Strawberry Mojito with Giant Strawberry Ice Sphere

Are you enjoying the strawberry season like I do?  I certainly hope so.  Today, I want to share this super fun cocktail with you that combined 2 of my favorite things, strawberries and Mojito!



In a traditional Mojito, this cocktail consists of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.  It’s a super refreshing cocktail that has a combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint that complement the potent of the rum.  The soda water adds a little evanescent that takes this refreshing cocktail to another level.



In my version of Mojito, not only that I muddle in some fresh strawberries along with the mint leaves, there’s also a strawberry simple syrup along with a giant strawberry ice sphere that makes this drink looks super cool, in my opinion!  Pun intended! 



Don’t you love the vibrant color of this drink?  I absolutely love how gorgeous it looks and it tastes just as amazing!  It’s slightly sweet and the tartness from the fresh lime juice and strawberries balanced well with each other.



If you’re hosting a Spring or Summer party! You’ve got to prepare this cocktail!  For me, this Strawberry Mojito is definitely a Friday 5 o’clock regular! It’s the perfect way to unwind a work week!  I hope that you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial.  Stay tuned for more fun and refreshing recipe next week!  Cheers!





Tools and Ingredients used  (May contain affiliate links):

Tovolo Ice Sphere Mold (Click here for more information)
Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)
Potato Masher (Click here for more information)
Cocktail Shaker (Click here for more information)
Old Fashion Glasses (Click here for more information)
Mojito Glasses (Click here for more information)
Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water (Click here for more information)





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Rosé Gummy Bears

Have you seen the latest obsession over the internet and Bloggiverse?  Yes, I just made that “B” word up (but how else would you call it?)  Anyway, I meant to say, these Rosé Gummy Bears are all over the place!  The popular confession company that manufactures these Rosé Gummy Bears simply went out of stocks over the unexpected demand.  As a result, over 18,000 people had to get on the waiting list to order them!  I could totally understand why!  I mean, who wouldn’t love these cutie pinkish gummy bears that are packed with romantic Rosé flavor?  I know I couldn’t resist!



The first time when I came across these gorgeous and cutie little bears was in Hawaii over the summer.  The hotel that we stayed had a little shop that carries confessions.  But due to the limited luggage space, I had to refrain myself from buying them.  Plus, instead of paying $8.50 USD for just a small box, I decided that I can simply make these at home.  After all, they are quite easy and fun to make.  Another advantage of creating your own gummy is that you can select your favorite Rosé that suits your palates. 



If you’re hosting a party, bridal shower, celebrations, or girls gatherings, I say these Rosé Gummy Bears would be the perfect conversation starter!  You can also package them as party favors for your guests to take home as well. 



If you’ve watched the video tutorial at the beginning of this post, you can see that I used 2 different silicone molds to make these gummies.  One with a traditional gummy bear shape and the other with a rose shape.  They both came out gorgeous and the silicone molds that I had are so easy to use.  I love that the gummy bear mold a lot because it comes with a little dropper for easy filling.  I’ll list the products that I used at the end of the post for your convenience.



These Rosé Gummy Bears are truly amazing. They are only slightly sweet and you can totally taste the Rosé in them.  So, make sure you choose a wine that you would enjoy drinking (by the glass) to make these treats.  To amp up the pink color in these Rosé Gummy Bears, I added a few drops of Homemade Beet Root Natural Red food colorant.  Since I had shared this food colorant recipe in the past, I’ll list the link below so that you can check out the video tutorial as well!  Last but not least, I added a tiny amount of edible pink shimmer powder in them as well.  It added so much shine, and totally glam up these Rosé Gummy Bears!   



I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and video tutorial.  Please stay tuned for more fun and gorgeous recipe.  Until next time, have a Fabulous Friday!


Tools and Ingredients Used:

Gummy Bear Mold (Click here for more information)
Rose Shape Silicone Mold  (Click here for more information)
Edible Pink Shimmer Powder  (Click here for more information)
Unflavored Gelatin Powder (Click here for more information)
Heat Proof Measuring Cups (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Organic Non-Stick Cooking Spray  (Click here for more information)
All Natural Beet Root Red Colorant (Click here for more information)





This recipe contains alcohol.  Please read our Health and General Disclaimers.

Pineapple Gin Fizz

Raise your hands if you’ve already dusted off the grill and started off the Barbeque season!  If you’ve done so, good for you!  Well, I have to say, I am a little bit behind on starting the grill this year.  Maybe because it’s already too hot out there even without the grill?  Or, I just haven’t get the inspiration on new BBQ recipes to try, just yet.  Are you the same like me, who needs a little motivation, or a kick at the back?  Guess what, I guess this Pineapple Gin Fizz will help.  It’s super refreshing and it is such a fun drink to enjoy while you man the grill. 



This Pineapple Gin Fizz is both sweet and slightly tart at the same time.  I love the tropical flavor of pineapple and orange in this drink.  The little carbonated bubbly makes it extra refreshing.  Perfect for the hot summer days, especially when you’re firing up the grill.  Hm….I guess I’ll be grilling some pineapple slices to make Hawaiian Hamburgers to kick off the BBQ season along with this Pineapple Gin Fizz!  Want to see how I made this cocktail?  Click on the video tutorial below! 










I hope you enjoyed watching my video tutorial.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my YouTube channel here.  You’ll be the first to know when I have new video tutorials published.  Do you have a favorite cocktail?  Please share in the comment below.  Thank you for stopping by and stay tuned for more fun summer recipes.



Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Blackberry Lime Mimosa

Mimosa is a cocktail drink composed of one part champagne (or sparkling wine) and one part citrus fruit juice, usually orange juice.  It is traditionally served in a tall champagne flute during brunch or to guests at weddings.  Today, I’m twisting and changing things up a bit.  As many of you know that I love having brunch at home, and a cocktail here and there.  This Blackberry Lime Mimosa is a great new taste to try if you’re feeling a little adventurous.



I started this cocktail with a good amount of fresh lime juice for the refreshing citrus flavor; then I muddled some blackberries along with fresh mint leaves for a little sweetness and freshness.  I couldn't help it but took a deep breath to take it all in.  The citrus, berries and mints smelled divine!  Then, I pour in a little simple syrup and shaken it well with some ice; next, I filled my champagne glasses half way with the blackberry lime mixture and top the glasses with some prosecco.  That’s what I usually have on hand (or I should say, available in the fridge so I don't sound like an alcoholic!  hahaha....).  Of course, you can use champagne as well.



This cocktail is slightly sweet and tart at the same time, very refreshing and perfect for Spring.  If you have a brunch to serve or gathering to host, this would make a great cocktail for your guests.  You can make the blackberry lime mixture ahead of time and simply pour the prosecco when your guests arrive.  This is a lovely recipe and I can see myself making it over and over again.  Do you have a favorite cocktail recipe to share?  What is your favorite ingredients to use in a cocktail (I love citrus)?  Leave me a comment below and let me know.  I can't wait to find out!  Cheers to Spring!





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Cranberry Sparkling Martini

Can't believe it's only a few days from Christmas!  Are you in the Holiday mood yet?  If not, give this Cranberry Sparkling Martini a try and you will be in the Holiday mood for sure.  Forget about the holiday baking and chaotic shopping malls for a while.  Let's relax with a Holiday drink, and cheers!



I love the slightly sweet and tart flavors from this Cranberry Sparkling Martini.  First, I prepare the cranberry syrup by cooking up some fresh cranberries with some water, sugar and orange peels.  Let the syrup steep a little so the flavor really infused into the syrup.  When you're ready to put the cocktail together, prepare the orange zest sugar rim for the martini glasses.  The orange zest is so fragrant and refreshing, and truly brightens up this drink.  Not only the sugar rim tastes wonderful with this drink, it makes the martini glasses super festive as well.



I finished up the drink by shaking up some vodka, sherry, and the cranberry syrup along with some ice.  Then, top off the glasses with some champagne, or you can use processo as well.  The bubbly is so refreshing and makes this Cranberry Sparkling Martini really sparkle, fun and festive.



Now, you've got a festive and refreshing cocktail under your sleeves, hope you'll give this a try on your next gathering.  Cheers!




Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Nutella Melt—Easy Entertaining Recipe and a Winter Cocktails Giveaway

Imagine a chilling evening, you’re curling up on the couch with your favorite blanket next to the fire place;  cuddling with your loved ones while catching up your favorite TV soap, or chatting about what happened during the day; holding and sipping a cup of warm, chocolate-y, packed with wonderful hazelnut flavor and a little boozy Nutella Melt this winter.  Isn’t that picture perfect? 



If the heat from the Nutella Melt didn’t warm you up, the little booze in the drink definitely will.  I bet you all know how much I love Nutella, and more so after trying this Nutella Melt!  It’s not overly sweet, but the flavor is simply amazing.  With a little toasted and chopped nuts sitting on top of the foamy and creamy espresso whipped cream, the combination of flavor and the contrast of texture simply blew me away.



This easy, entertaining and scrumptious cocktail recipe came from the book, Winter Cocktails.  As you all know, I do enjoy a cocktail here and there, especially when I have companies over.  This is the book you want in your kitchen if you want to learn more about Mulled Ciders, Hot Toddies, Punches, Pitchers, and Cocktail Party Snacks.  Author and professional food stylist Maria del Mar Sacasa offers more than 50 recipes for cold-weather cocktails and mixed beverages. 



I absolutely love the tutorial, techniques in step-by-step pictures illustration.



Check out the picture below, recipes of Infused Liquors and different Simple Syrups are also included in this book.  I can’t wait to give them a try. 



You’ll also get to learn how to make some Small Bites and appetizers pairing with some of your cocktails.  Drooling!



I simply can’t take my eyes off this Golden Hog.  And guess what?  It’s paired with a piece of Candied Bacon!!!  How can I resist?  Oink Oink...




You can purchase your copy by clicking here.  Or, try your luck in winning a copy of “Winter Cocktails”, courtesy of Quirk Books. 

This Giveaway is now Closed!

Here are the details on how to enter this giveaway.
One lucky uTry.it reader (with an U.S., Canada or U.K. mailing address) will win a copy of “Winter Cocktails”.


To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me what’s your all time favorite cocktail (mine is apple martini). Deadline to enter is November 30th, 2013 by mid-night PST.  Winner will be selected through Random.org and announce shortly after the giveaway is closed.

For extra entries, do any or all of the following (leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1)  Add me to your Google+ circle here
2) "Like" uTry.it's Facebook Page, click here.
3) Pin a picture from this post onto your Pinterest board.
4) Share this giveaway on Facebook (with a link back to this post please)
5) Share this giveaway on Twitter (with a link back to this post please)

That’s all and Good Luck everyone!  Please stay warm and cheers!






Disclaimer:  I received a copy of “Winter Cocktails” for the purpose of this review and I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  Quirk Books is providing a copy of the book for the giveaway.  As always, all comments and opinions are 100% my own. 

Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Vanilla Coffee Granita and Giveaway Reminder

I hope you all had a wonderful week, my friends. Did any of you tried my Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Vanilla Coffee Rub recipe?  Not yet?  I sure hope you’ll give that a try soon because the Vanilla Coffee Rub really embarks wonderful depth of flavors into your steaks and enhances the texture of your steaks by creating a lovely crust to seal in the juices.  The rub is super easy to put together with a rather short ingredients list.  Anyhow, don’t forget to enter the Singing Dog Vanilla Lover’s Set Giveaway (2 winners), if you haven’t done so.  The giveaway is available to my Readers worldwide, click here to enter.



Now, back to this Vanilla Coffee Granita.  As I promised you from the last post that I will share a dessert recipe using the Vanilla Coffee and Vanilla Salt.  This is one cool treat that could tame any flames and heats!  Boy, I don’t know what’s up with the weather here in the past 2 weeks, but it’s been super hot all week in L.A.  I can probably use a cool treat any time of the day.  This is a light and refreshing treat, a perfect sweet ending to any meal (more so if you made my Grilled Ribeye Steak recipe).  If you haven’t try a granita before, it’s a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings.  This time, I used vanilla coffee.  It’s ridiculously easy to prepare and let me show you how.



First, brew your coffee in your coffee maker, or French press.  While the coffee is still hot, add the sugar and salt. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the coffee liqueur and stir well. Pour the mixture into a freezer safe 9 x 13 container. Leave at room temperature until completely cooled.



Cover the container and freeze for an hour. Remove from freezer and with a fork, scrape the ice crystals that have formed on the side of the pan. Return to the freezer and scrape every 30 minutes.



Once the mixture is completely frozen (the whole process might take 2-4 hours), fluff with a fork and scoop the granita onto your favorite cup, dollop with some freshly whipped cream (recipe followed) and a sprinkle of vanilla salt on top.



The hardest part about this recipe?  Waiting!  Waiting for the granita to freeze up before you can take a bite! But it’s all worth it at the end.  It’s like having a sweet and creamy iced coffee in frozen form.  But the icy granita has a nice crunchy texture that is really refreshing on the palates. 



When you mix a little freshly whipped cream with the granita along with the crunch from the vanilla salt, that’s one perfect bite for me!  It’s definitely a party in my mouth that wakes up all my senses.  You would want to close your eyes and savor each spoonful slowly.  But then, you would also want to finish it quickly before it’s all melted.  These mini martini serving glasses are perfect for the job.  They are must-haves for parties and entertaining too.  (Please click here for product link).  I love the mini size because I won’t feel as guilty if I indulge more than one!  I hope you enjoy today’s recipe.  Have fun brewing, and freezing!  

Lychee Martini (荔枝馬丁尼)

It’s almost “back to school” time for most of us!  I can’t believe Summer slipped by in the blink of an eye.  That’s just too quick, in my opinion!  I sure will miss spending time with my Kiddos.  On the other hand, I also look forward to the “me” time when the Kids are at school.  So it’s a mixed feeling.  Since my Kids will be going to a new school this year, there are quite a few things that we need to adjust.  Adjustments such as a new school schedule, policies, and a long list of school supplies!  Yeah, I’m totally not used to that since the previous school took care of most of the supplies.  Let’s just say, I’m glad that I tackled the list quite early on and I only have a few more things to get before school starts.  Certainly, going back to school could be a stressful event, but proper planning definitely helps to ease some stress…and a cocktail in between wouldn’t hurt either.  Whether you’re in the middle of “back to school” stress, or about to celebrate having the “me” time back.  I have the perfect cocktail for you.  Ladies and gentlemen, check out this Lychee Martini (荔枝馬丁尼)!



This Lychee Martini is a sweet and fragrant cocktail that’s packed with the fresh lychee flavor.  I added a little lemon juice to balance out the sweetness and a splash of vermouth for depth and to round out the flavors.  Lychee ( 荔枝in Chinese) is a tropical fruit native to southern China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The fresh fruit is delicate with a floral and sweet fragrant. When ripe, the skin turns brownish-red (from green), and the flesh is super juicy and sweet. Since the perfume-like fragrant is lost in the canning process, I certainly prefer fresh Lychee way better than the canned ones.




Lychee is one of my favorite fruit to enjoy in the late summer!  I always buy them fresh whenever they’re available in my local Asian markets.  And now, is the prime season!  So, if you visit your local Asian market, see if you can find these gems!  The outside of the fruit is covered by a brown-red, slightly rough textured rind that is inedible but easily removed to expose a layer of sweet, slightly translucent and white flesh.



There is a round, smooth and hard seed in the middle that’s also inedible (as shown in the picture below).




And before you head over for the recipe below, I have a tip for you today.  I guess my memory is getting worse as I aged became more matured.  So, forgetting to put the martini glasses in the freezer before I make the cocktail is not surprising to anyone, anymore.  Good news is, I have this trick for you.  Simply fill your martini glasses with crushed ice, while you prepare the cocktail, works just as fine.  So, whether you’re as forgetful as I am, or you simply couldn't find any space in the freezer to chill your glasses (unfortunately, I’m also in this category), this tip is for you! 



For those of you with kiddos, whether your own kids or grand-kids, going back to school this Fall, I wish you a wonderful school year!  I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tips.  Stay tuned for some “back to school” friendly recipes in the near future.





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Boozy Framboise Guimauve Pops--For Mothers Day

The other day, I was craving for marshmallows.  Those soft, pillow-y and flavorful marshmallows.  Ever since I made my own, (see previous posts from here and here), I can never go back to the store bought ones.  If you've ever tried a homemade marshmallow, you will know exactly why.  The texture of the homemade ones is just heavenly soft and light; the flavor is truly up to your imagination.  On the day I craved for the marshmallows, my imagination took me to a boozy place, with sweet and tart framboise (raspberry in French), and a wonderland filled with pinkish guimauve (marshmallow in French).  Okay, I know, I’m not French, but don’t you agree that French names sound more fancy and romantic? And these Boozy Framboise Guimauve Pops definitely are fancy, romantic and just darn tasty!  They will make you dream a little.



Making homemade marshmallow involve making a syrup, which is a solution of sugar and liquid, and cook it to a certain temperature.  The easiest way to tell the temperature of the syrup is using a candy thermometer.  If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you getting one.  It’s not only useful in candies making, but also handy when canning for jams and cooking the custard for your favorite ice cream.  Click here to see the thermometer I use.  The price is reasonable and and the numbers are easy to read.



I couldn't help it but to turn these marshmallows into pops, lovely flower pops.  You can wrap them individually with treat bags and pass them on as gifts (you know, Mother’s Day is coming up).  I think they are the perfect homemade gifts for Mother's day.  They are just so feminine and beautiful. Although you can hardly detect the taste of liquor in these mallows because most of the liquor is cooked off.  These boozy mallows are simply not for kids, pregnant ladies, or any one who can’t take alcohol.  But, you can certainly replace the liquor with fruit juice and make them kids friendly.  My kids love the kids friendly version a lot.  I’ll include both recipes below for your convenience.  Oh, and I used these cookie cutters to make the pops.  Aren't they the cutest thing ever!?



So, I made a batch of kid's friendly flower pops for my kids.  Then a boozy batch for myself and some friends to enjoy!  To distinguish the two, I piped the boozy one into long ropes in a pastry bag fitted with a round pastry tip.  When the ropes were dry, I cut them into small pieces.  These are not just cute, but also sweet, tart, raspberr-ey, pillow-y, and melt in the mouth as well.  Super addictive!  One last thing, I used potato starch to prevent the marshmallow from sticking together.  You can also use a mixture of corn starch and powdered sugar.  However, I love the potato starch because it's mild and doesn't have the raw flour taste.  Plus, the potato starch doesn't add any sweetness to these mallows as they are already sweet enough.  I used the potato starch to coat these Black Sesame Mochi as well.  Have you ever make homemade marshmallows before?  I want to know what flavors you dream of. 




For more homemade gift ideas for Mother's Day, check out the Meyer Lemon Sugar Scrub and Lavender Bath Salt.

Meyer Limoncello

I adore Limoncello.  I’ve use it in recipes here and there.  With the Meyer Lemon in peak season now, I can’t help it but to make my own Meyer Limoncello.  (note: this post was written a couple months ago and didn't have a chance to publish until now, sorry for the delay!  I hope you still see Meyer lemons around as I do get them all year round from my In-Law's garden)  It’s also a recipe some of you, my dear readers, have requested.  So, here we go.  If you’re not familiar with Limoncello, it’s an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula and the coast of Amalfi and islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri.  Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy but has recently become popular in other parts of the world too.

Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons, that are also known as Sorrento lemons.  Lemon zest, or peels without the pith, are steeped in grain alcohol until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup.  Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestif.  Limoncello imparts a strong lemon flavor without the sourness or bitterness of lemon juice.  I say, they are sweet enough to be considered as a dessert beverage.



Aren’t these Meyer Lemons beautiful?  They are straight from my In-Law’s garden.  I’m such a lucky girl to get these gorgeous citrus almost year-round.  I love the sweeter and floral aroma in the Meyer lemons that you won’t find from regular lemons.



Besides using the Limoncello in baking and cooking, they are just as wonderful when chilled or served over ice.  So, cheers, my friends.  The Meyer Limoncello is definitely a sweet treat after a meal. 



Here’s how I made it.  First, wash and pad dry the Meyer lemons. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use).  Also, please use organic and un-wax Meyer lemons because we're using the peels.



Using a small spoon, scrape away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith.  See the difference on the peel below?  I purposely scraped half of the peel so you can see the white pith and how it should look after scraping.



Place the lemon peels in a pitcher, at least 2-quart in capacity.



Pour the vodka over the peels and cover pitcher with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.



When 4 days are up, in a medium saucepan, stir the water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool completely.



Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let it stand at room temperature overnight.



Strain the Meyer limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels.



Transfer the Meyer limoncello to sealed bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.



I love the natural yellow color from the Meyer Lemon peels.  The aroma is amazing after just a few days of steeping and the peel definitely releases all the goodness into the liqueur.  What’s the benefit of making your own Meyer Limoncello?  Besides its unique aroma that you don’t get from regular lemons, it’s way cheaper to make your own.  Plus, it’s all natural without any preservative or food coloring.  That’s enough reasons for me to make another batch once I have finished this batch. 


 


Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.