A couple of weeks ago I was approached by my friends over at Valley & Co.  Aleah and Nick Valley are a husband and wife team who are experts in weddings and event planning.  For their lifestyle blog they challenged five bloggers to make some Valentine's Day magic from a goodie box of trinkets and craft materials.

When the box came I was a bit stumped by a few of the objects, but managed to pull off some projects I think you are going to love including chocolate dipped kiwi pops and a chocolate paper bag perfect for filling with ice cream or other sweet treats.  Have a look at the pictures below and then head over to Valley & Co. Lifestyle for the full post and detailed instructions.

Happy Valentine's Day!

by Andrew Yenne     photos by Sam Henderson

Our Cocktail of the Month is just right for the Thanksgiving Holiday - turkey included.  Make this for your upcoming feast... and save that cinnamon syrup for so many other things.

A Buck traditionaly is a highball that combines a base spirit with ginger ale and fresh lemon juice.  This version is a fall seasonal using wild turkey and cinnamon syrup to create a sweet and spicy but still refreshing cocktail to sip while the leaves fall. 

August. The Dog Days of Summer. The heat is draining and the back to school blues are playing their tune. Let’s face it, we could all use a little pick me up.  What better way to put the pep back in your summer step than with this ridiculously delicious cocktail featuring our favorite summer spirit: The Rosemary Gimlet.

I’ll be honest. This is one of my favorite cocktails to make and drink. Once you have the ingredients it’s so simple and incredibly delicious. Fresh citrus and the cool herbal notes of rosemary combine to create the perfect summer rejuvenator. One sip and you’ll be singing a different tune. 

savour... summer rejuvenation

Summer is in full swing and things are hot! hot! hot! Cool refreshment is in high demand and we have just the solution.  The cocktail of the month for July is a super simple Watermelon Cooler.  The ingredients are fresh and refreshing.  The crushed watermelon is sweet and countered nicely with just enough citrus from the lime juice.

Our rim is coated in a mixture of coarse salt and colored sugar.  It is as pretty as it is tasty.  Fresh mint rounds out the flavors and really adds to the freshness.  This is summer in a glass.  Caution: this is so delicious that it could be easy to get carried away.  Drink at your own risk.

savour…  summer fresh

by Andrew Yenne, photos by Sam Henderson

In June anything is possible. The summer is just beginning and with it holds the infinite possibilities of warm nights and fireflies, country roads and swimming holes and the knowledge that for 3 whole months it is perfectly acceptable to stare at the summer stars and simply dream.

What better way to celebrate the official start of summer than with a sweet southern style cocktail filled with fresh berries and the exotic flavors of wonder?  The Cardamom Berry Smash.

savour… the sweet taste of summer

Andrew Yenne

Gin. The ultimate summer spirit. While some associate Gin with little old ladies and/or the country club crowd, it is in fact one of the most versatile and misunderstood spirits on the shelf. From the distinct class of a well-crafted martini to the refreshing barroom favorite of a gin and tonic. Gin has fortified the minds of some of the 20^th century’s greatest thinkers (and drinkers). From Churchill to Fitzgerald, London to New Orleans, gin has been there refreshing, enlightening, and evolving to become the ultimate summer spirit. 

Seemingly pushed aside over the past few decades for its younger Russian cousin Vodka, Gin has been waiting for her moment to shine. She doesn’t need artificial flavors (they’re already part of her soul). She doesn’t need fancy bottles or packaging; she’s a sophisticated lady who can discuss literature and politics, but also knows how to strip down and jump in the fountain (ask Fitzgerald).

savour... good spirits

by Andrew Yenne, photos by Sam Henderson

Oh Me!  Oh Mai! It’s May, which means it’s almost summertime. Time to kick back, relax and enjoy the warm days and cool nights.  This month we’re featuring one of 'Mai' favorite summer drinks (and fall and winter and spring, really anytime I want to pretend I’m somewhere tropical).  It’s the drink that launched a national craze, and a decade of kitsch. Of course, we’re talking about the Mai Tai.

Unfortunately, much like the Margarita, this drink has been tampered with so much over the years in chain restaurants and hotel bars that it is almost unrecognizable.  We’re getting back to basics, and the heart of this delicious drink the Trader himself concocted back in the 40’s.  Exotic dark rum from Jamaica, the citrus punch of fresh lime and the exotic flavors of orgeat (a sweet almond syrup) make the Mai Tai exotic, dangerous, and delicious.

savour… a mental vacation