Cocktails, Wine & More

Grab yourself a glass and get ready to make merry with scratch-made, simple cocktails! Or curl up with a book and an amazingly affordable yet wonderful glass of vino.

Please enjoy this collection of cocktail, mocktail, sangria recipes, and fun wine recommendations. If you practice a low-carb, ketogenic, or paleo diet, don't worry, there are plenty of tips for cutting out sugar.

Popular Drinks

My Cocktail Philosophy

I approach crafting cocktails the same way I approach cooking: with whole food, and as natural of ingredients as possible. You can often make a great cocktail with what you already have on hand (liquor aside). For instance, if you've already procured tequila and an orange liqueur, you're only a lime squeeze away from a classic margarita.

Reducing Sugar

For those of you who need that splash of sweetness to moderate a good Kentucky Bourbon or the like, I recommend a simple syrup made at home with organic sugar. Or even raw honey. Check out this post for the standard simple syrup recipe.

When you craft cocktails at home, you can control the sugar level.

Wine Buying Tips

Most wine sold is grown and made for immediate consumption. meant to be consumed once it hits store shelves. There are winemakers who create vintages designed for aging, but these are higher-priced bottles destined for exclusive cellars in boutique wine shops and serious collectors.

When shopping for a great bottle of wine that won't cost the whole paycheck, I head to places like CostCo and Trader Joe's. The wine buyers at large chains experience great purchase power. And this allows them to pass their savings on to the customer.

Working in restaurants, I've tasted some of the best wine in the world. But I rarely spend more than $15 on a bottle. And when sipping my favorite bottle of Gruet Brut for the bargain price of $13, I feel no fear of missing out.