St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Bar Cart, Part 2

In continuing my preparations for St. Patrick's Day, today I am unveiling the second half of my St. Patrick's Day Breakfast Bar Cart.  As you probably recall from yesterday's post, the top tier of my bar cart was outfitted with a lovely and very delicious Irish coffee service.  While Irish coffee is a great way to kick of St. Paddy's Day, it may not be a practical option for those of you who might be wishing to have a productive day.  The second tier of my Irish Bar Cart contains food and beverage options for St. Patrick's Day that are absolutely delicious and really easy to assemble.  Here is how I went about rounding out my breakfast bar cart:

In an effort to come up with a morning beverage that was delicious, refreshing and festive, I have opted to serve a delicious pitcher of Lime, Kiwi Berry and Mint Infused water.  We are now entering the start of the spring season, so these flavors couldn't be more appropriate for this time of year.  Not only are all three components green, but they all pair beautifully together.  Here is what I used to create this fabulously festive beverage:

• Simon Pearce Addison Pitcher
• 1/2 Pint Kiwi Berries (Rinsed and sliced in half)
• 2 Limes (Rinsed and sliced paper thin)
• 1 Bunch Fresh Mint (Garnish each glass with a sprig)
• Gold Foil Paper Straws
• CB2 Marta Olive Green Double Old Fashioned Glass
• CB2 Marta Tasting Glass (to hold extra lime slices for garnish)

Instructions

1. Fill a pitcher with cold filtered water
2. Add 1 lime thinly sliced and 1/2 pint of sliced kiwi berries
3. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving
4. Serve water over ice with a fresh sprig of mint and slice of lime to garnish

When it came to assembling this breakfast bar cart, I knew I couldn't just have beverages.  I decided to serve a freshly baked loaf of Irish Soda Bread alongside my Irish coffee and infused water.  This bread is an Irish classic and makes for a fabulous addition to any meal (especially breakfast!). 

In an effort to save time, I have to admit that I bought the bread from a bakery.  However, if you are looking to try your hand at making Irish soda bread from scratch, here is a great recipe.  To serve this bread, I used the following:

• World Market's Jade Colored Glass Pedestal Stand
• Gold Serving Paper
• CB2 Small Cuatro Platters
• Laguiole Pearl Handle Knife Set

I am so thrilled with the way this bar cart came together and cannot wait to share these breakfast treats with my friends tomorrow.  I hope every has a wonderful and spirited St. Patrick's Day tomorrow!

Winter Gin Sparkler

I have never been a huge fan of gin.  I don't know if it's something about the flavor or maybe it just tasted stronger than vodka, but there was something about it that never quite agreed with me.  Of course, now you're probably wondering why the heck I'm sitting here writing  a post about my new favorite gin cocktail recipe! 

WELL, let me just start by saying that my feelings about gin have completely transformed thanks to my recent discovery of One Eight Distilling.  One Eight is a local DC distillery specializing in Vodka, Gin and an array of whiskeys.  Every Saturday from 1-4pm, they open their doors to the public and offer free tastings of their liquors as well as a menu of specialty cocktails to purchase for $7.  In addition, they also offer free tours of their distillery.  

Naturally, as soon as I learned of their Saturday open house, I had to go and experience it for myself!  So my husband and I ventured over to the distillery a few weekends ago where we enjoyed the most delicious "Kumquat May" Cocktails (Ivy City Gin, Kumquat Syrup, Lime Juice and Bitter Lemon Soda) and took the fabulous distillery tour.  It was so much fun, the cocktails were absolutely delicious and definitely an activity that I would recommend to anyone in the DC area (age 21+ of course!).

So now onto my latest cocktail creation!  This is an easy to make cocktail, filled with delicious seasonal ingredients and of course my favorite local gin label!  Here's the scoop on how to make this flavorful and refreshing cocktail:

Ingredients

• High Quality Gin (I highly recommend trying Ivy City Gin)
• Grapefruit Juice
• 2 pkgs Fresh Rosemary 
• Sparkling Water (ex. Perrier)
• Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit for Garnish
• 1c Sugar
• 1c Water

Rosemary-Infused Simple Syrup

1. In a small sauce pan combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of Granulated Sugar, 3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary and about 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Rosemary
2. Heat on Medium-High until sugar is dissolved 
3. Reduced to a simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool
4. Pour syrup through a sieve to remove all rosemary pieces 

To Make the Cocktail

1. Fill a low ball/double old fashioned glass with ice
2. Add 1-2 shots of Ivy City Gin
3. Add 1 Tbs Rosemary Simple Syrup
4. Fill the remainder of the glass with equal parts grapefruit juice and sparkling water
5. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and slice of ruby red grapefruit that has been speared with a knotted cocktail pick
6. Serve and Enjoy!

Learn about the Art of Cocktail Making with these 3 Books

I have been having the best time styling and re-styling my new bar cart!  Who ever thought that a Christmas present could bring an adult the same type of joy and excitement a child expresses when they receive a new toy!?!  While decorating this bar cart continues to be super fun, I have realized that when it comes to making an actual cocktail, I am but a novice.  Now it's one thing to have a well decorated bar cart, but if you don't know how to properly use the tools you take so much pride in displaying, then what the heck is that?!?  

Over the weekend, I visited my local Barnes and Noble (I still really enjoy going to bookstores) to see what literature was available with respect to cocktail crafting. After some extensive research, I have put together a list of the three books I have found to be the most helpful/informative for anyone looking to better understand the world of cocktail crafting.  

Shake: A New Perspective on Cocktails, by: Eric Prum & Josh Williams

Eric Prum and Josh Williams have made the art of cocktail making extremely user friendly with the creation of their book, Shake.  From the simple yet beautiful visuals, to the easy to follow recipes, this book couldn't be a better starting point for getting your feet wet when it comes to learning how to craft a delicious cocktail.  Their recipe for "A Mid-Winter Marg." is already on my menu for Super Bowl Sunday and their section on Cocktail Crafting 101 has been extremely helpful to reference while I have been working to put together a properly stocked bar and bar cart.  For those of you looking for a high level overview of cocktail crafting and some delicious recipes, this book is for you!

The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion, by: Julie Reiner

I love this book not only because it contains cocktail recipes for every season, but also because the author, Julie Reiner, breaks down the basic formula for making a delicious cocktail.  In addition, she shares various tips and tricks for how incorporate an array of cocktail making techniques into your drink recipe and use what you have on hand to create a flavorful beverage.  If that weren't enough, I am totally in love with her cocktail presentations and I find her array of garnishes to be inspirational.  Julie Reiner shares so many great ideas for how to create and serve a show-stopping cocktail for any occasion, which is why this book has quickly become a favorite of mine. 

The Curious Bartender: The Artistry & Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail, by: Tristan Stephenson

I would have to say that of the three books selected for this post, this one speaks to my learning style the most.  I am inquisitive by nature and love to learn as much as I can when diving into a new subject, so this book couldn't be more perfect for me.  The Curious Bartender includes a history of every spirit, recipes for making delicious cocktails, a breakdown of how to stock your bar, lessons on various cocktail crafting techniques and a resource page detailing where to purchase all of those bar/bar cart accessories (like here).  This book is a wealth of knowledge, a go-to reference for me and a fabulous addition to my bar cart!