Nutty Monkey

On my way to gift wrap 20 coffee table books for an interior decorating firm (just call me Odd Job Jane) I spotted a juice bar and went in for a breakfast smoothie. I ordered their “Mr. Almond” smoothie which I practically inhaled through a jumbo straw. Naturally, I went home and adapted the recipe for this here blog and gave it my own silly name, Nutty Monkey. I was anti-smoothie for most of my life, but this smoothie has changed my mind.
 

Homemade Horchata

I finally attempted homemade Mexican horchata after weeks of guzzling my faux-horchata made with packaged rice milk. Mexican Horchata is a sweet, rice-based, cinnamon-y beverage. I love it over ice with tequila and a salty, limey Tajin rim. I whipped up this first batch for a New Year's Eve trip to a cabin in the Poconos with a bunch of friends. I'm happy to say that the whole jug was finished by the evening of January 1st. I enjoyed welcoming 2015 with a glass of cold horchata and tequila by the fire between rounds of karaoke, boardgames and feasts of pasta and tacos. Tall thin trees and a waterfall visible from the porch made an awesome backdrop.

Basil Juleps

I write to you from upstate New York where Alan's super awesome band, Ten Minute Turns, is rehearsing for an upcoming recording session. Being secluded in a rural area is giving me time to make blog posts, read, write and learn about stock trading, my newest obsession. Last month's obsession was part-time veganism. A month before that, it was jewelry making. I like to dabble. No matter what you're getting into on the weekends, do it with a basil julep. Alan and I made juleps with herbs from our porch-garden. He made his with mint and I decided to go out on a limb and make one with basil. Here's how to do it (no fancy julep cups necessary, but highly encouraged)...

Almond Milk Margarita aka Lazy Man’s Horchata Margarita

We discovered a little bar a few blocks away from us called Dick and Jane’s.  It’s been there for three years but we never knew it as it’s tucked away on a side street behind thick, black wooden barn doors.  They serve a cocktail there called Tigre Blanco which is a horchata margarita.  Horchata is a sweet, rice-based Mexican drink.  The bartender lines the rim of the glass with a smoky, limey salt similar to my favorite cabinet dweller, Tajin, a lime and chili infused salt.  I used and raved about Tajin in this corn salad last summer.  

Chamomile Soda

I was given a bunch of fresh chamomile flowers last week which I put in a glass of water on the counter and had a great time looking at every time I went into the kitchen.  Once the flowers started snowing yellow pollen onto the counter, I realized I had to make something out of them before it was too late.  I’ve never been a huge fan of chamomile tea and it’s been way too hot out for tea anyway, so I went with a chamomile simple syrup.

Homemade Almond Milk

A few months ago I discovered OMilk, a brand of almond milk made right here in Brooklyn without gums, preservatives or stabilizers.  I’ve had commercial almond milks and they’re whatever, but OMilk was so good, I quickly developed an addiction to it.  I would go out of my way to the few stores that sell it and fill my bag with those milky white bottles of cold creamy joy.  Now that I know what a cinch it is to make at home, I can have fresh almond milk without even leaving the house (except to buy almonds).