Sunday, April 30, 2017

Cocktails with Malfy Gin, Recipes Included!





We tried Malfy Gin live on YouTube last night and loved it! We came up with several recipes using it, but it's also delicious on its own and would be amazing in a gin and tonic. I think this will become our go-to gin for summer. Pick up a bottle if you're at all gin-inclined! You'll be glad you did!

Friday, April 28, 2017

Cinco de Mayo Punches Without Tequila

I can hardly believe it, since it's one of my favorites, but there are people out there who actually don't like tequila! If you fall into this category and are looking for something to serve for Cinco de Mayo, here are a few punch recipes from 1964's The Food and Drink of Mexico, by George C. Booth,  a "professor of English at Long Beach State College in California (who) is a renowned 'Chef of the West' and an afficionado (sic) of Latin America." These recipes claim to have been found "in the simple as well as the great homes as he travelled the many states of Mexico in his search for authentic and exceptional dishes" (and, presumably, drinks). I've only been in one actual private home in Mexico and the punches were pretty darn good, so I'm inclined to believe he encountered these!




Salud!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Classic Cocktail Recipe With Gin: Bermuda Rose





We're traveling back to the Mad Men era for today's happy hour, with a classic gin cocktail that was requested on one of our recent live broadcasts, but which we didn't get around to making. Here it is! Cheers!

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Easy and Inexpensive Cocktail Glamour

Don't you love it when you order a cocktail in a bar or restaurant and a beautifully designed drink is delivered? It's so easy and inexpensive to add a little glamour to your cocktails at home and we happen to have a few easy fixes in our Amazon affiliate store!

Marabou cocktail slippers. All of the glamour of a Jayne Mansfield or Mamie Van Doren epic and a built-in coaster! Click here for details!



Slide those slippers onto these classic cocktail glasses! Ignore the photo - they're all clear and the perfect size for the drinks we make on the show! Click here!


Disco dust. Sprinkle a little of this on top of your drink for all of the sparkle of an evening at Studio 54, with none of the attendant sleaziness. Click here for info!




Do you enjoy boxed wine, yet prefer not to advertise that fact? You need this! Stylish, functional and no one needs to know! See it here!





Here's the link to our online store, with our branded "Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en" products and our Amazon affiliate store! If you're looking for cocktail glamour, you've come to the right place! http://www.velveteenloungekitsch-en.com/shop.htm

Thanks for visiting and happy hunting! Your purchases help us to fund the show!

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Blue Cocktail & 1950s Appetizer Recipes in Our Retro Kitchen





Our house tour continues today in our retro-inspired kitchen! Shake up one of our pretty blue cocktails and join us!

Monday, April 24, 2017

Alcohol: It's Still Legal!

Careful followers of the news may have seen recently that YouTube has been classifying many videos as "restricted," and therefore not available in restricted mode, which can chosen as an option by individual users. That's all well and good and I'd never dream of telling another person what they should be allowing their kids to watch. However, they're lumping drugs and alcohol in together as a taboo category and that bugs me. It's not that I want underage kids watching our content (and I'd argue that underage kids have zero interest in us), but I get so tired of a martini after a long day being equated with a heroin binge. For one thing, alcohol is legal and has been since 1933. Possibly you can stop by the heroin or crack store on the way home, but I would have no idea how. Addiction is addiction and that obviously isn't good. But illegal drugs and alcohol, while both potentially addictive, just aren't the same. One is LEGAL and the other is not. You know, it's possible to become addicted to food, gambling and shopping, too, but those aren't restricted.

Okay, rant over. Let's have some fun with this, courtesy of 1950's Bar Guide, Published by TRUE, The Men's Magazine. One may or may not approve, but this cocktail doesn't care!


We firmly believe that drinking at home, in moderation, is the best way to stay out of trouble (and, if you plan to drink away from home, I have one word: UBER). However, if you're wondering whether or not you might be blotto (hint: you are), Bar Guide has some guidelines for determining your status:



Drink in moderation, don't drive and make sure you have restricted mode turned off, so you don't miss any of our episodes! :D



Saturday, April 22, 2017

Cocktail Experiments with Sake - Recipes Included





Watch us create impromptu cocktails with sake! The recipes are included and we'd love to hear about any cocktails YOU create with sake! We think this spirit is vastly underrated.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Tropical Cocktail Recipe: Missionary's Downfall - Collaboration with Common Man...





Our happy hour episode for the week is online and we have a special treat - a collaboration with the fabulous Common Man Cocktails YouTube channel! We make the cocktail, then Derrick shows how to make the honey syrup you'll need. Fire up the blender and start slicing that pineapple - it's time for tiki drinks!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Recipes for Record Store Day

Tomorrow is Record Store Day, celebrating independent record stores, along with those who work in them and those who love them. As a bonafide record lover, I think this calls for a celebration! The leaflet, Three Wiki Wiki Parties for Teens by Dole (I'm going to guess early 1960s) even has a special recipe that's perfect for the occasion, a pineapple pizza for your platter party!


You could take their suggestion and accompany it with tall, cool glasses of milk (and, if you're actually entertaining teens I highly recommend it). However, you may just want a libation that's a bit lovelier. In that case, how about a big bowl of Champagne Delight Punch?


We have the Anchor Hocking Party Starter Punch Recipe Book (I'm going with early 1970s for this one) to thank for this punch. That's a lot of hooch! Whatever you imbibe, put some records on the turntable (find your nearest record store and purchase some if you don't have any) and lift a glass to Record Store Day! 


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Cocktails With Nocello, Our New Favorite

Tonight we tried Nocello liqueur LIVE on Facebook and loved it! We each created a cocktail with this wonder liqueur and here are the recipes! Paul even made another one later in the evening similar to mine, with bourbon in place of the liqueur. Experiment and enjoy!


Kelly's Nocello Experiment

2 oz dark Jamaican rum
3/4 oz Nocello walnut liqueur
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
8 dashes orange bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Paul's Nocello Dessert

1 oz Nocello
1 oz milk (he used almond milk - cream would be great here)
Dash of cranberry liqueur

Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass!

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Spooky Tequila Cocktails & Cheese Ball In Our Horror Movie Home Office





Our home tour continues today with our horror movie themed home office! Won't you join us for cocktails, a bite to eat and a little work?

Monday, April 17, 2017

Spring Has Sprung - Time To Cook Outdoors!

For the first time in years, it actually feels like spring in our neck of the woods before late May! While some folks (Paul being one of them) don't mind grilling with two feet of snow on the ground, many of us wait until it actually warms up before we venture outside to cook. If you're ready to fire up the grill, Better Homes & Gardens Barbecues and Picnics (1963) has some fun ideas to kick off the season! Dessert on the grill? Why not?!

You don't have a grill? Create your own!


Here's to spring!

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Twinkie Wiener Sandwich & Luther Burger Boozy Upgrade With Cocktails





Have you ever been curious to try the Luther Burger or the Twinkie Wiener Sandwich? We DID try the Twinkie Wiener Sandwich once (a Twinkie, split down the middle and filled with a hot dog and topped with spray cheese) and it was awful. However, tonight we gave it an upgrade, along with the Luther Burger. Spoiler alert: both are fabulous! Fire up the grill and enjoy them today! We even have cocktail pairings!

Friday, April 14, 2017

Easy Dessert That's (Sort Of) Impressive Looking

I always take on too many tasks before a holiday or party. I have good intentions for creating spectacular desserts and course upon course of amazing dishes, but inevitably something gets left until the last minute. If that happens to be dessert and you have a few hours before your event, this Jell-O cup, from Joys of Jell-O, can save you untold anxiety. If you can make Jell-O, you can make this! And it's cheap! A few boxes of Jell-O and some grapes and you're DONE! Of course, grapes are just a jumping off point. Go nuts and use strawberries! Or go nuts and sprinkle with nuts! You could wreck this dessert, I suppose, but you'd have to try pretty hard. Bon appetit!

Arguably the easiest dessert ever

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Easter Cocktail Recipes With and Without Alcohol!





More Easter cocktails, this time with a non-alcoholic version! Everyone can enjoy a lovely libation this Easter!

Cocktails For A Zippy Easter Brunch

Planning an Easter brunch? It's practically illegal to not serve the classic Mimosas and Bloody Marys for brunch, but it's fun to mix them up! Here are three variations on the classics and there's sure to be something for everyone!


Really Rosie

1 oz apricot liqueur
1/2 oz brewed Bigelow Orange & Spice Tea
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Chilled sparkling rosé

Combine all ingredients in a champagne flute and stir gently. Garnish with a lemon peel.


Beety Mary

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
6 oz Naked Juice Bright Beets
8 dashes orange bitters
Freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients except the pepper and garnish with a celery stalk. Grind pepper on top.

Leafy Mary

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
6 oz Naked Juice Kale Blazer
8 dashes Hella Bitters Smoked Chili bitters
Freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients except the pepper and garnish with a celery stalk. Grind pepper on top.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Tiki Drinks & Vintage Appetizers in Our Tropical Dining Room!





Join us for a glimpse of our tropical dining room, tiki drinks and appetizers included! Which room should we feature next?


Monday, April 10, 2017

Vintage Ideas for Easter Tables

Are you looking to give Easter dinner a little flair? Later this week we'll have cocktails guaranteed to add sparkle to Easter celebrations! For now, here are some ideas for a memorable Easter tabletop, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959) some edible and some not. Go outside, find a branch and some spray paint, and create a spectacular Easter tree!


If you're after a more mid-century modern look, here's a centerpiece you can start making now, with some Perky Platter Trims to start practicing:


These adorable serving vessels are both Easter-themed and edible! And these Easter Bonnet cookies are merely a jumping off point. Everyone knows that the best Easter bonnets are over-the-top, so let your creativity run amok!



Just think how much better they'd look in color! If you're celebrating, I hope you're enjoying your Easter prep!



Saturday, April 8, 2017

Cocktail Bitters: Drinking and History





We've been asked for more information about the cocktail bitters we always use in our drinks, so here's a start! I'm sure we'll do more on bitters in the future, since they're fun and add a little something to a cocktail!



Hope your weekend is going well so far!

Thursday, April 6, 2017

(Moscow) Mule Variations

Tom Waits has an album called Mule Variations. Well, we have Moscow Mule variations! Our latest happy hour video (click here to watch) features the recipe for the classic Moscow Mule and the lovely Lori requested some variations on this classic drink on our Facebook page. We love those types of requests, so thank you, Lori! Here are a few. This drink is infinitely adaptable, so have fun playing with different liquors, liqueurs and sodas if you're a fan!


Sophisticated Mule

2 oz vodka
1/2 oz ginger liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
4 dashes of Fee Brothers plum bitters
Ginger beer

Shake all ingredients except the ginger beer with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, top with a splash of the soda and garnish with a slice of candied ginger.


Exotic Mule

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz ginger beer
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
4 oz DRY Sparkling Blood Orange Soda

Combine all ingredients in a highball glass with ice and stir.


Ginger Burro

2 oz Kahlua
4 - 6 oz ginger beer

Combine in a highball glass with ice and stir.

It's fun to play around with classic cocktails and make them your own!


Wednesday, April 5, 2017

I Thought I Was Dying! Time For A Cocktail?





I'm back on my feet after a bad health scare Monday night! I'm not back up to cocktails yet, but Paul is, so we have two cocktails tonight - with and without alcohol. They're both really good, so go ahead and enjoy cocktail hour, either with or without hooch!

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Daiquiris in Bed: Pink Bedroom Tour with Cocktails and Snacks!





Our newly pink bedroom is ready for its closeup and it's getting it in today's episode! Join us for pretty pink rum drinks and a shrimp and strawberry salsa in the boudoir! We won't even mind the crumbs in the bed!

Monday, April 3, 2017

The Man In The Kitchen Recipes

I was browsing through my cookbooks and came across this masterpiece, which I adore on so many levels that I just had to share. It's The Man In The Kitchen Recipes, by actor Van Johnson, and is a tie-in with Kmart and their Kmart K-lectables line of kitchen appliances. There is no publication date, but Kmart filed for a trademark on the K-lectables name in 1980, which dovetails with Van Johnson's dinner theater period, which is when this book was published. Also, as you'll see, the K-lectables SCREAM early '80s. Mr. Johnson claimed to love cooking and eating (he explains that he'd stopped smoking and couldn't stop eating) and he certainly amassed quite a collection of fascinating recipes here! It's a challenge to find any without meat, but I did find one for the vegetarians, plus booze-spiked coffee because, well, booze-spiked coffee! Without further ado, The Man In The Kitchen!

That jacket!




K-lect them all for your '80s kitchen!