Book of Randomness

~~For you wannabe winos!~~

Who says good wine has to be expensive??

Whoever they are, I am definitely NOT one of them. I drink Two-Buck-Chuck! There I said it!
(for those of you unaware, I am referring to Trader Joe’s $2 Charles Shaw wine)

Photo from Making Memories.org (more info at the bottom!)

I do not seek out two-buck-chuck, but it is a great thing to have around the house for the last minute wine needs or to add to a dish. It is never GREAT but it is also never AWFUL. It usually is decent tasting wine and you can stock up on it at the $2 price (although I hear it is $3 in NY… bummer). Apparently, Trader Joe’s can afford the cheap price since the wines are left over from different wineries… which is why some are better than others. That could be a rumor though….

So on to the moderately priced wines that everyone should give a shot.

Sidenote: I am not a wine connoisseur (and in fact, I didn’t even know how to spell that), I am just a girl who is trying to learn more about wines by experiencing, tasting and listening to people who think they know what they are talking about. Also, I typically lean towards white wines, but I am open to just about any… red, white, pink, sparkly, bubbly and you name it. Just keep that dessert wine away from me. Especially one flavored like a peach.

Back to the wines…

When I need to bring wine for a special occasion or I just do not want to be thoroughly embarrassed by my poor wine picking skills, I try to be loyal to these brands.

• Beringer-Smooth tasting wines. My favorite is their Chardonnay
• Barefoot-Love the wine AND the bubbly (champagne peeps)
• Yellowglen Sparkling Wines- Pink is one of my favorite wines/champagnes. Smooth tasting with lots of bubbles. The bottle is adorable and who can fault the pink color of the liquid!
• Kendall-Jackson-Always a decent taste!
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery-What can I say? They are a talented family!

The gadgets!!

Opener! – Plus this one comes with a foil cutter and a sweet box!

Keep track of your glass for crying out loud!

The helper – Clinton’s book helps explain wine pairings in a simple manner!

Other books:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Winery

Wine All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

California Wine For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

Yellowglen Pink and Yellow are supporting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) by giving $1 for every bottle sold during the month! Check in out on Making Memories.org and support them in their quest.

That means drink people!

Also, BevMo! has great deals on wine and champagne, especially during their 5 Cent sale. I can usually find Pink! I believe the sale is about to start again!!

My FAVORITE book EVER! Ok maybe it is my favorite possession….? I guess that could be stretching it, but this book is definitely WAY up there.

So what is it you may ask?

Freakin’ Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. I feel hesitant to share this with everyone because, well if I share, then you may become more fabulous than I am… oh well. The more fabulous people the better!

Everyone has seen the TLC show What Not to Wear on at least one occasion (and if you haven’t, you must be living under a rock). Clinton is half of the hosting duo, Clinton and Stacy. Clinton is also touring the country’s Macy’s stores for Make Over America (sadly I was not chosen ) He is undoubtedly funny on the show, and it translates perfectly into his book. He had me laughing cover to cover.

Freakin’ Fabulous is like my new life bible. I have only had the chance to read it all the way through once, but I frequently refer back to it. I actually began to annoy my friends and family by saying… “Clinton says….” or “According to Clinton…” I even had my DAD quoting the book!! Weird.

By the first few pages of the book you will wish Clinton was your best friend!

Freakin’ Fabulous is the book that you need if you want to know “How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else” according to its sub-title!

Highlights of the book… according to moi!

• Dress: Includes everything you need to know from accessories, to tailoring, dressing for certain occasions and a page of very ugly shoes (clearly the DON’T page)
• Speak: Definitely the section I need to read again… and AGAIN. The proper use for words. My greatest accomplishment so far has been taking the “s” off of the end of anyway! The pretty pictures and doodles help my learning… what can I say, I’m a visual person!
• Behave: Don’t butter the entire roll!! Holding wine glasses, eating oysters, texting with company and even a section on “bodily functions.” This section is definitely a must read. Did you know you should never bring your own food item to a party unless requested? I did not know that one, but you can ruin the theme/atmosphere.
• Eat: Four recipes you should MEMORIZE, cutting onions and other great recipes.
• Drink: I was laughing from the first page of this section as Clinton says, “Gin has made me do a lot of stupid things, but I forgive it.” Obviously there are drink recipes in the section, but my part is the section on wine; descriptions, how to serve, how to order and which wine pairs best with your food.
• Entertain: Plan for 1 bottle of wine per person!! Now that sounds like a party! Covers food to serve, music, booting people at the end of the night and making the potty smell nice! The “Mac and Cheese with Bacon” looks and sounds delicious… although it reminds me of the overeating experience I had at Yardhouse.
• Decorate: I cannot wait until I have my own house to be able to do all of this!! Room by room tricks, organization (“Kill the Clutter”), and fresh flowers. Never include baby’s breath or ferns IN an arrangement! Clinton suggests using Flowerbud.com for flowers.

  The book is full of color and information. Clinton has done an amazing job with this book balancing entertainment and information. I suggest it to EVERYONE. Give it to your girlfriends for their birthday or as a bachelorette party gift.

  You don’t NEED a reason, just get the book for crying out loud!! You will thank me later!

My FAVORITE book EVER! Ok maybe it is my favorite possession….? I guess that could be stretching it, but this book is definitely WAY up there.

So what is it you may ask?

Freakin’ Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. I feel hesitant to share this with everyone because, well if I share, then you may become more fabulous than I am… oh well. The more fabulous people the better!

Everyone has seen the TLC show What Not to Wear on at least one occasion (and if you haven’t, you must be living under a rock). Clinton is half of the hosting duo, Clinton and Stacy. Clinton is also touring the country’s Macy’s stores for Make Over America (sadly I was not chosen ) He is undoubtedly funny on the show, and it translates perfectly into his book. He had me laughing cover to cover.

Freakin’ Fabulous is like my new life bible. I have only had the chance to read it all the way through once, but I frequently refer back to it. I actually began to annoy my friends and family by saying… “Clinton says….” or “According to Clinton…” I even had my DAD quoting the book!! Weird.

By the first few pages of the book you will wish Clinton was your best friend!

Freakin’ Fabulous is the book that you need if you want to know “How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else” according to its sub-title!

Highlights of the book… according to moi!

• Dress: Includes everything you need to know from accessories, to tailoring, dressing for certain occasions and a page of very ugly shoes (clearly the DON’T page)
• Speak: Definitely the section I need to read again… and AGAIN. The proper use for words. My greatest accomplishment so far has been taking the “s” off of the end of anyway! The pretty pictures and doodles help my learning… what can I say, I’m a visual person!
• Behave: Don’t butter the entire roll!! Holding wine glasses, eating oysters, texting with company and even a section on “bodily functions.” This section is definitely a must read. Did you know you should never bring your own food item to a party unless requested? I did not know that one, but you can ruin the theme/atmosphere.
• Eat: Four recipes you should MEMORIZE, cutting onions and other great recipes.
• Drink: I was laughing from the first page of this section as Clinton says, “Gin has made me do a lot of stupid things, but I forgive it.” Obviously there are drink recipes in the section, but my part is the section on wine; descriptions, how to serve, how to order and which wine pairs best with your food.
• Entertain: Plan for 1 bottle of wine per person!! Now that sounds like a party! Covers food to serve, music, booting people at the end of the night and making the potty smell nice! The “Mac and Cheese with Bacon” looks and sounds delicious… although it reminds me of the overeating experience I had at Yardhouse.
• Decorate: I cannot wait until I have my own house to be able to do all of this!! Room by room tricks, organization (“Kill the Clutter”), and fresh flowers. Never include baby’s breath or ferns IN an arrangement! Clinton suggests using Flowerbud.com for flowers.

  The book is full of color and information. Clinton has done an amazing job with this book balancing entertainment and information. I suggest it to EVERYONE. Give it to your girlfriends for their birthday or as a bachelorette party gift.

  You don’t NEED a reason, just get the book for crying out loud!! You will thank me later!

It may be a little late in the season to discuss boating safety, but since I am fresh off of a boating trip I thought I would share a little bit about what I know and just learned. This is definitely not a complete (or anywhere close to it) list, so check out some boater safety sites before you go on your trip.

Obviously the key thing is to put kids in a life jacket!! It doesn’t matter if they think they look stupid! We ALL look a little silly in them!

Orange Flag You HAVE to have an orange flag up when you have people in the water. Whatever you do, do not forget this and have a friend run over. Major party pooper.

Remember to turn off the prop when your friends and family are getting in and out of the boat.

Drinking High on the list of things NOT to do. Drinking and driving anything is a bad idea. Places that are frequented by “partiers” like Havasu have a zero tolerance policy, meaning if you test positive for ANY alcohol, they are sending you to the big house.

No Wake Zone Always obey this rule. You never know who is watching. Breaking the “No Wake” is like rolling a stop sign… it just gives the cops a reason to pull you over. (My friend was almost arrested because of this)

Wave Runners The passenger is always supposed to wear the safety key. Luckily the cops who almost arrested my friend gave us this lovely tidbit. It makes sense, how else would you know if they fell off?

Also remember that people do not pay attention to wave runners. Keep an eye out for boats in your area.

Lights Boat lights are very important. It is illegal to have a boat out in the water without having lights on it.

Sunscreen Wear it, re-apply it. There is nothing worse than a burn – they make you feel like an idiot because you can’t do something so simple. Plus peeling and skin cancer are hidious side effects.

Other helpful ideas…

• Wear boardshorts when you are wakeboarding or tubing (no one wants their bottoms coming off or going up there tush).
• Take your earings out when tubing. Not only can they fall out, they can go right through your earlob.
• Take plenty of food and water. Boating (especially in the sun or doing activities) can be physically exhausting.
• If you are riding wave runners, or on a boat, make sure the plugs are in… you don’t want to sink.
• Did I mention sunscreen??
• If you rent a boat make sure it has an anchor, large bimini top and a sound system.

  If you do rent a boat, or borrow it, make sure it is in good working condition. Nothing can ruin a boating trip faster than a dysfunctional boat.

Second Fave Find Friday!! YAY!

Have you ever struggled with diets? Tried everyone in the book and yet somehow you are still yo-yoing? Well, here is your life saver!!!

I have mentioned it in the past, but Hungry Girl has been my lifesaver for about a year now. When my family started on our fitness kick last year, our trainer told us we weren’t allowed to eat: dairy, grains, sugary fruits, etc. Now those things right there, are my life!! Needless to say, I was a little bummed. We tried it for a couple months, but no one can eat like that forever. ( I literally craved McDonald’s for a month after, weird right?)

Sooo…. HUNGRY GIRL!!! The greatest way to continue eating the foods you love without adding the inches to your waist. Better yet, LOSE some of those inches!!

Lisa Lillen, the creator, is NOT a nutritionist, she is a self proclaimed foodologist who has spent the time and research trying to find good tasting and healthy food items. Lisa develops these recipes based on her idea that “food is [her] passion and it has been [her] lifelong obsession.”

Hungry Girl now has two books out, Hungry Girl, and Hungry Girl 200 under 200. Both are great. They are full of more ideas than you can possibly imagine. Comfort foods, cocktails, desserts, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and you name it. There is even a section on typical party foods.

The basic concept behind all of the recipes is that you take a regular dish and just exchange a few ingredients for smarter choices… all while maintaining the delicious flavor!!

If you don’t want to jump right into buying the books, you also have the option to sign up for the daily newsletter which gives you some recipes and healthy grocery store finds. The pink links will take you to where you can buy the books!

Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

The website is also a fountain of information and well designed!

There are sections called top ATE. For example, the top ATE: holiday favorites, long lasting snacks, and summer beverages.

The most useful top ATE is the one on calorie saving swaps. Hungry Girl uses simple substitutes like using the liquid egg substitute rather than a traditional egg. My own swaps that I ALWAYS stick to: turkey instead of ground beef, whole grain pasta (and all breads) instead of white, and olive oil spray instead of olive oil.

It is because of this mentality that you can cut out tons of calories without having to try to hard, or even worse, STARVE!!!

Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories

My only complaint with the Hungry Girl books is that they suggest using a product called Shirataki Tofu Noodles… I tried them once, and found I’m not such a fan. They are quite slimey and have an odd consistency… but go ahead and try them. If not, just substitute with whole wheat pasta.

Good luck!! Sign up for the newsletter at Hungry Girl, and buy the books!! Trust me, it will be worth it!

I forgot to mention they also have a fun little game called Whack-a-Snack!

I’m sorry for the back to back lists, but my friend just sent this to me and I wanted to share! Once again, for time saving measures, I have included my faves. Should you want the full list (which is definitely still good) I would by happy to send it to you. In Blue you will find some of my comments. I did want to add one of my own: Who has the time and will power to create these lists to e-mail to people!!??

ENJOY!

• The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again.
   

• Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you’re going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you’re crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
   

• I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.Oh man was college a rude awakening for a girl who NEVER took a nap.
   

• Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn’t work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or faq’s. We just figured it out. Today’s kids are soft. And why do 6 year olds have cell phones and demand that I do things for them when I don’t even know them?!?
   

• There is a great need for sarcasm font. I totally feel this one… I usually feel misunderstood in print.
   

• Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it.
   

• I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I’ll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone’s laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I’m still the only one who really, really gets it.I’m probably the worst about this one… definitely did it the other night!
   

• The other night I hit a new low at an open bar. I had already hopped on ” highway blackout ” when, inevitably , I had to find a bathroom. Eventually I decided it was probably on the other side of the bar so I tried to walk over there, but ran into a girl coming the other way. We played that, Both go left, Both go right game to no avail, so I finally put out my hand to guide myself past and that is when I realized, yup, that’s a mirror I just tried to walk through. And the girl on the other side is me. Even cats can recognize their own image.
   

• How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
   

• I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
   

• The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text. Bad, but true.
   

• A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
   

• Was learning cursive really necessary? I was JUST thinking about that. How many people use it anymore? And do they still teach it in schools?
   

• I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
   

• Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
   

• Whenever someone says “I’m not book smart, but I’m street smart”, all I hear is “I’m not real smart, but I’m imaginary smart”.
   

• How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear what they said?
   

• Everytime I have to spell a word over the phone using ‘as in’ examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss’s last name to an attorney and said “Yes that’s G as in…(10 second lapse)..ummm…Goonies” I deal with this on a daily basis with “M” and “N”
   

• What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?If I could afford it, I think I would try it. But then again, wouldn’t they find out that I hired both?
   

• While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it…thanks Mario Kart.
   

• MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.SERIOUSLY!!

   

• Bad decisions make good stories. HAHA
   

• Whenever I’m Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don’t mind if I do!
   

• Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?YES!!!
   

• Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? I know my name, I know where I’m from, this shouldn’t be a problem….
   

• You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you’ve made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
   

• Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don’t want to have to restart my collection.
   

• There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
   

• The best thing about sex is that part where I have it.
   

• I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
   

• “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this ever. I just ignore this usually… or I guess handwashing isn’t TOO bad.
   

• I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There’s so much pressure. ‘I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren’t watching this. It’s only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?’
   

• I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?
   

• I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
   

• I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it’s on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my itunes.
   

• Why is a school zone 15 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles…
   

• Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is. For me, my watches are more of an accessory… is that bad?
   

• It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
   

• I think that if, years down the road when I’m trying to have a kid, I find out that I’m sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college. Gee… you think this was a guy?
   

• Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn’t know what do to with it. This one creeps me out…
   

• Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time…
   

• It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text. OMG I know!
   

• I think the freezer deserves a light as well

I REALLY tried to cut this one down… but I guess I liked too many of them. I hope you don’t feel like I just wasted precious time in your life!!

When you have a chance, check out this little story business on MSN by Catharine Holahan…

 

For time saving measure, I have summarized what I feel are the “important points.”

 

1. Movie Theater Popcorn: The average markup of an ounce of popcorn at the movie theater is about 1,275%.  However, surprisingly, box office sales are up about 11% over last year as Americans cut back on more-expensive outings.
2. Event Parking: BS example – A New Jersey man filed a class-action lawsuit against concert promoter Live Nation for automatically adding a $6 parking fee to his ticket price, regardless of whether he drove to the event. Live Nation has characterized the suit as “frivolous.”
3. Printer Ink: The cost of ink over the lifetime of the printer is 500% more than the cost of machine.  Be careful – manufacturers discount their machines in order to sell more of the models with the highest ink expenses.
4. Drinks at Restaurants: We all know this sucks!!  Here is something odd though.  The markup on cheap wine is worse than that on the more expensive ones.
5. Bottled Water: I’m already sad about this one because I love my Smart Water (I know, not very “green”).  45% of bottled water comes from a tap, even if they do some extra filtration and crap.
6. Gourmet Coffee: One word: Starbucks. Luckily I don’t drink coffee… sorry to those of you who do!
7. Movie Tickets: Um yeah.  However ticket sales are up 11% due to people choosing movies over more expensive options.
8. Oil Changes: I’m feeling this one right now.  Plus they want me to do a 60,000 mile service?? Yeah and that is going to cost me what???
9. Ticketmaster: Soooo overpriced.  Unfortunately, what do you do if the venue is 2 hours away?  Damn you Ticketmaster!
10. Airline Baggage Fees: Most of us are still adjusting to this one… definitely still a shock.  Feel like you are paying more and getting less?  I wonder why… no more legroom, free food, blankets and pillows. 

 

Also on the list were: Holiday Specials at Restaurants, Airport Food, ATM Fees, 401K Management Fees, and Hot Dogs at Baseball Games.

 

Let’s face it people, we are paying a lot for a little.  Anything else you feel like you pay dearly for?

Since it is 5 O’clock just about everywhere (in the US anyway), I thought we could talk about the weekend.  For that matter, bring out the college student in you and make Thursday your big “party night.” 

I never really understood that whole Thursday night thing, even when I was in college… I guess it is the perfect F-U to those who had Friday classes, poor bio majors.

So back to your now Thursday-Sunday weekend.  Here is one of my favorite shots. YAY!

There is a little skill involved, so you may have to practice before you bust the skills out in public.  Don’t worry about perfection – that whole practice makes perfect doesn’t really apply when you keep drinking your practice runs…

 

SEXY ALLIGATOR* 

1 oz. Midori Melon Liqueur

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

1 oz. Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

Float of Jagermeister

 

*There are SEVERAL ways to make a Sexy Alligator.  I have seen recipes that use Amarreto, apple juice (can we say EWWW), and Malibu.  This is just MY favorite recipe, and I don’t even follow it.  See below…

I have never actually found a drink recipe in a book, online, or wherever, that actually tasted right… I always wonder how those bartenders do it.  I do a lot of trial and error when it comes to drinks.  When I find one I like at a restaurant or bar, I find a basic recipe, try it, and take it from there. 

I spent about 3 hours trying to perfect a berry mojito once, and I will gladly share that recipe too…. later.  If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right, right?  HAHA I sound like my father.

Back to the drink.  With the Sexy Alligator, I found that if you have an equal part of Midori and pineapple it is usually a good starting point.  Feel free to tweak this which ever way you like it. Once you have the main section of the drink, the Chambord and Jager are pretty must just eyeballing it.  

It is best to use a tall, slim shot glass rather than a short fat one.  Pour in the Midori/pineapple mixture so that it is nearly full.  Then slowly add the Chambord, it will sink to the bottle of the glass.  You want about a 1/5 of an inch at the bottom.  To finish off the drink, you will want to float the Jager on the top.

 

Floating Alcohol

This is where things can get tricky.  The easiest way to do this is to use the back of a spoon.  Position the spoon so that the end is against the side of the glass.  SLOWLY, and I mean slowly pour the Jager down the back of the spoon.  In the case of the Sexy Alligator, you only want enough Jager to create a visible layer on the top.

Great drink even if you don’t like Jager, even better if you do!!

Since it is 5 O’clock just about everywhere (in the US anyway), I thought we could talk about the weekend.  For that matter, bring out the college student in you and make Thursday your big “party night.” 

I never really understood that whole Thursday night thing, even when I was in college… I guess it is the perfect F-U to those who had Friday classes, poor bio majors.

So back to your now Thursday-Sunday weekend.  Here is one of my favorite shots. YAY!

There is a little skill involved, so you may have to practice before you bust the skills out in public.  Don’t worry about perfection – that whole practice makes perfect doesn’t really apply when you keep drinking your practice runs…

 

SEXY ALLIGATOR* 

1 oz. Midori Melon Liqueur

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

1 oz. Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

Float of Jagermeister

 

*There are SEVERAL ways to make a Sexy Alligator.  I have seen recipes that use Amarreto, apple juice (can we say EWWW), and Malibu.  This is just MY favorite recipe, and I don’t even follow it.  See below…

I have never actually found a drink recipe in a book, online, or wherever, that actually tasted right… I always wonder how those bartenders do it.  I do a lot of trial and error when it comes to drinks.  When I find one I like at a restaurant or bar, I find a basic recipe, try it, and take it from there. 

I spent about 3 hours trying to perfect a berry mojito once, and I will gladly share that recipe too…. later.  If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right, right?  HAHA I sound like my father.

Back to the drink.  With the Sexy Alligator, I found that if you have an equal part of Midori and pineapple it is usually a good starting point.  Feel free to tweak this which ever way you like it. Once you have the main section of the drink, the Chambord and Jager are pretty must just eyeballing it.  

It is best to use a tall, slim shot glass rather than a short fat one.  Pour in the Midori/pineapple mixture so that it is nearly full.  Then slowly add the Chambord, it will sink to the bottle of the glass.  You want about a 1/5 of an inch at the bottom.  To finish off the drink, you will want to float the Jager on the top.

 

Floating Alcohol

This is where things can get tricky.  The easiest way to do this is to use the back of a spoon.  Position the spoon so that the end is against the side of the glass.  SLOWLY, and I mean slowly pour the Jager down the back of the spoon.  In the case of the Sexy Alligator, you only want enough Jager to create a visible layer on the top.

Great drink even if you don’t like Jager, even better if you do!!