A Velveteen Lounge New York Minute

The past week has been crazy! Here's our video recap of the past week in our lives, along with a couple of vintage recipes for video days!

Road Trip! Eggbert the Christmas Egg & Eggnog Recipe

Join us for a visit to the holiday wonderland that is Devitt's Nursery & Supply in New Windsor, New York, home of Eggbert, the Christmas Egg! He even has his own eggnog recipe, which we share!

Kate's Lazy Meadow - Road Trip with Cocktails!

Joining us for a visit to Kate's Lazy Meadow, in Mt. Tremper, New York! We have a cocktail inspired by lazy meadows and a 1958 appetizer so easy you could assemble it blind drunk. Who knows? It could come in handy someday. 😏 Enjoy!

Road Trip & Cocktail Recipe: Black Dirt Distillery

For today's happy hour we have a real treat: a visit to the Black Dirt Distillery in Pine Island, New York! The make fabulous bourbon and applejack, along with fruit cordials, cider, gin and more! We have highlights from our visit, along with a Manhattan variation using their bourbon and sour cherry cordial. What are you waiting for? Watch the episode and start mixing!

Let's Serve Cocktails!

It seems that every one of our vintage recipe pamphlets and bar guides has a story behind it and Let's Serve Cocktails... is no exception. Published by The Taylor Wine Company (not to be confused with Taylor Family Vineyards, in Napa, CA), this mighty booklet has everything a person could ask for in a mid-century cookbook (Chicken Pufflets? Hammonaise? The opportunity to send for a copy of "Leaves from the Table of George and Martha Washington?"), but also raises the question: does The Taylor Wine Company, Inc. still exist? Sadly, no, and apparently there is an entire book about their demise (read about it here - I can't even find a mention of them on the Constellation Brands site). So, if one were inclined to whip up any of these recipes, wine substitutions would need to be made. However, it's a small price to pay for recipes this fabulous! Ready to dunk slices of chicken, turkey or pheasant in wine?!

Bon appetit!

A Fabulous Day At Prohibition Distillery

Tuesday's "Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en" episode features a visit to the fabulous Prohibition Distillery, in Roscoe, New York! If you'll be in the Catskills for any reason and enjoy booze, we highly recommend stopping in for the free tastings in their tasting room, along with the tour and a few cocktails. They're incredibly nice people, making amazing vodka, gin and bourbon, and they really know their stuff. It's a great way to spend a day!

So many lovely libations!

Relaxing on a beautiful day

REALLY relaxing on a beautiful day!

Roscoe, NY: Fly fishing capital of America

A Lovely Smile And A Lovely Libation

It seemed as though the whole world was cranky today, or at least the whole of NYC. From the woman who berated a man for blowing his nose on my morning train to the gal who was snippy to me on the PATH train to the dozens of folks whose faces seem to have frozen into scowls in this bone chilling cold, most of the city was in a bad mood. Most, that is, except for a woman on the B train who actually smiled at me! It took me a moment to process the fact that she was, in fact, not crazy - just friendly. That simple facial motion melted so much of the morning's deep freeze (and I don't mean the air temperature). I was struck by the power of a simple smile. They say it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, so take the lazy way and smile! You'll certainly look better and you'll definitely stand out!

Of course, a lovely libation also makes the day seem brighter! Like many folks, I am no fan of cold weather, especially when it's accompanied by heavy winds, but I'm about to administer my favorite antidote: bourbon! Try this the next time you get home after a bitterly cold day. It thaws you right out!

Cozy Fire

2 oz bourbon

1/2 oz elderflower liqueur

1/2 oz pomegranate juice

1/4 oz fresh lime juice

Isn't that better?