Gin Mare is a Hand-Crafted, Light Botanical new Gin Perfect for Summer - Plus Cocktail Recipes

Gin Mare 

I’d heard the common stereotypes about gin: it’s a man’s drink, it’s a classy “old school” drink, and the devilish old adage, “gin makes you sin.” For whatever reason, gin was never even on my radar during a night out. In fact, I don’t think I’d ever ordered any type of gin drink. 

But then I discovered Gin Mare.

Distilled in a small fishing town near Barcelona, Spain, Gin Mare is a Mediterranean drink with a barley base and light botanical tones. The name itself, “Mare,” is derived from the Italian word for sea (“mar”). Gin Mare’s name reflects back to the Roman Empire’s Latin phrase “Mare Nostrum,” which means our sea, since the Romans relied on the Mediterranean Sea during their conquests. Gin Mare pays homage to the region’s rich resources, beginning with its moniker.

The Mediterranean spirit contains traditional gin ingredients such as juniper and citrus fruits. What sets Gin Mare apart, though, are unique ingredients -- all sourced from the Mediterranean region: basil from Italy, thyme from Greece, rosemary from Turkey, and Arbequina olives from Spain.

Another unique attribute of Gin Mare is that it is entirely hand-crafted. Each of the botanicals are distilled separately, which allows for a greater harmony in the taste. After three years of testing and refining the taste, Gin Mare released its first batch in 2010.



Guest blogger Shannon Ho at Gin Mare rooftop tasting event

Gin Mare made me recalibrate the way that I think about gin. My first sampling of Gin Mare was during a city rooftop party hosted by the distilled spirit. It was all first love romance … My drink was as light and breezy as my surroundings. The taste was versatile and refreshing. That first flirty cocktail lead to my crush on the beverage, an inevitable part of drinking this smooth, botanical gin. So, toss your preconceived notions about gin off the roof! Sit back and relax with a Gin Mare drink in hand.




    

JBF Award-winning Chef Michael White & Garden Glamour guest blogger Shannon Ho at Rooftop Gin Mare event


Here are some recipes that pair perfectly with a sunny, summer day.

(Side Note, Gin Mare’s cap is approximately 50 ml, and an ideal measuring tool for the below recipes.)

Summer

A contemporary revisit of a classic cocktail, such as it’s Tequila Sunrise, with a own twist to celebrate the season that you’re always dreaming of and you never want to end up.

40 ml. Gin Mare

15 ml. Aperol & Grenadine (pre mix at 50-50%)

10 ml. Gomme

15 ml. Limoncello

75 ml. Orange Juice

20 ml. 1724 Tonic Water

Method: Shake all the 4 first ingredients and double strain in a Collins glass filled with ice cubes. Let it settle and then add the Top it with 1724 tonic water and decorate with a half slice of orange, a slice of lemon and fresh thyme sprigs.

Perfect Martini

Or a Martini that is perfect...Using an advanced chemical analysis tool called “Gas Chromatography,” Gin Mare investigated the perfect vermouth for Gin Mare, and found the metric -- as well as a garnish that can compliment this mixture.

50 ml. Gin Mare

25 ml. Lillet Blanc vermouth

0.5 ml. of salt solution (25 g. sea salt dissolved in 100 ml.

Method: Stir over ice for 20-30 seconds until chilled and diluted properly and serve into a cold Martini glass and garnish with half strawberry.

Red Tonic

This drink is another great recipe innovation that pays homage to the classic Gin & Tonic. This is a refreshing drink with gentle spicy notes and because of its hot red color, you’ll want a beautiful glass to show it off. Think balloon glass, snifter, red wine glass...

60 ml. Gin Mare

10 ml. tomato juice

2 slices of fresh ginger

1 piece of rosemary

200 ml. 1724 Tonic Water

Method: Muddle lightly the Ginger, the Tomato Juice and the Rosemary at the base of the glass and then build your G&T in a normal fashion and garnish with a fresh basil leaf.





Nothing beats a Gotham rooftop event - capture the sunset - with Gin Mare



Chef Michael White's Gin Mare menu pairs with the lighter, more botanical Gin Mare. Chef Michael White is the head chef and owner of the Altamarea Group. Especially love his Ai Fiori restaurant. (Check out his the others in chef's culinary constellation.)










Me/Leeann with superstar/super-nice Chef Michael White at Gin Mare event

This feature was prepared and written in conjunction with Shannon Ho, Garden Glamour guest reporter and intern.  Thank you!

Green With Envy: New Sears Craftsman Mowers Drive Sculpted "Lawn Love"

Photo: elowskylawn 

Don’t let the guys have all the fun with the homecare tools and appliances. Move over, buddy! It’s time for “Lawnmower Ladies.” After all, a beautiful lawn is described as “manicured” - and who knows more about that beauty regime?

Boosting the “lawn love” are recent product introductions from Sears. In June, just in time for garden season, the company showcased their line of Craftsman® Zero Turn Steerable Riding Mowers and Front Wheel “Walk Behind” (aka push mowers) at a NYC press event. The muscular mowers are designed for ease of use, especially when mowing large yards - plus feature the very cool, wireless, Bluetooth technology-enabled Craftsman Smart Lawn app. Available from the iTunes App Store, the Smart Lawn app is like having a personal assistant to help power riders take care of their mowers with product care instructions, quick access to product information and parts replacement ordering. The easy-to-use app is operable from any mobile device and provides graphics and text updates as part of its Pre Start Checklist so you can readily manage the mower’s battery life, blade replacement, and schedule to change the air filter and oil. It also offers maintenance tips and alerts along with weather tracking to help determine the optimum mowing time. Now there’s no worry of it raining on your mowing moments!

Think that mowing the turf is nothing more than straight lines up and back? Think again. The Smart Lawn app provides mowing suggestions indicating ideal mowing times based on user preferences, weather, and more. You’ll have the most styled lawn in the neighborhood!

The App also includes do-it-yourself maintenance videos and step-by-step tutorials on changing blades, installing a mulch kit and bagger, how-to change the oil, as well as product information, owner’s manual, parts, and accessories list. See, every beauty has accessories.


The Riding Mower has a zero-degree turning radius enabling riders to cut with precision and save time navigating around obstacles and against edges. Just like a sleek car, the mower features a single steering wheel with four-wheel steering - no more tricky contortions just to drive the yard. Instead, here is steady control of front and rear wheels. Missed a spot? Don’t drive around in circles - this easy to use model allows for reverse mowing. The mower’s Consistent Cut Technology allows riding mowers to “excel in tall grass and hilly terrain,” thereby sending a design statement that will make your neighbors rather green with envy.

Craftsman riding mower, photo courtesy of Sears Craftsman

The Craftsman V-Twin Kohler® 7000 Series Smart Choke Engine eliminates the need for manual priming (three cheers!) and enables the rider to reach speeds of up to 7 MPH - and no worries about a speeding ticket!

The mower is available in either a 42” and a 50” cutting deck model. Go big or … well, you are home!

Is your lawn more on the petite size? The Craftsman® brand’s line of three propelled mowers are designed with you in mind, sweet pea: a front wheel drive gas mower, a wide deck gas mower and a rear wheel drive caster - with 7-inch front lockable caster wheels with front and back ball bearings. With less friction, there’s steady, easy driving -- and safety - but you knew that. Designed with innovative features, the push mowers, er, “walk behind” mowers are “reliable, high-quality and inventive,” says Sears Craftsman.

Pro Series Wheel Drive Caster Mower; photo courtesy Sears Craftsman.  Look at those wheels!

Let’s not overlook how noisy suburbia can be due to those “Mow, Blow, and Go guys" tearing up the quiet lawns and gardens there. Craftsman to the rescue! According to the company, their “Quiet Power Technology engine is 65 percent quieter than other mowers.” The quiet mowers may not insure a zen-like experience but they do offer a clutch of pro-like features that make it stress-free and easy to use, including a Briggs & Stratton® EXi Platinum Series Quiet Power TechnologyTM engines with plenty of torque. Plus, EXi engines never require an oil change, simply just use the Check and Add Oil as needed feature, making maintenance easier than ever. With its Ready Start® & Smooth Start recoil system, there is no need to choke or prime the engine before getting started -- you’ll have to rely on the gym weights for those arm-defining exercises. The mowers also variable speed options and include a Dustblocker bag and precision plus cutting system “delivering high performance bagging and mulching with a durable blade.” Good gardens depend on good, consistent mulching. The dual-point wheel height adjustment feature allows for a customized height to match your yard’s terrain.

The mower also has an EZ Store handle that provides a vertical position for storage and “three handle height positions for multiple users.” Come on - you can’t have all the fun. Share the “lawn love.”

All mowers are available at Sears, Sears Hometown Stores, Sears.com and Craftsman

International Tequila Day! Celebrate this “Sunday /Funday” with Cocktail Recipes

Bloody Mary Tequila Mariachi, courtesy Patron

Don’t know your tequila from the days of shots and salt?! A quick primer: Tequila is a Mexican spirit from Mexico, dating back thousands of years to the Aztecs when it was known in the form of a milky, fermented drink known as pulque. This drink, which used the sap of the agave plant - used to make tequila today, was worshipped by the Aztecs - so much so that two gods were attributed to it, Mayahuel - a female divinity, (naturally) and Patecatl - the god of healing and fertility; the husband of Mayahuel. A cocktail couple to rival Zelda and F.Scott Fitzgerald, no doubt. 

Fast forward to the Spanish Conquest, when Spanish troops expedited the tequila we know today by improvising with mud and agave. From this, mezcal was created. In the mid 16th century, the trade between Mexico and Spain launched the first major tequila distillery in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico.

In 1974, Mexico claimed intellectual property of the term “tequila” which is why it must be made and aged in specific areas of Mexico - in the same way France safeguards its native Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system.

And now, in 2016, bars and restaurants everywhere have fallen back in love with tequila, which is a must-serve cocktail at parties, events, and, of course, on International Tequila Day!

Creative tequila recipes to celebrate National Tequila Day: 

Twisted Bocktail 

Just as its name suggests, this beer cocktail highlights a refreshing twist by combining Tres Agaves Reposado’s wonderfully fresh taste with lemon and a splash of Hefeweisen.

1 ¼ parts Tres Agaves Reposado

¾ part Lemon

½ part Cointreau

½ part Simple Syrup Hefeweisen

Method:

Combine all ingredients minus the beer; shake and strain into a highball. Top with beer and garnish with lemon.

Green with Envy 
Cruz Tequila’s smooth and soft palate compliments the tart yet fresh tasting concoction that has just the right sized pinch of heat to tantalize your senses in the heat of July.

1 ¾ parts CRUZ Reposado Tequila

¾ part Lime

¾ part Honey Water

2-3 pieces Green Pepper

Dash of Cayenne

Method: 

Shake and strain into a lowball glass rimmed with a cayenne, sea salt and white pepper rim.

Maestro Dobel Diamante Lemon Margarita

16 oz ice

8 oz Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila

2 oz of fresh lemon juice

4 oz Agavero Orange Liqueur

1 lemon wheel

Method: 

Add ice, Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila, lemon juice, and Agavero, stirring vigorously. Serve in a cocktail glass with ice and a lemon wheel for garnish.

Bazaar Bloody Maria

Red tomatoes + Pinch Piri Piri

Orange tomatoes + Habanero

Yellow tomatoes + Saffron

Green tomatoes + Zaatar - a spice that is a mix of salt and sesame seed

Pinch Salt

Pinch Pepper

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 oz Water

Method:

Blend ingredients together well and strain for seeds. Make the Bloody Maria ice cubes in advance and freeze each color individually.

In a highball glass crush 1-2 Bloody Maria ice cubes of each tomato color. Fill the highball with ice, layering by color.

In a glass, combine 2 oz Patron Reposado

.75 oz lemon juice

3 dashes Bittermans hellfire bitters

5 dashes horseradish tincture

Pour mixture into the highball glass over ice; add straw and garnish.

Cheers!

This feature was prepared and written in conjunction with Shannon Ho, Garden Glamour guest reporter and intern.  Thank you! 

Outdoor Dining at Vandal Restaurant offers Street Art & Sophisticated Street Eats

Vandal Restaurant's Street Art, photo courtesy: Shannon Ho

This feature was prepared and written in conjunction with Shannon Ho, Garden Glamour guest reporter and intern.

The outdoor dining at Vandal restaurant is an artsy space for those who love the feel of seeing New York City’s colorful streetscape portraits through the lens of a cafe; a kind of theater with an intimate, colorful view of the pulsating Gotham art scene; altogether a potent mix of fine art and culinary art. Think of dining in a fine art gallery - with a spicy mashup of street art and street food. 

In fact, Renowned street artists Eelus and Shepard Fairey cover three walls of Vandal’s al fresco dining space. It's a full-frontal sensual experience to take in the floor to ceiling red-hot and black aesthetic. 

Photo courtesy: Shannon Ho

The architecture also makes it possible to dine with an extended, outdoor seasonal experience. The decor hints of a garden with greenery on the ceiling, accented with sparkly lights and petite vases with a single, bright flower on each table.
Of note: because of its proximity to the street, noise is very much a part of the menu. If the cacophony of “traffic symphony” isn't your cup of tea - Vandal offers quieter, more intimate dining spaces within its two indoor dining areas, (total seating is 360) and long bar. Even more street artists beckon throughout the restaurant, including Tristan Eaton, Will Barras, Vhils, Apex and Hush.

Photo courtesy: Shannon Ho

To get started, the drink menu offers an array of cocktails. For something with a kick, Sergeant Bell Pepper is a gin cocktail that brings the heat; at the same time delivers a refreshing coolness with each sip.

On the sweeter side, the Double Dutch is a fruity vodka cocktail with a mix of refreshing seasonal berries that is a sexy summer beverage to savor.  

The menu is categorized by sizes. Under the “Small & Medium” portion of the menu, the waiter recommended ordering two or three items for a party of two. This was baffling at first, as they were similar to the entrees in price, but upon seeing and tasting these delectable appetizers, they proved to be well worth it. 

The Thai Papaya Summer Rolls are light and “breezy,” with the crispness of an apple. 

Seafood lovers should consider the Tuna Crudo or the Blackened Shrimp Arepas. The Tuna is tartare, with a kick of curry and fresh, sweet coconut. The Blackened Shrimp offers multiple, nuanced layers and textures: the crunch of the fried corn tortilla, the tenderness of the grilled shrimp, and the purple radish garnish, decked out by the smoothness of the chipotle cream. 

Another recommendation was the Shawarma Salad, made with chicken, homemade falafel croutons, and a thick, pasty white hot sauce. The salad was inspired by halal typical cart street food, but boasting a sophistication in its superb quality and variation of textures. This salad exceeded all expectations, and is highly recommended. 

The “Large” portion of the menu consists of sizable entrees. The Prime Skirt Steak Fried Rice is savory and sweet. It includes Chinese sausage--a sweetened variation of pork, with a sunnyside-up egg on top. The dish has a runnier texture from traditional fried rice due to the egg and array of sauces; marries well with the tender steak and sweet sausage. It is a unique Vandal recipe.  

Another entree worth noting is the Balinese ‘Beach Style’ Branzino which is small and sweetened with a soy sauce glaze.  

And how could you leave without dessert? Vandal has its own pastry chef -- and the confections reflect the dedicated intricacy of the original recipes and their elegant presentations. The Blueberry Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwich is absolutely top notch. Fresh berries are a seasonal garnish, along with the sweet berry sauce trickled on top of the pretty macaroon. These flavors accent the fresh, house-made vanilla ice cream. If asked to choose between this and the Nutella Cannoli, the ice cream sandwich wins out. 

Blueberry Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich, photo courtesy Shannon Ho

Vandal offers a multi-sensual dining experience that goes beyond the food itself.  Go for the food and drink.  Linger for the art… 

Photo courtesy: Shannon Ho