Attention doting husbands and children: Mother's Day is right around the corner. As the mom of two small children whose energy levels are inversely proportionate to their ages, I'm here to speak up for mothers of the world and give you a hint about proper Mother's Day celebratory etiquette.
It's simple, really. We want to observe Mother's Day by shirking our motherly duties and being bona fide adults.
Preferably with our feet up and a cocktail in hand.
This brings me to some easy sparkling wine recipes, in case you're planning to whip up a nice brunch for your lovely wife or mother. For mix-in drinks, don't bother spending megabucks on real Champagne; go with an inexpensive Prosecco from Italy (such as Fantinel) or Cava from Spain (Friexenet and Segura Viudas are good bets).
Three basic but beloved Mom-friendly elixirs after the jump.
Sometimes, it has to be done. Maybe you're celebrating something. Maybe you're entertaining a client. Maybe your editor just chopped up your interview and you want to kill everyone. What am I talking about? Drinking at lunch.
Drinking at lunch can be dangerous. Some people get bad headaches from it, even from a glass of wine. It's really best to drink at lunch only if you're going to have time for a nap, but since that isn't realistic, make sure you have Advil at your desk - it might not hurt to pop a couple as a preventative measure.
Don't scare your clients, and don't knock yourself out. Avoid hardcore drinks like martinis, and avoid drinking your night drink during the day; it's likely to make you tired because your brain is used to having it before sleep. If you're particularly prone to afternoon headaches, it's a good idea to drink something involving juice or coffee to try and trick your brain a little.
In addition to headaches and naps (and wildly inappropriate crying jags), drinking at lunch can also cause raucous laughter, the closing of deals; the alleviation of unbearable tension, and a more carefree afternoon to follow.
My picks for what to drink at lunch ( In moderation) are after the jump...
This past July fourth, I celebrated Independence Day with family by concocting a drink inspired by an Italian Bellini. In a large champagne flute, I poured peach nectar and champagne. The combination created a heavenly delicate flavor and a wonderfully creamy textured drink. I used a wooden skewer to mix the peach nectar that beautifully settled towards the bottom of the glass.
Not only did the combination taste great, but aesthetically, it looked marvelous. The champagne sat on top of the peach nectar and assumed a light pink color. On the bottom of the flute, the nectar appeared bright red. I nearly hesitated to mix the two layers fearing that I'd lose the beauty of this cocktail masterpiece. Although I put the peach nectar in the flute first, you can do it in the reverse order. The pink colored layers would just be reversed. Next time you're entertaining, I highly suggest you make this drink.
As much as I love champagne, I think it was the gorgeous peach nectar that made this drink sublime. This artisanal nectar is produced by Emmanuelle Baillard in the village of Merceuil, in the region of Burgundy in France. Each bottle consists of 54 percent peach pulp. The rest is water and sugar. I highly recommend Baillard's various nectars.
What are some interesting cocktails you've tried recently?
Fall is my favorite season, for so many reasons (I'm a poet and I didn't even...well, you know the rest), and one of them is the food and drink options available. Fine Living has a list of 10 cocktails you can drink on those chilly fall days and nights. Maybe after a day of Christmas shopping, or when everyone is over your house on Thanksgiving Day and you're trying to figure out some way to have all of your family members get along.
If you haven't already read I havebeen to Italy. To the home of Prosecco to be precise, in the North East. Prosecco is both a grape and a style of sparkling wine and I am hooked, having previously ignored this classic Italian wine.
What I didn't realise was that the original Bellini was made with Prosecco and not, as I always believed, with Champagne. It was created in 1934 in Harry's Bar in Venice by Commendatore Guiseppi Cipriani and was named after the 15th century painter Giovanni Bellini who was the feature of an exhibition at the time. As it is beautifully hot as I write (and frankly I would rather be outside with a Bellini in hand instead of stuck in front of this flat screen) so a quick recipe...
Classic Bellini
1 1/2 shots fresh white peach puree
top up with Prosecco
Pour ingredients into a chilled champagne glass and stir.
Sparkling wines and champagne are definitely the drinks of choice on New Year's Eve, but if you are dressed to
kill there is no reason your cocktail shouldn't be, too. Adding strawberry puree to a classic Bellini in place of peach
gives this drink a deliciously sweet taste and a beautiful color. For those who would prefer not to have any alcohol,
you can use 7-up, sparkling cider or club soda instead.
Sometimes, it has to be done. Maybe you're celebrating something. Maybe you're entertaining a client. Maybe your editor just chopped up your interview and you want to kill everyone. What am I talking about? Drinking at lunch.
Fall is my favorite season, for so many reasons (I'm a poet and I didn't even...well, you know the rest), and one of them is the food and drink options available. Fine Living has 
If you haven't already read I 
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