Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade

Today is my day of relaxation before I start my new job tomorrow, so I had a bit of a late start. I woke up with Kramer, then loafed around on the couch a bit before going out to get a massage. I know, fancy, right? I felt fancy, even though the masseuse was really into new age stuff and kept telling me to breathe weird. She got all of the knots out of my back, though, so I guess I can deal with monk chanting music and the smell of incense, which normally I have no tolerance for. After my massage, I walked around Williamsburg a bit, got a coffee, picked up some ingredients for cooking later on, and now, here I am, drinking some kombucha and watching reruns of television shows. I wouldn’t mind being lazy for a few more days, but I think it’s best to start work and not get too used to this kind of a lifestyle. Besides, I’m really eager to start my new job and get to know everyone that I’ll be working with. It’s an entirely new industry to me, and the prospect of doing something different from what I’ve been doing for the past three and a half years is beyond exciting. I’ll get to spend some time in the kitchen later, maybe do a few chores around the apartment, and my favorite, prep lunches for the week. There’s something about getting organized when it comes to upcoming meals that I absolutely love.

My excellent Star Wars themed outfit from last week, shiny silver skirt and all.Kramer and I had a pretty full weekend, despite the fact that we don’t really celebrate Easter or anything like that. The weather was mostly gorgeous and we tried to get out of the apartment as much as possible. On Thursday night, we celebrated my last day at my old job with dinner at Salvation Taco, followed by drinks at Harefield Road and The Shanty. On Friday, we both had the day off, so we slept in, had brunch at Egg, then dinner at Suzume with our buddy Joel, followed by our friend Morgan’s improv show. I know it seems like all we did was eat and drink this weekend, and honestly, you’re not wrong! That’s what holiday weekends are for. We carried on on Saturday, but only after a quick trip to the gym where I took a bootcamp class that I’m still feeling today. We had brunch at Walter Foods, where I got a giant plate of scrambled eggs and chorizo, and followed that up with a mint julep with blackberry jam (freaking amazing) at Maison Premiere. I meant to do a bit more cooking and work on the blog a bit later that day, but Kramer and I lost all of our motivation and came home, watched Lost, and ordered a pizza. I think it was a good decision to call it an early night, as we woke up early-ish the next day, cleaned, and shot a new web video with Diana from Appetite for China! It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to share the finished product with you. She’s got a book out right now, too, which is full of drool-worthy recipes, so you’ll probably want to pick up a copy, especially after you see our video.

In the spirit of a long weekend, brunch, and beautiful weather, I give to you this Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade. This cocktail is part of my ongoing partnership with McCormick, whose Pinterest board is bursting with great recipe ideas for the spring. This season, McCormick is focusing on making your get togethers fast and easy so that you can enjoy yourself along with your guests! So far, I’ve made Butternut Squash and Leek Latke Benedict and Brisket and Matzo Breakfast Bruschetta, and I figured I’d finish things off with a beverage to wash it all down. With a pop of beautiful color from the strawberries and the option to make a big punch bowl of this cocktail so you don’t have to make them one by one, you’re sure to be the center of attention at your party in no time at all. I’m a big fan of bourbon (obviously), but I wanted to go for something a little more lighthearted than the usual old fashioned (although my love for an old fashioned is undying). The sun is shining and spring fruits are popping up at your grocery store, so I hope you’ll put them to use. I pureed the strawberries, added some maple syrup, a sprinkle of McCormick cinnamon, lemon juice, bitters, and, of course, bourbon, then topped everything off with some club soda, although if you have prosecco, do yourself a favor and use that. The result is the perfect drink for a casual afternoon get together, be it brunch or just hanging out with friends. Bourbon doesn’t have to be used in only strong, sprit-forward drinks. You can get creative and celebrate the season with this Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade, or whatever else you dream up! Cheers!

We made a few cocktails this week – the weather was just so nice it was hard not to! We also shot a video (soon to be posted) with Diana from Appetite for China.
Just mix everything together in a cocktail shaker and shake away!

Top with some club soda (or prosecco) and a strawberry garnish.