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By Amy Zhang March 7, 2018 in Lifestyle, Recipes 4 Comments

At Home Cocktails with Campari

Staying in is the new going out. So, who’s with me? But seriously, in the past year it’s like a switch went off in my head and all of sudden, nothing sounds better than staying in during the weekends in sweatpants. My wardrobe is split between athleisure and office appropriate attire, and I couldn’t be happier to part ways with my going out clothes. Most weekends, there’s nothing I’d rather do than curl up on the couch with a book or movie and call it an early night. OR, we’ll make homemade pizza and pasta with our new pasta maker (fresh pasta is a GAME CHANGER) and pair it with a light cocktail. Think Italian aperitivo – a spritz or a Campari cocktail.

If you’re not familiar with Campari, it’s red liquer that is made by infusing herbs and fruits in alcohol and water. The result is a bitter aperitif that is used in popular cocktails such as a Negroni or Americano.

Personally, I am a huge fan of the slightly more bitter taste and think the liquer is SO refreshing – especially in the summer in Europe! So, this weekend, I chose to stay in and test out some Campari recipes while watching Campari’s short film, The Legend of Red Hand, the second installment to Campari Red Diaries (an annual campaign that showcases how every cocktail tells a story!).

Starring globally-renowned actress Zoe Saldana, best known for her work in Avatar and the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and Italian actor Adriano Giannini, The Legend of Red Hand paints a thrilling mystery that takes viewers around the world in the pursuit of the perfect Campari cocktail. The short film is directed by Italy’s award-winning Stefano Sollima.

The short film opens in Milan, the birthplace of Campari, where Zoe Saldana’s character Mia Parc begins her quest to uncover the “Red Hand” – the craftsman behind the perfect Campari cocktails. Her search leads her around the world, ultimately finding many bartenders that create the best cocktails with Campari.

Though Mia may be a fictional character, the bartenders she meets are real-life masters of their craft. In addition, in the brief appearances in The Legend of Red Hand, the six bartenders have created their own Campari signature cocktails and teased their cocktails via short videos which you can view on the Campari YouTube page. So, for my weekend at home, I tested out Leo Robitschek’s cocktail, a twist on the classic Negroni, which can be found at the NoMad hotel in DTLA.

The cocktail and video go hand in hand. In fact, Campari’s very ethos is that “every cocktail tells a story.” Also, I love when companies push the envelope when it comes to branding and content. So, as someone who works in the entertainment industry, I am always impressed when brands enter the content space and experiment with bringing together their product and entertainment. This short video made by Campari is vivid and stunning – it even stars one of my favorite actresses, Zoe Saldana! Not a bad way to spend a Friday night, right?

Recipes for an Americano and a Negroni with a twist below – enjoy with classic Italian aperitivo snacks such as potato chips, olives, and nuts. Cheers!

At Home Cocktails with Campari

Americano Recipe

This classic aperitivo cocktail is light, refreshing, and easy to drink. It’s perfect for days when you want something less heavy and not as boozy. It brings me back to my last visit to Italy instantly.

1 oz. Campari
1 oz. vermouth
Soda water

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir. Garnish with half an orange slice.

Jitney Negroni Recipe { from Nomad Los Angeles }

Created by Leo Robitschek for Campari Red Diaries

This recipe is sure to impress your guests and perfect for a dinner party. It’s very booze forward, so keep that in mind when drinking! It’s a refreshing take on a classic Negroni. The instructions looked complicated initially. However, I found it to be easy to follow – and I’m by no means a professional mixologist! If you want to simplify it even more, remove the step with coffee.

¾ oz. Campari
¾ oz. Sombra Mezcal
½ oz. Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth infused with Coffee*
½ oz. Cinzano Bianco Vermouth
2 dashes of Absinthe

*Coffee-infused Vermouth: Macerate 5 oz. of coarsely ground coffee in 750 ml of Vermouth for 10 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.

Instructions: First, combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass. Then, add ice, stir and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

This post was written in partnership with Campari. As always, all opinions are my own.

By Amy Zhang February 12, 2018 in Recipes 8 Comments

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Pancake Recipe {Grain & Dairy Free}

Love is in the air this week – my love for pancakes, breakfast, and my boyfriend have come together in the form of this heart shaped, healthy banana oatmeal pancake recipe. This week’s pancakes are heart shaped in honor of Valentine’s Day, but the recipe is good for any time of year. It’s easy, practically fool-proof, and easily customized to whatever your tastes may be. They also happen to be grain and dairy free, yet still happen to taste like pancakes. You won’t even miss the flour, butter, and all of the other delicious (but not so good for you) ingredients.

Pancake Recipe

If you’re familiar with healthy pancake recipes, you may remember the extremely popular two ingredient protein pancake recipe that made its way around the internet a few years ago. These were one of my go-to healthy breakfasts for a while. I love a good simple recipe! This one is as easy as they come– you only need two ingredients (banana and eggs) – and they’re filled with protein and so good for you! They also taste surprisingly good, despite my initial thoughts that they would taste like a weird sweetened egg mixture. I wouldn’t say they taste like pancakes (missing that gluten factor, in my opinion), but they are a great healthy substitute and taste amazing with fresh berries and a little maple syrup.

If you’re looking for a healthy pancake recipe that more closely resembles a traditional pancake, try out this banana oatmeal recipe I adapted from Modern Honey (love this food blog!). The reason why I ended up testing this recipe? I went grocery shopping over the weekend and initially bought bananas and eggs for the 2-ingredient protein pancakes I typically make. However, I had difficulties using the heart-shaped mold I had in mind because the batter ended up being too runny for my liking.

Pancake batter typically includes some type of mixture of dry and wet ingredients, and this variation was missing milk and flour. I had to think quickly on my feet – I had oats and flour in my pantry, but I didn’t have any milk in my fridge! Almond milk is a staple at home, but we very rarely buy cow’s milk. I try to avoid too much dairy, so we typically only buy it if we’re baking or making cauliflower gratin for special occasions. I was also feeling lazy and didn’t feel like running out to the store again. SO, I had to find a dairy free pancake recipe ASAP. This one worked in a pinch, and I will definitely be using it again in the future!

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Pancake Recipe

Adapted from Modern Honey. Serves 2-4 (makes 12 pancakes).

Ingredients:

1 banana
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup oats (I used steel cut oats and had no issues)
2 teaspoons baking powder

Optional Add-Ins:

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon nut butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Cinnamon

How To Make This Healthy Banana Oatmeal Pancake Recipe:

Blend ingredients together until smooth. Add more oats or almond milk to adjust consistency if needed. Heat a non-stick skillet on low to medium low (if the skillet is too hot the pancakes will burn) and add butter, oil, or cooking spray. I like Trader Joe’s coconut cooking spray, but whatever you have on hand should be fine. To make the heart-shaped pancakes, I used this mold. I used about 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. Cook on one side for one to two minutes before flipping over and cooking for another minute. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings (suggestions: maple syrup, agave nectar, berries, coconut flakes, slivered nuts, whipped cream).

I loved these pancakes for weekdays or when I’m craving pancakes but want something a little healthier. They’re fluffy and have the texture of regular pancakes, but are so much lighter and better for you. If you prefer a sweeter batter, just add in a couple tablespoons of maple syrup or agave into the batter before mixing. I promise these will be your new go-to healthy pancake recipe!

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By Amy Zhang January 5, 2018 in Lifestyle, Recipes 4 Comments

Boozy Hot Chocolate Recipe

While the east coast is getting bombed with snow and cold weather, we’re still enjoying warm weather over here in SoCal. I used to hate it when my friends from Southern California would rub the good weather in my face all winter long when I lived in Chicago, but now I totally understand the sentiment that seasons are overrated. But regardless of where you are right now, it’s technically still winter, and that means hot chocolate season! I tried my hand at making hot chocolate and the verdict around the house? It tastes SO much better than the packaged powders. Of course, I had to make a boozy hot chocolate recipe as well in this case. Not surprisingly, chocolate goes well with alcohol, and it’s officially one of my new favorite winter drinks.

How to make boozy hot chocolate + some variations

If you’ve never tried an alcoholic hot chocolate recipe in the winter, you’re missing out! Making boozy hot chocolate is easy (make hot chocolate and add the alcohol of your choice), but there are some different variations you can take with the recipe to suit your personal tastes. Of course, the easiest thing to do is mix pre-made hot chocolate mix with milk or water, and then add booze or liquor, but what’s the fun in that? If you’re feeling a little extra, you can make homemade hot chocolate, which tastes SO much better. There’s nothing better than a mug of hot chocolate during the cold weather months!

Ingredients for easy boozy hot cocoa:

+ Chocolate to melt (I prefer semi-sweet, but it’s really up to you!)

+ Milk of your choice (non-dairy is ok!)

+ Booze of your choice (suggestions: whiskey, rum, bourbon, red wine, peppermint schnapps)

+ Mini marshmallows

+ Cinnamon

Directions:

Luckily, this recipe is so easy to make! All you have to do is warm up the milk of your choice in a small saucepan (you can microwave it too if you’re in a pinch) and slowly whisk in the chocolate until it melts. Make sure the milk does not boil! Once the liquid is smooth and creamy (like, you know, hot chocolate), you can pour into a mug, add powdered cinnamon or crushed cinnamon sticks, and stir in the alcohol of your choice. One part alcohol to four parts hot chocolate is the ratio I usually work with, but you can adjust up or down as you prefer. Top with lots of mini marshmallows and whipped cream or the garnish of your choice and drink up!

Variations:

+ Add sugar or honey to taste if you prefer a sweeter drink

+ Toast your marshmallows and rim your mug with chocolate syrup and graham cracker crumbs for a S’mores hot chocolate

+ Add nutella for an extra indulgent drink

Other tips for making boozy hot chocolate: make for friends (how cute would a hot chocolate bar be for a winter themed party?!) and serve with copious amounts of marshmallows in cute mugs. Sit back at an outdoor fire pit (so perfect for après ski!) or in your pajamas at home for a movie night. Make for dessert or an everyday treat. Enjoy and follow me on Instagram! xx

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By Amy Zhang July 23, 2017 in Recipes 14 Comments

Spritz Time

I’m not the biggest drinker, but I love me a good happy hour. Spritzes are my go-to happy hour beverage at the moment, and it looks like I’m not the only one. Spritzes are definitely the drink of the summer! Before we get into making a spritz, can we take a moment to talk about the European way of life? When we visited the Amalfi Coast last fall we got a real taste of la dolce vita, but recently in Barcelona we enjoyed the Spanish way of life as well! Read: 5 meals a day, siestas, happy hour always. We fell in love with spritzes in Italy last year and had our fair share when we were in Europe last month. Now that we’re back in LA, spritzes are still our summer happy hour drink of choice.

Did you know the word “spritz” is actually a loose word for cocktails that follow a similar formula? Basically a spritz is 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts liquor, and 1 part soda water. Aperol spritzes just happen to be the most popular variation (it’s the drink of choice in Italy!) but there are countless spritz recipes, which I learned when my boyfriend bought this book. We’ve been slowly making our way through the recipes and each one is better than the last.

Here’s why the spritz is the drink of the summer.

+ They’re light and refreshing

+ They’re relatively low in calories and alcohol

+ They’re good for digestion. The liquor in spritzes are meant to “open your palette” and prepare you for your meal. (Technically, you’re only supposed to have one, but who’s counting?)

+ They make for good photos ; )

Try one for yourself! Start with this classic variation of a spritz. Recipe below:

Aperol Spritz Recipe

Aperol
Prosecco (use DRY prosecco!)
Soda water
Orange

Instructions: Pour together 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts aperol, and 1 part soda water into a glass. Add ice and stir gently. Garnish with an orange wedge. In true apertivo style, serve with light bites (olives + potato chips are common in Italy)

Enjoy!! xx

By Amy Zhang June 3, 2017 in Recipes 11 Comments

YES WAY FROSÉ

Stop what you’re doing RIGHT NOW. Have you heard of FROSÉ? If you have, then you’ll want the recipe below to make at home. If you haven’t yet, you’re welcome : ).

Rosé has been the ‘it’ summertime drink for years now – there’s nothing better than a chilled glass of dry, crisp Whispering Angel during the warmer months (although let’s be honest, rosé is acceptable any time of year in my book). The term “summer water” is very accurate.

Now imagine the frozen slushy version of rosé, known as frosé.

Frosé is arguably the best drink of the summer. Think I’m crazy? Then you need to try it for yourself. The frozen and slightly versioned of rosé is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. You can find it at bars across the country, OR you could make it yourself at home. You can probably imagine how excited I was when I stumbled upon this frosé recipe from Bon Appétit.

Disclaimer – I am not the best in the kitchen, but this I can handle. You’ll definitely want to drop everything you’re doing and make this right now.

Frozen Rosé aka Frosé Recipe from Bon Appétit

1 750 ml bottle hearty, bold rosé (note: stay away from the usual dry, crisp rosés that are good for easy drinking, like your Whispering Angels or Miravals. Be sure to choose a darker, pinker, sweeter version of rosé – the flavor will be diluted when you make the frosé)
½ cup sugar (substitute with any sweetener you prefer)
8 ounces strawberries, hulled, quartered (+ more for garnish)
2½ ounces fresh lemon juice

Put rosé in a pan or Ziploc bag (we opted for a bag) and place in freezer. Wait impatiently for rosé to freeze. It took about 4 hours for a bottle to almost solidify in our freezer.

At the same time or in advance, make the simple syrup! Sounds fancy but it’s really just taking the sugar + 1/2 cup water and mixing together over low/medium heat until it dissolves completely. Take the syrup off the heat and add strawberries for 30 minutes before draining out the seeds. Yep, you just made fancy STRAWBERRY infused simple syrup.

If you’re feeling lazy/don’t want to commit to becoming a mixologist, you can also buy premade simple syrup or just make the syrup and then purée strawberries and mix them together. Or not use any sugar at all. Totally up to you!

Take frozen rosé, lemon juice, and simple syrup (add to taste, although the recipe calls for 3 1/2 oz) and blend in a blender. Add ice and continue to blend until you’ve achieved the optimal slushy consistency.

Pour into glasses, garnish with a strawberry or wedge of lemon, and serve! Enjoy!

Make it for yourself + all your friends and thank me later. Hope you love frosé as much as I do!

xx, Amy

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