Showing posts with label brew with lu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brew with lu. Show all posts

Friday, November 17, 2017

Friday Feels - Volume VII

It's FriYAY! I'm sorry, I just canNOT get into that word. I like the sound of Friday just as it is. But here are some things I *am* into:

The controversial and massive $50 million Nicollet Mall overhaul is finally complete, which held an opening celebration last night. And our Mary is back in place!

She sits near the area of her iconic hat toss from the open credits of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. 

Have you ever noticed the bespectacled, kerchiefed woman at the end of the shot, who is giving some serious side eye to Mary?
Well, her name was Hazel Frederick - read about her story HERE

Also, since we are on a MTM kick - come visit me in Minneapolis, and we will do a mini Mary tour:

Were you into high school theater? It was a pretty big deal at my school and some of my happiest teenage memories are from on and off that Eagan High School stage. 

That's why I will definitely be tuning into this upcoming TV show where former class/cast-mates reunite to give one last performance of their favorite musical. Hm...maybe EHS should sign up?

It's been gloomy and cold around these parts. Last year we had such an extended warm fall that I got spoiled. Plus, with the darkness settling in each night by 5pm, it really can get you down. A suggestion from a family member led me to try SAM-e, a supposed natural mood enhancer. Maybe it is a placebo effect, but my outlook has brightened since taking them.

The news has been hard to take this week (or every week, really.) There is so much to unpack and sort through on a lot of really uncomfortable subjects. This week in particular, I've been disappointed in men. But at the same time, I'm honored to know so many wonderful males in my life. I won't go into all of the ongoing mess any further on a silly blog, but I did think this article had many strong points to be said about raising kind and confident boys.

I'm not a habit-forming kind of person. I tend to switch things up and multitask to the point where I always have a million unfinished projects. I've spent so much time organizing other people's lives, that my own tasks are left to dangle. Lately, I've taken charge of that and one tool that has really helped me is the Habit List app.

There are no bells and whistles, but it is very user friendly and I find the streak-incentive addictive. 8 glasses of water a day, here I come!

Or if not water, maybe beer...?

I admit, I often buy beer much like I buy makeup - based on the name and packaging. Luckily with these design-forward brews, the beer inside is just as impressive as the cool cans.

I fell in love with this colorful and mind-bending can when it was first released late summer, but couldn't score a pack before they sold out. I still was able to taste the hazy and fruit-heavy IPA at Fair State's Oktoberfest shindig and found it super refreshing. I was thrilled that they decided to have one more limited release this week - this time I was on the case - literally!

Sours are an acquired taste and not necessarily my first choice, but how could I not love a Lucy? 

This one totally shocked me. I grabbed a 6-pack after being drawn in by the mystic aurora borealis themed-can. I clearly did not look past the pretty midnight colors swirling about because this broo is a combo of ale and cold brew coffee! It is quite interesting and definitely wakes you up.

What are some of your favorite artfully contained beers?







Friday, August 4, 2017

Friday Feels - Volume III

Today's Friday Feels is chock full of recommendations that I've been given or recalled as of late.

Three different people sent me information about these pouches constructed from recycled theater backdrops (how do you guys know me so well?!). Now we can all have a little piece of theatrical magic, even when offstage.

A true tribute to a true buddy:

Locally crafted and beautifully designed:

The summer Box of Style was filled with treasures that were so fun to unwrap and have been put to stylish use every day since arrival.
If you click through THIS link, you'll get $10 off your first box.

Two of the biggest "likes" in Minnesota are beer & choir. So it is no surprised that combining the two results in popular perfect harmony. Next up - a round at the MN State Fair.

With the current state of politics, people like this give me hope!

Which helps since I basically feel exactly like Patti:

A gem of a podcast by author Malcolm Gladwell, who always enables intellectual spark.

Ah...this store! I like it.

For some time, this was only legend as the Sandra Lee team worked hard to keep it off of the interwebs. But now it can be viewed in all its non-delicious deliciousness.

Self help gurus usually have me rolling my eyes. But there is something to be said about a positive outlook on your life and reminding yourself of all the good there is to be cherished.

Thank you for all of the fascinating recommendations - keep 'em coming!





Thursday, August 3, 2017

IPA Day

Apparently, today is National IPA Day. I know, I know...these "holidays" are ridiculous. But, when it comes to ice cream, margaritas, puppies, and beer, I'll get behind observing such faux celebrations.



I wasn't always a fan of the bitter, forward punch of an IPA. It was something that grew on me. But now, like with coffee and spice, the stronger the better.

A few of my (many) favorites include:


What is your favorite hoppy brew to indulge in? Go have one right now - Cheers!














Friday, March 17, 2017

St. Patrick's Day 2017 - Guinness Chocolate Pudding With Bailey's Whipped Cream

Ohhhhhhhhh gee. 2016. There is so much to say, yet hard to find the words. And then came 2017. Where someone arrived uninvited to my party. For four years, supposedly. But, we are going to swallow all of that for now (this blog has never been about the real, serious issues in life) in order to talk about a wee little holiday - St. Patrick's Day. My mom, who has been quite the family genealogist for the past decade, informed me that our Irish roots stem from the: Rafferty, McCartney, Fitzgerald, Farrell, Ryan, Barry, Budd and Taylor clans. (Did you just find out you are related to me?) A few of those lads and lassies made a new life for themselves in the expansive Midwest of the United States. You know, immigrants. Oof, there we go with the current complicated life problems that I'm trying to avoid...back to silly, fun, observations and frippery. Like alcohol! And chocolate! Everything is OK! 
Mmmmm

Is there any dessert more comforting than pudding? I'm not sure if it is the texture or the name or the fact that you eat it with a spoon, but I don't know one person who doesn't release a little bit of stress when they hear pudding is in their future. In case there is still some tension hanging on, let's add some adult beverages to the mix. Ahh...now we are feeling all is good, right?
Friends

I had seen some version of this recipe floating around every year and finally had the resolve (and the ingredients) to make it.

The stout brings out the depths of chocolate and will cook off enough not to make any under-aged partakers loopy. You can substitute plain whipped or chantilly cream for those young folk, but for the elders, you are in for a treat with this addition! I will give you fair warning: the Bailey's-laced whipped cream is so addictive. You will want to dollop it on anything you ever put into your pie hole from this day forth.

You can serve this dessert via any vessel, but my favorite for the occasion were these mini pint glasses - shout out to North River Hops & Brewing! The pudding is so decadent and rich, that the small portion tends to be just the right amount for a special lucky treat. You can find similar tasting glasses on Amazon.

I used THIS simple recipe for the pudding and THIS (with the addition of vanilla) for the whipped cream "foam". Finished them off with some chocolate shavings, but I imagine green sprinkles or decorative sugar would be even more festive. Cheers, my friends!




Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Bubbly Buh-BYE, 2014!

It's time to say farewell to the past twelve months and welcome 2015 to the world. The best way to ring in a New Year is toasting with something bubbly.
OK, surprise, surprise, the above is NOT Minne-snow-ta. It's Mexico, where I recently (and happily) imbibed quite a few champagne con cerezas.

Back to reality...
This is the ONLY way to chill champagne in Minnesota during the months of November-March. Ask any decent Minnesotan. 

But there is more to champagne than chilling it in some snow.
Here is some Champagne 101:

And second semester:

And for the physical basics:

For those more adventurous/dramatic - have you ever sabered your bottle?

If any of you try the above, I want to see the video!

Champagne is always a class act by itself, but for an event such as a new year, why not play around with some creative cocktails?




See anything to your liking?

Those who aren't into Don P can opt for a champagne-like beer, such as Brooklyn Brewery's big bottles that utilize champagne yeast.

And just because there is an absence of ABV, doesn't mean there needs to be a lack of fun. Try THESE nonalcoholic concoctions to add festivity to sober selections.

A tale told every New Year's Eve in my household involves some champagne flutes that provided quite a laugh (and quite a mess) many holidays ago. After sipping, as you rotated the glass back down, a perfectly formed drop of champagne would BLOP! back out into your face. Usually your eye. They were not much for function, but a hoot, nonetheless. We could never bear to part with them.

While nothing will ever surpass my love for those tricky tumblers, I might have a vintage set of coupe glasses on my wish list for 2015. How Mad Men!

Of course, you can just eat your spirits, then no glass needed.

If all else fails, go Spring Break style - with champagne.

Champagne is not just for solo sipping anymore - in fact, champagne pairing has become another skill to add to your culinary and palette know-how.

Ah...food, fizziness, folly. The last day of the year is so wonderful in its frivolity, when any worry or stress can disappear with the changing digit. Happy Days Are Here Again in 5...4...3...2...1...

See ya next year, friends! HAPPY 2015!