A Modern Day Nick & Nora

Article Posted on Wednesday, February 15th, 2012 at 1:10 pm

Most days I feel as if I’m living in a Thin Man movie… beautiful clothes, martinis, and a witty husband & loveable terrier that always keep things entertaining.
Life is what you make it! Now if only our lives called for more evening gowns and silk!

So I thought I’d share a few cocktail recipes to give your mid-week a little lift. Consider these a little late Happy *Hearts* Day present! xo* Hannah B.

Drinkify

Article Posted on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 at 10:48 pm

I have a new favorite website, and I think you’ll dig it too! Just click here.

Little Extras for the Social Season

Article Posted on Friday, November 18th, 2011 at 7:58 am

There are, of course, things that are always in your liquor cabinet or wine rack. Perhaps you buy Charles Shaw by the case and always have Belvedere on hand. Well this time of year, there may be a few other spirits you’d like to keep on hand. After all, what better way to deal with family and guests then a little thirst quencher? Here’s what I’d recommend…

Sit & Sip :: An Autumn Champagne Cocktail

Article Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at 11:00 pm

Last Wednesday amid the sounds jazz in the Old City, Husband & I sat sipping drinks and I discovered one that I couldn’t resist sharing. If you are lucky enough to be close to the Crown & Goose on any given Wednesday, I’d highly recommend going in and getting a cheese plate with the Lady Guinevere to sip while you listen to Organ Trio. If you are nowhere near Knoxville, here’s the recipe…

Sit & Sip: Husband’s Old Fashioned

Article Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 at 12:00 pm

It’s Wednesday and, as every hard-working Belle knows, there’s no better day for making a cocktail and putting your feet up. So to help you out, here’s a little something to sit & sip this evening…

*We have rules in our house. One of them is that you don’t touch good bourbon with anything but your lips. Therefore, Husband thought it best to specify that our favorite bourbon–Pappy van Winkle–is not now, nor shall it ever be, for mixing. My advice is to keep a handle of Jack Daniels on hand for a.) mixed drinks that require bourbon and b.) friends that don’t know any better.

Sit&Sip: The Classic Drink of Spring & Summer

Article Posted on Monday, May 23rd, 2011 at 12:00 pm

I have to tell you, I am normally not a fan of Gin. I’m pretty sure Husband and a few of his friends are solely responsible for keeping Beefeater in business with their gin martinis (up dry with a twist), but my usual conclusion is that it tastes like licking a pine tree. However, I am not one to turn down a drink so when a unique opportunity arose at our favorite restaurant, I couldn’t resist trying something new.

If you are in or around East Tennessee and have not been to Chez Liberty yet, I’d highly recommend it. The food is fantastic, of course, but they also do a lot of things that totally set them apart from any other restaurant in this area. For one, they highlight unique business owners with their Tuesday “Who Knew” series. Last week’s businessman was the president of MossCreek who makes “log homes for oligarchs” that are insanely immaculate. Chez also frequently has tastings–wine, gin & tonic, bourbon.

But what I think really sets them apart is their unique sense of adventure. The chef frequently mixes up the menu depending on what’s in season and what looks good at the market. I’ve never had anything that wasn’t cooked to perfection. (And that’s saying a lot! The other night, I tried foie gras and each Monday they have a new take on one of my very favorites: fried chicken.) The bartenders are also quite adventurous, which brings me to the gin & tonic tasting.

One of our favorite servers there is Cassie and when she works behind the bar, it’s really quite magical. For the tasting, quinine was ordered and They Made Their Own Tonic!! I really preferred it a lot more than the normal stuff. It’s like it had a dimension to it that the stuff that you’d normally buy in the store just doesn’t have. Cassie also has made a delicious lavender infused tonic that is super relaxing to sit and sip as well as a mint-infused gin that I really enjoyed.

If you aren’t a gin drinker (and you can’t get to Chez Liberty), I’d recommend trying 1 of 2 things the next time you’re at the bar. First, there’s a *lovely* new (to us) gin called 209 that is delicious! Not nearly as harsh as gins I’ve had in the past. The second would be a Hendrick’s martini. Make sure they make it with a cucumber and not a lemon because Hendrick’s is made with cucumber and it is one of the most refreshing drinks I’ve had so far this Spring!

And if you’re really up for something fun, I’ll be at the Bourbon Tasting tonight! Just call and let them know you’re coming!

Happy Sipping!
xo~ Hannah B.

A Belle never forgets…

Article Posted on Thursday, May 19th, 2011 at 5:45 pm

… to bring something to a housewarming party
& preferably that something is alcohol.

Our very 1st Thanksgiving after getting married Husband and I hosted family and friends at our house for the very first time. In fact, we’ve made it a point not to have an empty house for too long since then! On that day, one of our most thoughtful friends brought a bottle of Beaujolais. He told us that it was a wine of celebration and the perfect way to kick off the entertaining in our home! Ever since then, it has been my go-to gift for any house-warming event–to some it may just be a bottle of wine but to me it is a *beautiful* sentiment and always brings good luck!

Springtime Libations

Article Posted on Friday, April 15th, 2011 at 9:43 pm

This time of year your Spring dresses and espadrilles aren’t the only things that need to come out of the back your closet. Dust off those liquor bottles honey, put up the heavy scotches, it’s time to pull our a few seasonal libations! This time of year, here are a few things we like having on hand here at the Slaughterhouse. Also, I must warn you: as someone who is not ever a huge fan of gin, the fact that there are 2 on the list means  you really should give them a taste…

1.) Hendrick’s Gin is made with cucumber and so when you order a Hendrick’s Martini for the first time be sure to ask for a cucumber garnish.

2.) Husband & I had the opportunity to try this gin at our favorite restaurant the other night, and we must get a bottle!

3.) On one of our trips to Chicago I became very quick friends with a bartender at the restaurant just outside of the symphony during a very morbid-Bach-version of one of the gospels. When I told him that I liked to drink pretty things, he made me a super-tasty cocktail with this Elderflower liqueur, Champagne and a splash of pomegranate juice.

4.) Husband swears that a Campari & soda is the simplest but one of the best drinks for an afternoon on the porch in the sunshine.

One last thing: A SOUTHERN BELLE NEVER EVER PUTS A THING IN HER BOURBON. EVER. Water, ice, Coke–I don’t care, it’s all unacceptable. Drink it like a man or don’t drink it at all. (The same rule applies to coffee, although I don’t feel quite as passionately about it.) That said, these whiskey stones are a lifesaver for people who love bourbon but want a little something cool and refreshing. You can put them in the freezer and use them as ice, but they won’t sissy up your liquor, they’ll only cool down your drink. How great is that?

Do you have any tricks for Spring-ifying your bar? I’d love to hear some good ideas!

Wondering what to do with that extra Champagne?

Article Posted on Monday, January 3rd, 2011 at 6:17 pm

Well, it’s the 3rd day of 2011 so I’d say it’s time to get started on Resolution #6. After all, what better day to drink than a Monday, right? The 1st drink I picked will utilize any leftover champagne you may have on hand. And by leftover champagne I, of course, mean that random bottle of champagne  you had in the fridge for New Years but didn’t get to drink when you ended up staying an extra day in Nashville with your bestie. Also, just to show you how generous I am, this recipe is 2 for 1! You’re welcome.

To start with, we’ll be making a Bacardi and for that you’ll need…

Bacardi
6 parts light Bacardi (Rum)
2 parts Lime Juice
1/2 part Sugar Syrup
3 dashes Grenadine per drink

Shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Now you can add your champagne to the mix. This 2nd drink is supposed to be served in a champagne glass, but my mother calls mason jars ‘Tennessee shot glasses’ so surely that counts. Plus, I just got these pretty, narrow patterned jars for juice, and I was just dying to try them out!

Bacardi Flyer
Half fill a Champagne glass with a Bacardi cocktail, and fill with iced Champagne.

Now you can just sit & sip to your heart’s content!
Hope you have a *splendid* Monday evening! I’m off to grab a bite with Husband.

xo~ Hannah B.

I dream of a Vodka martini…

Article Posted on Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 at 2:13 pm

Last night I dreamed that my mother told me to have a baby because my martini kit took up too much room in my luggage. (In reality, wouldn’t a baby take up more? I suppose that’s why it was a dream.) Needless to say I woke up thinking about a good Cosmopolitan so I decided to share my martini essentials we are never without. (These are the perfect ingredients for a gin martini (up, dry with a twist), a vodka martini, a cosmopolitan and a screwdriver the next morning with your continental hotel breakfast!)

As a note, I know you can’t really carry all these things in your luggage anymore. Darn those crazy terrorists. But when Husband and I get to a new town one of our first stops may or may not be to the liquor store. That way, we don’t have to worry about stopping for a bottle of gin when the desire hits after spending the day out on the town. Also, if you can find one, I highly recommend these drink suitcases of sorts. Husband found one at an antique store that we just love. It holds a couple bottles of liquor plus has room for all the essentials, and it’s no bigger than a train case!

{Get this travel bar here.}