Drink of the Week: Vodka Martini

Posted on June 13, 2013 | 2 comments

It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, which means there will likely be a Dad in your life (your father, or the father or your children) who wants nothing more than to chillax in his Dad Chair and toss back a couple stiff drinks. So why not put in a little effort and shake up a vodka martini?

Why a martini, you ask? Because it’s boozy and means business, and our favourite manly man (that would be James Bond) drinks his vodka martinis shaken — not stirred — just like the Luksusowa recipe, below.

Happy Father’s Day!

This manly martini is heavy on the vodka and features three olives.

This manly martini is heavy on the vodka and features a snack: olives. Image courtesy Luksusowa.

Vodka Martini

  • 2 oz Luksusowa vodka
  • 1/4 to 1/2 oz dry vermouth
  • Crushed ice
  • Olive, onion or lemon twist garnish

Sparingly atomize the inside of a martini or rocks glass with the dry vermouth (less vermouth equals a martini that is drier. Gently shake (or stir, if you must) Luksusowa vodka with the crushed ice in a stainless steel shaker, or glass pitcher. Immediately fine strain into the glass. Garnish with the olive, onion or lemon twist.

— Recipe courtesy Luksusowa

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“Don’t French the dog!”

Posted on June 10, 2013 | 4 comments

There are certain phrases that, before you have kids, you can’t imagine you’ll ever say, like “Stop goosing your sister,” or “We don’t flush underpants down the toilet.”

“Don’t French the dog” is one of them.

Bennett and Piper share a special moment. Again.

Bennett and Piper share a special moment. Again.

Lately, whenever the room goes eerily silent, it’s because our son is making out with the dog. I’ll find him crouched down by Piper, mouth open and tongue out, soliciting slobbery kisses.

Their puppy love began several weeks ago, after Bennett had warmed up to our family’s newest member. He discovered that she liked to lick things — hands, fingers, feet, his neck; it was all fair game. It soon progressed to Piper licking Bennett’s face; specifically, his lips. And, just like two teenagers caught in the act by disapproving parents, the more we yelled, “Ewww, gross! Bennett! Don’t kiss her like that!” or “No, Piper! Stop it!” the more they tried to do it, to spite us.

Conversations between Blake and me about this particular topic now go something like this:

Me: “I can’t believe Bennett has gone to second base with the dog.”

Blake: “I thought second base was feeling boobies.”

Me: “Oh yeah, you’re right. Well, he has touched her nipples when he rubs her belly.”

Blake: “And nipples are like the gateway to third base.”

We all know what base comes last, so let’s not even go there.

When we got a dog I knew we’d have to police her around furniture and shoes to prevent her from chewing them. I knew we’d have to make sure Bennett didn’t pet Piper too roughly, or pick her up by the neck. I did not foresee PDA patrol between human and canine.

I’m sure Bennett will eventually tire of trying to play kiss tag with his new best friend. My only hope in the meantime is that he doesn’t get worms.

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Drink of the Week: Remy Ginger

Posted on June 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

I’m the first to admit I don’t know a lot about cognac. Sure, I love a good sidecar cocktail, and I’ll pick a snifter of Remy Martin over two fingers of scotch any day. But quiz me on the differences between VS, VSOP and XO when it comes to cognac and I’ll be lucky to get two out of three.

So it was with great curiosity that I attended a lunch at the Yellow Door Bistro last week with Alexandre Quintin, global brand ambassador for a luxury cognac from the house of Remy Martin called Louis XIII. And by luxury I mean, pretty darn expensive (e.g. about $3,000 per bottle). Packaged in a crystal Baccarat decanter, the Louis XIII is a blend of cognacs that range in age from 40 to 100 years old.

The Louis XIII has been aged so long, cobwebs have taken over the cellar.

The cognacs that make up the Louis XIII have been aged so long, cobwebs have taken over the cellar. Image courtesy Select Wines & Spirits.

Quintin spoke about the Louis XIII with reverence, saying that its competition isn’t other cognacs, but instead luxury watches or perhaps a bottle of Petrus wine. “It’s the most sought-after spirit in the world. You need four generations of cellar masters in the house to make one blend,” he said. I immediately pictured myself drinking it with European friends on my luxury yacht whilst sailing the Mediterranean after winning the lottery:

This is how I imagine life with a bottle of Louis XIII.

This is how I imagine life with a bottle of Louis XIII. Image courtesy Select Wines & Spirits.

Sadly, an entire bottle was not in the cards, so I settled for a generously-poured glass of the elixir (estimated cost: $300). Quintin prepared my palate for the Louis XIII by having me sample just a small drop. And then, the fateful first sip. Now, I could try and impress you by describing its “warm fruity notes, hint of maple, and smoky, almost tobacco-like finish,” but who am I kidding? Did I like it? Yes! Because of my new-found knowledge, it tasted way better than a Rolex. Also, because it’s cognac, I could close my eyes and picture myself on the yacht, above — definitely more memorable than a glass of fine wine.

Of course, if you don’t plan on cashing in your RRSPs in order to run out and buy a bottle of Louis XIII, there are other ways you can enjoy cognac this weekend. We started the lunch with this refreshing cocktail, a Remy Ginger, which transformed the sippable Remy Martin VSOP into a guzzle-worthy patio highball. Enjoy!

Cognac doesn't just have to be sipped -- it makes a great patio guzzler in this Remy Ginger highball.

Cognac doesn’t just have to be sipped — it makes a great patio guzzler in this Remy Ginger highball.

Remy Ginger

  • 1-1/2 oz Remy Martin VSOP
  • Ginger ale
  • Ice

Pour Remy Martin VSOP in a highball glass with ice and top with ginger ale.

–Recipe courtesy Select Wines & Spirits

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