Culinary Adventures with Camilla

While I used to be an equal opportunity imbiber - wine, beer, spirits, whatever - I have landed solidly in the wine camp over the past several years. We rarely drink beer anymore and I almost never make cocktails. But, as we neared a second pandemic birthday celebration for Jake's birthday and my birthday, I wanted to shake things up. So, I purchased a cocktail kit (it was really just the simple syrup set) and a virtual cocktail making class. That's how we kicked off his birthday weekend. He sat and listened to the facilitator while I played bartender. So, mis-adventure number one: Let's just say that three cocktails in the course of an hour-long class is way too many. About two too many as far as I am concerned. But we had fun and we didn't have to call for a ride because we were in our own house! Mis-adventure number two: I whipped up an Aviation cocktail and plunked a vinca blossom from our garden into the glass for the photograph. Turns out, it's poisonous...at ...

Today the #OurFamilyTable is sharing Sensational Summer Cocktail recipes! Christie of  A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures  encouraged the bloggers: "It's not only grilling season, but summer cocktail season! Think margaritas, daiquiris, and all those frozen, whipped, refreshing, or just plain makes you think of summer cocktails (or mocktails)." Bijou Cocktail by Culinary Adventures with Camilla Blue Lemonade by A Day in the Life on the Farm Hemingway Daquiri Martini by Karen's Kitchen Stories Peach Moscow Mule by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks Rosemary Lemon Smash by Our Good Life Star Wars Galaxy Edge Yub Nub by Simply Inspired Meals Watermelon Moscow Mule by Cindy's Recipes and Writings We share  Recipes From Our Dinner Table ! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our  Pinterest board , too!  Bijou Cocktail I read about this classic cocktail from the late 19th century: the Bijou. And I was immediat...

Carlee of Cooking with Carlee invited us all for some Halloween Food Fun. While the fun factor is in the eyeball garnish, I have to admit that the cocktail is pretty darn tasty, too. All the Fun Creations... Caramel Apple Cereal Bars by Palatable Pastime Creepy Eyeball Martini by Culinary Adventures with Camilla Halloween Party Mix by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks Haunted Halloween Mini Cake by Making the Most of Naptime Mummy Cupcakes by Family Around The Table Mummy Dogs by A Day in the Life on the Farm Spider Web Cupcakes by Making Miracles Spooky Chocolate Bark Brownies by Amy’s Cooking Adventures Creepy Eyeball Martini Ingredients makes 1 cocktail 2 ounce gin 1-1/2 ounces syrup fro the canned lychees 1 ounce Chartreuse liqueur Also needed: cocktail shaker, ice cubes Eyeball Garnish canned lychees blueberries skewers Procedure Drain the lychees, reserving the canning syrup for the cocktail. Place a blueberry in the...

I have seen several desserts like this around the blogosphere recently - some with blueberries, some with pears. But they are all calling this a 'c lafoutis. ' Klah-foo-tee! They look delicious. However, it is actually a  flaugnarde.  Clafoutis  is a dessert that comes from the Limousin region of France and is made with black cherries. Only cherries. Other variations are made with plums, prunes, apples, cranberries or blackberries, but those are called  flaugnarde . Since mine is made with fresh strawberries, a  flaugnarde  it is. And here's another interesting tidbit, for  clafoutis  purists: the cherries are baked with their pits intact.  Ingredients 2 C fresh strawberries, destemmed and halved 4 eggs 1/2 C organic raw turbinado sugar 3/4 C white whole wheat flour 1 C milk 2 T Chartreuse powdered sugar for dusting Procedure Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the baking dish. I used an 11" round. Lay the strawber...

I picked up a bottle of Chartreuse this week and started looking for recipes. There were a lot of intriguing ones, but I found one that screamed "Me, me, me, me, me!" First, it used fresh blueberries and we still have a bounty from our trip to pick blueberries at High Ground Organics last weekend. Second, it has an awesome name - Midnight Frolic. I did adapt it into a fizz because it was waaaayy to potent for me otherwise. Oh, and I have to share a funny exchange I had with my husband. C: Do you feel like a Midnight Frolic? J: Okay. What time is it now? C: No, it's a cocktail. J: Oh, okay. Ingredients for 2 cocktails 4 oz blueberry-fennel-thyme infused gin 2 oz Chartreuse 4 oz sparkling water fresh blueberries Muddle blueberries in the bottom of a wide-mouth mason jar. Add ice, gin, and Chartreuse. Shake to combine. Strain into small glasses and top each cocktail with 1 oz of sparkling water. Garnish, if you wish, with a couple more fresh b...