Justin Timberlake New Tequila – 901

901_Tequila_Justin_Timberlake

What does Justin Timberlake have in common with Vince Neil? …..No, not band breakups, tequila.  Justin did not even put his name on the bottle!  Rather it’s designed to appeal to connoisseurs looking for a fresh, modern take on  tequila.  Here is the scoop on this: The ultra premium spirit is hand crafted in small batches using only 100% Blue Weber Agave. It’s triple distilled for an ultra-smooth finish.

Mr. Timberlake and his partner selected Tequilera Newton in the heart of Jalisco, Mexico to  produce 901.  He visited so many distilleries before they came to  Newton. He  brings over three generations of experience into this agave juice.   Now talk about pacakging : A Multi-faceted bottle like Justin,   named 901 refering  to both the area code for Timberlake’s hometown of Memphis, Tennesee! As well as the Magical time when the night’s activities begin!

Here is a  901 PM  receipe for you:

901 PM

• 3 oz 901 Silver
• 2 oz Grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 oz Club soda
• Lime wheel garnish

click on this link to order your bottle: http://www.melandrose.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=90577

Single-Estate Tequila!

Tequila Ocho, which just arrived here from Arandas in Jalisco, Mexico, bills itself as “the first ultra premium single estate tequila to be introduced into the U.S. market in vintages.” Rather than the usual method of blending crops, the agave plants from which Ocho is made are sourced from single estates, i.e. individual plots of land with their own microclimates.

we have heard of Single-Estate Wine or Coco or even scotch but what’s up with Ocho Vintage Single-Estate Tequila! Because of the time it takes the agave to mature, each estate’s fields cannot be replenished for almost ten years after a harvest, making each one unique and, according to Ocho, highly collectible. Beside that, the agave is slowed cooked in stone ovens and undergoes open-air fermentation in wooden casks. If that is not enough for you each bottle is numbered by hand and stamped with the estate name of each vintage. Ocho is available in Plata, Reposado, and Anejo (below)  bottlings.

Ocho_Single_Estate_tequila

 ORDER: OCHO TEQUILA

• Ocho Tequila  Platinum $59.99 —— http://www.melandrose.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=91362
• Ocho Tequila  Reposado  $69.99 —– http://www.melandrose.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=91363
• Ocho Tequila Anejo  $79.99    —–     http://www.melandrose.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=91364

“Veev: The Worlds First Acai Spirit”

Pomegranate what? Blueberry who? Acai is what everyone’s talking about and for good reason. With more antioxidants and now “the healthiest fruit on the planet” this Brazilian berry boasts it’s own array of fruit juices, infused products, and now, it’s own spirit. That’s right, healthy alcohol. The company even boasts that a glutenous night binge drinking Veev will not give you a hang over. I repeat: NO HANGOVER!

For the environmentalist they even pledge to donate $1 per bottle of sales towards preservation of the rainforests through The Sustainable Acai Project. As an added bonus they are the only certified carbon neutral spirits company in the world, which means that just like their hangovers, their carbon footprint is nearly invisible.  A couple of delicious recipes to try the next time you go out and want to stand out amidst the vodka tonics and martinis:

Eau de Veev (or Brazilian Rickey)

2oz Veev Acai Spirit, 1 lemon slice, 1 lime slice, 1 orange slice, 3 oz tonic, citrus wheel for garnish:

Build in a highball glass over ice as listed above, squeezing and dropping in the fruit slices. Top with tonic. Stir and garnish with the citrus wheel.

Acai Martini:

3oz Veev, .25 oz dry vermouth (we recommend Dolfin), dash of orange bitters, lemon twist for garnish

Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Veev Ginger Fizz:

2 oz Veev, Ginger ale or ginger beer, dash of bitters (optional) lemon wedge for garnish.

Build in an ice-filled rocks glass and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge

Veev Basil Gimlet:

2 oz Veev, 4 fresh basil leaves, 1 o z lime juice, 1 Tablespoon sugar.

Tear 3 basil leaves to release oils and drop into shaker. Shake all ingredients very well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf.

Shrimp Santorini

The Perfect Retsina

Hungry for something savory, new, and totally satisfying? We came accross this recipe and it sounded too good to pass up.  We like this recipe best with tzatsiki, a fresh side salad, and of course an extra glass of wine 😉

• 12 large tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 oz plus a splash extra of Retsina wine
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of oregano
• House seasoning* (salt, pepper and other favorite herbs *we like lemon pepper, basil and oregano added to ours)
• 4 oz. Greek sheep’s milk feta
• 16 Kalamata olives
• 2 or 3 toasted pitas (for a healthy alternative try whole-wheat)

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, restina, olive oil, oregano, and a pinch of house seasoning and saute in a cured cast iron skillet for approximately 10 minutes. Dust shrimp with additional house seasoning and grill just until done. Arrange shrimp in sizzling skillet. Add olives and crumble feta over all. Serve with toasted Greek pitas and enjoy with the leftover wine!

Recipe adapted from Papa Cristo’s as seen in EdibleLa Spring 2009

Bold Boulder Limon Flavored Chips

It is a test of endurance to photograph, write web descriptions and generally be surrounded by enticing new products that  scream “try me! try me!!!” all day long, yet somehow we usually manage without any casualties. This is the story of one such exception.

It was an exceptionally warm day here in LA, occasionally punctuated by new breezes.  We sat contemplating the meaning of life when we felt the inclination to savor something new…wait, that’s not true.

We were sitting in an AC controlled office doing our usual e-mail, web photos, idle chit chat, and so forth when we got primal (that’s more like it). The deadly combination of hunger, shiny new things, and absolutely all absence of remorse led us to rip open a bag of the newly arrived Boulder Limon Kettle Style Chips. And OMG. Slightly thicker and crunchier than the Kettle brand chips, I have the feeling this Boulder brand will create some healthy competition.

For those of you who have never had this delightful flavor, it’s something like lemon, lime and then salt & vinegar with a hint of spice all in one heavely bite. I’ve always enjoyed the Lays version of this flavored chip, but now I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back. These were crunchy, salty, sweet and spicy, and we wound up eating the entire family sized bag in just a few minutes… And with no regrets. Just writing about them now makes me want to saunter next door and get a bag. For now though I’ll exhibit some self control and leave a few for you all to try. But you better hurry 🙂