Spicy Micheladas #SundaySupper

A refreshing drink that’s full of flavor but light on alcohol, spicy micheladas are made with cold beer, tomato juice, lime juice and lots of spicy seasonings. They are the perfect brunch or party cocktail, specially if you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Until a few years ago, I had never heard of a michelada. Just wasn’t on my radar until my mom brought some home from the store. I’m not a big fan of the store-bought version but spicy micheladas made at home, with extra lime and hot sauce? Count me in! (I’ll make you some when I’m home, Mom. So much better than those cans!) 

Today my Sunday Supper group is sharing easy Mexican or Mexican-inspired recipes for your Cinco de Mayo parties. This spicy michelada recipe is an amalgamation of several I found on the internet. Many claim to be authentic but they vary widely. Some have tomato or clamato juice. Others insist that the only things that should be added to the beer are lime juice, salt and chili. Then there's the whole chelada vs michelada controversy. Apparently it all depends on where you are from in Mexico.

Since I’m sitting in Dubai, where the hot summer is already upon us, this is my version. You can mix them up in a pitcher but I prefer to have all the ingredients to hand and make them one by one. That way you can vary the spiciness for each individual.

Note: 1 1/2 oz is one jigger. If you have one of those, it makes for easy measuring.

Ingredients for 1 spicy michelada
Ice
1 1/2 oz or 44ml fresh lime juice
3 oz or 88ml tomato or V-8 juice (We like the low sodium version since we add Maggi Seasoning.)
Mexican beer
Several shakes each, or to taste:

• Worcestershire sauce
• Maggi Seasoning
• Hot pepper sauce

To serve:
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper
Lime wedge

Method
Sprinkle sea salt and cayenne pepper in a small saucer. Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of your glass and place it upside down in the saucer so that the salt and cayenne stick.

Add three or four ice cubes to the glass, then the lime juice and tomato juice, along with the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning and hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Top up with cold beer and stir gently. Add a lime wedge to the rim of the glass.

Enjoy!

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? How about making one of these easy recipes while you sip on spicy micheladas? Start with the Carlota de Limón (my Sunday Supper Movement recipe) and get it in the freezer. Easiest dessert ever! I fancied it up by adding strawberries and whipped cream, but you can also serve it just as is.

Many thanks to our event manager Cricket of Cricket’s Confections and Shelby of Grumpy’s Honeybunch for their behind the scenes work!

Sunday Supper Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Appetizers

• Beef and Portobella Tostados by Our Good Life
• Cumin Spiced Potato Quesadillas by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Easy 5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fiesta Corn Dip Recipe by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Rotisserie Chicken Nachos by Pies and Plots

Drinks

• Cherry Paloma by The Crumby Cupcake
• Spicy Micheladas by Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Pineapple Agua Fresca by Authentically Candace

Entrees

• Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Chicken Tinga Chalupas by Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Tortilla Soup by Soulfully Made
• Chipotle Chicken and Black Bean Soup by Cooking Chat
• Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Casserole by Simple and Savory
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Mexican Slaw by A Mind Full Mom
• Southwestern Chicken Layered Salad with Cilantro Dressing by My Savory Spoon

Sides and Sauces

• Alambre Skillet Cheese Dip by My Life Cookbook
• Black Bean Cilantro Rice by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mango Habanero Sauce by Caroline’s Cooking
• Queso Fundido (Melted Cheese with Chorizo) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Slow Cooker Healthy Refried Beans by Cricket’s Confections

Tacos

• Chicken Street Tacos by The Freshman Cook
• Chicken Fajitas by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lime Chicken Soft Tacos by Life Tastes Good
• Mini Taco Bowl Bites by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Pineapple Lime Chicken Tacos by Brunch-n-Bites
• Taco Bake by My World Simplified

Sweets

• Blueberry-Chocolate Jicamuffins by What Smells So Good?
• Carlota de Limón – Lime Charlotte by Sunday Supper Movement
• Flourless Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake by Baking Sense
• Margarita Cupcakes by Gourmet Everyday
• Oreo Taco Cookies by Ninja Baker
• Sopapilla-Inspired Cheesecake Bars by Books n’ Cooks
• Strawberry Gluten-Free Hand Pies by And She Cooks

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Warm Gingerbread Syrup

Warm gingerbread syrup is spicy and sweet, made with both fresh and powdered ginger. Put a little zip in your drinks and desserts this holiday season.

Here the warm refers to the spiciness that the fresh and ground ginger add to this gingerbread syrup, although you can certainly warm it to serve as well. Pour it over ice cream, drizzle it on a Victoria sponge cake, add some to your hot cocoa, tea or warm apple juice. A tablespoon or two of gingerbread syrup is also delightful poured in a Champagne flute and topped up with bubbly.

As a person who makes jams and chutneys and syrups, I know the work that goes into them. That’s why I am always grateful to receive a homemade food gift. Heck, who am I kidding? I am always happy to receive a food gift if it is special, even if it’s store bought.

This week my Sunday Supper group is sharing recipes for homemade food gifts. I’ve got to tell you that I am thrilled with how this warm gingerbread syrup turned out and I am having a hard time parting with it. We love spicy food at our house but I tend to think of chilies bringing the heat. I forget how spicy and warming ginger can be! This stuff would be wonderful simply added to some hot water on a chilly night. It’ll warm you up from the inside.

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups or 615g golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger (make sure it’s fresh – old spices lose their flavor and potency)
2 thick slices of fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick

Note: Golden caster sugar is fine, free flowing dry sugar that is unrefined so it adds color and a bit of a buttery flavor to this syrup. If you can’t find it where you live, you can use regular fine white sugar but replace a tablespoon or two with brown sugar to get the same effect. This is the brand I used, available on Amazon. Unfortunately, the shipping makes it a pretty expensive option though.

Method
Put the sugar, ground ginger and fresh ginger into a pot with the cinnamon stick. Pour in 1 2/3 cups or 385ml water. Bring to a low boil. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.  Boil gently for about 8-10 minutes or until the syrup has reduce a little.

Strain the syrup through some cheesecloth set in a fine strainer over quart- or liter-sized measuring cup. The above ingredients yielded 2 1/2 cups or 600ml of warm gingerbread syrup.

Pour into sterilized bottles and decorate with fabric or ribbons.

Enjoy!

If you are looking for some homemade food gift recipes to make for your loved ones this year, Sunday Supper has got you covered. Check out this major list of options. Many thanks to our host this week, Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures and our event manager Cricket from Cricket's Confections.

Baked Goods

• Cinnamon and Spice Granola by Simple and Savory
• Coconut Macaroon Tarts by Asian In America
• Cranberry Coffee Cake by Food Done Light
• Mini Pumpkin Breads by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Snowman Poop by Palatable Pastime

Candy

• A Trio of Brittle by The Freshman Cook
• Grandma’s Peanut Butter Balls by Cricket’s Confections
• Homemade Peanut Brittle by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Homemade Twix Bars by Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter Fudge by Family Around The Table
• Superfoods Fruit & Nut Bites by My Life Cookbook
• Toffee Candied Peanuts by New South Charm
• Turron de Jijona (Spanish Soft Nougat) by Caroline’s Cooking

Chocolate

• Espresso Fudge by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Peppermint Bark Candy by Life Tastes Good
• Peppermint Bark Popcorn by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce by The Crumby Cupcake

Jams, Syrups, Drinks

• Blood and Sand Jam by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Creamy Lemoncello by Monica’s Table
• Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Warm Gingerbread Syrup by Food Lust People Love

Mixes and Spices

• Cherry Almond Scone Mix by Baking Sense
• Cranberry Almond Quick Bread Mix by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

 

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Lime Coconut Lassi

Made with yogurt, coconut milk and fresh lime juice sweetened with a little honey, this coconut lime lassi is the perfect drink on a hot summer day. 

My mom has a go-to place in Houston when she is out running errands. It’s called Rajah’s and her standard order is two samosas and a sweet lassi. Somehow the cool yogurt drink goes perfectly with the spicy fried samosas filled with curried potatoes and peas. And the two together make the perfect snack.

This week my Sunday Supper group is cooking and creating with coconut so I made a delightful chickpea potato curry for the Sunday Supper website. So Tasty! For this space, what could be more perfect than a complementary lassi? The sharp lime juice and yogurt were deliciously mellowed by the creamy coconut and the honey added just the right amount of sweetness. This drink would also make a delicious cocktail with the simple addition of a little rum.

Ingredients - for about 12 oz or 355ml. One tall glass or two shorter glasses, if you feel like sharing.
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup or 240ml coconut milk
1/3 cup or 85g plain Greek (thick) yoghurt
6-8 ice cubes

Method
Add the lime juice and honey to a large clean jar. Swirl around or stir until the honey dissolves in the lime juice.

Add in the coconut milk, yogurt and ice.

Put the lid on the jar and shake until well combined and frothy. Pour into glass or glasses.

Garnish with slices of lime.

Enjoy!

Are you craving coconut? This is your Sunday! Many thanks to our host Conni of Cosmopolitan Cornbread and our event manager Shelby of Grumpy’s Honeybunch for all of their hard work this week.

Great Starts

• Coconut Granola Bowla by Family Foodie
• Gluten Free Coconut French Toast by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Make Ahead Healthy Piña Colada Breakfast Parfait by Easy Cooking with Molly
• Piña Colada Granola (grain free) by My Life Cookbook
• Piña Colada Nut Bread by Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
• Piña Colada Overnight Oats by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Piña Colada Pancakes by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Dive in with Sides and Appetizers

• Easy Piña Colada Salad by April Golightly
• Piña Colada Coleslaw by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Coco-Nutty Main Dishes

• Chickpea Potato Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Piña Colada Chicken and Rice by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Piña Colada Chicken Skewers by The Crumby Cupcake
• Pineapple Barbecue Chops with Colada Slaw by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Curry by Caroline’s Cooking

"Col-lots-a" Desserts

• Coconut Pound Cake by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Cookies and Coconut Cream Popsicles by Books n’ Cooks
• Creamy Dairy-Free Vegan Coconut Ice Cream by Positively Stacey
• Easy Piña Colada Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Piña Colada Poke Cake by Crazed Mom
• Homemade Samoas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Island Breeze Piña Colada Panna Cotta by The Weekend Gourmet
• Kheer by What Smells So Good?
• Mini Roasted Blueberry and Coconut Cream Trifles by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Piña Colada Bars by Dessert Geek
• Piña Colada Cream Pie by Cookin’ Mimi
• Piña Colada Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Piña Colada Energy Balls by Wholistic Woman
• Piña Colada Flan by Asian In America
• Piña Colada Ice Cream by Palatable Pastime
• Piña Colada Rice Pudding by Hardly A Goddess
• Piña Colada Trifle by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Piña Colada Upside Down Cake by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Pineapple Coconut Pudding by Magnolia Days
• Samoa Smacky Delicious Mix by Cooking With Carlee
• Toasted Coconut Sour Cherry Sundae by Pies and Plots
• Tropical Fruit Cups by The Freshman Cook

Sweet to Sip Beverages

• Boozy Coconut & Caramel Milkshakes by Momma’s Meals
• Coconut Banana Rum Smoothie by Desserts Required
• Coquito by Monica’s Table
• Lime Coconut Lassi by Food Lust People Love
• Piña Colada Freeze by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Piña Colada Smoothie by A Mind Full Mom
• Spiced Piña Colada by Family Around the Table

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Natural Pink Pineapple Lemonade

For Sunday Suppers or special occasions like when we’d visit, my grandmother always added crushed pineapple to pink lemonade. It was especially welcome in the hot summertime. 

My grandmother and grandfather worked hard every day. Running their own store and appliance repair service made it a challenge to take time off. In fact, I don’t recall that they ever took a vacation except to visit us once when we lived overseas. Looking back, I have no idea who they would have left in charge. They did love it when we’d come to visit though and the refrigerator was always stocked with our favorites from ice cream sandwiches to cookies to hot dogs.

Back in the olden days, we could take a train from Houston that would stop off in New Iberia, on its way to New Orleans and other points east. I remember going to spend a week or two with my grandparents, often taking a friend with me. We’d either ride the train there and Mom would come for a visit as well and pick us up, or she’d bring us and we’d take the train back home again. What was a four- or five-hour car ride took a couple of extra hours on the train. But we didn’t care! We were on our own with a packed lunch, books to read and snacks – no adult supervision! – and riding the train was an adventure. I just checked out the Amtrak schedules and that route is still do-able and reasonably priced, but children under 12 must have an adult traveling with them now. More's the pity.

We’d arrive parched from the heat, the clackety clack of the rails still echoing in our ears, and Mo would mix up a big pitcher of pink lemonade, made from a canister of instant lemonade powder – you probably know the one – and add a can of crushed pineapple and ice. Talk about refreshing! Pink lemonade with pineapple was one of her favorite drinks to serve at lunch on Sundays as well, or other special occasions.

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I’ve figured out that if I make regular fresh lemonade and add some cranberry or pomegranate juice, I can get the pretty effect of pink lemonade without the pink food dye. It’s not as pink as my grandmother’s concoction, unless you add a bunch of red juice but it’s probably better for you.

Ingredients for one 2 quart or 1.89 liter pitcher
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1 (15 oz or 425g) crushed pineapple in light syrup
1 1/2 cups or 355ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup or 177ml (or more to color to your liking) cranberry or pomegranate juice
Cold water
Ice

Note: If you can only find the crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, you might be able to skip making the simple syrup. The pineapple syrup should sweeten the lemonade enough without additional sugar.

Method
Make simple syrup by dissolving the sugar in 1/2 cup or 120ml of hot water. Set aside to cool.

In your large pitcher, combine the crushed pineapple with its syrup and lemon juice. Add some ice and water to almost fill your pitcher. Remember that you need room for the cranberry or pomegranate juice and some simple syrup. Stir well.

Add the red juice and taste the lemonade.

Add enough of the simple syrup till it’s sweet enough for your liking. (See note above if using crushed pineapple in heavy syrup.)

Stir well before you pour each time to get the pineapple moving. Serve over ice.

Enjoy!

As a bonus, if you happen to have a small hand crank ice shaver like those ones they sell at Pampered Chef, this pineappley pink lemonade freezes great and makes wonderfully refreshing shaved ice. You can use it for popsicles as well, but the pineapple ends up near the top of the popsicle.

Nostalgic summer recipes are our theme for this week’s Sunday Supper. Many thanks to Coleen from The Redhead Baker for hosting! What’s your favorite summertime food memory?

Summertime Recipes

Beverages

• Blueberry Lavender Lemonade by Beauty and the Beets
• Natural Pink Pineapple Lemonade by Food Lust People Love

Breakfast

• Rhubarb Muffins by Wholistic Woman
• Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Appetizers

• Gazpacho Shooters by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Grilled BLT Kebabs by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Strawberry Fruit Dip by Books n’ Cooks

Main Dishes

• Classic Shrimp Roll Sliders by Crazed Mom
• How to Cook Hot Dogs by Life Tastes Good
• Wiener Schnitzel by Caroline's Cooking

Side Dishes

• Baked Beans with Bacon by Magnolia Days
• Creamy Ranch Potato Salad by Dash of Evans
• Grilled Zucchini Salad by Sunday Supper Movement
• Seven-Layer Salad with Bacon and Peas by The Hungry Goddess
• Southern Fried Squash by Peaceful Cooking
• Spätzlesalat (German Spaetzle Pasta Salad) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Summer's Best Tomato Cucumber Salad by Delaware Girl Eats

Desserts

• Ambrosia Salad by Angels Home Sweet Homestead
• Bavarian Almonds by Palatable Pastime
• Blueberry Cobbler by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Boardwalk Funnel Cake by The Redhead Baker
• Buttermilk Pound Cake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• DIY Drumsticks by A Mind Full Mom
• Double Corn Buttermilk Cake by What Smells So Good?
• Frosted Grapes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Gluten Free S'mores Magic Bars by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Homemade Banana Pudding by Cooking with Carlee
• Homemade Drumsticks by Pies and Plots
• Japanese Melon Ice Cream by Ninja Baker
• Lemon Coconut Bars by The Finer Cookie
• Lemonade Pie with Sugar Cone Crust by Dizzy, Busy and Hungry
• Poke Cake by Our Good Life
• Maple Sugar Candy by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Mom's Rhubarb Cake by Monica's Table
• Nana’s No-Bake Cheesecake Squares by The Crumby Cupcake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake by The Freshman Cook
• Pudding Pops by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Sherbet Float by Cookin' Mimi
• Strawberry Jello Angel Food Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Jello Pie by Tramplingrose
• Tita’s Fruit Dessert by Basic N Delicious
• Toasted Coconut Puppy Chow by Helpful Homemade
• Watergate Salad by Flavor Mosaic

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Red, White and Blue Sangria

Crisp dry white wine, mixed with a little lemon vodka and Grand Marnier, then topped up with lemon-lime soda and lots of pretty fruit, makes a refreshing libation for summertime. 

This week Sunday Supper is remembering all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in our armed forces, just ahead of Memorial Day tomorrow, by showing off our red, white and/or blue recipes. Even as you feast and enjoy the extra day’s holiday – if you are living in the US, that is – we hope you will be inspired to honor military personnel from every country who died to preserve our freedoms, including those who put themselves in harm’s way to bring aid to the needy and try to ensure safety and peace in troubled regions worldwide. (Did you know that there are more than 30 countries whose flags are red, white and blue?) Unlike Veteran's Day, which honors the service of all soldiers, Memorial Day is especially to recognize those who gave their lives.

Many thanks to this week’s host, the great DB from Crazy Foodie Stunts. Make sure you scroll on down to the bottom of my post to see all the colorful recipes we are sharing today.

Let me introduce this sangria ingredient list with a disclaimer. When I told my husband that I was making sangria and, did he want some, he said, “Nah, thanks. I’ll just have a cold beer.” Well, I’m all for taking one for the team, particularly my Sunday Supper group, but drinking an entire one-wine-bottle batch of sangria seemed ill-advised, so the amounts you see here photographed are for half of the recipe I share below. And, yes, I did drink the whole darn half pitcher over the course of a hot afternoon! It was refreshing and delicious.

Ingredients
1 bottle dry white wine (My favorite white is Sauvignon Blanc, both for sangria and drinking in general.)
1/3 cup or 80ml Grand Marnier
1/4 cup or 60ml lemon vodka
3 cups or 710ml lemon-lime soda (Two of the 12 oz or 355ml cans.)
6 oz or 170g raspberries
4.4oz or 125g blueberries
1 dragon fruit

Method
Starting at least a day ahead, wash some of the blueberries and raspberries and put three blueberries and one raspberry in several of the holes of a muffin pan. For a more decorative look, I used the Nordic Ware one known online as the Bundt Brownie pan. <affiliate link Add a little water, until you see the blueberries just barely start to float.

Put the pan in the freezer and leave until the water freezes enough to hold the fruit in place.

Top up with more water and freeze until solid.

When the fruity ice is frozen, release by running some water over the back of the pan and store in a airtight container in the freezer. If you want to skip all these steps and get straight to the sangria, just use normal ice cubes.

When you are ready to serve, peel and slice your dragon fruit and cut it into pieces about the size of your raspberries and blueberries. Wash the berries and drain well.

In a pitcher, combine your wine, vodka and Grand Marnier.

Add your fruity ice (or just some normal ice) and then top up with the lemon-lime soda.

Add in more raspberries, blueberries and some of the cut dragon fruit. Put some berries and dragon fruit and ice in each glass and fill up with sangria.

Enjoy!

And make sure to check out all the other great red, white and/or blue recipes we have for you today.

Food Using One Color

Red Food

• Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Baked Tomato Breakfast Cups by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Red Velvet Milk Shake by Nosh My Way
• Strawberry Meringue Tartlets by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Oat Crumble by The Wimpy Vegetarian

White Food

• Alabama BBQ Sauce by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Blue Food

• Blueberry Breakfast Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Blue Velvet Cupcakes by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Food Using Two Colors

Red and White Food

• Pickled Shrimp with Pico de Gallo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Sausage Rougail (Rougail Saucisse) by The Petit Gourmet

Blue and White Food

• Blueberry Feta Cucumber Salad by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Pierogi by Curious Cuisiniere

Red, White and Blue Food

• Berry Berry Celebrations by Momma's Meals
• Berry Filled Firecracker Cupcakes by The Crumby Cupcake
• Berry Patriotic Chia Seed Pudding by Tasting Page
• Easy Chocolate Covered Marshmallows by Palatable Pastime
• Eton Mess by Caroline's Cooking
• Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar by Family Foodie
• Grilled Shrimp, Tomato and Bleu Cheese Flatbread by Our Good Life
• Individual Loaded Red, White, and Blue Salads by The Weekend Gourmet
• Patriotic Cocktail by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Patriotic Panna Cotta by The Freshman Cook
• Red White And Blue Coleslaw by Nik Snacks
• Red, White, and Blue Parfaits by Life Tastes Good
• Red, White and Blue Cherry Pie by Savory Experiments
• Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Red, White and Blue Sangria by Food Lust People Love
• Red White and Blue Sundae by Desserts Required
• St. Honore Cake by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Strawberry, Blueberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Crumble by Food Done Light
• Tomato Blue Cheese Crostini by Magnolia Days
• Triple Berry Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Vanilla Pound Cake with Fresh Berries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Watermelon, Feta & Beet Appetizer by Take A Bite Out of Boca
  

Sangria outside on our new-to-us outdoor sofa set.  Doesn't it look refreshing!

Irish Blackberry Cobbler Cocktail #BloggerCLUE

Muddled blackberries release their precious juice to mix with Irish whisky, sherry and simple syrup over crushed ice for a refreshing cocktail that is perfect for Happy Hour. 

This month’s BloggerCLUE is berries and the blog I am supposed to be poking around in, looking for berry recipes is none other than girlichef, written by my friend, Heather, fellow lover of garlic and margaritas. You might remember our celebrations of National Garlic Day 2014 and 2015 and this year’s National Margarita Day. Good times!

Anyhoo, I searched through Heather’s blog and found myriad recipes with berries like her tasty Chicken Strawberry Tarragon Salad or her creamy Mixed Berry Gelato and her sweet Rosewater Raspberry Meringues, just to mention three. There were just so many too choose from!

But the title that really caught my eye was the Irish Cobbler. The name conjured up a big pan of juicy berries topped with a batter or biscuit crust, so you can imagine my surprise when I clicked on the link and discovered it was a cocktail! Well, we love a good cocktail and it’s great to get out of the rut of always mixing and drinking the same old thing so I abandoned all thoughts of ice cream and salad and baked desserts for Happy Hour.

Make sure you scroll down past the Irish Cobbler to see what other special berry recipes my fellow BloggerCLUE members have found on their assigned blogs this month!

Ingredients for two cocktails
16 ripe blackberries
3 oz or 90ml Irish whiskey
3 oz or 90ml simple syrup (I used simple syrup made from demerara sugar.)
1 oz or 30ml cream sherry (Heather says: optional. I put it in. Hey, go big or go home.)
Ground cinnamon (Heather used nutmeg. You can choose.)
Crushed ice for two glasses
2-3 ice cubes

Method
Divide the blackberries between two short cocktail glasses and muddle until you have a lovely mush of blackberries and juice at the bottom. Heather said to leave some chunks, which I duly did but that did make the drink harder to sup through a straw.

Add crushed ice to fill both glasses, right on top of the muddled berries.

In a cocktail shaker, over a couple of ice cubes, vigorously shake the whiskey, simple syrup, cream sherry (if using), and a good pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Pour over the crushed ice in your glasses.

Stir well to mix the muddled berries throughout the cocktails and finish with another pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired.

Enjoy!

Have you been hunting for berrilious recipes too? You are in the right place then! Here's a list of the other BloggerCLUE participants this month.

• Blackberry Yogurt Muffins by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Blueberry Bars by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake by Heather from girlichef
• Blueberry Lemon Bars by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Blueberry Sour Cream Cake by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes and Frosting by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Irish Blackberry Cobbler Cocktail by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Italian Jam Cookies by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Cheesecake Parfaits with Raspberry Sauce by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Raspberry Muffins by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Raspberry Oat Bars by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Strawberry and Coconut Tartlets by Anna from annaDishes
• Strawberry Champagne Cocktail by Kim from Liv Life
• Strawberry Fool by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Strawberry Lemon Marmalade by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Strawberry Margaritas by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Strawberry Mousse by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Tapioca Cream Strawberry Parfait by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Vanilla Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone and Raspberries by Kathleen from Bakeaway with Me

Cheers!

Dubonnet Gin Cocktail and Thank You

Made from French fortified wine marketed under the name Dubonnet and a good London gin,  this refreshing libation is well known for being the favorite tipple of the late Queen Mother and her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. 

Like the queen, this blog has two birthdays. The first one was just a few weeks ago marking the date I created Food Lust People Love as a Tumblr blog. It didn’t take me long to realize that Tumblr, at least in its native form, didn’t work for what I wanted to achieve with this blog so I changed over to Blogger and I added the 12 Tumblr posts all in one day – 24 June 2011, to be precise. So that’s the official blog birthday I celebrate each year.

My very first post is still one of my favorites. It wasn’t even a recipe, but a series of photos from a recent trip we had taken to Italy of the market in Florence. I want to live there! Who's coming with me?

That said, my early food photos are laughably bad. Post number two was a delicious dessert made with whipped cream, meringues and blackberries. With the ugliest photo. I’m not kidding. And yeah, I’m going to make you go look if you really want to because it’s just too awful to add again here. *Shudder*

Without further ado, I’d like to share a cocktail with you that I raise in thankful salute to all the people who have supported me in this three-year journey. To my family and close friends first and foremost, for putting up with my experiments, for waiting to eat while I take photos of the food and for allowing me to tell their stories and share their photos on occasion. To my fellow bloggers who have taught me so much about food photography, website optimization and social media with generosity of spirit and endless camaraderie. And finally, to you, my readers. You leave me kind comments and send me recipe suggestions. You share links to my posts with your own friends and family. You give me great joy and it is my privilege to meet you in this space. Thank you!

As I was researching this drink, I found recipes that varied depending on whether it was the Queen Mother who was drinking it or Queen Elizabeth, the former preferring more gin than Dubonnet and the latter preferring more Dubonnet than gin, so feel free to mix yours however you like. I went with Queen Elizabeth’s two-to-one proportions.

Ingredients
Twist of lemon and lime peel
2 oz or about 60ml Dubonnet
1 oz or about 30ml good quality gin
Ice (The queen reportedly likes three cubes of ice. What is it with the British and their dislike of ice?!)

Method
Add the twists of lemon and lime to your glass along with the ice.

Measure in the Dubonnet and gin.

Cheers! And, once again, thank you so much for your support!