Steep It Loose — LIFESTYLE

In today’s mixology scene, agave cocktails are experiencing their golden age. Mezcal, which literally means anything distilled from the agave plant, knows how to grab your attention. Sweet at the base, with notes of honey and wood, edgy and smoky, with a slow burn aftertaste, it’s like a journey into the unknown — a lot like love. Some bartenders even contend that Mezcal is turning into the next single malt scotch. One main difference is: Mezcal mixes well. There’s no botanical infusion that screams “heart” as loudly as ruby red hibiscus. Renowned for centuries as support in managing hypertension and...

Many of us experience a little wake-up call after holidays — either by getting on a scale or trying to put on a favorite pair of jeans that makes us realize we’ve overindulged! It doesn’t need to be a dramatically big deal to get back in synch with your pre-holiday self, if you take things one day at a time. I’ve found that making a regimen which includes pouring on the green tea can really help. It’s intimidating to break any habit, even if you’ve only been loyal to it for a few weeks. Good news is that you should...

Bolder Martini & Earl of Grey Goose Martini The use of tea in cocktails can contribute fragrant aromas and complex flavors. Teas are more complex than most other accents a mixologist might consider, therefore bringing a sophisticated “Je ne sais quoi” to your cocktail. Finding the perfect tea for a drink recipe is a matter of experimenting with flavor components. Whether you infuse the tea directly into a spirit or fortified wine, or add it directly or in a simple syrup, tea components can contribute in terms of flavor, bitterness, sweetness, and even astringency. This versatility can contribute in such...

Throughout the northern hemisphere, Christmas festivities feature some variety of hot mulled wine. Whether you know this warming delight by that name, or as glühwein, glögg, or vin chaud, it’s bound to conjure up images of brisk temps and holiday markets. Here we present two versions. The first is a family-friendly recipe without any wine or alcohol, which uses hibiscus as its base. The second one is on a wine base which we enhance with our Turmeric Tonic herbal chai. If you can’t choose which one to serve, you should make them both! They’re so different from one another that you...