I invented this drink over the weekend, IT IS AWESOME!!!

We finally got a Sprouts in Castle Rock so we raided the produce section for fresh produce to come up with something delicious. I'm so sick of the sugary pre packaged mixes on the market today. A long time ago I started making my Margaritas from scratch and there is no comparison.


Mixologists everywhere are trending toward fresh produce to make their drinks.

I think this is my new favorite mixed drink. I could use some help thinking of a name for it.

you take a couple of slices of fresh cucumber

one wedge of lime peel and all

one wedge of a fresh pear

about a half a teaspoon of raw sugar

muddle it all together really well add vodka, shake then strain

OH MY GOD It's GOOD

The best Happy Hour for us Foodies is Panzano Downtown Denver

Every day of the week, Saturdays and Sundays too, Panzano hosts a lively Happy Hour with exciting food and drink specials from 3 - 6pm in our Lounge. Enjoy all draft beer for $3, four different choices of wines by the glass for $4, or any of our Specialty Cocktails for $5. In addition, enjoy generous tastings of Chef Elise's signature dishes such as "Crespelle ai Funghi", "Bistecca Griglia" and "Melanzane Fritte" during Happy Hour for just $3 and $4 a plate. The way we do it is go with another couple or a few friends and order the whole Happy Hour Menu. It will cost a grand total of about $58 and it is AWESOME!! The $3 draft beers include a couple of my favorites, Stella Artios and Moretti. The $4 wines by the glas include a killer Malbec. But you have gotta try the "Grapes of Wrath" from the Specialty Drink menu which are all $5 bucks. The Grapes of Wrath is Grape Vodka - Patron Citronge - Pineapple Juice and a little Lime juice. Shannon - Get Yer Grub On

DINR Deck

The content below is from a Denver Post story. I've heard about it a few times and it sounds like a great idea.

"Thought of stuffing stockings with a deck of dinner discounts? Then look no further than the dining deal from Denver's best independent restaurants.

For $50, you get $520 in dining deals. Each of the 52 cards is good for $10 gift certificates redeemable at members of the nonprofit DINR.

Top restaurants include Vesta Dipping Grill, Rioja, Mizuna, Mezcal, Black Pearl, Panzano, Il Posto, Table 5, Elway's Cherry Creek, Parallel 17, Racines, Olivea and The Avenue Grill.

The cards are valued from New Year's Day through New Year's Eve 2010, with the exception of Denver Restaurant Week in February. Proceeds go to support Denver's independent restaurants.

DINR's mission is to "support, encourage and promote independent restaurants and chefs, which are the soul, spirit and identity of Denver, through education and the formation of a restaurant network.""

Julie and Julia

I saw the movie, Julie and Julia, last night. Let me tell you, this is NOT a movie to watch late at night when you're hungry!

I thought it was a wonderful movie and I liked how they tied the two stories together. It really got me thinking about how much I love food and cooking. Although I'm in a constant battle to keep my weight down, this movie reminded me how pleasurable food can be and how I need to just let myself enjoy it. -- Drew

Mcclure's Pickles

http://www.mcclurespickles.com/
Oh SNAP! seriously, that's the sound they make when you bite them. SNAP!


I saw these pickles on The Food Networks "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" so I had to try them. Ted Allen was right, they're awesome. The Spicy ones are the only one I have tried so far and yes they are spicy. I am a spicy food lover so I didn't mind them at all. Probably one of the most addicting things I have ever eaten.

Spicy Pickles – Intermingled with cayenne and habanero peppers, these pickles have a kick. Layered, bold flavors and incredible crunch make for a unique pickle unlike others. Use the leftover spicy brine to make a killer bloody mary mix or as a marinade for cooking. You can also refill the jar with some small pickle cucumbers and voila you have more pickles in a few weeks. The only place here in Colorado you can get them that I know of is Williams - Sonoma. Any volunteers who would like to go in on a case?

Larimer Hot House closing

I was very sad to hear that Larimer Hot House is closing. Eric and Jen are awesome people and the food was great (on our Top 5 Sandwich list). I hope they land on their feet and come back with something new soon. -- Drew

Crumbs

I thought the title is good for these kinds of posts...

**Made basil oil for my father-in-law:
1. In a blender, add lots of fresh basil and puree with good olive oil and a bit of salt (remember, use Kosher or Sea Salt).
2. Let it sit for awhile so the flavors can really blend. Optional.
3. In batches, pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing the mixture with a spatula to get all the liquid out.
4. Using a funnel, transfer oil to a glass olive oil bottle.
5. Great on chicken, caprese salad, bread, or just by itself!

**Made Rick Bayless' Chorizo Queso again yesterday. It's supposed to go with corn tortillas, but I usually just serve it with good corn tortilla chips. Everyone gobbled it up!

**Made boneless buffalo chicken the other night. Wasn't happy with the goopy flour mixture, but they turned out great! Loved the flavor of them without the extra dose of hot sauce at the end. It kinda ruined the overall flavor, but adding the hot sauce into the flour mixture was an awesome idea. I use recipes from these guys all the time. I like their explanations of why things work or don't work.

**Oh, and me and Shannon are getting Big Green Eggs soon. Can't wait!!!

Grubology Staff Meeting

Today we held our Grubology staff meeting at Dickey's BBQ in Centennial on Arapaho. The food was very good. We had the Hot Links and regular Smoked Sausage as well as the Brisket. The Sausages where good but I gotta say the brisket was outstanding. The people are very friendly and the Manager was very helpful. It is a little different then I expected serving the food buffet style but as far as being a streamline business model I would think it's the best way to serve BBQ considering most of the food is long and slow cooked therefore ready to go. They seem to try to cook things to order that don't do well sitting out in a steam table like the fried stuff such as Okra and French Fries. I would return to Dickey's for sure especially if I need to grab something fast and good. Grub on - Shannon

Lunch at Cherry Cricket

Had lunch yesterday with some good friends at Cherry Cricket, one of our Top 5 Burger Joints. I had a Cricket Burger with a roasted green chile and smoked cheddar. So good. I've stopped using condiments on burgers now because with the good ones, you really don't need any! -- Drew

And I loved our waiter's t-shirt so much I had to take a picture of it...

Super Bowl Grub

Does anyone have any Super Bowl grub ideas? As of now I'm smoking Ribs and Wings I think. Chips, Dips, Chains, Whips? anything? - Shannon - Grub On