Summertime and the Livin's Easy

Today marks the first day of summer...and that means lots of culinary-related awesomeness. Farmers markets have started to spring up, and the booths have begun to fill with green and lush vegetation. Invitations to BBQs and backyard luaus have started to roll in, and the warm weather leans us towards refreshing salads, and maybe a few frozen cocktails! The livin's easy in the summertime, ain't it!?

from Flickr - by CubaGallery

In honor of summer, I thought I'd provide you with a delicious drink, to be enjoyed on a patio, terrace or porch...because what's better than a refreshing drink in the sunshine? My favorite summertime cocktail is the Sidecar. The drink's origins date back to World War I, and the Ritz Carlton Paris has laid claim to the recipe.

3/4 ounce Cognac (or Bourbon)

3/4 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)

3/4 ounce lemon juice 

Served straight up in a martini glass, this drink is definitely meant to be sipped. It's strong, but very refreshing, and totally delicious!

from Wikipedia

Tip of the day: A lot of cocktail recipes describe their measurements in "jiggers." A jigger is 1.5 fluid ounces, or about one shot. Don't be afraid to use a shot glass to measure your drinks out until you get the hang of a recipe. Too heavy a hand can end poorly, and a light pour will have you making drinks more often then you planned!

Some Cocktails, A Dozen Oysters and Some Good Ol' Fashioned Girl Talk

Tonight, I met a lovely friend of mine for drinks after work! She was in town for the day and requested my presence for cocktails during happy hour! I was more than happy to oblige! I was so happy to see her as we happened upon the entrance to Les Zygomates at the exact same moment! After an overdue hug, we entered the wine bar and ordered some much needed cocktails!

from Flickr - by shell belle

As we tucked into our drinks (for me, a Sidecar; for her, a Champagne Cocktail), we began catching up. An hour later, and we were still chatting each others ears off about everything going on in our day-to-day lives! That's when we noticed the platters of oysters on ice flying past our table in droves. We had to get in on that action! So we ordered ourselves a dozen east coasters and another round of drinks! There's really nothing like a few drinks and some girl talk to make the hours fly by! We had such a great time!

from Flickr - by PrincessPeach

Because I got home later than usual, I re-heated our leftover Seafood Risotto from last night. Normally, I would not recommend microwaving shrimp and mussels, but I was sneaky about this. I covered the plate of risotto with a damp paper towel and stuck it in the microwave for ONE minute. When it beeped, I stirred and placed it back in for ONE more minute. Quickly but gently reheated, the shellfish really didn't have enough time to start cooking again, but the rice heated it enough to take the chill off. It wasn't fishy at all the second time around! A great end to a day full of good things!