Central PA Living

Dranks! – Aperol Spritz

Let’s go groovy classic. Like, supergroovy-classic. Like, let’s pretend we’re sitting at an outdoor table at a little taverna in Rome, watching sleek locals zip past on Vespas as we unwind after the work week level of classic. That cocktail? Is the Aperol spritz.

The Aperol spritz is made of exactly three ingredients (four if you count the garnish), so choose them well. Aperolis, of course,…

Dranks! – The Classic Daiquiri

For those who don’t know this, I was a bartender for several years. I mostly worked in shot-and-beer joints and I didn’t do a lot of fancy mixing (though I’ve made my fair share of margaritas), so it’s been a real thrill to explore drinks that are thoughtfully crafted and garnishes that have style.

That brings us to the classic daiquiri. Daiquiris, despite modern interpretations as…

Dranks! – Italian Sparkler

The other day I had a yearning for a cocktail that was a little bit fruity, crisp, and refreshing, but not overly sweet. I’m not really a sweet-drinks person to start with (give me wine that’s dusty dry, please) so I try and find things that have balance. A little sweet if fine, sure, but I also like a little bitter, maybe a touch herbal, with some fizzies thrown in for fun. Plus it’s summer, so…

Boxty at The Pancake Project

“Boxty in the griddle, boxty in the pan, if you can’t make boxty, you’ll never get your man”.

This underscores the love my Emerald Isle kin feel for the mighty potato bread, boxty. I’m kind of surprised my Irish grandmother didn’t impart this bit of wisdom on me herself, though I am sure if she lived to see me to marrying age, she would have.

Ahhh, boxty. Yummm, boxty! And, for those of us…

Dranks! – Rosewater Old Fashioned

There’s a bit of a mystique to the Old Fashioned. It’s kind of an old man’s drink, and in my mind’s eye the person at the bar asking for an Old Fashioned is a bit greyed, tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows, maybe with a flat, newsboy cap on his head. And he takes it to the small table by the window and sips it while reading the Daily Racing Form. As for you, bartender…you must use a…

Corn Tortillas at The Pancake Project

Hey erryboddy! It’s TACO TUESDAY and that means we survived another Monday. It’s true; even during shutdown, when one day melds into another, I still don’t like Mondays. Thus, watching the back end of Monday toddle off into the sunset means we celebrate! With the noble taco and by default, the corn tortilla.

What is this delicious wrapper, this pliable disc of corny goodness that delivers…

Dranks! – Gin & Bennet

For those of you who don’t know me, I am relentlessly, unapologetically, a Jane Austen fan. I’ve seen the movies, I’ve read the books, I have my running list of favorite actors for various roles (and it’s one of the few times I will stand behind Gwyneth Paltrow, even though I find her trying in pretty much every other aspect of life). I don’t dress up in Regency-era clothing for fancy teas, but…

Socca (Farinata) with Rosemary, Halloumi, and Fig Jam at The Pancake Project

Today’s world tour of flatbread takes us to…France! Or Italy. Or Turkey. Let’s just go cruise the Mediterranean, yes? And while we’re at it, let’s eat some chickpea flatbread.

Socca (pronounced SOCK-a, not SO-ka) is a wonderfully easy flatbread to make. You just mix it up and bake it, and for the most part…that’s it. It’s adaptable to a range of spices and additions (like sauteed onions? Toss ’em…

Dranks: The Classic Gin & Tonic

Dranks dranks dranks!

I’m just going to jump straight in with this. A few years ago, I would *never* have imagined wanting anything to do with a gin and tonic. My gin receptors only recently switched on in the last several years. If you ask me about the flavor profiles of various gins–what’s more herbal or earthy or evokes the bracing essence of Britain’s coastline or makes you feel like you’re…

Nosh: Strawberries Mean Love Shortcake

Here we go, folks.

The weather is getting warmer and here we are, stuck in the endless cycle of staying home and…staying home…as we move deeper into our COVID spring. So what do we do with all this idle time on our hands?

It’s times like this that the term “comfort food” was invented. Because that’s what it is, right? Comfort food is soothing AF, gives you an inner hug, and then (if you’re like…

A friend of mine posted this video on his Facebook feed and I watched it, mystified.

Good God, I thought, shielding the cats’ eyes and backing away from the computer monitor. Is that coffee with the consistency of peanut butter fudge? What sorcery is this?

One of the benefits of being on statewide lockdown thanks to the coronavirus

Photo A Day: Side-Eye Donkey Statue

Originally posted on beyondpaisleyphotos.com To try and keep me honest in posting my photos regularly: Welcome to my Photo A Day! Topic: Whatever strikes my fancy. Frequency: Daily-ish, I hope. I admit, I never thought I would write the words “Side-Eye Donkey Statue” in one continuous sentence, but then again, I never saw anything like this fella. WHAT IS GOING ON BACK THERE? I’m not entirely…

Photo A Day: Cardinal in My Back Yard

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON BEYONDPAISLEYPHOTOS.COM To try and keep me honest in posting my photos regularly: Welcome to my Photo A Day! Topic: Whatever strikes my fancy. Frequency: Daily-ish, I hope. As I creep closer and closer to my dotage and accept the fact that I live in a semi-rural area, I am finally embracing the inevitable turn toward becoming a total bird-nerd. We recently set up a bird…

Photo A Day: Beach Rose at Sunrise 2, Newport RI

HEY, PAISLEYFRIENDS! I’ve started up a new website devoted to photos; I’ve been in the process of building that up, and it’s where I’ve been lately. Please drop in at beyondpaisleyphotos.com and let me know how you’ve been! To try and keep me honest in posting my photos regularly: Welcome to my Photo A Day! Topic: Whatever strikes my fancy. Frequency: Daily-ish, I hope. Herein lies another moment…

Advice: Having It All vs. Having A Choice

Dear Bartender and Priestess, Last night, I worked until after midnight, and I did so the night before, and at least two times the week before that. And so on, and so on. I love my job. I’ve been an entertainment news producer for the last six years and I love the challenges that every day brings. But in two weeks, I am going out on maternity leave, and I’m trying to make sure I have enough of my…

Off Our Chests: Gabby Douglas

As the Bartender and the Priestess are women of chests, we just needed to get this off ours: Gabby Douglas Both the Bartender and the Priestess have been outraged by the treatment Gabby Douglas has received. Ann: Perhaps it is a good sign that much of the back chat about the games has been about the rampant sexism in the coverage of the games. Go here and laugh as you weep at the long road we…