Cocktail Hour: Stinger

I've been watching "Kiss them for Me," a war movie about Navy Pilots in World War II. Cary Grant orders the drink all over San Francisco on his shore leave...the Stinger. I just had to know what is in a Stinger?

The base:
Shake about 2 parts Cognac/Brandy with 1 part white creme de menthe and ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Variations:

• You can slightly vary the ratio of cognac to creme de menthe, I've seen different ratios all over the internet.
  
• You can substitute rum for cognac or brandy.
  
• You can serve the drink on the rocks in and old-fashioned glass with a short straw
  

Image from esquire.com

Get your Drink On

From the people who brought you Notcot... Liqurious, a fabulous website for all things alcoholic. From the latest brands and recipes to books and drinks seminars, everything you need or want to know about the latest trends in alcohol is at your fingertips. As with every other Notcot website, there are beautiful images accompanying each post. Impress your girlfriend with a delish, trendy cocktail. Impress your boss with the random information about obscure wine and liquors. Impress your drinking buddies with black vodka and the latest drinking gadgets. This website has it all!

Luther Burgers

I regularly gross out my health nut friends by describing one my father's childhood favorite desserts: glazed donuts, cut in half and fried on a skillet in butter. A picture has recently been circulating around the internet that puts this recipe to shame...the luther burgers. What is a Luther Burger? Why, it is a bacon cheeseburger served on a glazed donut instead of a bun. This divine dish is apparently a favorite of the a NYC google chef, who served in the cafeteria to celebrate his birthday. I am equal parts intrigued and disgusted. While I would not recommend serving your date a Luther Burger, it could make for some mighty interesting dinner conversation.

Image from flickr

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Cocktail Hour: Mint Julep

The mint julep is a classic summer cocktail that has become synonymous with the Kentucky Derby, perhaps because of its bourbon base. Recently my sister commented that one of her male friends likes to drink mint juleps on the porch during the summer, and added "Isn't that a girly drink?" I responded with a resounding NO! The mint julep is classic, and one should never be afraid to order one or mix up a batch on a sweltery summer night.

The base:
Make up a small batch of minted simple syrup by adding 1 bunch chopped mint to hot simple syrup made by dissolving 1 cup of sugar in 1 cup of water of medium heat. Allow syrup to cool, you may strain out the mint if you choose. Pour a little less than 1 oz. minted simple syrup into a glass and fill glass with crushed ice. Pour 2-3 oz of Bourbon (I favor Markers Mark). Add just a touch of water if necessary to fill the glass. Garnish with fresh mint.

Variations:

• If you do not have minted simple syrup, you can muddle fresh mint in the bottom of the glass with simple syrup.
  
• For the most authentic presentation you should use a silver mint julep cup, as pictured above.
• Mint juleps made with any sort of mix are vile, don't buy pre-made mix!
  

**Muddling means crushing/pulverizing into the bottom of the glass

Image from epicurious

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Surprise your sweetie with a love letter

Love letters are always a welcome surprise and a wonderful keepsake. Personally, I still have all of my husband's old love letters. My favorites are poems that he wrote in the style of e.e.cummings, my favorite poet. He is an engineer, not a poet, but these poems are perfect for me. Here are a few tips for writing a love letter:

• Use high quality stationary...if you don't know what high quality stationary is, you are always safe with something from Crane.
• Your stationary should express your personality...don't buy pink paper if you abhor pink
• Feel free to spritz the letter with your cologne
• Be honest and open, but don't feel like you have to get super mushy
• You might make a list of things you love about your lover in the letter
• You probably don't want to get into graphic sexual details
• You might write a letter about what you thought and felt when you first met
• You might write a letter about the moment you first knew you were in love
• Seal the letter in an envelope, lined envelopes are always nicer
  
• Leave the letter in a random place, but make it very obvious and make sure that no one else will find it first OR mail it OR hand it over at the end of a date...the element of surprise is always nice
• Up the romance quotient by delivering it with a single red rose
• Don't send a secret admirer note, they are a little scary and stalkerish in this day and age
• Surprise your soon to be spouse with a love letter on the morning of your wedding, before you walk down the aisle
  

Image from gethimback

Barguments

When I was on a 10 hour road trip with a girlfriend I would ask questions from a book I'd picked up full of "getting to know you" kinds of questions. It was a little lame, but as we crossed the wilds of Canada it was at least a distraction. If only we'd have Barguments, a book full of totally random and totally entertaining questions with very open ends. Even better, you can debate these questions drunk!

A few examples:
"In your dream kitchen, would you rather have a beer tap or a Slurpee machine?"
" If you could marry into any family, which would you choose?"
"Who would win in a war: Texas or California?"

Image from Amazon

A primer in conflict diamonds

Every woman out there wants conflict free diamonds. As a suitor you must be responsible and aware of what a conflict diamond is (beyond what you learned in Blood Diamond). Wendy B, jeweler extraordinaire, has written a primer in conflict diamonds that you should check out before you start purchasing bling for your lady.

Image from about.com

The Art of Manliness

I provide advice on "how to be a man" from a woman's perspective here at the Charming Dandy, and the Art of Manliness provides similar information from the perspective of a man. The Art of Manliness is well written and touches on some great topics, go check it out!

Image from The Art of Manliness

Charming Chat: Colette

Colette was more than a writer in France, we was a cultural icon. Upon her death she was given a full state funeral. She was the second woman in history to be made a grand officer of the Legion of Honor by the French government.

This podcast talks about who Colette was, her major works and why she was so important.

Introducing Charming Chat

Introducing Charming Chat, the new podcast brought to you by Chic and Charming and the Charming Dandy! I have been able to figure out how to do almost everything except post one of those little players in my actual blog. So, my dear readers, you will have to click on the image above to find out what my new podcast is all about!

If you would like to subscribe to my podcast via RSS (ie on your blog reader) click here:

I will keep you posted each time I put up a new podcast! I am not on iTunes yet, but I hope to be listed within the month so that you can automatically download Charming Chat to your iPod!

Cocktail Hour: Old-Fashioned

The old-fashioned is a classic cocktail that every bourbon and whiskey lover should know how to make. It is one of my personal favorites, and requires little skill to prepare. There is a great deal of room to personalize the cocktail to suit your tastes. I like mine with extra cherries.

The base:
Muddle a maraschino cherry with an orange slice in the bottom of a glass with a teaspoon of sugar and 2 dashes of bitters. Pour 2-3 oz of Bourbon (I favor Markers Mark).

Variations:

• You may serve it neat or on the rocks, I prefer rocks
• The drink is typically topped off with soda water. I find the amount of soda water preferred varies from person to person.
• Some people add lemon.
  
• Using an fruit infused bourbon adds a nice touch. To infuse bourbon, dice up fruit and add to bourbon. Let the mixture sit for a week or two in the fridge. Strain out the fruit and the bourbon should now taste like the fruit. I like peach infused bourbon.
  

*Angostura bitters is available from the grocer
**Muddling means crushing/pulverizing into the bottom of the glass

Image from seriouseats.com

Cocktail Hour: Sidecar

Cognac is an excellent spirit to keep stocked in your liquor cabinet, it is a high quality brandy from a specific region in France. Cognac can be sipped straight up, as an excellent after dinner drink, however this is a little too strong for some palates. So, while you might sip your cognac, your friends could prefer a delicious sidecar.

The Base:
Shake 1.5 oz. of Cognac with .5 oz of Cointreau and .5 oz of lemon juice. Strain into a cocktail glass with a cherry nestled at the bottom.

Variations:

• I like to make my "sidecars" by mixing 2 oz of Cognac with 1 oz of a mixture of lemon and orange juice and a dash of simple syrup. I only use fresh juice to make mixed drinks, it makes a huge difference.
• If you MUST, you can substitute triple sec for cointreau
• Other Brandies can be substituted for Cognac.
• I like my sidecar with a sugared rim

Image from drinkalizer.com

Cocktail Hour: Classic Champaign Cocktail

Spice things up a bit the next time you have left over champaign and try out a classic champaign cocktail. Champaign makes a great base for mixed drinks, simply adding fruit purees can produce an entirely new drink! The classic champaign cocktail, however, is a cocktail of sophistication and glamor...just watch Casablanca.

The base:
One sugar cube in the bottom of glass and cognac is poured into the glass (about an ounce, the amount can vary with your preference). The glass is topped off with champaign.

Variations:

• The sugar cube is somewhat optional, but adds to the fun. It is kind of a pain to clean out of the bottom of the glass in the end.

Image from stepmothersmilk.com

• A small box of high end chocolates, think Vosges, Burdick, or Richart
• A creative flower bouquet
  
• Gourmet tea (maybe an herbal red tea or a rose infused black tea) or coffee, if she drinks coffee or tea
  
• A classic romantic movie such as: Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany, To Catch a Thief, Some Like it Hot or Amelie
  
• Something to pamper herself with, like Lush bath products (but NOT a massage bar)
• A gift certificate for a massage from a spa (not from you) or a pedicure
• Invite her over for homemade dinner, serve champaign
• Do not get: jewelry, anything heart shaped, lingerie, make up, anything that plugs in, anything domestic. Overall try to avoid anything overly romantic or cheesy, unless she has dropped some heavy hints that she is into that sort of gift.
  

You can do MUCH better than roses for V-day...

Flowers from Winston Flowers


Flowers from Winston Flowers


Flowers from Martha Stewart Flowers (lily, orchid)


Flowers from Martha Stewart and 1800flowers

Roses for Valentines day...cliche, expensive, a bit banal...you can do better! It is possible that roses are your significant other's favorite flower...if that is the case PLEASE get her roses for Valentine's Day, otherwise I recommend considering another more creative and perhaps even more beautiful option.

I've provided a few example of my favorite truly classic flowers above. Calla lilies and mini calla lilies are always a classic look, sophisticated and minimalist. Orchid plants are fabulous and usually bloom forever, I currently have a white orchid on my mantle which has been blooming for a month. Peonies, parrot tulips and sweet peas are delicate and feminine, they make for the perfect romantic bouquets!

The sources I have listed above are good sources for Valentine's Day flowers, but nothing ever lasts as well as the flowers you pick up from you local florist. Also, flowers from the florist really do last better than those from the grocery store, with orchid plants as a possible exception. I regularly buy my orchids from Trader Joe's, and they last beautifully.

Valentines Guide: Chocolates for your Sweetie

Perhaps it seems a bit premature for a Valentine gift guide...but Valentines Days is rapidly approaching! Reservations for dinner, online present ordering, these things take time and planning, wait much longer and all the best restaurants will be booked up. So, over the next week the Charming Dandy will provide a guide to Valentine's Day. First up, chocolates! These days a box of chocolates need not be a tasteless Valentine cliche, there are several companies specializing in delish high end chocolates which are sure to impress your sweetie. The beauty of chocolates is that they are appropriate at any stage in your relationship, perfect for a spouse or for a third date. Vosges is one of my favorite shops, offering high end chocolates with creative fillings artfully presented. Here are a few of my top Vosges picks for Valentines Day:

• For the extravagant lover who wants to shower their lover with a year of goodies, the Chocolate of the Month Club sends a different 9 piece truffle set every month or every two months.
  
• The Marchesa Truffle Collection is a nine piece set of black salt caramel covered in dark chocolate and decorated with edible pearly dust. These beautiful truffles are sure to take your lover's breath away.
• The Hip Hop Collection will be a huge hit with any gourmand. This set of nine truffles features gold leaf floating a top a white chocolate Krug champaign truffle.
• The Aztec Tower is a chocolate collection that will surely add a little spice to your love life. This three part tower includes a nine piece truffle set, a delicious Aztec chocolate bar (one of my favorite Vosages bars flavored with cinnamon and chillies), and a decadent drinking chocolate.
  
• Finally, the Exotic Truffle Collection offers a great selection of different truffle offerings for when you just can't decide what your lover might like best!
  

Images from Vosges.com