happy hour

Wine Wednesday: Wine Down Box

Posted on by michelleglogovac

As you know by now, I’m a huge fan of Happy Hour…whether going out for happy hour or enjoying it at home. Recently, I discovered Wine Down Box where they send you everything you need to have your own happy hour. How convenient is that?! I was lucky enough to try their June pairing and it didn’t disappoint! 

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The box included the following:

Maroon Wines
2013 Cathartes Vineyard Chardonnay

This 2013 Cathartes Vineyard Chardonnay was whole cluster pressed, then cold-fermented in tanks with minimal oak to express rich aromas of ripe citrus fruits. On the palate, the wine is nicely balanced with citrus fruits and hints of ripe tropical fruits. It has a nice acidity that maintains freshness from start to finish. 

Plymouth Artisan Cheese
East Meadow Cheese

Named one of Oprah’s top favorite things in 2015, this Vermont company knows how to make outstanding cheese. This cheese was aged 60 days, then cut and waxed by hand. It is buttery and creamy with slightly sweet notes.

Olympia Provisions
Loukanika

Loukanika is a Greek salami flavored with equal parts garlic & cumin, and a touch of orange zest. In order to keep tradition alive, Old Man Cairo passed along this time-tested recipe to his son (Olympia Provisions Salumist), Eli.

Each pairing includes a delicious bag of artisan Nita Crisp wheat bread crackers.

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The wine was delicious. Definitely a bottle I would be more than happy to indulge in again. The cheese was also top notch and went perfectly with the wine. My husband is a fan of all things sausage, so the Loukanika hit it out of the park for him. The bread crackers that were included were perfectly thin and didn’t fill you up, yet added just what was needed. 

Subscriptions cost $45-49/month which is a lot less than what you would spend if you went out for happy hour and had appetizers and a bottle of wine! This would make a great gift…to a wine lover or to yourself. 

Thirsty Thursday: SMIRNOFF SOURCED

Posted on by michelleglogovac

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It’s almost Friday, so it’s time to celebrate Thirsty Thursday. I have some new cocktail recipes to share with you that are guilt-free. SMIRNOFF has launched a new product called SMIRNOFF SOURCED which is gluten-free and made with real fruit juice. 

sourced soda

With summer around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about having happy hours with refreshing cocktails and a perfect time to try something new. SMIRNOFF SOURCED comes in three bold and vibrant flavors.

Smirnoff Sourced Ruby Red Grapefruit Cocktail

Ruby Red Grapefruit is zesty, yet sweet and refreshing.

Smirnoff Sourced Pineapple Cocktail

Pineapple is exceptionally juicy and vibrant with a tropical flavor.

Smirnoff Sourced Cranberry Apple Cocktail

Cranberry Apple offers a taste of crisp apple with a touch of cranberry sweetness. 

SOURCED and Soda
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Ingredients
  1. 2 oz of SMIRNOFF SOURCED variant
  2. 3 oz of soda water
Instructions
  1. Pour SMIRNOFF SOURCED variant over ice, then top with soda water.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/
Florida Mule
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Ingredients
  1. 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF SOURCED Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka
  2. 3 oz. Ginger beer
  3. 1 tsp Simple syrup
  4. .25 oz. Lime juice
  5. 1 slice Lime
Instructions
  1. In a copper mug (or summertime glass) with ice, add SMIRNOFF SOURCED Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka, simple syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime or grapefruit.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/
Oahu Mule
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Ingredients
  1. 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF SOURCED Pineapple Vodka
  2. 3 oz. Ginger beer
  3. 1 tsp Simple syrup
  4. .25 oz. Lime juice
  5. 1 slice Lime
Instructions
  1. In a copper mug (or summertime glass) with ice, add SMIRNOFF SOURCED Pineapple Vodka, simple syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime or pineapple.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/
Crisp Mule
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Ingredients
  1. 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF SOURCED Cranberry Apple Vodka
  2. 3 oz. Ginger beer
  3. 1 tsp Simple syrup
  4. .25 oz. Lime juice
  5. 1 slice Lime
Instructions
  1. In a copper mug (or summertime glass) with ice, add SMIRNOFF SOURCED Cranberry Apple Vodka, simple syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime or apple.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/
I can’t wait to make all of these cocktails before summer and all summer long. Which one are you excited to try?

 

La Crema Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco

Posted on by michelleglogovac

In June I visited La Crema in Healdsburg and joined their wine club…2 weeks later I got pregnant. I’ve been receiving shipments of their wine but haven’t gotten to drink any of it…until now! The first bottle I opened was the 2012 Pinot Noir from Arroyo Seco. I have to say that it went down very easily.

La Crema Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco
La Crema Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco

Rich in color and with a bold yet not overpowering flavor, it definitely was a palate pleaser. The winemaker’s notes state, “The nose is rich with dark spice, earthy notes, coffee bean and blackberry. Layers of dark plum, wet stone, cedar. An elegant Pinot Noir with all the hallmarks of the Arroyo Seco appellation.” I felt that between the blackberry and plum flavors, there was a hint of cherry. It was slightly tart but not in a make your mouth pucker sort of way. It was very smooth and enjoyable.

Through La Crema’s site, this bottle retails for $40, $32 as a wine club member, and as low as $29 on webwine.com.

Roasted Garlic & Brie
Roasted Garlic & Brie

We celebrated one of our first happy hours as new parents in our sunroom. My husband roasted garlic and we indulged in some Brie and crackers…he’s definitely a keeper!

For the roasted garlic, simply cut the top off the heads of the garlic, pour olive oil over it in aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.