Mr. P and I took the opportunity to head off this week for several days in the Clare Valley trying out wines from some lovely wineries and eating locally sourced food. I've come back 3 kilos heavier and with several additions for our wine stash. I always take plenty of food shots when on holidays and this time was no different.
This is where we stayed while we were away. A beautiful old farmhouse built in 1870. Lovely to have kangaroos hopping past your back door at dusk and to have grape vines 30 metres from the house.
So,what better way to keep the R & R going than by swapping out wine tasting for a cocktail which was chosen by Thea this week.
Im always a bit dubious when I see healthy stuff in a cocktail but this one has enough alcohol in it to balance out the vegetable content....I breathed a sigh of relief when I had the first sip because I was a little afraid it might taste like a Boost Juice. No fear of that - plenty of nips of alcohol to leave you in no doubt that you were having a cocktail!
So this is a visual of what you're going to need:(original recipe can be found here )
This recipe calls for white cranberry juice and I couldn't find it anywhere so I just subbed a splash of ginger beer instead. Any port in a storm! I'm amazed by what isn't readily available here that seems to be easy to get in other places.
And ta da ! Here is my artfully posed shot of a cucumber cosmopolitan.
This didn't taste at all like I thought it would. I was imagining a much stronger cucumber flavour. I stopped at one though ...three standard drinks in every glass means this is decidedly a one off cocktail! Definitely an acquired taste and probably much better with the white cranberry juice. I think my ginger beer addition was a complete fail!
17 comments:
I have not seen white cranberry juice either...maybe normal cranberry juice just to make a cosmopolitan cucumber blush?
Uh huh. Not a cucumber fan, and who mixes veggies in their booze? Freaks... ;o)
Why is it that the best R & R times comes with a price tag in the form of added poundage? lol
Oh foodie boozie time away. I am envious.
Love the post and the comments. I'm put off a little by the cucumber as well, but I might try stirring my bear with it....giggle.
What a wonderful get away and even if that drink didn't taste quite right, it sure looks good.. Can't wait for summer cocktails!
I am still trying to work out the correlation between white cranberry juice and ginger beer!?! I probably would have used "normal" cranberry juice....and like Cardy's comment...a blushing cucumber cosmopolitan!
Hmm good food and grog, that makes for a good holiday! And your back in time for the heat wave :(
Don't know that I could be bothered with that one. Cucumber water sounds gross and I am afraid I lost interest in finding the rest of the recipe after that. I don't think we grow cranberries here which is why we don't have white cranberry juice. Sound like you had a nice break. Catch ya.
I think that cuc cosmo looks so refreshing and sounds delicious. Fancy glass too, nice one!! If you ever feel like a treat at DM's get yourself some Hendrick's Gin, it's infused with cucumber and rose petals, it's not strongly flavoured but just those hints really add something special to these summery cocktails. Your holiday of wine tasting, good food and olde worlde accomadation sounds like my idea of a perfect holiday, especially when there's kangaroos hopping by.
I would try this but again with the damn limes. -sigh- At least I can find white cranberry juice. neener, neener, neener!
(ps - am I back to being a reply to blogger?)
That food looked amazing and I think I want to live in that farmhouse! So glad you were able to get away :)
Sounds like a perfect holiday - finishing projects, organizing, and ending with a little R&R.
So glad you had a nice time away. I see you still don't do vegetables much, besides the odd potato. Beef and sheep farmers must love you!
Epic fail for me on the cocktail front. I forgot to plan ahead and make it earlier as I couldn't do it on time this week. What's with the no white cranberry juice? I know we used to be able to get it, but I've been looking for it since before Christmas, none anywhere.
Looks like a lovely getaway...noice...
Well, maybe it wasn't a good choice to sub out ginger beer for white cranberry juice (never ever seen white cranberry juice - we are so backwards grocery-wise) but your photo styling, very stylish, it looks refreshing...
How do you find these lovely places to venture away? Hope you came back rested & relaxed & ready to take on the world! :)
PS...Cucumbers, Cranberries, & Cocktails, oh my. Doesn't seem quite right, but if you say it was tasty, I'll take your word for it. ;)
Wow, looks like a great place to stay. Besides Shiraz, what are the common wines you find down under?
Sorry cucumber anything is just wrong!
Still, it's pretty. I like cucumber, but not sure if I'd like it in a drink, non-alcoholic or otherwise.
Your holiday looks like it was lovely. The food photos are fabulous and I loved the little farmhouse you stayed in.
xo -E
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