Libation Celebration: Ambrosia…

For the final installment of Libation Celebration, we turn our focus to New Years Eve.  Once again, I turned to our resident mixologist Ronaldo of the Ivy Room for guidance.  I asked Ronaldo for a drink that was a bit lux.  I don’t know why but New Year parties just feel like they should be fancy – suits, long dresses, plated appetizers….you know the stuff of “adults”.  However, me being me, I wanted lux but not stuffy – like wearing Armani but with sneakers…mind you they are fancy sneakers but sneakers nonetheless.  With that in mind, Ronaldo thought it would be fun to play homage to the American dessert that we all knew as children, ambrosia.  In my household it was an odd concoction of whipped cream, jello and frozen fruit cocktail.  Lets just say that it was made every year and every year it always found itself at the bottom of the trash can come the end of the night.

If ambrosia was what the mythical gods of yore ate, then this would have probably been the perfect elixir to wash down their heavenly snack…..

Believe me when I say  that no one will be declining this Ambrosia at your party!  Forget the jello — this Ambrosia is a heady mix of bourbon, strawberries and vanilla liquor.  The addition of the whipped cream and the unexpected crunch of the sesame seeds elevate this drink to the perfect mixture of fancy and fun…..exactly what you want for a New Years Party!

To see the entire Libation Celebration series, visit here, here & here.

[photo credit: photo by adza//food styling: courtney lake//recipe: ronaldo colli ]

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Libation Celebration: The Roxy …

I am adventurous in many aspects of my life (or so I like to think).  For example, I have no problem buying produce at the grocery simply because it looked “interesting” and then figuring out how to cook it later.  However, when it comes to cocktails, buying liquors, spirits and mixers that I am not familiar with scares the bejeezus out of me.  Left to my own devices, every party would have dirty martinis or greyhounds made from vodka. Fortunately, I have some great friends and colleagues who know their way around a bar and are determined to get me out of my “vodka rut”….

So we are back with another installment of Libation Celebration with master mixologist Ronaldo Colli, owner of the acclaimed bar Ivy Room, who is determined to open up my mind (and taste buds).  I am always a willing guinea pig but when Ronaldo suggested we use a liquor that was previously banned in this week’s drink, I was a little hesitant.  The central ingredient in this drink is bacanora, an agave-derived liquor made in the Mexican state of Sonora.  And did I mention it was illegal until 1992 for reasons that are not 100% clear, but I would venture to say it was because this stuff is “lethal” in the best way possible.  Bacanora is in the mescal family of spirits and counts tequila and mezcal as it’s cousins.  But that is pretty much where the familial bonds end.  Bacanora is deceptively smooth with a slightly smoky note thanks to the distillation process.  Mixed with the cloves and pomegranate the cocktail, it is perfectly balanced and totally unexpected….something you would expect from a drink named The Roxy…..

Be sure to check out the other installments of Libation Celebration here and here….

[photo credit: photo by adza//food styling: courtney lake//recipe: ronaldo colli ]

Check me out on Pinterest, Twitter and Insta.gram for more musings on design, food and just plain randomness. You can also find me at my online shop for Joy & Revelry.

Libation Celebration: The Glitzy …

If you are basically anywhere but Florida at the moment you are probably bundled up and staying indoors thanks to what seems to be a coast-to-coast cold front.  This blast of wintery frost had everyone in the office thinking of warmer weather so when it came time for this week’s cocktail selection, everyone in the office instantly gravitated towards The Glitzy….

It’s not surprising why we all loved The Glitzy.  For starters, the drink was created by the acclaimed mixologist, Ronaldo Colli, owner of the awesome bar, Ivy Room, in Albany, CA.  Originally from the Yucatan province of Mexico, Colli cocktail recipes can be found at many of the premier bar and restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, and have been featured in SOMA Magazine; A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails and Bites, by Joanne Weir; Don Julio’s Luxury Drop Tequila Cocktail book; and Dimmi Italian liquor Book. He has also been a judge at Tales of the Cocktail, a national competition in New Orleans. Ronaldo regularly participates in mixology competitions both locally and nationally, and is the winner of Cointreau’s “Master of Margarita.”  So in other words, Ronaldo has major street cred and knows how to make a mean cocktail.

With The Glitzy, Ronaldo pared the tart and tangy with warmth to create a drink that instantly had us scheming on how to spend our Christmas on the Mexican Riviera.

The Glitzy is the perfect drink for a casual weekend gathering of friends for the holidays when you want to up the ante.  Quick and easy to make, it will definitely be finding its rightful place in our bar rotation.  Be sure to check out our other drinks in the Libation Celebration series …..

[photo credit: photo by adza//food styling: courtney lake//recipe: ronaldo colli ]

Check me out on Pinterest, Twitter and Insta.gram for more musings on design, food and just plain randomness. You can also find me at my online shop for Joy & Revelry.