Monday 16 September 2019

Drink Well: #inceptionnegroni #empressstrikesback #bartendingathomewithjohnandkim

INCEPTION NEGRONI - The Empress Strikes Back!

Bartending At Home With John and Kim


Finally got around to filming this video!  It has been long over due friends.  The ones in the video did not turn out as good as we would have liked.  The first time, when we experimented turned out way better, but we decided to film before we delayed it again.  

Here is the link for the Star Wars Death Star Ice Sphere Molds
Here's what you need:
  • 2 molds
  • straws
  • tape
  • water
Cut your straws till there is about 4-5cm sticking out the top.  Wrap it with tape so that you can plug the hole.

Fill the spheres 3/4 full and stick the straw in.  Freeze for approximately 5 hours.  Depends on your freezer!  You may have to experiment a few times.

At the 5 hour mark, take out the molds and take out the straw, dumping the water out.  Return back into the freezer at least 30 minutes before making the cocktail.  




INCEPTION NEGRONI (EMPRESS STRIKES BACK)
1oz Empress Gin
1oz Lillet Blanc
1oz Cocchi Americano

Mix everything into a glass pitcher, add ice, stir and strain into a glass.  Set in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.

INCEPTION NEGRONI (REGULAR)
1oz Gin (we used Roku)
1oz Campari
1oz Sweet Vermouth (we used Punt e Mes)

Mix everything into a glass pitcher, add ice, stir and strain into a glass.  Set in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.

FOR BOTH
1oz Gin
1oz Lillet Blanc
1oz Cocchi Americano

Made the same way as above.  Set aside.

Fill the sphere with the Empress or regular Negroni concoction.  Cover the top with crushed ice (optional).  Pour the White Negroni carefully around the sphere.  Garnish with lemon peel for the Empress and orange peel for the regular (optional).


Here is a photo of the first time we experimented!  It held up so nicely.  In the video, my sphere had a hole in it and John accidentally tilted his sphere to the side so that the two mixed right away.  

I'm really glad we figured how to make this cocktail because it was definitely one of my favorites at Prohibition in Vancouver.  Looking forward to making more unique cocktails with John once we compete in our fights coming up soon!

Check out our bartending page @bartendingathome on instagram for past drinks we have made with the recipes as well!

Enjoy!



Thursday 12 September 2019

Eat Well: #yycfood #yardarm #12yearanniversary

YYC FOOD

Yardarm
107-535 8 Ave SE


Oh hello beautiful people!  It has been YEARS since our last blog post on my other site that no longer exists.  A little bittersweet because I chose not to transfer the many posts I had on there to this OG site.  I actually did not plan on blogging this, but it was such a memorable meal, I had to share with you guys.

Forgive me guys, because I was not planning on blogging, some of the drinks that were part of our meal, I forgot what they were (sorry @mayabartha).

We decided to go to Yardarm, a cocktail bar located in East Village, for our 12 year anniversary!  A couple months back we made our reservation and decided to go with their God Package.

I really like how they have different tiers of tasting menus.  

Mortal which is $50 per person, you get 2 cocktails an 4-5 bites of food per person.

Demi-God is $70 per person, you get 3 cocktails, 4-5 bites per person and a charcuterie board to share.

Lastly the God Tier which is what we purchased is completely custom to what we wanted!  John and I were talking to Anthony Fiorentino, their maitre'd (@aint.aint.a.word), about what we liked.  We came to talk about Japanese cuisine which is something the chef Alejandro Buzzalino specializes in.  We were sold and so excited! 

GOD TIER
  

Second Drink- Dassai 50 Nigori Junmai Dai Ginjo

For our first drink we started with a refreshing glass of rose.  Clearly I was too excited to snap a photo.

I was actually surprised at first because I was expecting one of Maya's amazing cocktails!  Side note, the reason we went to Yardarm in the first place was because we were following our favorite bartender in the city.  She helped open Shelter YYC and has now moved on to Yardarm.  This sake was so refreshing.  Thank you to my friend Judith of Sukiyaki House for educating me on Sakes!  I have definitely learned to appreciate them more.



Lobster Carpaccio- with sesame oil, ginger and chives

So simple, yet so delicate and delicious!  I can't even describe guys. It was so enjoyable; if you know me, you know I inhale my food!  I was trying to savor this dish as slowly as possible because I was sad to empty my plate!  The lobster melts in your mouth and all the flavors complement each other and with the pairing of the sake, so harmonious.


Lobster Miso Soup- served with noodles

Forgive the lack of descriptions guys, I'm just going by memory now.  This was so delicious and aromatic and flavorful!  I was worried it would be too salty, but was seasoned perfectly.  The saltiness of the broth with the sweetness of the lobster and the noodles were an excellent addition.



"White Boy Sushi"- not my words!  The chef's! 

These bites of omakase were so delicious!  The cones if I recall correctly had salmon and also Korean inspired flavors of Gochujang and Siracha which created the "roe", the middle was beef tartare that they usually serve on their regular menu with house made chili sauce.  Lastly of course, how could you go wrong with those strips of beef tataki with chimichurri!


I can't remember this one- even though I can't quite remember what were in these cocktails, they were all so good, well made and balanced and paired perfectly with our courses!  There were two more cocktails that went with the meal, but because it got dark, the pictures were unacceptable =).


I actually remember this one! - Calvados, Apple Cider Vinegar and Sherry


Foie Gras Spring Roll- need I say more?

This was so rich, delicious and melted in your mouth!  So much flavor and the duck was so good.


Cheese Course- added on top of the God Tier


The Best Carrot Cake

I must agree.  Both John and I dislike desserts and this was not sweet at all and the texture was so great.  Crisp on the outside and oh so moist and soft in the center!  A great end to our meal!


A Sweet Surprise

Not only is the food and drinks amazing at Yardarm, but the staff are exceptional that go above and beyond to make your experience the best.  They surprised us at the end with their honorary VIP Salty Dog key chains, which we appreciate so much and can't wait to attend their future VIP events!

MORTAL PACKAGE



Here are some more photos from our previous visits.  For their Happy Hour (5-7pm), they have 50% off their Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Martinis!


Mortal Package

This was such a lovely course.  It was SO refreshing!  A fresh oyster with a beet shooter.  I can't quite remember the full details of the cocktail, but it contained a hibiscus gin and sage.  It was so tasty, herbacious and refreshing!



Duck Breast with Barley Risotto

This was so tasty!  We did not know what to expect with a barley risotto, but the texture was so good and pleasant and the duck was cooked perfectly!




Coffey and Cigarettes- Mezcal, Butter washed Nikka Coffey Whiskey, Coffee Vodka, Fernet, PX Sherry, Lapsant Tea, Salt, Smoke

Definitely one of my favorite cocktails on their menu!  Think a delicious smoked coffee.  I won't ruin the surprise of how they present their cocktail, can't reveal all of their secrets.  You'll just have to experience it yourself!

Thank you Yardarm for making our anniversary dinner so memorable and special!  Can't wait for our future visits.  Keep an eye out friends for their special events.  I believe they have something for Halloween and New Year's Eve coming up!

Enjoy!



Friday 21 August 2015

Learn Well: #journeyofwellnessblog

New Site!


Friends!  Sorry for the confusion... I have moved my site here !  I wanted a new change and actually blog more.  Plus the theme is a lot more fun haha.

Thank you Sharon for helping me out!  Check out her blog it's amazeballs!  

Please continue on my journey with me on my other page! Thanks for all your support guys <3.

Enjoy!

Saturday 8 August 2015

Eat Well, Feel Well: #summersalads

 Summer Salads: Cucumber Salad w/ Citrus Dill Dressing and Watermelon Grapefruit and Blackberry Salad w/ Honey Mint Dressing



So I was contemplating what to make for a friend's farewell dinner and instead of the usual baked good, I decided to make some salads.  These are delicious, fresh and super simple and oh so good for you.


Recipe from Nutrition Stripped

Cucumber Salad

2 cups English cucumbers, cubed 
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup red onion, diced



Combine all of the ingredients into a large bowl. 


Citrus Dill Dressing
**note: I found that there was a lot of dressing and you could probably half this recipe

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, juiced and 1 TBSP of zest
1 orange, juiced and 1 TBSP of zest
1 TBSP dill, fresh (you can use the dry stuff, but use the fresh stuff if possible!)
2 tsp of sea salt
black pepper to taste


Whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl until well mixed.   


Toss the salad in the dressing and voila!  Refreshing and delicious.


Recipe found here

Watermelon Grapefruit Blackberry Salad

1 lb of watermelon, cubed
3 red/pink grapefruits, peeled and sliced into round (I segmented them)
3 cups blackberries, whole


So I decided to segment them because A. I had the time and B. This was actually one of my exams in butchery class way back in Culinary school. 


Squeeze the remaining juice out of the pulp that was left from segmenting/slicing.  


Cut up that fresh watermelon!


Throw in them blackberries. 


Honey Mint Drizzle

1 cup fresh grapefruit juice (left over)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TBSP fresh mint, chopped
1 TBSP of honey
1 tsp sea salt


Chiffonade the mint which is done by stacking the leaves together and roll it up length wise and chopping it thinly.  Whisk everything together until well combined.  


Ta da!  Two delicious, refreshing and healthy salads to bring to your next BBQ or gathering of some sort before the summer ends.  These were a hit, how could they not be!  Mother Nature's candy.

Enjoy!

Eat Well: #yycfood #anju #brunch

YYC Food

Anju (Brunch Edition)
344 17th Ave SW
view my food journey on zomato!


A beautiful Saturday where Kim did not have to work!  We took full advantage of this situation by visiting Anju to try out their Brunch menu!


Omu- rice- Kimchi fried rice, prawns, egg crepe, ketchup, nori, hash browns

Love the canopy of egg on top!  The hash browns provides a great crunchy texture with a hint of sweetness.  Only thing in our opinion, was that the rice was a tad under with some harder grains here and there.  Overall, a lovely dish.


Pork Belly Eggs Benny- pork belly, kimchi, kimchi hollandaise, hash browns

The perfectly poached eggs oozed out as you cut into it.  The flavours were wonderful and came together great as the Kimchi provided a punch of acidity without overpowering the dish.  the level of heat was definitely too light for John, but his heat tolerance is rather skewed.  Overall, great considering John does not usually enjoy eggs benny!


The food was tasty and plated beautifully.  The dishes presented a wonderful assortment of flavours and textures.  There were so many more delicious sounding items we want to try!  Definitely have to bring some friends next time so we can try a little of everything ;). 

P.S. The house made hash browns are soooo crunchy and delicious.  Highlight of the meal :D.

Enjoy!

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Monday 3 August 2015

Eat Well: #yycfood #regrub

YYC Food

Re:Grub Burger Bar
625 11th Avenue SW
view my food journey on zomato!

 



Regrub is a new burger joint in town where everything is made in house and all of the ingredients are sourced locally.  The decor just screams at you with bright shades of yellow and blue amidst a back splash of black, white, and lots of wood.  Their mission statements are splattered across their walls for all to see.  The servers are also very friendly and the kitchen was quick!





Ryan's Revenge-panko crusted turkey patty; tabasco turkey bacon, jalapeno jack cheese, arugula, tomato, ghost pepper mayo

Wow.  The turkey was so tender and there was such a welcoming blast of heat from the ghost pepper mayo.  The multitude of flavours mixed together perfectly with the panko crust, providing a bit of crunch.  This burger is incredibly delicious!



Smoke N' Fire- Albertan grassfed beef, smoky potato threads, jalapeno jack cheese, tomato, pickled habanero, butter lettuce, spicy aioli

The beef was juicy and delicious, whilst the smoky potato threads provided a lovely contrast in texture.  There was a bit of heat from the spicy aioli and the pickled habanero, which was awesome.  The whole burger came together very well.


Garden Paradise- mixed greens, cherry tomato, cucumber, carrot, Punabi trail mix, queso fresco, habanero buttermilk vinaigrette

The veggies were fresh and helped to balance out our meal.  There were so many ingredients, we were both able to find things we loved.  The Punjabi trail mix was so delicious and crisp; perfect accompaniment to the salad.  The little cubes of cheese added a light creaminess.  A salad that we both thoroughly enjoyed!

\z

Regrub is definitely one of the best burger joints in town.  the house made brioche buns were soft, flavourful and definitely enhanced the burgers.  The lovely ingredients sandwiched between the buttery buns came together so well.  The wild minds at Regrub have created so many amazing burgers, we can't wait to try them all!

The next day for lunch.... (these will be shorter!  This post is getting long.)


Veggievore- protein packed quinoa and black bean patty, guacamole, tomato, arugula, tomato relish

Delicious and so much flavour from a patty made of black beans and quinoa.  Satisfied my taste buds and I didn't miss the meat!  Fresh and yummy.


Ryan's Revenge... again.


Garden Paradise pt.2



Enjoy!

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