Drinking Water

Fresh delicious drinking water flowing freely from our taps is something we likely take for granted in an industrialized nation until it pours out of our spigots smelling like chlorinated swamp.

My parents are currently enduring this very same public works debacle and I feel for them. Similarly, a year or so ago, the water in my corporate high-rise of employment began to taste the like the murky sludge at the bottom of the Mississippi... not good at all. Fortunately a teammates' husband is a water distributor and now for about $2.50 a month per person our team shares in the glub-glug of a good old fashioned water cooler.

I've become a bit of a connoisseur of water over the years and also a vigilant hydrator. That combination makes me immensely thankful for the readily available access I have to bright, refreshing drinking water (Eagan tap plus a Brita) and how good it makes me feel when I am fully hydrated.

This Week in Pumpkin: Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Courtesy of the fine people at the Blue Moon Brewing Company (their website is worth the click) I have been gluttonously indulging in their autumn brew, Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale. This drinks quite simply like a frosty fall symphony in a glass.

The flavors are so subtle and complex I am almost compelled to describe them with the pretentious alternate spelling--flavour. Warm pumpkin, earthy fall spices, the tiniest whiff of sweetness all with without sacrificing a hearty heaping helping of rich beer flavor.

In the event you prefer something closer to a traditional, eastern European Oktoberfest fair try Affligem. Slightly less interesting on the palate but no less delicious. By the way... the history of the beer is equally delightful.

No recipe required here campers... just sit, sip and savor.

Cool Drink for Hot Daze

I think I'm in trouble. I have long been a mojito fan and just stumbled across this delicious bastardization while searching for a boozy slush recipe for the up coming Fourth of July weekend. I found this tasty marriage of the two, made a couple modification and voila...

Mojito Slushy*

2 limes, zested
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (coincidentally about two limes)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, firmly packed
3/4 to 1 cup light rum
6 cups ice
Mint sprigs and lime wedges, for garnish

Heat the honey in the microwave just for few seconds to liquefy and pour into the blender. Add lime zest, lime juice, mint leaves, and rum into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice to fill blender and blend until slushy. Spoon into glasses; garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime slice.

*Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe on foodnetwork.com where he calls for making a simple syrup and using 1 cup of it over my honey substitute... I'm all like, hey Tyler I wore dirty clothes to work last week... I need to get my drink on and don't have time to eff around with a simple syrup.