White Russian

My paternal grandmother's drink of choice was the White Russian. It's a classic cocktail whose moniker is shared with:

A person from Belarus

A Russian who supported the tsar in the 1917 Revolution

A type of marijuana

A species of dwarf hamster

So even though grandma wasn't a Belarusian revolutionary who got stoned with hamsters, she enjoyed the occasional sipsky. Budem zdorovy!

White Russian
1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz Kahlua or other coffee liquer
3/4 oz cream
Pour mixed ingredients into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.

The White Russian cocktail isn't Russian at all. Perhaps the inclusion of vodka inspired the name.

I am addicted to Foodgawker.com

A couple of years ago, Theresa introduced me to the website and I've been hooked ever since.

Many weekends I scroll through page after page of food photography looking for inspiration for my weekly menu. (Hopefully I will bring the weekly menu back to my blog as a regular post, but with my schedule, I'm embarrased to post so many nights of frozen pizza!)

One of the recipes that continues to pop up on Foodgawker is for Kale Chips. Billed as "the healthy chip" or "the only way to get your children to eat kale," these chips are easy to make and highly addictive. (I don't agree with those food blogging mothers, however. As much as I love kale chips, I'm not sure the flavor is entirely kid friendly.)

Ingredients:
One bunch curly kale
olive oil
salt

Prehead the oven to 350 degrees

Rinse kale very well and dry. (I use my lettuce spinner to dry them quickly and then blot the remaining moisture with paper towels.)

In a large bowl, toss the kale with olive oil. Refrain from salting until after the chips are cooked, otherwise the salt will absorb the moisture and will not crisp in the oven.

Place the kale on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Don't let them get too dark or they will be quite bitter.

**Note: The more olive oil you use the longer they will take to crisp. Try not to be too heavy-handed with the oil.

I've always wanted to know how to mix drinks. Until recently, I've not been a prolific drinker of the mixed cocktail, sticking mainly to beer and wine. But for some reason I've always had an interest in mastering the classics, at the very least. Thus, I've been entertaining myself on the weekends by playing mixologist.

As far back as I can remember, my mother has enjoyed Campari. Campari is an Italian aperatif that is a distinctive red color (the liqueur was originally dyed with carmine, made by crushing scaled insects.) The flavor of Campari has been described as spicy and sweet, but most think it bitter and unpalatable (crushed bugs aptly come to mind.) Such was my opinion of the drink until I discovered the Campari Spritz.

During my first trip to Italy, I ordered a Campari Spritz without knowing what to expect. Since then, I have been a huge fan. The spritz contains a shot of Campari, a crisp white wine or prosecco, a splash of soda water, and is often served with ice. The drink can be garnished both with green olives or an orange slice. Either served in a wine glass or a rocks glass, the spritz is most often served with ice.

If the wine is cold, I tend to skip the ice.

Happy Birthday Dad!