A Bloody Good Time Cocktail

Greetings all!

If you would like to make a dark and mysterious cocktail, try this Bloody Good Time cocktail. But this drink comes with a warning, “Vampires may start appearing when you serve this cocktail!” 

Image and recipe from 

https://www.totalwine.com/cocktail-recipes/a-bloody-good-time

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 1 oz. Cherry vodka
• 1 oz. Vodka
• 4 oz. Cranberry juice
• Cherry for garnish (or for a more festive garnish, gummy worms)

Instructions:

• Pour cherry vodka, vodka, and cranberry juice into cocktail shaker with ice.
• Shake well.
• Strain into cocktail glass with ice.
• Garnish with a cherry and/or gummy worms.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Thought of the week – A Daily Miracle

 

Image from https://www.instagram.com/jeffherrera_/?hl=en

“Every moment there are a million miracles happening around you: a flower blossoming, a bird tweeting, a bee humming, a raindrop falling, a snowflake wafting along the clear evening air. There is magic everywhere. If you learn how to live it, life is nothing short of a daily miracle.”

~ Sadhguru, ​Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy
[as read on https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/october-19-2023]

2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards

 

'A Life Changing Event,' winner

Photo: MICHEL ZOGHZOGHI

'The First Happy Walk'

Photo: DARYA ZELENTSOVA

'The Big Boss'

Photo: KENICHI MORINAGA

'Is It a Seal or a Dog?'

Photo: MONYQUE MACEDO DOS SANTOS

'Football Free Kick'

Photo: KENICHI MORINAGA

Which one was your favorite? Mine was 'The Big Boss'! 

Source (and more photos!): https://people.com/comedy-pet-photo-awards-2023-winners-best-cat-dog-pics-7644294

Chickpea Egg Salad

Greetings all!

If you are looking for a quick, filling, and delicious lunch, try this chickpea egg salad. I was very pleasantly surprised at how delicious and versatile this simple dish is!  

Image and recipe from

https://www.skinnytaste.com/chickpea-egg-salad/#recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cans chickpeas
• 6 hard boiled eggs, sliced crosswise
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or any other vinegar you have on hand)
• Salt/pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients and serve!

Variations:

• Add tuna, chicken, or smoked fish
• Add some greens (e.g., romaine lettuce or arugula)
• Make this into a jar salad: chickpea egg salad on the bottom, then cherry tomatoes, and finally greens

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Unusual Coffee

Greetings all! 

Did you know that October 1 is International Coffee Day? 

Image from https://ineedcoffee.com/inanimate-objects-comics-48/

Interesting facts about coffee:

• Allegedly, coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia around 850 CE and started spreading around the world in the 15th century.
• Coffee is now grown in more than 70 countries.
• Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, followed by Vietnam and Colombia.
• After oil, coffee is the second-most-exported commodity.
• Finland consumes the most coffee on a per-person basis (12 kg/26 lbs), followed by Norway and Iceland.
• United States of America, Germany and Japan lead the volume consumption. 
• The most expensive coffee in the world is Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand priced at $1,500/lb.

And now to the more exotic stuff if you feel adventurous and want to celebrate a special occasion! Animal rights discussion aside, coffee enthusiasts are willing to pay $80 for a cup of poop coffee or spit coffee.

Poop coffee is exactly how it sounds. Animals consume, digest, and excrete coffee beans, which are then collected, cleaned, and then roasted and ground. The famous brews in this category are:

1. Kopi Luwak/Civet coffee is “processed” by indigenous Indonesian cats. I actually have tried this coffee – after mentally blocking the preparation process! – and just remember it to be very strong.
2. Coatis coffee from Peru. Coatis belong to the racoon family.
3. Jacu Bird Coffee from Brazil. Also known as guans, these birds live in the forests of Latin America.
4. Elephant coffee is Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand, which is the most expensive coffee in the world.

If you are looking for a more palatable process, how about spit coffee?

1. Monkey Coffee (aka monkey spit or monkey parchment coffee) – The rhesus monkeys and Formosan rock macaques in India and Taiwan chew coffee beans and spit them out. This coffee is described to be sweeter and complex with notes of vanilla, chocolate, citrus, and nuts. 
2. Bat Coffee (aka bat spit coffee) is produced in Madagascar and Costa Rica. This coffee is supposed to be less acidic.

How adventurous are you? Which coffee will you be willing to try? Drop me a line!

Sources:

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-coffee
• https://elevencoffees.com/top-coffee-producing-countries/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_coffee_production
• https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/coffee-consumption-by-country
• https://luxe.digital/lifestyle/dining/most-expensive-coffees-in-the-world/#Black-Ivory
• https://wealthygorilla.com/most-expensive-coffees/
• https://www.thespruceeats.com/monkey-coffee-recipe-765328
• https://www.mashed.com/1096889/unique-coffee-drinks-around-the-world/
• https://enjoyjava.com/poop-coffee/
• https://www.reuters.com/article/us-madagascar-coffee-idUSKBN1ZQ0V3
• https://www.foodandwine.com/news/bourbon-pointu-coffee-bat-saliva
• https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/08/20/340154271/no-1-most-expensive-coffee-comes-from-elephants-no-2