients 1 cup pomegranate juice 2 1/2 cup frozen pineapples 1 single serve package of Blue Majik spirilina on-the-go singles powdered superfood extract (equals a tablespoon ish) 2 tablespoon of ground of flaxseed 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (less spice to taste if you don’t care for it) 2 oz sweet passion syrup (1:1 passion pure and rich simple syrup) 1 tablespoon ish of bee pollen (I use a local to California) Method Add all ingredients into blender except bee pollen and blend until smooth. Glass: bucket glass Garnish: bee pollen Bar Chef Notes: bee pollen is packed with antioxidants nutrient rich energy boosting goodness. Where to buy the goods? Bucket glass and stuffs? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront. I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you!