StreetStyleChi
by Alex Moresco
The Hemingway Daiquiri
Posted on January 17, 2017
Ernest Hemingway was a smart guy for more than his gifted writing abilities…he also loved a great cocktail. More specifically, Hemingway had a love for daiquiris. According to “The Complete Cocktail Manual,” the Hemingway Daiquiri is a traditional daiquiri with a splash of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
This past weekend I went to Chicago’s most loved tiki bar, Three Dots and a Dash. Three Dots transports you to an island bar far, far away from the chilly city of Chicago. Their drinks are fruity and pack a big punch with different rums. Admittedly, one of my favorite things is the presentation of the cocktails that are WAY over the top! I was a dork and picked up one of their souvenir mugs, but you can also get them here for much less! I can’t wait to break it out for long days spent on our rooftop deck in the sun!
The Hemingway Daiquiri
2 oz White Rum
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
Combine all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker or cocktail mixing glass. Add ice and shake or stir for about 15 seconds. Strain into a preferably cold coupe glass and garnish with a strip of grapefruit skin or thinly sliced lime wedge.
The Hemingway Daiquiri is very spirit heavy so I would recommend splurging on a good quality white rum. Since the amount of juice is so small, you might as well go all the way and freshly squeeze your own grapefruit and lime juice. Personally, I needed to add a little bit of sweetness to my cocktail so I splashed in a half ounce of simple syrup. It helped to make the cocktail palatable for a slow drinker such as myself!
I used these coupe glasses from William Sonoma, but I love these simple, modern ones from my favorite place for quick, chic staples: CB2!
<3 Al
A Crudité Platter Your Friends Will Actually Want To Eat
Posted on January 11, 2017
Crudité plate at Soho House Chicago
I have always been a veggies over meat kind of girl. I love the crisp crunch of a fresh veggie so naturally vegetables and dip is a staple in my diet. When Soho House in Chicago first opened, they served a gorgeous crudités plate with fresh heirloom carrots, radishes, cucumbers and other bits of colorful goodness alongside freshly smashed avocado. Since I do not go to an office, I often work out of Soho House and the crudités plate has remained one of my favorite things on the menu.
I love to entertain and am always looking for quick but satisfying bites to serve guests. Plus, if you prefer to ditch most of the prep work the day of, you can pre-chop your veggies the day before. The platter is all about presentation and it looks like you put in more effort than you actually did. Freshly chopped vegetables and dips is the perfect, simple and always beautiful appetizer to accompany a few cocktails (try this super easy vanilla Moscow mule!)
Essentially, the dip that I serve with crudites is a simple guacamole. I smash an avocado with a fork until it is a smooth consistency, squeeze in half a lime and add salt and pepper to taste. If you like spicy dips, add in some red pepper flakes.
I love this little marble serving tray to serve colorful veg on. Would love to hear about any other quick, easy entertaining recipes you may have!
<3 AL
Girls Night At Celeste With Crown Royal
Posted on January 4, 2017
Crown Royal Vanilla Moscow Mule at Celeste
One of the first drinks that truly helped me to begin appreciating a quality cocktail was the Moscow Mule. While most spirit experts would scoff at this- I do not like the “taste” of alcohol but appreciate a flavorful drink profile. I am a self admitted sissy pants!
Towards the end of December, Lexi and I had the chance to experience the new Crown Royal Vanilla whiskey at a tasting in Chicago as a little “girls night.” You can probably guess that I am not a big whiskey drinker based off of my previous drink recipes ( I typically prefer gin or clear spirit based cocktails.) Shockingly, I enjoyed the Vanilla flavor of the Crown Royal Vanilla and it paired nicely with all of the cocktails I tried. While it is still a bold flavor, the hint of vanilla adds a complex taste to the classic Moscow Mule that I did not necessarily expect.
Crown Royal Vanilla is a great, versatile whiskey for all seasons- it tastes great when mixed with sodas (for a Vanilla take on hard sodas), or when used to create a Vanilla twist on classic cocktails (like a Vanilla Old Fashioned and Vanilla Hot Toddy) or simply sipped on the rocks if you are stronger human than I! Crown Royal Vanilla begins with aromas of rich vanilla bean and delicate hints of oak. The taste opens with a delicious, not-too-sweet vanilla flavor followed by Crown Royal’s signature smooth finish. The aftertaste is best described similar to crème brulee.
Crown Royal chose the perfect location for the tasting- Celeste. The bartenders at Celeste were phenomenal and made the Mules with real, fresh ginger (I included that recipe below) but if you want to break this down into a simpler concoction, I altered the recipe as well. While you do not shake a Moscow Mule because of the bubbles in the ginger beer, I do recommend stirring the Crown Royal over ice to keep the drink cold. I like this modern cocktail spoon from CB2 and this sleek cocktail mixing glass from Crate & Barrel.
Vanilla Mule (Crown Royal + Celeste)
1.5 oz. Crown Royal Vanilla
2 oz. Ginger
1 oz. Soda
Lime
Vanilla Mule
1.5 oz. Crown Royal Vanilla
3 oz. Ginger Beer
1 oz. Lime Juice
A few months ago, I was researching the “best new restaurants” of 2016 and Celeste consistently popped up on every list. Celeste described itself as a “modern American cocktail bar” and I would have to agree- every drink we had was equally as tasty as the one before it and the little bites at the party were delicious. Hoping to make it back soon for a full meal! The fried chicken is calling my name.
Try these cute cocktail glasses for your next recipe: Smoke Grey Cocktail Glass | Light Pink Juice Glass | Classic Highball Glass |
All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Crown Royal Vanilla for working with us on this recipe!
Tropical Tiki: A Light Rum Cocktail
Posted on December 20, 2016
This past weekend Chicago got our second heavy snow of December. Trying to not let our moods dip because of the snow, we decided to drown our snow ridden sorrows in some Tiki cocktails. I recently visited Lost Lake for the first time and was blown away by the fruity drinks that were as tasty as they were beautiful.
The ]”Lost Lake” at Lost Lake Tiki in Chicago.
The Tiki cocktail I made on Sunday night was a play on the Saint Tiki” from The Complete Cocktail Manual. It was originally supposed to be a mocktail but I added light white rum to the mix and thought it was pretty tasty. The unusual thing about this particular tiki cocktail to me was that it called for bitters. While I don’t drink them, I frequently make the classic Old Fashioned for friends. Old Fashioneds are made with bourbon or whiskey, so I had assumed that bitters only paired well with dark liquors. I was wrong.
The Saint Tiki, unaltered:
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
3/4 oz lime juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup (Simply combine one cup water to one cup fine white sugar with cinnamon sticks in a sauce pan. Let cool.)
2 dashes cocktail bitters
Top with ginger beer
Mint sprig to garnish
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 8-10 seconds. Pour into coup cocktail glass and top with ginger beer and mint leaf.
Saint Tiki With A Twist
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
3/4 oz lime juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup (Simply combine one cup water to one cup fine white sugar in a sauce pan. Let cool.)
2 dashes cocktail bitters
2 oz white rum
Top with ginger beer
Mint sprig to garnish
Because I did not have cinnamon sticks at the ready, I simply used regular simple syrup and added 2 oz of rum per cocktail. I topped my cocktail with ginger beer, but I think an orange LaCroix would be tasty and would not give you a strong ginger taste which was a tad overpowering. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 8-10 seconds. Pour into coup cocktail glass and top with ginger beer and mint leaf.
<3 Al
The Classic Negroni
Posted on December 14, 2016
Count Camillo Negroni was a smart guy. He picked up a taste for hard liquor while working as a clown in the US (no joke…) and asked his bartender to alter his favorite drink at the time, the Americano, to be a bit stronger by adding gin instead of seltzer. While this is a classic cocktail, I personally could not drink it regularly. The strong dose of Campari gives this libation a bitter taste that is better sipped on slowly after some ice dilution.
I made this classic Italian cocktail the night before I left to go to Milan with my parents. Most of my cocktail recipes are from The Complete Cocktail Manual, but may be slightly altered to my own taste. This recipe is unaltered from the original, and is incredibly simple to make due to the equal parts of each ingredient.
Classic Negroni:
1 1/2 oz Gin (I prefer Hendrick’s but Koval also makes a great gin if you are looking for something smaller batch and local to Chicago.)
1 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1 1/2 oz Campari
Orange peel to garnish
Combine all ingredients without the garnish in a rocks glass with ice (I prefer one giant ice cube- you can get this with these ice cube molds.) Stir with a cocktail spoon and add garnish.
I would serve this with a hearty cheese board with different flavor profiles, charcuterie and an assortment of toppings and olives. Who doesn’t love cheese? Try to have three to four different kinds of cheese plus prosciutto and salami- then load up on the less expensive accompaniments like sliced Italian bread, assorted olives and nuts. Personally, I like a hard cheese like Parmesan, a soft cheese like brie or blue cheese and a cow milk based cheese that is mild. A cheese board doesn’t have to be gigantic to be delicious, as demonstrated below!
<3 Al
Homemade Cheez-Its
Posted on December 17, 2014
I have always enjoyed making meals for myself. When I got my first apartment Sophomore year of college, this consisted of tossing pasta with whatever ingredients were in my fridge. I can confidently say that I have come a long way from those days. Now I make homemade chicken pot pie, complicated side dishes, and mac and cheese from scratch. I would never think of going into the frozen foods section or buying something in a box. Crazy, right? My next adventure in the kitchen will consist of simple snacks. I plan on trying these super easy homemade Cheez-Its. If you attempt them first, please let me know how it goes in the comments!
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cheese, butter, and salt. Add the flour and mix on low (dough will be pebbly). Slowly add the water and mix as the dough forms a ball.
- Pat the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10×12 inch rectangle. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer them to the baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully, as the high fat content of the crackers makes a fine line between golden delicious and burnt. Immediately move the crackers to racks to cool.
Guilt Free Dessert: Pina Colada Cups
Posted on October 21, 2014
- Pineapple, diced
- Rum
- Dark brown sugar
- Mini phyllo shells, baked. Or, substitute nilla wafers.
- Vamilla Greek yogurt
- Coconut, toasted
Toss diced pineapple with a splash of rum and a few pinches of dark brown sugar. Fill baked mini phyllo shells with vanilla Greek yogurt. Top with pineapple mixture and toasted coconut. Enjoy!
Want To Stay Warm This Fall? Try Our Spiked Apple Cider
Posted on September 16, 2014
It’s time to officially come to terms with the fact that…well, it’s going to become frosty (and I don’t mean the friendly snowman,) and fast. Suddenly, the idea of putting on five inch heels and going out (like I do that anyway) becomes a lot less appealing, and curling up with Netflix and a hot beverage becomes the ultimate Saturday night routine. Why not kick that hot beverage up a notch, and give it a little spike? A mug of hot apple cider is hard to beat, but add a few simple ingredients, and it becomes a hefty cocktail. Take my word for it.
What you need:
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cut into large chunks
1/2 lemon, juiced
Cinnamon sticks (optional)
How To Get Spiked:
Swap Your Snacks
Posted on August 27, 2014
Taking the time to make healthy snacks can seem like a huge hassle at the end of a long day. Processed foods can be an easy alternative, but is it worth it? Probably not. In ten short minutes or less, you can throw together a few ingredients that will be better tasting, less calories, and valuable to your nutrition. Martha Stewart has you covered. Sometimes, we just need a little inspiration.
1. Apples with cream cheese and raisins, and granola:
Sweeten any store bought cream cheese with a little honey. Halve an apple and scoop out the core, fill with cream cheese mixture, a little goes a long way. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and a little all-natural granola.
2. Updated ants on a log:
Halve a mini cucumber and scoop out seeds. Fill with hummus, top with chopped red bell pepper.
3. Mini pita pizza:
Separate a mini pocket pizza into two sections. Put in toaster, or toast in the over until golden brown. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and top with halved cherry tomatoes.Toast again until cheese melts.
4. Tropical Fruit Treat:
Cut pineapple and mangoes into long sticks. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir lime zest & agave syrup into low-fat Greek yogurt. Boom!
Treat Yourself
Posted on August 19, 2014
Realistically, we cannot always afford to treat ourselves all the time. Sometimes, you have to walk past the shiny new Jimmy Choo’s calling your name at Barney’s.
Sometimes we have tiny wins (like not spending a small fortune on the Jimmy Choo’s we are ogling.) We get all of our work done early, you go to the gym consistently for a month, you haven’t texted “that guy” back for a whole day…the list goes on and on. Essentially, there is nothing wrong with a tiny treat for a tiny win.
My tiny treat is always something chocolatey. If you’re going to do it, do it right. Last week, I had all of my tiny treats in one night. Godiva hosted a wonderful dessert tasting at their flagship store in Chicago, and it was truly the perfect experience. Course upon course of Godiva truffles, Trufflelata sips, and soft serve came out as each one was explained.
Personally, I love any form of chocolate and hazelnut, so the Hazelnut Crunch Trufflelata will always have half my heart. The other half of my heart will belong to Godiva’s chocolate soft serve, which could not be any more delicious.
What are your tiny wins? I would love to know, so please feel free to share in the comments below!
This post was sponsored by Godiva Chocolate.
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