Here is a drink that is perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch: The May Rose. It’s light and sweet, with just bit of tartness from the citrus, and airy and floral from the gin and lavender. But, mostly it is fruity with a pink blush from the blueberries.

The May Rose
Adapted from Oh So Beautiful Paper

Ingredients
2 oz. dry gin
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. lavender simple syrup
handful of fresh blueberries Read more…

This combination of fresh mint and cucumbers with citrus, tequila, and a pinch of salt is a fine way to kick off summertime. And the Jalisco is a wonderful accompaniment for your Cinco de Mayo celebration (and Mexican cuisine in general).

The Jalisco
Yields one drink

Ingredients
2 oz. blanco tequila
1 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup (1:1)
1 mint sprig
1 slice cucumber
A healthy pinch of salt Read more…

Not unlike with wine, there is a whole world of saké, and it can be daunting for the uninitiated. At Piedmont Grocery we are demystifying saké. We stock a good selection, and encourage you to explore its flavors.

Saké, a traditional Japanese rice wine, has four basic ingredients: polished rice, water, koji, and yeast. Koji is the magical mold that converts the starch in the rice into sugars. The saké-making process involves brewing, in two steps, where the starches in the rice are converted to alcohol. Sake is not carbonated, like beer, and is not at all distilled like spirits. Its taste profile is closer to wine, but also uniquely different.

What we think of as saké is the national beverage of Japan, and is often served with a special ceremony. However in Japanese, the term saké refers to any alcoholic beverage, and the drink we call saké in English is called nihonshu in Japanese.

Sake generally has an alcohol content of 12% to 18%, greater than both beer and wine.

Most saké is pasteurized for a longer shelf life. And some is unfiltered, or partially filtered, with a milky appearance and a bottle that should be shaken.

When you are purchasing saké, price does make a difference. In general, the more expensive the bottle, the better it will taste. Inexpensive saké is often made with unpolished rice, which alters the flavor unfavorably. It is then diluted and has distilled alcohol added to improve the flavor.

In Japan, saké is served either at room temperature, chilled, or warmed (not hot), depending upon the season, the quality of the beverage, and the preference of the drinker. It is usually served in small, ceramic cups, and can also be served in a masu, or small, wooden box.

There are a few cocktails made with saké as a pivotal ingredient. It can also be delicious in a marinade on meat or fish.

If you wish to explore the details and taste profiles of different types of saké, you can read all about it at Saké World.

Here are some of the types of saké, and specific bottles that we currently have in stock at the store:

Read more…

The French Blonde Cocktail is made with Lillet, an aperitif blend of Bordeaux wines and citrus liqueur. The St. George Botanivore Gin provides herbal undertones, and the elderflower liqueur wonderful, floral notes. The grapefruit adds a sweet-tart balance.

A classic cocktail with a retro name—it reminds us of spring in Paris.

The French Blonde
Yields one cocktail

Ingredients
1⁄2 ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1 ounce St. George Botanivore Gin
2 ounces Lillet Blanc
2 ounces fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
3 dashes lemon bitters (or to taste) Read more…