meet a ‘rita

Published
by
Sadie
on August 17, 2009
in Reviews
. 0 Comments

this is a good thing. i mean, a really, really good thing. it’s a one word dealie.

MARGARITA.

let that sit for a second.

ok, ready? mar.ga.rita. love that word. care for it. more than the word, the execution of the of the word is the central ingredient that conjures images of grass skirts, white sand, and paper umbrellas in your coconut drinks. refreshing, delicious, and summery, the margarita is the epitome of yumm.

what it is not…  it is NOT tequila and margarita mix. no. no no no. NOOOOO. that is the grossest beverage known to man. or woman. or beach lover.

so… what it is then…? it is the perfect concoction of tequila blanco (yes, it MUST be white tequila. not gold. i prefer sauza blanc, or jimmy buffet margaritaville tequila <— it already has a mild lime flavor to it), sour mix (it is imperative that you use sour mix, NOT margarita mix. i like daileys), triple sec, and my secret ingredient (shhhh!) orange juice (i use simply orange cuz it is sooo good and we always have it in our fridge). here’s how they go in: approximately half tequila, half sour mix. a splash of triple sec, and a splash of orange juice. when you taste it, you’ll know right away if it needs adjusting. the perfect margarita won’t have any weird after taste, and the smoothest during taste. all the flavors will blend so perfectly - you will fall completely and madly in love. don’t even worry about it. don’t forget ice!  (;

here’s mine tonight! my husband made them  (:  floating flamingo ice cubes… first time without a salt rim (specialty glasses… i was afraid of scratching them!)… perfection!

deliciousness

deliciousness

you don’t have to be a veg to love a veg

Published
by
Sadie
on August 17, 2009
in Cumin and Eat
. 0 Comments

before i get started, i must first start by giving credit where credit is due. this food category of my blog is dedicated to my mother-in-law, who gave me the idea to start adding pictures and and blogs about my passions of food. with that in mind, i wipe my mouth and raise my fork to you all!

i’ve always had a passion for food. it’s comforting, it’s decadent, it’s beautiful, it’s art. contrary to common belief, it’s not all salads and pasta for vegetarians (thank goodness!!!). i don’t know what to blog about first, so in honor of my presh MIL, i’ll begin with my version of a caprese salad…  (i do swear… it’s not always salads!!!)

the ingredients:

a beefsteak tomato (homegrown is best, in my opinion!), mozzarella cheese (i had the great fortune of homemade mozz from my MIL!), fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and oil (good olive oil is great, but i used white truffle oil - delicious!). layer the slices of tomato, mozz, and basil on a pretty plate (cuz why do you wanna eat off an ugly plate?!) and sprinkle with your favorite oil and balsamic vinegar! yumm  (:

this is what it looks like when it’s all done…

caprese salad

caprese salad

hope you have as much fun making and eating it as i did!

forks up!

pinot … ?!

Published
by
Sadie
on June 13, 2009
in Reviews
. 1 Comment

mike and I went into the liquor store to get some miller chill to take with us to the pool. when we walked into the liquor store, we walked right into the craziest wine tasting EVER!!! the wine was surprisingly delish, and? I learned some stuff! like: pinot grigio, the fruity white wine? is made from the same RED grape that pinot noir, the light, red wine, is made from! the reason pinot grigio is white, not red, is because it doesn’t touch the red skin when it’s bwig fermented. I also got to taste something I’ve never ever seen before! this particular vineyard i was tasting claims to be the only vineyard that supplies the US with it. so, what is this mystery drink? pinot grigio rosé, my friends. (how is it rosé?) I’m so glad you asked! during fermentation, the pinot grape is only allowed to touch the red skin for an hour. this gives it a pretty pink color and a tart, citrusy flavor. if you’re lucky enough to find a pinot grigio rosé, serve it chilled, just like you would a traditional pinot grigio. anyway, I was so excited about my new information, and had to share. now off to enjoy the pool and miller chill. (:

information station (:

Published
by
Sadie
on June 5, 2009
in Wine-ing
. 0 Comments

a series of questions (4, if we’re keeping score) was posed to me a few days ago, and i was only able to answer a feeble fraction of them. after doing adequate and efficient research, i have found the remaining answers. this post features all the questions that started this madness, and the answers are more than a little fascinating (imho!).  (:

one thing to warn you of, though… this blog isn’t TECHNICALLY wine related. now, my redemption time. it IS 100% fermented grape related. so, yay. read on, wine compadres!

here are the questions, with their related answers.

thanks to donna and alicia farrell(s!) for the conversation that started the passion that fueled the the research for this yummy, sparkly blog.

have you ever gone to buy a bottle of bubbly and realized, omg, the decisions are endless?! it’s not just what’s your favorite label… it’s do you you like champagne? prosecco? sparkling wine? brut?

ok. here we go. hopefully, this will help you make your decision next time you make your sparkly purchase!

1. what is champagne? champagne is the term reserved exclusively for sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France. the grapes are grown and harvested in Champagne, and the cost is (typically) noticeably higher than champagne’s less formal competitors.

2. what is sparkling wine? sparkling wine is the the bubbly beverage similar to champagne that has no same name home city. for those curious, it is typically made in the US.

3. what is prosecco? prosecco is the grape variety that gives this sparkler its name. typically grown in venice, prosecco is famous for being the “other half” of the peach flavor in a Bellini. it also serves as a wonderful (and economical) substitution for champagne in a mimosa. i find prosecco to be slightly less bubbly than champagne and sparkling wine, but that might just be me (maybe also because it’s made in italy, where sparkling wines are made a little differently). also, the difference is not enough to make me want to stop buying. the flavor is usually impeccable, very light, and has scents of crisp apple or honeysuckle. (i am a big fan of prosecco.)

4. what is brut? brut is a very dry substitute for a sparkling wine. as a general rule, i am a fan of dry wines. but when we’re talking champagnes/ sparkling wines, i like a little sweet, with a clean, crisp palate. i find brut a little too dry. there is almost no sugar in brut. ideally, this is my kind of wine, but since we’re drinking cool, crisp bubbles, i’d like a touch of sweet and lots ofbubble kisses.

the glass you pour any of these in is absolutely important. the reason we use champagne flutes (and less frequently, champagne coupe or saucer) is to allow the bubbles in the sparkling wine to last as long as possible. part of the charm of the sparkling beverage is the bubbles. why drink flat champagne? you wouldn’t. so invest in a good pair of champagne flutes. your happy, bubbly tongue will thank you lots.

anyway, that’s all i have for now. hope this helps you shop, and maybe answered a few of your questions!

if you have any questions you’d like answered, send them to my email (sadie.farrell@gmail.com) or post them in the comments.

cheers!

sadness

Published
by
Sadie
on May 31, 2009
in Wine-ing
. 0 Comments

hello, fellow wine lovers.
wanted to apologize for robbing you of valuable and necessary wine information for so many weeks. a situation occurred where I was not permitted to drink wine for several weeks, but that event has passed, and I am now safely back in the vineyard, so to speak. in my absence, I learned a few things that I am so excited to share! even though I wasn’t allowed to drink, I was still researching and thinking if you. this very moment, i’m blogging from my iPhone and getting car sick on a road trip back from Rhode Island (just wanted to catch us all up and make sure no one thought I was neglecting the website!) so I’ll spare us all the sickness that is about to happen. tomorrow, look for the post that is the product of my non-drinking research. I think you’ll like it.
tomorrow’s key word: champagne!
see y’all then! bring your flutes, and fill them up with your favorite bubbly!

cheers.

yum

Published
by
Sadie
on April 22, 2009
in Wine-ing
. 2 Comments

just had a yummy pinot grigio. trish came over to watch Across the Universe w us (clever little flick… visual aesthetics were brill!) and brought this brilliant little white wine. why do I say this ab this particular pinot grigio? well, for starters, I’m not known for my obsession over pinot grigios. to be quite honest, I’m only mildly fond of them. this one, however? yummy! it was barefoot vineyard. a bit tart, pretty fruity, and the goodness took me by surprise! fans and anti-fans of pinot grigios, as the warm days approach… Barefoot Pinot Grigio is a must try.

sweet deal of the day

Published
by
Sadie
on April 22, 2009
in Life
. 0 Comments

so. you’re looking at that bottle of landshark and you’re thinking, holy crap, this girl has gone off the deep end! there are at least 3 problems with that beer! 1. it’s in the bathtub. which means she brought her MacBook Mojo into the bath! 2. it’s a beer! and she’s supposed to blog ab wine! 3. it’s a bottle of landshark. is she allowed to show labels like that? isn’t that like advertising?
let me address your very appropriate concerns. cuz let’s be honest… I would totally jump you if our roles were switched. so. in numerical order. 1. I did NOT bring my precious baby MacBook into the bathtub! what kind of Mac mommy do you think I am?! incidentally, yes, MacBook’s name is, in fact, Mojo. you know you wish you thought of it first. anyway… I’m able to blog from the comfort from the tub sans Mojo thanks to my brilliant big brother-in-law dan. if you’re in the RVa area of the USofA and have any computer troubles (mac or pc, cuz he has mad skills like that!) he can be found at FarrellIT (that letter right before the T is a capital i… this font doesn’t show it too well though /: ) anywho… my iPhone (named Tiki, in case you were wondering) has been gifted w the capabilities to blog on the go. weeee!
2. beer does not equal wine. right-o! but it’s alright! I do not discriminate! it’s true. wine is my drug of choice. however, beer is great. there’s a country song out, and I love it. the chorus goes, “God is great, beer is good, people are crazy.” if you can find a phrase truer than that, please send it me. in fact, I dare you to find something truer than that. beer is easy breezy lovey yummy. totally different than wine, and not even capable of being compared. try not to do it again, ‘kay? <3 you though!
3. am I allowed to show you my landshark label? um, heckles yes. in fact, I believe I am obligated to. here's why I say that. margaritaville is my sacred haven in a scary world. so, naturally, anything they (or jimmy buffett, for that matter!) becomes my right to proudly exhibit. I do not claim it as mine. I give all credit to buffett's masterminds at margaritaville. I just wanted you to know what I was up to.
so, now the bath water's getting chilly, and I gotta go find ab 43 blankets to keep me warm.
cheers!
and many thanks and a major high 5 to dan for making pocketwinesnob.com portable! look for pics and posts ab many wines I'll be having w dinners (: yay!

the saga evolves

Published
by
Sadie
on April 17, 2009
in Reviews
. 0 Comments

day 9… progress. the now infamous trident wrapper has moved. not gone away, but moved. i said progress, not resolution… the wrapper is exactly one stair lower than it has been for the last 8 days. how curious! has someone else been playing my game…? i would love to meet my mystery trident partner if you exist! if it’s just the wind playing games with me, then go away. and take that stupid piece of trash with you so i create drama somewhere else in my life.

i felt everyone else would be as intrigued with this story’s evolution as i am. if you’re not, go read someone else’s blog. no, don’t. i was just kidding when i said that. i love you.

this game is getting intense

Published
by
Sadie
on April 15, 2009
in Reviews
. 0 Comments

i am equally disgusted and amused with the scenario that has entered my life a short time ago. a mysterious trident (the gum, not the 3-pronged spear the all the powerful greek gods have) wrapper showed up on the stairwell to the floor that our apartment is on. my little brother tells me we live in garden style apartments, which apparently means everything except the apartments themselves is open. so i expect if the maintenance crew or some good hearted passerby hadn’t fixed the wrapper situation by now, the wind might have. not so. you see, the wrapper showed up exactly one week ago today- even to the hour. normally, i would be the one picking the trash up, considering i am that annoying “save the earth” “don’t waste” “live green” tree-hugging type, but for some reason, curiosity has gotten the best of me, and i am absolutely desperate to see how long it sits there before either nature or a person with a sense of responsibility takes care of it. there is a problem, though, and it makes me wish for a quick resolution that does not require my interference. our lease at this complex ends in 15 days. which means that some random good hearted person needs to get lost in my frustrated part of baltimore county, or a hurricane needs to form, turn outside its expected trajectory, and blow exclusively through allyson gardens 2. i don’t care which, but it needs to happen in the next 2 weeks so i can see how long that wrapper will stay there.

i don’t know about you, but if either scenario is going to happen? my money goes on the hurricane.

cuz the only tree hugger on this side of baltimore county swore out of the game to watch the results.

ADD is my kryptonite. does that even make sense?

Published
by
Sadie
on April 13, 2009
in Reviews
. 0 Comments
obviously, i spent less time with superman comic books than necessary to make the title of this post confident in its accuracy.
anywaaay… i remember why i logged on early. sadly, it was not to tell you ab the wonders of sugar coated marshmallow madness. i wanted to tell you ab the greatest idea i have ever ever ever had. but i’ll get to it in a minute. i want to precede it with a few of the world’s greatest ideas ever first, so you know where mine falls in the mix.
1. the stone age folks around 8500 - 4000 BC who first started drinking wine (yay! thanks, guys!)
2. my sister-in-law, who suggested that the easiest way for us to move into our new apartment is to leave everything behind in our old apartment and just buy new stuff to fill our new apartment. quite brilliant. now… the best bank to rob…
3. my idea. that’s right. my idea is #3 on the world’s best ideas ever. so, yeah. that’s where i stand on the richter scale of intelligence. here’s how i got there. the third saturday of may, i’m hosting a clothing swap. (at our new, bigger, better apartment!) anyway, girls only, all that jazz. the goodies start here: first: sangrias. of course will make an appearance. snacks go without mentioning. oops! i mentioned. AND?! and! it’s not just a clothing swap. it’s a book swap too! a clothing book swap! yay! if you wanna come, (cuz you KNOW you do - let’s face it, who doesn’t!?) lemme know… i’ll get you directions.
much love,
see you may 17!