what to do with sh*tty wine

One of the best things about hosting a BYOB party at your house is all the great bottles of wine and liquor left over after the party is finished. Well... usually.

After the last BYOB shindig I hosted, I found myself left with 3 bottles of not-so-great wine that I knew I'd never drink. They sat collecting dust on the bar in the dining room for weeks and weeks. Every so often my gaze would fall on them, and I'd think, "Now what in the hell am I going to do with this wine?" Then: "And who in the hell brought this to my party anyway?" I considered re-gifting the bottles, but didn't want the recipient to get the wrong idea about my wine taste. With my luck, they'd end up thinking these undrinkable wines were my favorites and making that my next birthday present.

No thanks.

To make matters worse, the unwanted wines weren't your standard reds or whites - which I might normally work into a favorite recipe. No sir, the three I had to contend with were: a moscato, a pink moscato, and a sparkling rose with the word 'sweet' in the name. Halp.

Determined not to let even wine that I didn't want to drink go to waste, I turned to the Internets for ideas on how to transform these leftover wines into something delicious.

what to do with leftover ine

What To Do With Leftover Moscato

Moscato Poached Pears - This recipe is super simple and uses a full bottle of moscato (perfect for my needs!) along with a touch of honey to soften and flavor delicious ripe pears. The poached pears can even be sliced and saved for serving later over ice cream or yogurt.

Apples Baked in Moscato - Slow-baked apples and prunes in a wine bath flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar? Not only is this a great way to use up some leftover moscato, it's the perfect healthy dessert for Fall.

What To Do With Leftover Rose'

Homemade Wine Jelly - While the original recipe uses red wine, I think it would work just as well with a rose' like the pink moscato I've got on hand. The original poster recommends pairing the final product with cheese and crackers, but I could see using this jelly on everything from biscuits to burgers.

Gummy Wine Fruit Snacks - This recipe also calls for red - but are you telling me you wouldn't want to tear into these sweet and boozy gummy treats if they were made with rose' instead? I didn't think so. Package some of these easy to make adult treats up and share with your friends!

What to do With Leftover Champagne

Strawberry and Champagne Pancakes - When you think champagne and breakfast, you usually think mimosas. But this recipe infuses champagne into homemade pancake batter to make them even lighter and fluffier, then tops the flapjacks with a fresh strawberry and champagne sauce.

Homemade Champagne Vinegar - The thought of making my own vinegar from wine kinda freaks me out, especially since the process involves fermentation. But since that bottle of sparkling sweet wine is going to just sit there collecting dust anyway, might as well give it a shot. Some recipes for making champagne vinegar, like this one from The Kitchn, opt for natural fermentation (i.e., just sitting the open wine in a dark place for a few weeks), while others, like this one on the Williams-Sonoma blog recommend the use of a bacterial vinegar starter or 'mother'.

More Uses for Leftover Wine

They say you shouldn't cook with wine you wouldn't want to drink. But they didn't say anything about baking with it or using it around the house. These 27 uses for leftover wine from Greatist are range from savory to sweet and even  household uses

how to cure a hangover - top 10 remedies

I'm way too hungover to be writing this post. But since I love you, Dear Reader, I wanted to share 10 of my personal favorite hangover remedies. I'll talk softly.

#1 Water and lots of it

Dehydration is the main culprit of the pain and suffering associated with a hangover. So load up on the H20.

#2 Multivitamins

With a hangover, your body is depleted of necessary vitamins and minerals. A quality multivitamin helps you replenish them.

Note: The best cure for a hangover is prevention. The first two hangover cures in this list are most effective when consumed before or during drinking.

#3 Apple cider vinegar

Excessive alcohol consumption creates an acidic pH in the body. Apple cider vinegar helps create a more alkaline environment. Take a teaspoon or two of apple cider of vinegar in a full glass of water. The taste of the vinegar can also help ease nausea.

#4 Fresh citrus fruit

High water content helps with dehydration. Lots of vitamins help replenish vital nutrients. And the sour taste helps combat nausea. Honestly, almost any fresh fruit would be a great hangover cure, but citrus is my personal favorite.

#5 Beer

If 'hair of the dog' hangover remedies are your thing, I suggest beer. Beer contains more water than other alcoholic beverages, which will prevent you from dehydrating your body any more than you already have. And the numbing effects of alcohol can help with your hangover headache.

#6 Exercise

Increasing your heart rate helps speed the metabolism of alcohol out of your body. Plus, the endorphins provide a much needed natural dose of feelgood.

#7 Beets

Beets are nutrient dense, and antioxidant rich. Plus their mineral-ly taste can help your nausea. And they're Zach Galifianakis' (you know, that bearded guy from The Hangover) hangover cure of choice.

#8 Coffee

The caffeine in coffee constricts blood vessels. This can be a tremendous boon if you're suffering from a raging hangover headache. Unfortunately, coffee also dehydrates your body, so make sure to chase your cuppa with some good ol' H20.

#9 Echinacea

Echinacea is purported to aid in both the removal of toxins from the body and in boosting the immune system. Take echinacea in tea or capsule form.

#10 Acidophilus

Acidophilus (aka, Lactobaccillus Acidophilus) - a strain of 'good bacteria' found in yogurt - helps maintain a healthy pH in your body and speeds the metabolism of alcohol out of your body, which will help you get over that hangover faster. Acidophilus is available in capsule form at most health food stores.

"Did you know that having a hangover is... is not having enough water in your body to run your Krebs cycles? Which is exactly what happens to you when you're dying of thirst. So, dying of thirst would probably feel pretty much like the hangover... that finally bloody kills you."

~ Charles Herman in A Beautiful Mind

cheers,

k

how to say 'cheers' in 50 languages

A long time ago I read somewhere that the toast originated during the Middle Ages. During large banquets hosted by feudal lords and kings, each guest would toast by pouring a little bit of their drink into their neighbor's glass, and by the time the toasting was done, everyone would have what everyone else was having. In a time where hostile takeovers often involved secret poisons, this sort of toast was done to make sure that if there were any poisoners present at the feast, he or she would also get a taste of their own medicine.

Hopefully, Dear Reader, you won't find the need for such paranoid celebratory rituals, but should you happen to find yourself in mixed company, this handy guide from Matador Nights will help you make a proper toast that everyone will understand.

How to Say Cheers in 50 Languages

A-E

Language	Spelling	Phonetic Pronunciation
Afrikaans	Gesondheid	Ge-sund-hate
Albanian	Gëzuar	Geh-zoo-ah
Arabic (Egypt)	فى صحتك: (literally good luck)	Fe sahetek
Armenian (Western)	Կէնաձդ	Genatzt
Azerbaijani	Nuş olsun	Nush ohlsun
Bosnian	Živjeli	Zhee-vi-lee
Bulgarian	Наздраве	Naz-dra-vey
Burmese	Aung myin par say	Au-ng my-in par say
Catalan	Salut	Sah-lut
Chamorro (Guam)	Biba	Bih-bah
Chinese (Mandarin)	干杯 gān bēi	Gan bay
Croatian	Živjeli / Nazdravlje	Zhee-ve-lee / Naz-dra-vlee
Czech	Na zdravi	Naz-drah vi
Danish	Skål	Skoal
Dutch	Proost	Prohst
Estonian	Terviseks	Ter-vih-sex

F-M

Language	Spelling	Phonetic Pronunciation
Filipino/Tagalog	Mabuhay	Mah-boo-hay
Finnish	Kippis	Kip-piss
French	Santé / A la votre	Sahn-tay / Ah la vo-tre
Galician	Salud	Saw-lood
German	Prost / Zum wohl	Prohst / Tsum vohl
Greek	ΥΓΕΙΑ	Yamas
Hawaiian	Å’kålè ma’luna	Okole maluna
Hebrew	לחיים	L’chaim
Hungarian	Egészségedre (to your health) / Fenékig (until the bottom of the glass)	Egg-esh ay-ged-reh / Fehn-eh-keg
Icelandic	Skál	Sk-owl
Irish Gaelic	Sláinte	Slawn-cha
Italian	Salute / Cin cin	Saw-lutay / Chin chin
Japanese	乾杯 Kanpai (Dry the glass)	Kan-pie
Korean	건배	Gun bae
Latvian	Priekā / Prosit	Pree-eh-ka / Proh-sit
Lithuanian	į sveikatą	Ee sweh-kata
Macedonian	На здравје	Na zdravye
Mongolian	Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө / Tulgatsgaaya	ErUHl mehdiin toloo / Tul-gats-gAH-ya

N-Z

Language	Spelling	Phonetic Pronunciation
Norwegian	Skål	Skawl
Polish	Na zdrowie	Naz-droh-vee-ay
Portuguese	Saúde	Saw-OO-de
Romanian	Noroc / Sanatate	No-rock / Sahn-atate
Russian	Будем здоровы/ На здоровье	Budem zdorovi/ Na zdorovie
Serbian	živeli	Zhee-ve-lee
Slovak	Na zdravie	Naz-drah-vee-ay
Slovenian	Na zdravje (literally on health)	Naz-drah-vee
Spanish	Salud	Sah-lud
Swedish	Skål	Skawl
Thai	Chok dee	Chok dee
Turkish	Şerefe	Sher-i-feh
Ukranian	будьмо	Boodmo
Vietnamese	Dô / Vô / Một hai ba, yo (one, two, three, yo)	Jou / / Dzo Moat hi bah, yo
Welsh	Iechyd da	Yeh-chid dah
Yiddish	Sei gesund	Say geh-sund

cheers,

k photo: Cheers! by melalouise, on Flickr

4 cocktail recipes for halloween

For me, Halloween marks the official start of the holiday season. So let's celebrate the spirit of the season with some seasonal spirits, shall we?

Here are 4 Halloween-themed cocktail recipes that will get your holiday season off to a spirited start.

Halloween Cocktail Recipe #1 - Persephone Returns to Hades

halloween-cocktail-persephone

Any drink that involves a muddler deserves a long name just so people are aware of how much work goes into the dang thing. Plus, with winter approaching, the myth of Persephone and her underworld lover is fitting.

Ingredients:

1 part pomegranate juice

1 ½ parts gin or vodka

¾ part grenadine or simple syrup

2-3 mint or basil leaves

squeeze of fresh lime

To make: Add mint or basil leaves to glass, cover with grenadine. Muddle together. Add ice and remaining ingredients. Shake until chilled.

Serve with a cocktail straw in a high or lowball glass. Garnish with mint or basil leaves, cherry, mini plastic pitchfork or other hellish decorations.

Halloween Cocktail Recipe #2 - Bitches’ Brew

Ingredients:

port wine

stout beer

To make: Fill glass 1/3 of the way with port. Fill remainder of glass with chilled stout. Serve in a lowball glass or stemmed glass.

Halloween Cocktail Recipe #3 - Queen of the Damned

Ingredients:

1 part raspberry vodka OR vodka + raspberry liqueur

1 part coffee liqueur

2 parts champagne

red sugar for rim

To make: Shake first two ingredients together with ice, strain and serve in a martini glass rimmed with red sugar or with bloody candy rim. Fill rest of glass with champagne. Garnish with slice of blood orange (optional).

Halloween Cocktail Recipe #4 - Cool Autumn Breeze

Ingredients:

1 part gold rum

1 part sweet tea

splash of sour mix

squeeze of lemon

To make: Combine all ingredients  in a lowball glass over ice. Stir well. Garnish with lemon or orange wedge.

cheers,

k

sipping mummy photo by: Passetti, on Flickr

wine dinners: a great way to find good wine

When it comes to finding a wine you like, you’ve really only got a few methods to choose from.

• you can take a recommendation from a friend or an expert,
• you can take a wild guess based on the prettiness of the label and / or the floweriness  of the wording on the bottle as you stand scratching your head in the aisle
• or… you can taste it.

Of those three methods, only tasting is foolproof. Friends and experts may have different palates, and we all know better than to judge a wine by its cover, don’t we? And even once you’ve chosen a wine, there’s the work of figuring out what wine goes with what.

Enter, the wine dinner. This growing trend helps experienced and budding wine connoisseurs make sense of it all. If you haven’t had the chance to go to a wine dinner yet, lemme ‘splain what you’re missing out on.

What is a Wine Dinner?

A wine dinner is multi-course meal, typically hosted by a restaurant, a winery or a combination of the two. Each course of the meal comes along with a wine that has been selected to complement the dish being served.

What’s So Great about Wine Dinners?

You get to relax – unlike wine tastings and tours where you’re sort of shuffled along between tastings, at a wine dinner you’re comfortably seated. You can even kick your shoes off if you want, I won’t tell.

You get a serious wine education – during the wine dinner, either the restaurant’s sommelier or a representative from the vineyard will provide notes on the wines you taste that you simply won’t get anywhere else. Plus, if you happen to attend a wine dinner with other ‘cork dorks’, you’ll learn even more from the conversation.

You get to eat some really great food – most of the restaurants hosting wine dinners are pretty top-notch. Often, they’ll feature special dishes for the wine dinner that aren’t on their regular menu.

You save money – during a wine dinner you’ll typically taste a minimum of four dishes, along with equal servings of wine for a much lower price than you would if you were to purchase them all at regular price.

Here’s a quick roundup of three wine dinners in Atlanta that I’ve attended recently, and how I fared at each.

Mirassou Wine Dinner

As part of a multi-city promotional tour coinciding with the 156^th anniversary of Mirassou Winery, California winemaker David Mirassou hosted a series of wine dinners for local food and beverage writers, wine educators, and bloggers across the country. The Atlanta stop of the tour featured a 6-course tasting menu prepared by Chef Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill, and yours truly was invited to attend.  Each course was a perfect mouthful of local, seasonal ingredients that Chef Gillespie crafted to complement the accompanying wine. Throughout the meal, David entertained us with stories from his family’s winemaking past, and explained the unique characteristics of each wine we tasted. Needless to say, the food was amazing. The wines – a pleasant surprise.

My favorite wine of the evening: Mirassou Cabernet Sauvignon – I’m not usually a big fan of Cabs, most tend to be too tannic for my tastes. But Mirassou’s Cabernet was much more drinkable, while still retaining the tannic profile. I dubbed it, ‘the softer side of Cab’. Retails for around $10

Mother’s Day Brunch at Frogtown Cellars

Craving the experience of Napa, but lacking the time or the funds? Georgia’s wine country is a suitable alternative for us Atlantans. This past Mother’s Day I decided to treat Mom and myself to our first visit to a Georgia winery. We chose Frogtown Cellars in Dahlonega, and were treated to a delicious 4-course brunch with wine pairings in a truly beautiful setting.

My favorite wine of the day: Frogtown First Convergence – East-meets-West blend of Cabernet and Malbec grapes from Russian River (66%) and Cabernet Franc grapes from Frogtown vineyard (34%). Retails for $27.99

The Generous Pour Wine Event at The Capital Grille

Did you know that there are only 173 Master Sommeliers in the entire world? So it’s a real treat when one of these esteemed wine experts hand picks 9 of his personal favorites and invites you to taste them. That’s exactly what went down this week at The Capital Grille in Buckhead. The restaurant invited several local food writers to a special preview of their summer wine event, The Generous Pour. George Miliotes, Master Sommelier and resident wine expert at The Capital Grille, joined via telecast to explain the 9 wines he chose for the event, and then answered our questions via live Twitter feed. After George’s introduction, we sampled each of the wines along with complementary dishes prepared by Chef Brad Weiderman. The unparalleled white-glove level of service at the Capital Grille made this one a real treat.

My favorites of the evening:

Tarima Hill Monastrell, 2009 – A Spanish varietal that’s not available anywhere else in the US for the next couple of months. It’s a medium-bodied red that I can only describe as ‘seductive’.

Chateau St. Jean, Belle Terre, 2008 – arguably the best Chardonnay I’ve ever tasted. Described as ‘a rich, creamy wine… with toasted almond and vanilla oak’. From the Russian River region of California. $25.

The Capital Grille’s Generous Pour Wine Event continues through September 4, and is only $25 for ample servings of all 9 wines with dinner. Do this!

To see questions and answers from The Generous Pour preview event, search for #tcgpour11 on Twitter.

Want to get personalized wine recommendations from a Master Sommelier? Follow George Miliotes (@TheWineExpert) on Twitter.

But hey – don’t just settle for his (or my) recommendations. Go out and taste for yourself.

cheers,

k

how to make a tangerine basil mojito

Popsicles are for kids, right? Wrong.

Once you've tasted the tantalizing frozen treats from Atlanta popsicle purveyor, King of Pops, you might find yourself elbowing little kids in the forehead to get to them before they do.

King of Pops (a member of Atlanta's growing street food vendor community) offers gourmet popsicles that feature unique pairings of fresh ingredients like pineapple and ginger, grapefruit and mint, and lime with fresh squeezed cane juice.

On a recent visit to the Irwin Street Market, the beau and I sampled King of Pops tangerine basil offering. I can honestly say that I've never had a popsicle that tasted soooo good! The popsicle had little pieces of tangerine pulp and whole-leaf basil throughout - a very refreshing combo for a hot day. On the beau's suggestion that flavors in the popsicle "might make a tasty beverage as well," I decided to test out a cocktail recipe with tangerine and basil that's a lot like the recipe for a traditional mojito.

Don't worry, you won't have to fight the kids over this one - it's strictly for the grown ups.

Ingredients / Supplies (for 1 tangerine-basil mojito)

1 small tangerine or 1/2 large tangerine

3-4 fresh basil leaves

2 tsp granulated sugar (raw sugar is best, you might also sub agave, if that's your thing)

white rum (preferably Cachaca - Brazilian rum)

crushed ice

highball glass

muddler or pestle

How to make the tangerine-basil mojito:

Cut the tangerine into small wedges and place in glass. Roll basil leaves together and slice into thin strips. Add the basil to the glass. Add sugar to glass and muddle all ingredients together with pestle or muddler. The goal is to extract as much juice from the tangerine as you can while dissolving most or all of the sugar. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Pour in rum until glass is approximately 3/4 full. Vary the strength of the drink by using more tangerine and sugar and / or less rum to your tastes.

Of course, if you absolutely must share this beverage with the little ankle-biters, just substitute the cachaca with 'fizzy lifting drink' - aka, sparkling water or club soda.

cheers,

k

warm weather red: lodi deep purple zinfandel

There was a time when I was a year-round drinker of white wines. I hadn't yet developed the palate to appreciate the taste of a merlot, a cabernet, or even a pinot noir. Over time, however, I grew to like reds more, but I was still the sort of red drinker who saved the ruby-colored vinos for the cooler months of the year. Once spring hit, I couldn't wait to get back to my tried-and-true Chardonnays, Rieslings, and Pinot Grigios.   This past winter though, I seem to have developed a stronger affinity for reds than ever before, and even now that it's begun to warm up here in Atlanta, I'm still longing for the fuller, rounded taste of a red over the immature sweetness of  a white (hm. pausing for a moment to reflect on the unintentional parallel to my over-30 self).

Anywho, a couple of days ago the beau brought home what looks like will be my warm-weather red companion for at least a few more weeks - we'll have to see how much I'm loving it once the temperature stays above the 90-degree mark.

Name: Deep Purple Zinfandel 2007

Type: A California Zinfandel from the Lodi region

Tastes Like: very jammy; blackberry, and ripe purple fruit

Where to Buy: Green's on Ponce

Wallet Damage: around $10

Other Notes:  The label is decked out in psychedelic lettering that's a trip to read, especially after a couple of glasses. We've already nicknamed it 'Purple Haze'.

my thanksgiving staycation - part 4

Home for the Holidays - Tastes to be Thankful For A sure sign that I'm getting old? The family entrusted me with the preparation of the turkey this year. Of course I couldn't disappoint, so I ended up giving that bird more love than it had since it'd been born.

Fresh sage, thyme and rosemary from my little herb garden got finely chopped with some garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and olive oil. This was rubbed all over the bird and under the skin. Before that, I threw a few charcoal on the grill, let them burn down to low heat and covered with hickory chips to get a good smoke going. The herb-rubbed bird got the smoke treatment for about 20 minutes, just to infuse with some flavor. Then I stuffed the cavity with celery stalks, a quartered onion, and a cut apple and put her in the oven. About halfway through the cooking time, birdy got doused regularly with a basting liquid composed of turkey stock (from a carcass i absconded from a party earlier in the week), more of the herb-garlic mixture, brown sugar, butter, and a touch of grade b maple syrup.

To say the least, the family was pleased at the outcome. Who knows, they may even let me do it again next year. I may have even finally gotten myself promoted to the grown folks table! Once the official family Thanksgiving celebrations were over, there were a couple of friends who hosted gatherings at their homes. Never wanting to show up empty handed, I decided to bring what will probably be my steady companion for the rest of my holiday gatherings this year - sangria.  It's a great drink to bring to parties, because it's festive-looking, requires more effort than just a bottle of booze in a paper bag (I tend to think folks appreciate extra effort), but is still relatively quick and easy to make. Even though it's traditionally a summer drink, the color and flavors are great for the holidays. Plus it's fairly gender-neutral: strong enough for a man, but made for a woman. Here's my approximated recipe:

• 3 bottles of dry red wine
• simple syrup (approx 1cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup of very hot water)
• 1.5 cups brandy
• 1 large orange, and 1 lime - halved and thinly sliced
• other fruit cut into small chunks - I use whatever looks good at the store, right now plums and pears are pretty good
• 1-2 cups of 100% fruit juice blend - I've been using an orange peach mango blend, but you could use a pomegranate mixture or some other type. I'd stay away from apple, pineapple or anything that would compete with the other flavors in the drink

Add the fruit to a gallon pitcher. Add about half of the simple syrup, then the wine, brandy, and fruit juice. Stir to combine. Taste the mixture and add more simple syrup as needed. Serve in wine or punch glasses over ice. Insert good friends, good conversation, music (optional), and enjoy!

alright, almost time for the grand finale...

k

how to do a weekend in the georgia mountains

I’m stressed, driving in gruesome holiday traffic on Roswell road, trying to keep my nostrils from flaring. I cannot believe that I locked myself outta the house! Somewhere between leaving a key for my visiting guests and numerous wardrobe and purse changes over the last couple of days, I managed to leave both my spare and my regular house key inside the house. Now I’m driving across town to pick up the spare spare when I should be headed out of town for my relaxing weekend vacation in the mountains. GRRRRR!!

Heading up to the Georgia mountains is something I’ve done at least once a year since my senior year in college. Of course the Georgia mountains are nothing like those out west, they’re more like impressively large hills by comparison. But I always relish the opportunity to leave the smog and traffic of the city behind and immerse myself in nature and a much slower pace of existence for a few days. I try to focus on this idea instead of on the cuss-words I’d like to hurl at this guy tap-dancing on his brake pedal in front of me. My inner voice pipes up, “Be easy. In only a few hours, you’ll be practicing zazen from a rocking chair on the front porch of a charming cabin”. It’s enough to keep me sane for a bit longer.

Here’s a few tips should you need an escape to sanity as well.

Finding the Perfect Spot Whenever I head north, I stay in one of many available rental cabins in the area. Most require at least a 2-night stay, and several only rent by the week. Holiday weekends book fast, so even though there are lots of choices in the area, you’d be wise to plan ahead if you want to snag something for a holiday or in late October when the fall colors are at their peak.

A quick Google search for North Georgia mountain cabins will give you plenty to choose from. You can narrow the results by focusing on specific regions or cities. Some of my favorites areas are: Nantahala (which is actually in Tennessee / North Carolina but not much further than the others), Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, and Helen. If you want more of that ‘redneck Riviera’ feel (though, dear God, I can’t imagine why), check out Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville – there’s a main drag running through both of those that hosts a slew of carnival-like attractions. Craigslist is another viable option.

Expect to pay at least $100 / night for an average cabin with standard amenities – grill, washer/dryer, kitchen with all the supplies, TV / DVD / CD player. Larger cabins, or those with more plush offerings (e.g., wireless internet, wood-burning fireplace, ping pong or pool table, hot tubs, in-cabin massages), will be a little more, with some exceeding $200 / night. But if you recruit a few friends to go on the trip with you, it can still be very affordable.

Another thing to consider is the location of the cabin itself and what that will mean for the type of vehicle you’re driving. If you’ve got a four-cylinder sedan, you might not want a cabin that’s on a secluded mountain pass – a quick call to the rental office will let you know if you can make it.

Here are some sites I’ve rented from before: Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins GA Mountain Cabins Tica Cabins Avenair Cabins Cherry Log Cabin

Getting There You can reach your mountain getaway in a little more than an hour drive from Atlanta. Just head north on I-75 and take I-575 east until you reach the Blue Ridge area. Keep the camera handy, as there are some scenic views where you can pull over and catch some good photos. If you have time to spare, turn off on one of the many back roads (most are marked with ‘scenic drive’ signs) and go for a ride. You’ll pass dilapidated old farmhouses, huge pastures with sleepy looking cows and some of the prettiest horses you’ve ever seen. The long curving roads are great for bikers, too.

What to Bring First and foremost, be sure to bring a friendly attitude. Everyone in the area either lives in the country by choice, or is like you – temporarily escaping the city for a reason. Be prepared to wave at pretty much every person that passes you by in a vehicle or on foot.

Also pack some comfy hiking shoes; camera; cash / small bills for parking or entrance fees at some of the natural attractions. Bring a collection of CDs or your MP3 player, and something to read as you while away the afternoons on the porch. It might also be a good idea to bring bug spray and a flashlight in case you arrive in the evening or

What to Do If you’re determined to get out of the cabin for some sightseeing, there’s lots to choose from – horseback riding, fishing, boating, hiking, dining and shopping are all minutes away. If nostalgia is your thing, there’s a drive-in movie theater in Blue Ridge that shows first-run flicks. Also, the downtown areas of the surrounding cities have some cute, affordable arts / craft shops and charming cafes – perfect opportunities to get some unique souvenirs and engage in casual conversation with the locals.

On this particular trip, it was all about the falls for me. On the drive in, we stopped to see Amicalola Falls – one of the more popular ones on the area due to its impressive height.

After entering the state park, it’s a short drive and a small parking fee to pay to gain access to the top of the falls. You can enjoy the view from the top, or walk down the stairs to a bridge that’s right in front of the falls for some close-up photo opps. But be sure you’re really committed before you descend those stairs. With a total of 425 steps, it’s a piece of cake on the way down, but it’s absolutely no joke on the way back up. My calves were still sore the next day. Another falls I visited on this trip was Long Creek Falls. Though not as visually impressive as Amicalola, I liked this one better. Mainly because you can really get up close and personal. Instead of just taking pictures from a bridge, you can actually stick your toes into the icy cold water, climb out onto the rocks and lay out listening to the rushing waters rinse all your troubles away.     Here’s some links to other activities in the area: Self-Guided Tours: http://www.blueridgemountains.com/selfguidedtours.html Sample Itineraries: http://www.blueridgemountains.com/itineraries.html N. Georgia Falls: http://www.n-georgia.com/waterfal.htm Fishing Sites: http://www.theblueridgehighlander.com/fishing/

Tasty Vittles Of course, there are plenty of BBQ restaurants in the area – most of which are better than what you can find anywhere in the city of Atlantis. But I honestly can’t recommend any, as I usually bring my own food since – in case you haven’t noticed – I actually like to cook.If you decide to bring your own as well…keep it simple. There are grocery stores in the towns you’ll pass: think Food Lion and Super WalMart; not Kroger / Publix / Whole Foods. Bring only the food items and kitchen tools that are absolutely essential or might not be available at the aforementioned grocery chains or in the kitchen of the cabin you’ve rented.

It’s also a good idea to stock up on the sauce – not béarnaise, I’m talking the chest-warming kind. There are some major liquor depots on the way in, but many of the counties in the area are dry, so make sure you’re prepared for whatever cocktails you might wanna sip on.And speaking of cocktails…what mountain getaway would be complete without a signature cocktail? Here’s a quick recipe for the drink that was inspired by (and copiously consumed on) this trip. I’ve named it, The Appalachian Sarong, since my sarong was the primary component of my wardrobe for the entire weekend.The Appalachian Sarong 1 part Ketel One vodka 2 parts pineapple juice Wedge of lime, juiced Splash of tonic water or club sodacheers, k

adult beverages: how to make a caipirinha

It's that time of year when I start getting impromptu invites from friends who've cleaned off their patios and decks and have people over to share good food, good conversation and verygood drinks. I hate showing up empty-handed, and it's not always time- or cost-effective to cook something to share with a crowd. That's when I reach for one of my favorite cocktail recipes. It's easy to make yet still unique enough to spark some conversation around the drink itself.

What is this springtime spirit, you ask? None other than the beloved Brazilian beverage: the caipirinha.

Pronounced: kye-pee-REE-nyuh, I first had this drink when I visited Rio 6 years ago. Within minutes of arriving at our hotel, my friend and I made our way out onto the streets of Ipanema. We made quick friends with two lively (and drop-dead gorgeous) cariocas who insisted that they be the ones to buy us our first caipirinhas. They took us a few steps to a little booth / shack where a guy was serving up the citrusy drinks for $1 USD apiece! I watched as the guy chopped, smushed, and poured what ended up being the best drink i'd ever had (okay, maybe the scenery had a little to do with it too).

Anyhow, I made him make me another one and asked him to show me how to recreate the drink when I got home...the rest is history. Don't let the fancy name fool you, it's a really simple fix once you get the hang of it. And if you get raised eyebrows when you go to serve it to your guests, just tell 'em what I always say, "It's like a mojito, but without the mint".

Ingredients:

• 1 lime
• 2 rounded teaspoons granulated sugar (superfine if ya got it)
• cachaca (kuh-SHA-suh; brazilian rum) - if u don't have cachaca, u can substitute any other white rum or even vodka, but then you'd have to call the drink a caipivodka or caipiroska, don't worry. by any other name, it still tastes just as sweet
• crushed ice
• a pestle, muddler, or a wooden spoon
• old-fashioned or 'lowball' glass tumbler
• sugarcane - optional garnish

slice the ends off of the lime. cut the lime into four wedges, then cut each of the wedges in half. place the cut lime in the glass, and add the sugar. give the sugar and lime a good pressing / mushing with your muddler, pestle or spoon - the point is to get all the juicy, pulpy goodness out of the limes and to dissolve most of the sugar so you don't end up with a grainy beverage. next, add the crushed ice almost to the top of the glass. add the cachaca - again, almost filling the glass - and stir the mixture to combine everything. serve with a stalk of sugarcane as a garnish, or just slip in your straw and enjoy!

97%ALCOHOLIC

cheers,

k