GJFlash's Blog

Note:  You must be 21 years of age or older to read this post. 

Drink responsibly and designate a driver.  Can't sue me now, neener neener neeeee-ner.

Cocktail Recipes

...The Foofoo Files

This episode's featured ingredient: Chambord

"To alcohol!  The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."  -Homer Simpson

One of my many careers was tending bar.  Great fun, mostly. 

One of the fun parts of proper bartending is the ability to create the perfect cocktail for a special patron...Finding that one ingredient, that one flavor, that special concoction that your guest is craving. 

A French black raspberry liqueur, Chambord dates to the 17th Century.  It mixes very, very well with a variety of ingredients, and is always a crowd pleaser.   We used to refer to it, with great affection, as "thigh relaxer", due to its popularity with the ladies.

Don't try these at home, the ingredients can get expensive quickly.  Go to your favorite watering hole with the recipe and find a good barman to mix one up for you.  Some of these are must-haves for the next girl's night out...Be careful though, Chambord goes down easier than a barman with...well, let's just say it goes down very easily.

Grape Crush

This is one of those cocktails that tastes way too good to be alcoholic.  Handle with care...

In a tall collins glass filled with ice, pour:

1 oz. Vodka

1/2 oz. Chambord

1 oz. Cranberry juice

2 oz. Sweet and Sour

Stir very well, then top off with 7-up and stir gently.  Garnish with three red grapes on a cocktail sword.

Brain Eraser

Ever had a mind eraser?  Mmmmmmm.  This is the same kind of cocktail.

In a rocks glass filled with ice, pour:

1 oz. Chambord

Fill glass nearly to the top with club soda, then float

1 oz. Citron (or other citrus vodka)

Drink that baby all at once through a wide straw.  If you're doing it right, you'll get the rasperry first, then soda, and you won't even notice the vodka.  Mission accomplished.

Nuts and Berries

I've never met a girl I didn't like who didn't like Frangelico.  Never.

Flavored with toasted wild hazelnuts, cocoa, and vanilla berries, it's also a great foo-foo drink ingredient.

Into a clean shaker filled with ice, pour:

1 oz. Light Cream

1 oz. Frangelico

1 oz. Chambord

Shake well, either pour into a chilled martini glass or on the rocks. 

You can also mix these liquors with ice cream.  Yum.....

Tie Me to the Bed

I think this one was named just so the girls would have to say "tie me to the bed" to us.  No complaints here, it was also a good indicator of how intoxicated your guests were getting.  When they stopped giggling after saying "tie me to the bed", it was time to slow down their alcohol intake...or close early :)

In a clean shaker filled with ice, pour:

1 oz. Chambord

1 oz. Melon liquer (like Midori)

1 oz. Southern Comfort

1 oz. Sloe Gin

1 oz. Citron (or other citrus vodka)

1 oz. Pineapple juice

Shake well, pour into chilled martini or shot glasses, garnish with lime and/or orange peel (or rope ;).  Makes at least four shots.  Wheeeeee!  Tie me to the bed baby!

Dirty Bong Water

I didn't name it.  It's called that because of the color of the drink, not the flavor

(er...I assume, I have no idea what dirty bong water looks like, honest)

In a clean shaker filled with ice, pour:

1 oz. Chambord

1 oz. Amaretto

1 oz. Blue Curacao

1 oz. Spiced rum

1 oz. Sweet and sour

Shake well and either pour as a shot or on the rocks.  Garnish with mint leaves, dude.

Stockholm Royale

This one's an old school classic.  If you find a barman that can make this without a recipe book, hold on to him.   This is a great Sunday brunch cocktail, especially if you're brunching with the in-laws...

In an ice-filled shaker, pour:

1 oz. Vodka

1 oz. White Rum

1 oz. Orange juice

Shake well, and pour into a chilled, sugar-rimmed champagne or martini glass.

Sink:

1 oz. Chambord

and then float:

Champagne

Garnish with a strawberries, blackberries, and/or fresh raspberries.

Give one of these a try sometime, and let me know what you think. 

Until then...unless you're sleeping with the bartender...

You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

Have a great night folks, it's been a pleasure serving you.

Bruschetta

From GJFlash's Recipe Box

Springtime is a good time, and springtime is good food time for sure.  In my less than humble opinion, it is the people of the Romance cultures who had this celebration of spring thing down to an artform.  The Italians celebrated spring with lots of good food and drink, which is the very best way to celebrate anything (also my humble opinion).  

One of my favorite Italian recipes is really simple and really good.  Bruschetta comes from the Italian word bruscare (to roast over coals).  The original recipe was basically just garlic-rubbed toast, but you can put whatever toppings on it you like (like pizza, capisce?).  You can use any kind of tomatoes, mix and match, and the same thing with the cheese.  This is one of those simple recipes with just a few ingredients, so try to use better-quality groceries.  I like to mix soft mozzarella and a little feta, then top it with pureed sundried tomatoes and rough-chopped Romas...mmmmmmmmmm.

This recipe begs for a good Italian wine, I like a good Sangiovese with this plate.  Maybe a nice Spanish Rioja if you're feeling kinda dirty.

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

1 pound fresh  tomatoes (any kind, any combination), drained and diced (to taste, some like it pureed into baby food, I like it with a bit more texture)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, washed, very gently dried, and finely chopped  (leave a couple whole for garnish (get it?  Leave some for garnish?  Get it?)

4 cloves garlic (depending on taste, I use 8 or 10), 2 fine diced and two cut in half

Extra virgin olive oil (you'll taste it, so use good oil)

A French Baguette, cut into slices about an inch thick (on the bias if you're cool)

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

12 oz. good Mozzarella (or other) cheese(s), sliced thin

Set oven to 375 degrees F.

1.  In a non-reactive bowl (NOT steel), mix together the tomatoes, basil, olive oil and minced garlic.  You can give this mixture another run through the chop, or even through the food processor, whatever's clever.  Season it to taste.  I usually warm up the minced garlic in the oil first (don't burn it, don't even let it get hot).

2.  Put bread on a baking sheet and toast one side.  You can do this on the grill, too.

3.  While it's hot (do this fast, I do it a few pieces at a time), rub the toasted side of the bread with the cut side of a garlic clove (or vice-versa).  The hot bread will absorb the essence of the garlic.  This will smell (and taste) really good, which is why many Italians stop at this point and eat the bread.  Try to resist.  

4.  Take your olive oil and drizzle some over the top.  Now you will be truly tempted to eat some.  Do.  Try to save some for later.

5.  Cover the toasted side with cheese, and pop it back into the oven for about a minute (depending on the cheese, you want it to soften but not brown).

6.  Heap a spoonful of the tomato-basil mixture onto the bread, and ENJOY.  Think happy thoughts about springtime in Italy.  Repeat as necessary.

You can use pretty much anything for this recipe.  I once went to a bruschetta party (it wasn't quite as lame as it sounds), and some of the partygoers had produced bruschetta that was downright blasphemous (try watermelon mango mint bruschetta sometime).  Just not today.  Today is for Springtime in Italy.

Enjoy!

A Restaurant Review by GJFlash

I arrived at Snooze on a rainy, crappy, Tuesday afternoon, late lunch, and had no problems finding parking (thus is the case now, it may not be the case in the future), but had no change for the meters. Looking for spare change (I had some competition in the ever-evolving neighborhood), I walked into Snooze.

Entering Snooze can be a bit of a time-warp. Design afficianados will appreciate the homage to echos of Diners past, with the orange formica and dark walnut finishes ... Then you notice the tea-stained parchment light fixtures, brushed-stainless steel bar and booth seats from a Classic Caddy and realize that this isn't your Mama's diner. Wow. You can use words like cool, hip, and groovy, but they really don't do Snooze justice. This place feels like home (if only your home were this cool, hip, or groovy).

So, back to my entrance. I walked in to find two employees pouring over the restaurant computer, a very bad sign. Computer people aren't always very good in the hospitality business, and it stands to reason that hospitality people will have a tough time with computers. We do. When I saw that the only two employees in sight were fighting with their computer, I prepared my vocal cords for the polite "haarumph" throat-clearing that announces a customer wanting attention. Busted. First impressions and all...

"HI! How are you doing today?" Ohhh, nice catch by the server coming up the aisle. I later learned that the staff is told the importance of greeting all the guests right away, even if if's "not their job". Seems like a no-brainer until you get ignored by people who want your money. Maybe it has happened to you.

Credit Snooze for solid common sense in a lot of other areas, too. When I asked for change for the meter, the server quickly produced a quarter from her own pocket, no strings attached. Nice. Her quarter bought me free parking for an hour. Her investment brought her a solid tip. Not because I felt obligated, that quarter was just the first step in a nearly flawless hospitality experience. No Starbucks rejects here, Snooze has the good sense to retain folks who have some solid people skills.

I took a seat at the bar, since what I really wanted was caffeine. Straight frickin' up. I ordered a double-shot of espresso, the quality of which is as good an indicator of a quality barista as any, IMO. It was piping hot with perfect crema. Their espresso bean is local, but the house blend is an exclusive import from Guatemala. This house blend is some great, great coffee. They sell it whole bean in very cool cloth bags, look for all the cool kids to have one next year.

The food is good. Real good. Real, real, real good. I don't want to say a lot more, you should try them yourself rather than just listen to me tell you how good it is.

Awesome good. Crazy good. Wicked good. Vanilla Almond Oatmeal Brulee and Reese's Pieces Pancakes good. I ordered the Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich, on a cloudy, rainy, crappy day. The soup was thick and rich, good texture (a touch on the rustica side), with deep flavor and a bit of heat. Good jalepeno heat. Drooling good. I wish I could tell you more about the grilled three-cheese sandwich, but I was too busy using it as an oversized spoon to slurp up the soup. Just know that it was hot and perfectly grilled, a nice blend of soft and stout cheeses.

The bathrooms have the good fortune of being inside a new restaurant, so they look good to begin with. Fancy frosted glass that mimics the curves found on the dining room wall and light fixtures, trendy countertop washbasins, and very cool tile. Nice. They were clean, which is all one could ask. I do.

The service was friendly and attentive but not overbearing, a fine line to try to walk.

My experience at Snooze was a very, very good one.

Trust me on this, the next time you're having a bad day and it's not even 7am, have the pancake flight for breakfast at Snooze. They'll change your outlook on life.

You can also try the Captain A.M. for the really BAD mornings.

Snooze is located at 2262 Larimer Street, on the corner of Park Ave west. There is metered parking up and down Larimer (.25 cents for 75 minutes), and a dollar lot across the street.

Their website is: http://www.snoozedenver.com if you want more info.

Definately recommended, please give them a try and let me know how it was.

Obviously, she's not mine, she's just another displaced woodland creature gone "over the hedge".  She doesn't place any blame on her predicament, she just goes about doing what she has to in order to survive.

She has been a resident of our neighborhood for a couple of years now, often finding refuge in my canine-free yard.  I don't do anything to encourage her visits (other than the aforementioned crumbs), nor do I try to chase her away (her pups last spring provided much entertainment as they chased butterflies thorough the flowers).

I see her many mornings, stealing the bread crumbs that I have scattered about for the birds and squirrels (stealing may be a harsh word, given the fact that she could wait for said birds/squirrels to visit my bread buffet and let nature take its course).

The morning I took these shots was during a respite from the blizzards and bitterly cold temperatures (or "global warming" as some like to call it).  I spotted her limping over a snow drift as she paused to sniff the hushed, echoless winter air of a snowbound city.  I would imagine the air smelled a bit odd to her, with no automobiles to help stink it up.

Quietly noble, a bold brush stroke of chestnut red on a pristine white canvas.  She was magnificent. 

Since that moment, I have taken to calling her Colorado. 

I see a great many similarieties between my new friend Colorado (the fox) and my old friend Colorado (my home).  Both seem to be caught in a bit of a struggle these days.

My new friend Colorado knows nothing of our "struggles".  She only knows that she's cold, and that she's hungry.  She is concerned, first and foremost, with her survival and that of her offspring.

She only worries about her priorities.  Perhaps we could all take a lesson from my fox, Colorado.