Makin' It With Maren - "Cinco de Maren" cocktail for Cinco de Mayo

I have a special place in my heart for Cinco de Mayo. Ok, I admit it's my birthday, so I have even more love for it. Most people groan about sharing their birthday with any type of holiday, but for me, it's a great bonus because tons of people to come out to celebrate and raise a glass. One big party!

So, in honor of my birthday and the day the Mexico defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla, I've created a memorable and celebratory cocktail: The Cinco de Maren! Mind you, this drink is not for the faint at heart; it's juicy, strong, slightly sweet and spicy - just like me! I always love using fresh ingredients, so for this cocktail challenge, I worked with Mexican flavors and colors: red (strawberries, sriracha) green (jalepeno, basil) and white (tequila blanco).

This drink is sure to leave a lasting impression on your guests! Show them your wild side by serving the "Cinco de Maren" at your Cinco de Mayo party. Garnishes are an important part of this drink's aesthetic presentation, so use you original ingredients to bring out its personality!

You will need a tequila blanco of your choice (we tried Sauza), triple sec (or Cointreau if you have the budget), ripe strawberries, jalepeno, sriracha, basil, agave, lime juice and ice. The flavors of this drink are similar to a margarita, but packs more of a punch. Salud and happy Cinco de Mayo!

"Cinco de Maren" cocktail:

2 ozs Sauza Tequila Blanco
3/4 oz Triple Sec
3/4 Lime Juice

1/2 oz Agave nectar

2 Ripe Strawberries

2 Big Basil Leaves
1 Slice of Jalepeno
1 Small Squeeze of Sriracha hot sauce
Ice

Make It:

Muddle Sliced Jalepeno First

Add Strawberries and Basil and Continue to Muddle
Layer Tequila, Triple Sec, Agave Nectar, Lime Juice and Sriracha
Add to Ice and Shake
Strain into Fresh Glass of Ice and Serve
Garnish with a Strawberry and Jalepeno Slice or a Small and Sweet Red Pepper (I added a sprig of basil for color)

Tips:

1. Use ripe strawberries for an overall better flavor and natural sweetness.
2. Red or green jalepenos both work (but red ones tend to be more mild).
3. Adapt the recipe to your tolerance of spice (taste before you pour and more or less sriracha according to your preference).
4. If the drink is a little on the powerful side for you, add a topper of sparkling water.
5. A toothpick will work great to hold the garnishes together.

Cheers,

Maren

Makin' it with Maren: Mixology Made Easy

Ink and Vine - Meet Tessa Marie Parker: Wine Maker.

Meet Tessa Marie Parker. You've probably heard of her grandfather, legendary film and television actor, Fess Parker. Well, if you didn't know, Fess Parker started his own winery after his acting career along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, and that's what pretty much led us to Tessa.

My boyfriend and I headed up to the Los Olivos area about a year ago. He is a huge Davy Crockett fan, so we had to stop into the Fess Parker Winery nearby. Like his name, the Fess Parker Winery was huge, and accordingly packed with people waiting to sip his family's wine. Near the end of our tasting, we were offered an 2 for 1 tasting at Epiphany Wines in Los Olivos. I had been to the Epiphany tasting room before and tried some lovely wines, so I was encouraged to return again.

While we were at Epiphany, a stranger next to us recommended that we check out Tessa Marie Wines down the street - "great Sangiovese," he exclaimed. I'd never heard of Tessa Marie Wines, so we decided to give it a go. It was a quiet day, (we always like to head up to that area on "off" days like Sunday and Monday to avoid the large crowds) and when we got to the tasting room, we were the only ones there.

Behind the counter stood a beautiful blonde woman (she could've been an actress herself), with an expectant belly and a big smile. She began to pour us some extraordinary Italian varietals and we all just hit it off. I love the experience of visiting the wine rooms; tasting new pours, exchanging silly or serious adjectives and making immediate short-term friends. Some tasting rooms are better than others, and not just because of the wine. The personality behind the counter contributes greatly to one's "take away," while the wine definitely enhances it.

And that's what drew us back to Tessa Marie on our last trip. She and I had struck up a Twitter friendship and we had planned to meet up this time so I could get an interview from her. With her new baby boy brought into the world, she was once again ready to open up with her life and some great bottles of Italian wine. Her star player and all-time favorite Italian grape: Sangiovese. However, she also makes a vibrant Vermentino and her mood-expressing Coquette.

What I hadn't mentioned, is that, I didn't even learn about Tessa Marie's family lineage until almost the end our first tasting. It wasn't until long into our conversation with Tessa, that she revealed the wines she poured us were hers and told us about her family's history. While we had been suggested to hit the Parker's trail of tasting rooms, no one had mentioned they were all "related," just that they had great tasting wines.

Tessa Marie Parker made an impression on us with both her personality and her line-up of Italian wines. You won't find many tasting rooms in Los Olivos that offer the Italian grapes, so it's definitely worth checking out. To get a better story her and her wine, take a peak at my interview with Tessa last week!

Follow me @MarenSwanson

Tessa Marie Wines

2901 Grand Ave.
Ste C
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-6081

Love Happy Hour - New Spring Cocktails at Sotto in West LA

Bartenders Julian Cox and Nick Meyer have launched a new spring cocktail menu at Sotto in West Los Angeles. And just in time - the weather couldn't be better in LA right now. The restaurant had its kickoff party on Wednesday, March 27th with the new spring cocktails offered at $9 and $9 select pizzas throughout the evening. Thanks to followingCaroline on Crack via Twitter, I heard about the event and headed over.

Included in the spring-inspired cocktails line-up, Sotto has also added house-made, bottled carbonated cocktails.

Spring Cocktails at Sotto:

Barrel-aged Clover Club

Barrel-aged Clover Club: Ransom Old Tom Gin, fresh lemon, house-made local raspberry preserves, organic egg white

Pass the Buck: Blanco tequila, fresh lime, Meletti amaro, ginger syrup, mint, bitters

Dux di Lux: Luxardo bitter, fresh lime, dry vermouth, Luxardo maraschino, egg white, housemade amaro soda

Fly by Night: Sheep Dip Scotch, Saler’s Gentleman liqueur, King’s Ginger, Angostura and Psychaud’s bitter

ASAP Rickey: vodka, fresh basil, strega, Bertagnollo grappino, bitters lemon soda lime essence

Swept Away: Martin Millers Westbourne strength gin, Salers gentiane, Nardini amaro, Benedictine, house orange

Modest Mousse: Espolon reposado tequila, Averna, Punt e Mes, Angostura Orange Bitter, Pamplemousse rose, grapefruit oil

Return of the Daq: Smith and Cross rum, Zucca rhubarbaro, fresh lime juice, Maraska maraschino

SOTTO POP (carbonated cocktails):

Amaro Never Dies: Abano, Luxardo maraschino, evaporated cane sugar
Byrrhberry Byrrh: seasonal local berry agrodolce, Plymouth gin
Diced Pineapples: Cocchhi Americano, pineapple, Tequila Ocho reposado, fennel seed

Margherita Pizza: tomato, mozzarella, basil, EVOO

Sotto

9575 W Pico Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 277-0210

LOS ANGELES HAPPY HOURS

Love Happy Hour - Friday Night at Pasadena Happy Hour Week

Love Happy Hour - Friday Night at Pasadena Happy Hour Week

Makin' It With Maren - St. Patrick's Day - "Green Eyed Girl" Cocktail Recipe

St. Patrick's Day drink - "Green Eyed Girl" cocktail

For my latest Makin' it with Maren segment, we decided to seek out the best tasting St. Patrick's Day cocktail in Los Angeles. Many Irish inspired cocktails are made with Baileys, Bushmills or Creme de Menthe. Otherwise, it seems like everybody is drinking green beer, Guinness or Killians Irish Red Beer. Jameson is definitely Irish, but most people don't think to combine it in a specialty cockail; usually it is sipped, or on Irish holidays...shot down your throat.

But, my latest trip to The Phoenix bar in Beverly Hills changed my mind. I tasted an amazing cocktail made with green ingredients (cucumber, mint) and mixed with Jameson Irish Whiskey: Green Eyed Girl. This drink was well-balanced, refreshing and simple to make. Check out my new video to learn how to make this St. Patty's day specialty cocktail. Go Green!

 Me, and head bartender Darius at The Phoenix

Get in the spirit for St. Patrick's Day with the "Green Eyed Girl" cocktail made by head bartender Darius at The Phoenix bar in Los Angeles. This refreshing cocktail is made with green ingredients and Irish whiskey - a perfect match for St. Patty's day drinkers. Enjoy!

"Green Eyed Girl"cocktail:
2 ozs Jameson Irish Whiskey
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
Splash Lime Juice
Sliced Cucumbers
Fresh Mint Leaves
Ice

Make It:
Muddle Simple Syrup and Cucumber
Add Mint and Continue to Muddle Gently (don't mash mint leaves)
Add 2 ounces of Jameson Irish Whiskey and Splash of Fresh Lime Juice
Add to Ice and Shake
Strain into Fresh Glass of Ice and Serve
Garnish with Mint Leaf and Cucumber

My awesome crew: Tony Calle, Robert Walley and Johnny Sullivan

The Phoenix

14 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

(310) 289-5925

Happy Hour:

Everyday, 5pm-9pm
$3 well cocktails
$3 wine
$3 beer

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cheers,

Maren

Makin' it with Maren - St. Patrick's Day Cocktail: Green Eyed Girl

St. Patrick's Day is almost here! Learn how to make the Green Eyed Girl cocktail!

                St. Patricks Day Cocktail:           

                GREEN EYED GIRL 

Makin' it with Maren - "The Spring Break" Cocktail with Kumquats

The Spring Break Cocktail

The Spring Break Cocktail

March 8th, 2013

by Maren Swanson

Spring is just around the corner, and what better way to say hello to warmer days and sunshine than toasting to a fresh cocktail made with the fruits of the season. I cannot tell a lie - this is my favorite cocktail recipe to date. "The Spring Break" is refreshing, citrusy, vibrant and…addicting. The warmer the days become, the more you'll be busting out the muddler and on a mission!

Kumquats are an Asian gem; small, flavorful fruit filled with a sour-citrus punch and encased in a sweet and succulent skin. These olive-sized orange cousins brighten up "The Spring Break" cocktail and serve as a tasty snack, too. Most people are surprised to find out that you can eat the kumquat in its entirety - just be careful of the seeds!

I found kumquats at my local Trader Joe's for around $3. Before you muddle them in the drink, slice them in half and remove the seeds with a fork. Muddle the kumquat halves with the simple syrup, and then layer the rest of the ingredients in a martini shaker. Shake vigorously and pour your drink over fresh ice (including the muddled kumquats). Top with sparkling lemon water. Garnish with fresh basil. As you are enjoying the drink, don't forget to nibble on the vodka soaked kumquat treats.

I guarantee this drink will be one of your new favorites! Plus, it's a great alternative Easter cocktail to serve instead of mimosas. Happy Spring Break!

"The Spring Break" cocktail recipe:

1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz triple sec
1 oz Pom or Pom Lite juice
3 kumquats
1/2 oz simple syrup
lemon sparking water
ice
-------------------------------

muddle kumquats with
simple syrup
layer remainding ingredients in
a martini shaker
pour over fresh ice
top off with lemon sparkling water
garnish with fresh basil