Food + Wine for Summer’s Bounty

Summer is all about basking in the sun and enjoying life. To that end, you may want to have a cocktail in hand, along with some inspired, delectable recipes:

Accompani Vermouth – A Companion for Drinks + A Drink for Companions

Vermouth is one the great unsung heroes of the wine & spirits realm and deserves its time to shine. Hailing from 19th century France, dry vermouth is sweet vermouth’s herbaceous counterpart; with versatility to ennoble a classic martini or an easy spritz, dry vermouth is the essential cocktail staple, and a mixologist’s multi-faceted Swiss army knife. Vermouth can be drunk neat (usually over ice), diluted with tonic or soda (a great low-alcohol option) or used as an essential component in many classic cocktails such as the Negroni, Manhattan and Americano. Key Botanicals include tarragon, thyme, citron, sweet woodruff, and rose – a veritable garden of sun-kissed flavor. Find it at Straightaway Cocktail’s site HERE.

An Italian Negroni aperitif:

One part gin, one part Accompani vermouth, and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel and rosemary sprig. Stirred, not shaken; built over ice in an old-fashioned or rocks glass.

Lush Life Cookbook – Simple Garden-to-Table Creativity

With a natural and throughly delightful spin California cuisine, this Lush Life Cookbook emphasizes a garden’s bounty and will enable you to cook in tune with nature and the seasons. If you eat and drink what’s both in season and local, you’ll enjoy the freshest, healthiest meals possible. Fresh and local is Valerie Rice’s rule-of-thumb, which has resulted in being an accomplished gardener, chef, and mixologist – along with her innate charm and penchant for elegant simplicity. Valerie Rice has compiled 156 of her favorite seasonal recipes for entertaining, family meals, snacks, and more, including cocktails and wine. Rigorously home tested and lavishly photographed by Gemma and Andrew Ingalls, Lush Life is a California dream of a cookbook with wine commentary by James Beard winner Raj Parr and a foreword by Suzanne Goin, author of Sunday Suppers at Lucques. Find it at Turner Publishing HERE.

Amazi foods – Feel Good Snacks/strong>

Snacks from Amazi Foods come in six different variations, each incredible in its own way. Sweet and chewy or a little sweet with a hearty crunch, Amazi has a snack that sates whatever you’re craving. These various tropical fruit options are excellent before or after workouts, for children, for beach picnics, and for afternoon work-slump cravings. Flavors include: Moringa Hibiscus Pineapple, Chili Lime Jackfruit Chews, Ginger Turmeric Jackfruit Chews, Ginger Lime Jackfruit Chews, Salted Olive Oil Plantain Chips, and Chili Lime Jackfruit Chews. These are ethically made in Uganda, and the brand is women-owned. Find your favorite HERE.

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