Dixie Vodka: Stand With the General

I honestly would buy this vodka just for the bottle. (You know those people that select liquor based on how pretty the bottle is? I may have been (slash am) a perpetrator of this act. Don’t judge.) But listen: this is one of those times where your creative selection process has worked out for the greater good of alcohol consumption.

There are so many great attributes to Dixie Vodka:

  • the price point for alcohol content
  • it’s 6 times distilled from American corn
  • it’s handcrafted in Charleston, SC and produced by a company named Chicken Cock Whiskey
  • it has a totes a badass mascot with an even more badass catchphrase:“Feared on the battlefield, admired in the ballroom & loved in the bedroom, General Beauregard Dixie.  Man amongst boys.  Stand with the General.”

Now, vodka isn’t my typical drink of choice, especially for shots, but this one made it tolerable (and dare I say … enjoyable?). That oh-so-familiar burn down the throat wasn’t as harsh as regular brands and its smoother finish makes it an easy choice cocktails or on the rocks. Supposedly, the brand is designed for Southern males, but ladies, I say grab your glasses and let’s sip on some Dixie Vodka at the gun range to give these men a run for their money.

General Dixie is available as straight vodka and also in two flavors: Black Pepper and Mint. It will feature signature drink recipes such as the Mint Julep Martini and Bloody Dixie (version of Bloody Mary), created by leading Charleston mixologists.

 

General Beauregard Dixie Vodka
islandclubbrands.com
Facebook: General Beauregard Dixie
Twitter: @GeneralDixie

**Disclaimer: I received this bottle for free from Dixie

JAMBA JUICE’S NEW FRESHLY SQUEEZED JUICE LINE

Written by Enrico DeLeon III
With the big juice craze gaining more and more steam amongst all our super healthy friends, Jamba Juice‘s new line of fresh juices could not have come at a better time!  JJ rolled out the new menu at select locations only* to test them out, and us DFW-ians are lucky enough to have a chance to taste them!
When first hearing about this new line, it made me happy to hear that someone in the smoothie world was finally breaking into a real line of juices (not just one or two or simply just wheat grass shots).Jamba Juice’s expanded juice platform incorporates high-nutrient super foods like kale, beets, cucumbers, apples, oranges and chia seeds. They offer great tasting beverages which increase your fruit and vegetable intake without taking awhole lot out of your pocket.I recommend trying their “Tropical Greens” juice. Although it has all of their Supergreens (organic baby spinach, organic baby kale, and organic red and green chard), the blend of ice, fresh apples, pineapples and chia seeds gives you a great tasting beverage with nature’s sweetness from the fruit complimented by the freshest flavors of the greens. Don’t be scared to try this amazing beverage just because you may not like all the greens… you’ll definitely be surprised! Besides, if it’s good enough for Popeye the Sailor Man, it’s damn sure good enough for you!  (It might even win you a hottie like Olive Oil.)

The following stores in the Dallas area will have fresh-squeezed juice:

  • Southlake – 222 State St, Southlake, TX 76092
  • Sundance Square – 400 Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
  • Frankford – 18204 Preston Rd, Dallas, TX  75252
  • Shops at Legacy – 5700 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX 75024
  • Greenville – 5923 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
  • Northwest Highway – 8421 Westchester Dr, Dallas, TX 75225
  • Las Colinas – 6440 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75039
  • Watauga – 8450 Denton Hwy, Watauga, TX 76148
  • Hulen – 4801 Overton Ridge Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76132
  • Spring Creek – 1201 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX 75074
  • Flower Mound – 3180 FM 407, Highland Village, TX 75077
  • Camp Wisdom – 3040 Camp Wisdom Rd, Grand Prairie, TX 75052
***Rico was given a gift card by Jamba Juice to try out some of their new options.***

Citadelle Gin

 

Written by Lauryn Bodden

You should know by now I am an avid gin drinker and I will praise its herbal notes to my grave. A spirit that is meant to be mixed and bring depth to drinks, gin is the most used alcohol in classic cocktails. A friend once told me, “Saying you don’t like gin is like saying you don’t like sauce.”  Gin uses juniper as its main ingredient, but ranges with flavor profiles from cucumber and rose to lavender to lemongrass and black pepper.

Citadelle Gin from Cognac Ferrand proprietor, Alexandre Gabriel, combines the delicacy of fresh flowers, jasmine, honeysuckle, and cinnamon—a flavor profile reminiscent of springtime picnics and summer patio sipping. Citadelle is the only gin in the world distilled in small, Charentais copper pot stills over a naked flame.  (That sounds pretty sexy.)

Intrigued by flavor possibilities imparted from aging gin in different types of casks, Gabriel began to experiment in the mid-200s and introduced the Citadelle Gin Reserve in 2008. Going back to the style of “yellow gin”, Citadelle Reserve matures for several months in old oak casks to produce the freshness of Citadelle gin with older, cask-aged spirits. Each year since 2008, Gabriel releases a limited edition aged gin each year to give customers new, exciting flavor profiles.

In 2013, Gabriel hit the holy grail of gin production. He came to the conclusion that a cell master should not age gin in just one cask, but several casks and then marry the liquid. This process is called solera, which means you have a “mother solera vat” that maintains the blend profile.

The process appears grueling, but basically involves putting new-made Citadelle into three types of casks from two to five months. Here’s the breakdown of casks used:

1.)  ex-Cognac that are rinsed with gin, so the Cognac doesn’t overpower the gin

2.)  ex-Pineau des Charente that imparts a full-bodied mouth feel, a little spice and a flowery roundness

3.)  American oak casks, which is the mother solera vat that contains a special taste profile created by Gabriel. The gin marries in the mother solera vat and then bottled.

As you prepare to embrace this Texas summer heat with a cool, refreshing cocktail, check out Citadelle Reserve Solera to make the perfect drink by the pool (or, ya know, anywhere).

Here is a recipe for a more exotic Gin & Tonic using Citadelle:

Created by Citadelle’s Spanish team.

  • 35ml Citadelle gin
  • 140ml Tonic
  • Orange
  • Licorice root

In a wide glass, place two slices of orange. Pour gin then tonic.  Add the licorice. Garnish with orange peel.

Places To Watch The World Cup in Dallas

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The Londoner (Greenville & Addison) – they are rea-dy.

Glass Boot Biergarten (Henderson)

The Dubliner (Greenville)

Trinity Hall (Mockingbird Station)

Christie’s (Uptown)

Blind Butcher (Lower Greenville)

The Old Monk/Idle Rich/Blackfriar (Henderson/Uptown/Uptown)

British Beverage Company (Uptown)

Pour House (Lower Greenville)

Champps (Las Colinas)

Mucky Duck (Addison) – they’re claiming that they’re “your headquarters for World Cup 2014” … so there’s that.

Sherlock’s (Addison)

Frankie’s (Lewisville)

The Franchise Grill & Bar (Plano)

Cantina Laredo (various locations)
During USA or Mexico games, select drinks are just $5 and Tecate & Heineken are $2

Have an addition? Email me at [email protected] and I’ll have it included!

LYFT Energy Stir Sticks

written by William Merkel

I drink a lot of energy drinks. (Like … a lot. I may or may not have written this review with a Monster in front of me and a Monster box on my head.) So I was the natural choice to review LYFT Energy Stir Sticks.

The idea behind LYFT is simple. Put powdered caffeine in a stick that can be stirred into any drink imaginable to give it an extra little kick of energy. But this isn’t just your regular “run-of-the-mill” caffeine that can be found in sodas, no sir. This is “clean caffeine”. It has zero calories, and is made from green coffee bean extract with vitamins A and B complex.

Depending on what drink you stir LYFT in to, the taste will vary. Their website gives some examples such as orange juice, water, soda (which already has caffeine save for a few root beers, caffeine free, etc), mixed drinks, or how I personally tried it, on the rocks.

Now, I may have chosen a bit of a strong drink to put it in … I used Mount Gay Barbados Rum and followed the directions on the stick: remove label, stir for 10 seconds. The claim is caffeine equivalent to one tall coffee, but not being a coffee drinker, I cannot attest to that fact. It did, however, give the rum a subtle, slightly sweeter taste which was unexpected. As for an energy boost, I did not feel anything. (Again, I drink multiple energy drinks each day, so I wasn’t surprised.)

Since there were two sticks in the package I decided to have another go. I used the second stick in a bottle of Seven Water and, in this, it did have a noticeably different taste. It was sweater, and a bit cleaner aftertaste. A lot different that my experience with rum, and it did give a little caffeine buzz, but still nothing too drastic.

Personally I think LYFT would be best enjoyed in water or a juice, something other than an alcoholic beverage which would overpower the the amount of caffeine in the stick. I can definitely see myself buying a couple more of these to put in juices or maybe coconut water to mix up my morning routine.

PURE LYFT ENERGY STIR STICKS
www.purelyft.com
Facebook
Instagram: purelyft​
Twitter: purelyft​ | #purelyft  #cleancaffeine

Product Review: Savino

Life’s a bitch sometimes, from work angst to sleep deprivation to general stress.  Which means … sometimes you just need a glass of wine at the end of the day.  (Read: a glass, not a bottle … I’m not an alcoholic. (Promise.))  You get home, pop the cork of your favorite house wine (a couple of my favorites that I try to have on-hand are Ménage à Trois red blend and Francis Coppola Claret), have a glass, and then you’re faced with the conundrum: do I keep drinking and therefore ruin any chances I have of working out in the morning and perpetuate the fat-girl cycle, or do I put a cork in it and have a less-delicious glass tomorrow?

Here’s your solution: Savino.  This handy little lifesaver will keep your wine decently fresh for (as I tasted) about 6 days.  Which means: no more bottle waste guilt keeping you from your morning run.

Savino

Savino is a decanter with a seal and floater with 15 years of research behind it.  The floater remains in the  decanter (even while pouring), and I’m not sure why, but it seems to work … so I won’t ask questions.  They suggest keeping the Savino in the fridge, which, for some, might be a turn off.  (Cold reds aren’t my favorite, but I let it sit for a few minutes before drinking it and it wasn’t too off-putting.)

It comes in glass or plastic, made from high quality Flint Glass and BPA FreeTritan (respectively).  The plastic version even offers a locking lid.  Both hold a standard bottle of wine (750ml), are dishwasher safe, and fit in most refrigerators.  (For you outdoor concert-goers, the plastic one is the perfect solution to keeping bugs out of your wine!)  Oh, and it’s pretty sexy-looking.

Generally, the product is a great solution to wasted wine.  For $29.95 for the plastic “Enthusiast” version, or $59.95 for the glass “Connoisseur” version, it’ll help cut your wine costs … and the cost of buying a new wardrobe to fit your muffin top in.

SAVINO WINE PRESERVATION GLASSWARE
www.savinowine.com
Order online
$29.95 or $59.95 (free shipping)

Rock and Roll

So … we all remember the old Hard Rock Cafe on McKinney Avenue.  Whether it was for a work party or a frat party, we all have a memory (albeit a blurry one) of the glory days.  You can either visit the cracked stars that remain on McKinney’s sidewalk and stare at the empty lot, or you can get your happy ass  to Victory Park to relive some of those memories (without the Sharpie Xs on your hands) at the new location.  The Hard Rock is alive and kicking … and it’s kicking hard.  From a refreshed food menu (28 of their items were modified and 30 new ones added) to creative cocktails, they’ve revamped some things (and not just on the menu).

Lest you think the life of a blogger is easy, I’ll tell you that we were served samples of 4 appetizers, 8 entrees, 3 desserts, and 7 different drinks.  (Yeah … life is tough.  Try finding an outfit that allows for the gluttony.)  We were given some of their revamped offerings, from steaks to salads, and then some old standards like nachos and (ermegerd) spicy hot wings.

Obviously, I was most concerned with the (ahem, 7) drinks we were given.  (Can you believe that?)  They all have interesting names, from the Big Kablue-na to the Air Mexico and the Magical Mystery Tour.  Most names are rock-and-roll colloquialisms, but then there’s the hurricane … oh, the hurricane.  Their flavors are just about as rock-and-roll as the names.  (Let’s just say that they make a rock concert in your mouth.)  Most were quite sweet, and I would have loved more whiskey all up in there, but of the ones we tried, here were my favorites:

– Magical Mystery Tour | this is a delicious gin situation which will be the first I order upon my return

– Twist and Shout | three words: ice cream, alcohol, bacon.  Need I say more?

– Air Mexico | I really don’t like margaritas, but I enjoyed that I was able to pick from six flavors of margaritas, including blueberry, pomegranate, and watermelon, and that they serve it with a little snack of chips and salsa.  (Because I don’t know what it is, but alcohol has something in it that makes me want to eat all the things.)

The cafe offers a full bar, 12 draft beers (including Franconia & St. Arnold), and wines by the glass and bottle.  Drinks are surprisingly well priced with some of the 24oz signature drinks ringing in at just $14.99 (including souvenir cup).  They offer live music on Wednesdays, along with monthly themed drag brunches (you read that right).

HARD ROCK CAFE
www.hardrock.com/cafes/dallas/
t/i: @hardrockdallas | facebook.com/hardrockcafedallas | #thisishardrock
2211 N Houston St. (Victory Park) | (469) 341-7625

Happy Hour Specials: Monday through Friday, 3-7pm

***I was invited in to try some of their refreshed offerings.***

Father’s Day Gift & Activity Ideas

EVENT/MEAL IDEAS:

MEDIEVAL TIMES – Dad’s are free … just sayin’.

BOURBON CLASS & ENGRAVING EVENT | June 12, 8700 Preston Rd. #113, Plano, TX (4-6pm)
Attendees will taste Angel’s Envy bourbon, Rye, Cask Strength and the Total Wine & More Special Angel’s Envy Blend. Free.

TAKE HIM ON A PICNIC HE’LL ACTUALLY LIKE
Pick up a picnic “bag” from The Grill on the Alley (in The Galleria) and head to one of Dallas’ many outdoor concerts, movies, etc. with Dad! It’s fancy, but not too shmancy. A picnic bag includes: table cloth, napkins & cutlery, corkscrew & two plastic wine glasses, mixed nuts, their famous sourdough, bread & butter
Starting at $32.95, feeds 3-4 (pricing can be found on their website)
Order at least 24 hours in advance

Pops, Pints and a Picture Show | Flying Saucer, Fort Worth | June 15, 9pm
Bring your pop in, drink a pint and enjoy the picture show: “National Lampoon’s Vacation”! An oldie, but goodie and dad will sure enjoy the flick outside on our patio with a craft beer this Father’s Day.
BONUS: if Dad brings in a tie, he can trade it for a pint.

PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE (Uptown) | June 15
BRUNCH, opening at 11am
DINNER MEAL OFFERING, 4-9pm | Get any salad, Perry’s Famous Pork Chop & Dessert Trio for $24.95
SOCIAL HOUR, 4-9pm | Step inside Bar 79 for specially-priced bar menu items

POLLO TROPICAL (Addison) | June 15 only
Buy 1 Get 1 FREE 1/4 Chicken meal with 2 sides for customers who text “DAD” to 52198 (they’ll get a code to show at the register to receive the special deal)

GIFT IDEAS:

Alright, so, it’s no secret that dads are a pain to buy for. Despite there being a host of customized gifts on the market these days, like to Design Your Own Mugs for him, we’ve put together some awesome gift ideas that your old man will love.

Angel’s Envy Award-Winning Bourbon is offering free engraving with each bottle purchased. Bonus? You’ll get to meet the Angel’s Envy COO, Wes Henderson.
  • June 11, 407pm | Total Wine Dallas (9350 N. Central Expy)
  • June 12, 1-3pm | Total Wine Plano (Collin Creek Village, 721 N. Central Expressway #200)
TICKETS TO THE BEST LITTLE BREWFEST IN TEXAS
Treat dad to an extra day of fun, beer, music, and food in Lewisville!

  • $35/person (includes a souvenir tasting cup and 12 2-ounce tastings)
  • $45/person (VIP, includes the above and early access
Purchase tickets at www.blbfit.com
BOURBON (because what dad doesn’t like bourbon?)
FOR THE CHEF– KNOB CREEK®: For more than 20 years Knob Creek – the #1 selling super premium bourbon in the world – has set the standard for bourbon, creating a big, full flavored spirit that is made in small batches to pre-prohibition standards. Its rich and hearty flavor lends itself to craft cocktails and the most delicious food dishes, which is why Knob Creek has partnered with Celebrity Chef Michael Symon (The Chew) to create full flavored dishes that are perfect for grilling and tailgating.
FOR THE BOURBON AFICIONADO – BOOKER’S® 25th ANNIVERSARY BATCH: Booker Noe’s 25th Anniversary is bottled uncut and unfiltered and is extra aged to bring out the true flavor profile of the bourbon.
FOR THE CIGAR BUFF- BAKER’S®: If your dad prefers a little smoke with his bourbon, Baker’s makes the perfect drink to pair with your favorite cigar. With a flavor that is reminiscent of cognac, it is aged seven years in new oak barrels, giving it a silky smooth flavor. For a unique Father’s Day gift, pair a bottle of Baker’s Bourbon with dad’s favorite cigar. You might even want to treat your dad to a cigar humidifier to keep his cigars fresher for longer. Consequently, you can see here different cigar humidifier packs for some inspiration. So, which bourbon goes best with a cigar? Well, the warm vanilla and caramel overtones of Baker’s bourbon can be enjoyed over ice or with a splash of water. Add a little extra gift with a personalized lighter. You can find a site that can print your photos on the lighter, making your Cigar Buff Father’s day gift complete. You can print your face on any item essentially! Take a pair of socks for example. I was speaking to my friend who has recently moved to Spain, and he decided to print his photo on a pair of socks for her father, over there they call it calcetines personalizados con foto! A bit of a joke between father and son. So you could stick with the cigar idea, or you could choose another item to personalise.
FOR THE MIXOLOGIST AT HEART – BASIL HAYDEN’S BOURBON: The perfect choice for a Father’s Day gift, made with twice as much rye as traditional bourbons, Basil Hayden’s spicy trademark finish makes it the perfect addition to any bourbon cocktail.

RECIPES:

Basil Hayden’s® Dad’s Day Off | Created by Zachary Brian Taylor, San Francisco

  • 1 ½ parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
  • ¾ parts Lemon Juice
  • ½ part Brown Sugar Syrup*
  • 1 sprig of Rosemary
  • Ginger Beer

Preparation:
1. Combine Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon, lemon juice and brown sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker.
2. Remove rosemary needles from the bottom 3/4 of the sprig and add to the shaker. Save the top of the sprig for use as a garnish.
3. Add ice to shaker and shake.
4. Double strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
5. Top with ginger beer.
6. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprig.