Green with Envy

Happy Monday! I'm starting the week off with a bang and getting rid of those Monday Blues, pronto! Did you see last night's episode of Game of Thrones? If not, it's cool. I'm not going to give away any spoilers but I am going to talk about one of my favorite characters on the show, however, and how she came to be the inspiration behind this drink!

When I think of dragons, and more so, the Mother of Dragons, the first color that comes to mind is green. You'd think I'd go with a red, an orange; anything fiery. Passionate. But there's something cold and earthy about Khaleesi. She is a force to be reckoned with. AND she makes mistakes, regardless of what and who she's made up of. That's real, and the color green, to me, has a tranquil feeling but at the same time, there's something powerful within the palette of green. And that she is. Tell me a woman who watches GoT that you know of who isn't a little envious of her life. She's got pet dragons, for Pete's sake!

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Green with Envy

Ingredients:

2 oz cucumber, roughly chopped
A sprig of basil
1.5 oz Korean Soju
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz Limoncello
Sprite or club soda
Extra cucumber for garnish

Directions:

In a juicer, press cucumber and basil.
Shake ingredients together (EXCEPT carbonated drinks) with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with cucumber rose and top with limoncello and Sprite/club soda.

Mostly consisted of cucumber, then basil, lemon, Korean soju and a mixture of carbonated drinks, the Green with Envy cocktail is subtly sweet and refreshingly cool. Perfect for warmer weather. Have you heard of Secret Squirrel Food? She is an amazing food blogger based in Dubai who's been trendsetting the 'avocado rose' while also playing up on different fruits and vegetables incorporating the same style of plating like with the avocado. When I made my first avocado rose, it was so beautiful, that I didn't want to eat it! So as a final touch to my cucumber garnish, I recreated a miniature version of a cucumber rose Secret Squirrel Food did on her blog. At first, I thought it'd look super cute, like a water lily pad, within the drink, but then I figured it would be too big and in the way.

Which is why it's teeny-tiny and in my opinion, a nice modest touch to the cocktail. Especially when in a martini glass, the garnish should remain sleek and sophisticated just like the glass. What's your favorite drink in a martini glass? A classic martini? Gin or vodka? Maybe a Vesper like James Bond? I'd love to hear your favorites! Leave your comments down below. Thanks for reading! As always, you can download the recipe from the click-on button. And you can also find me on Yummly and foodgawker.

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Soju Purple Rain

I know my post from Saturday was a Prince tribute through an outfit, and I really couldn't help but pay tribute again through a fancy schmancy cocktail! Hump Day calls for vibrantly, fresh drinks. And after last night's event at 80 Washington Place, a $31.5M townhouse I had the wonderful pleasure of attending Out of Office NY and Drink Lynk's influencer cocktail party! It was packed and it was poppin' (bottles).

And so, with inspiration from last evening's soiree, I leave you with Soju Purple Rain. The majority of this cocktail recipe is fresh fruit. Healthy, yummy and appealing, I used blackberries, blueberries, and pineapple. 2/3rd's of berries and the rest pineapple. But instead of the classic Purple Rain cocktail, I opted for Korean soju, as this is mostly the only liquor, besides scotch, that I have been experimenting with lately. 

I had to use vintage Playboy stirrers for the occasion. I think of Prince, the ultimate sex symbol, and what came to mind next? Bunnies, lots of Playboy bunnies. Ha ha ha! And how cute is it with some garnished fruit? Very sexy, fun, and cool. Just the way Prince would've liked it. 

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Soju Purple Rain

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 oz Korean Soju
3 oz blueberry juice
3 oz blackberry juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1 squeeze of fresh lemon
2 Stirrers
Blackberry, pineapple and fresh mint to garnish.

Directions:
Shake all together with ice and strain into a chilled glass with ice.
Place a piece of pineapple and blackberry onto stirrers. Fresh mint to garnish.
Enjoy immediately!

I also added a squeeze of lemon to bring all the fruits together and to keep the color brightly alive. Can't forget the mint for extra garnish! I think it brings all the colors together nicely and makes for the perfect spring drink! I always like coming up with a healthier kind of cocktail, that way it's not as bad when I decide to have one (should that ever be more than a little prosecco or Korean vodka, because that's basically all I drink, and it's maybe only once a month.) 😉

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

The Chella

Happy Sunday Funday! With Coachella rockin' hard into the weekend, I've been inspired by non-stop photos/videos of spinning grooves and wild, carefree bohemian free spirits! And since I couldn't be there this year, [insert sad face (NEXT YEAR!)], I am in spirit!

So, while my fellow hipsters are enjoying the endless amounts of parties and dancing in the desert, I opened all my windows in my New York City apartment while doing some spring cleaning today. Of course, some beats were playing amidst the background while sprucing up the joint!

Let me tell you about The Chella: She's sweet, playful, fun and even a bit flirty. It contains three simple ingredients: Cantaloupe juice, CALPICO® original soft drink, and Korean soju. The CALPICO® soft drink was a childhood favorite and oh, so, Asian. It's fresh and white, with a distinctive flavor. It kind of tastes like coconut, but less nutty. Think vanilla yogurt. It's absolutely delicious and goes perfectly well with the melon.

Photos & recipe by © Suzanne Spiegoski

The Chella Cocktail

Serves 2 - 3
Ingredients:

1/2 cantaloupe, juiced
1/2 cup CALPICO® Original Soft Drink
4 oz Korean Soju
Fresh mint

Directions:
Shake all together with ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass.
Grind the black pepper on top and place a couple pieces of fresh mint to garnish.
Enjoy immediately!

My favorite part about this cocktail? The freshly grounded pepper as a garnish. Last week I also posted a cocktail recipe that included black pepper as a garnish as well. I find it to bring all the flavor together, all the while giving a refreshing, delightful aftertaste. It's one of those drinks where you'll enjoy every last sip, down to the very last drop.

What are some of your favorite artists playing at Chella this year? I would've killed to see Disclosure, Matoma, CHVRCHES, Grimes, and Gun N' Roses (though I read and heard their performance was a doozy.) Can't wait to see what the lineup will be already for next year! Ha ha! But seriously kiddies, if you're hanging out on the West Coast this week, have a Pink's hot dog (or two) for me, some In-N-Outties, and of course, some major fun times. Be safe and stay cool!✌️

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

The Black and Orange

The Black and Orange Cocktail

Serves 2

Ingredients:

All photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

1.5 oz. Scotch
.5 oz. Amaro Meletti
.5 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
1.5 oz. fresh pressed carrot juice
Fresh ground black pepper for garnish

Directions:

Shake all together with ice and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
Grind the black pepper on top to garnish.

It's Thirsty Thursday and I couldn't help but make another cocktail! Like I've mentioned before, I'm not even an occasional drinker. I might have a few drinks within an entire year, but I've been so into mixology as of late! Since the first couple of cocktails I created were mostly focused on Korean vodka, I wanted to change it up to a different kind of liquor and to make a cocktail fitted for the spring season. Created by Rob Krueger from Brooklyn's Extra Fancy, the Black and Orange pulls in lemon and carrot juice for a drink that's entirely refreshing. Also with a scotch base, this cocktail takes its cues from Yellow Chartreuse and Amaro Meletti, which lift up the brown spirit in a delightful way.

My favorite part of this drink? The fresh ground black pepper as a garnish! It really gives the drink a pleasant palette, along with a stimulating aftertaste. I received an Ozeri electronic pepper grinder and a set of 4 Curva Artisan Series Double Wall Beverage Glasses and Tumblers in order to facilitate a review of their products. The Ozeri pepper grinder is not only electronic but gives you 3 set ways to grind the pepper. From fine to coarse, all it takes is one push of the top button and voila! I wasn't a fan of picking up 6 batteries for the darn appliance, though! That was the only setback in my opinion. The cups I received as well are handmade, double-wall thermo glasses, each glass boasting a unique curvature that holds 8 ounces. They are small, but what's great about these beverage cups is that they can be used for both hot and cold drinks! I love kitchen products/appliances that can be used for more than one task. In this case, these are my new favorite drink cups! You can find both the cups and pepper grinder at Amazon. Next on MaQ + Suz? A brand spanking new Korean fusion recipe! Stay tuned...

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Korean Soju Blood Orange Cream Soda Floats

You've made it midweek and deserve an adult treat! Even though I'm not much of a drinker, my French hubby loves cocktails and was more than happy to be my guinea pig. Blood oranges are all the rage and a complementary fit for spring cocktails with its tasty, citrusy flavor. I wanted something acidic to go with the tartness from the Korean soju and the color from the oranges is gorgeous. Pretty in pink, this sexy adult beverage is playful and luxurious, and will keep your taste buds desiring more! The perfect mixology of sinful, sugary tang! And what's sweeter than a heavenly scoop of good ole fashioned vanilla ice cream, on top?! If you're a fan of floats, you won't want to miss out on trying this dreamy Korean fusion concoction! Don't forget to download recipe below. Oh! And MaQ sends his love (and approval) of these drinks as well! 😉🍹💕

Korean Soju Blood Orange Cream Soda Floats

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cane sugar
4 blood oranges, juiced and the zest of 2
1 tsp lemon juice
8 oz Charm Korean Soju
Club soda or sparkling water
Vanilla ice cream
Cocktail shaker
Strainer/Sieve
Straws

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, blood orange juice and zest, and lemon juice in a small pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to low boil for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and cool for 1 hour.
3. As an option, strain the now syrupy mixture through a sieve to remove zest and pulp. Keep sealed and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Measure 1 1/4 cup of blood orange syrup and soju into a cocktail shaker.
5. Shake until mixed through. Pour into 4 serving glasses.
6. Top with club soda until it reaches about 1 1/2 inches from the top of the glass. Stir briefly to combine.
7. Top the float with ice cream and serve immediately.

Love & xx's,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ