I think I’ve found my favorite cocktail of 2016, and that’s saying a lot because I love cocktails. I first sipped the Yoyogi at Noraneko, a restaurant located in Portland where I live. The restaurant is billed as a ramen shop, but their Japanese appetizers and traditional comfort foods are what dominate the menu. What gets me excited about Noraneko is their bar program. They have an extensive selection of traditional Japanese whiskeys and mixed drinks on the menu. Continue reading yoyogi cocktail
Category Archives: Libations
bring back the harvey wallbanger
It doesn’t get more ’70s than a Harvey Wallbanger cocktail. I certainly was not drinking this iconic cocktails as a baby during the 1970s, but I can appreciate a drink whose heyday occurred during the decade of my birth. I’ve been familiar with the Harvey Wallbanger for a while, I may have seen it on a couple of cocktail menus , but I never gave it any thought until my friend Shannon told me the history with her grandma’s love for the drink. Continue reading bring back the harvey wallbanger
a taste of the holidays from puerto rico
I’m a podcast addict. I subscribe to an embarrassing amount of them, and never seem to catch up on listening to my ever-growing collection. Podcasts suck down memory on my phone, but I love them, all of them. I listen to a wide variety, including a handful of podcasts that are food-related. One of which is The Sporkful, which is produced by WNYC and is hosted by a man whose laugh makes my skin crawl. Despite the laugh, I keep tuning in every time a new episode appears on my phone, because the content is good. Continue reading a taste of the holidays from puerto rico
the cocktail of fall
Fall has hit Portland in a big way. Leaves are falling, birds are flying away, rain is descending from the sky. Like many things I forgot while living in California, the shift from summer to fall in October slipped from my memory. Continue reading the cocktail of fall
three-day weekend milkshake
I remember going to a Red Robin (don’t judge, I was young!) in college and discovering the world of booze-filled milkshakes. At the time, Red Robin was a place to splurge on ginourmous burgers and bottomless soft drinks and lemonades. One visit, I made the choice to venture away from my favorite Very Berry Raspberry Limeade, from the bottomless beverage section, and opted for a Baileys Irish Cream milkshake. Booze and dessert in a glass, it’s efficient and delicious. Continue reading three-day weekend milkshake
quintessential austin in a glass
I was in Austin last week, and visit number three really sealed my love for the quirky capital of Texas. My husband and I spent a few days biking our way through the bar, restaurant and food cart-lined streets that populate the unconventional beard-clad, music and food-obsessed city. Continue reading quintessential austin in a glass
put the lime in the coconut
What seems like overnight, spring has hit Portland. Cherry blossoms and daffodils are blooming throughout the city and local tulips in vases are strewn throughout my house. One day it’s 73 degrees and sunny and the next it’s overcast and rainy. Yep, spring is here. Continue reading put the lime in the coconut
keeping cozy
Hello! It’s been a while since my last dispatch. A lot has happened: a move from the Bay Area to Portland, unpacking, settling into both a new house and a new pace of life. How’s that for an excuse for not writing? Continue reading keeping cozy
when friends give you lemons
I have the pleasure of having a friend who has a large Meyer lemon tree in his backyard. Mind you, we were friends before I knew he had a lemon tree. In fact, we may have been friends before he bought the house with the tree. At any rate, my friend has been known to leave a shopping bag of lemons on my doorstep, and when this happens, I make things. Lemon pudding cake, limoncello, lemon curd. You get the idea. Continue reading when friends give you lemons
say no to toxic yellow
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Let’s face it, most of us use today as an excuse to have a drink and a taco or two. And no, it’s not Mexico’s independence day. In actuality, May 5 marks a victory for the Mexican Army. But because this is a food-focused, not a history blog, I’m going to stick with what I know. And what I know is any excuse to make a proper margarita is a great day in my book. Continue reading say no to toxic yellow
planks and sticks 