THE QUAFF: Jalapeño Green Tea Mojitos Edition

Earlier this week, I brought you tales of classic mojitos. Now I come to you with a variation on the theme. Introducing the jalapeño green tea mojito, a cocktail invented by my friend Sly and me and patterned after the wonderful green tea mojito, which was also featured on this here blog (with me in …

THE QUAFF: Classic Mojito Edition

A week ago, I attended a lovely Memorial Day BBQ at my friend’s house, and when I asked if I could bring anything, the hostess suggested that I bring some hard alcohol for summer cocktails. This immediately got my brain working: I knew I had mint in my fridge… and mint makes me think of …

THE QUAFF: Fresh Cocktail Hour Returns!

A horrendous thing has happened in Los Angeles: my dear friend Sly and I have ceased making cocktails. Terrible, I know. To be fair, it really isn’t my fault. Every time I invite Sly over to make a beverage, she always denies me coldly — often with some excuse such as “I’m sorry, I just …

THE QUAFF: Fun with Veev Açaí Spirit!

Recently I received a complimentary bottle of VeeV Açaí Spirit, which meant I had to face one of my biggest fears: berries. For the uninitiated, I have something neurologically wrong wherein I detest the thing that millions — perhaps BILLIONS — of people worldwide love. I speak, of course, of the berry. I hate almost …

THE QUAFF: The Mysterious Stranger

Some things look beautiful but taste average. Some things look nasty but taste really good. And some things look bad and taste worse. When my friend IndianJones and I endeavored to make The Mysterious Stranger cocktail from Paul Abercrombie’s Organic, Shaken & Stirred cocktail book, we had some serious fears that the cocktail would fall …

THE QUAFF: A National Margarita Day Celebration of Don Julio!

Today is National Margarita Day, and in honor of the day, I plan to a) have a margarita later, and b) celebrate its most vital component: tequila! I’ve gained a recent appreciation for the notorious spirit, which had previously ranked low on my favorite alcohols. However, thanks to a handy tasting seminar in December courtesy …

THE QUAFF: Thai Boxer Edition, Featuring An Epic Feat of Strength

About a week ago, I saw an intriguing cocktail book on sale at Williams-Sonoma. It was called Artisanal Cocktails and written by Scott Beattie, who apparently is a big time mixologist up in the Bay Area. I figured it would be a nice change of pace from Paul Abercrombie’s Organic, Shaken, and Stirred, which I’d …