Beer Friday – Saturday Cider Edition!

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Beer Friday is back with a Saturday Cider edition twist y’all, and I couldn’t be happier! You know I love beer Friday, but I’m just going to put something out there:

Sometimes it is too darn hot for beer.

I know, I know. I can hear the gasps and feel the stares of shock. Trust me here; I have something that will quench your thirst and make you happy.

Cider.

Ok, not any old cider, but Locust Cider, made here in Woodinville Washington. Score for the local business lovers, too!

I had a chance to attend an event there Wednesday night with a fellow foodie and pastry chef, Lauren. We sampled 4 main ciders, and 2 sneak previews and I am in love. All of the ciders were crisp, fresh, and to my happiness: not too sweet! These are easy to drink, sit in your backyard with a plate of ribs and let the cider cut through that delicious fat. Are you hooked yet?

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Here’s what we had:

Original Dry: this is their flagship and carries an ABV of 6%. It’s clear, slightly golden and crisp. It’s just slightly bubbly and it is so good. This one is your go to for BBQ and fattier (read: delicious) foods.

Next up was the Summer Berry, a yummy blueberry cider, with a ruby hue and a lovely 4.5% ABV (which means you can totally have more!). What I enjoyed most about this one was that even though you could taste the berries, you didn’t lose the apple. It was very well balanced.

My personal favorite was the Dark Sweet Cherry, a pale pink, almost rose color. At 6% ABV and slightly more sweet than the others, this was my clear winner. It had a good sharp cherry taste, but again, the apple flavor was still present. I am kicking myself for not getting a growler of this! I can see myself using this in a reduction or a glaze for pork loin.

The last regular release we tried was the Green Tea Hard Cider made with decaf Chinese green tea. They add it twice (pre and post fermentation). so you get the subtle grassy taste from the tea, but you don’t lose any of those yummy apple flavors. This one also has an ABV of 6%.

As if that wasn’t enough, we were also treated to two soon to be released specialty ciders: the Normandy Bittersweet Reserve and the 6 Month Aged Washington Apple blend-these were definitely a treat, both still crisp, but with more body, and more tang than the others. I can’t wait for these to go into regular release!

Overall, I give these ciders a solid 9, with the Dark Sweet Cherry a 10. I love that one!

So, I bet you’re ready to try these ciders, right? If you’re worried about the trek to Woodinville, don’t be! You can find these in Haggen grocery stores and in some local bars in Seattle. The price point is easy to swallow too, averaging $9 for a 6 pack. You can also pick up a growler for a great deal too!

Normal disclaimer-I did receive delicious treats to allow me write this post, but all of these opinions are my own and I would be doing a shout out even without the cider perks! Now, get over there and have some cider!
Raina

 

 

 

You really are beautiful.

Did you know that you’re beautiful?

You are. You really are. There’s days where you know you look good, and there’s days that you hope you don’t look like a two year old throttled you all night. Through the damn fine days, and the damn hard days, know that you’re always beautiful. Anyone that tells you otherwise isn’t worth your time and energy-forget em.  Those that support you and make you feel good? Well, keep those folks close by.

I also trust organizations who support that concept too. A few months ago I heard about a new company, Don’t Call Me Ma’am, who was producing beauty products with a message of empowering women and feeling beautiful. The concept is simple-The products don’t have all of the ingredients that aren’t good for you. The product packaging is minimal and made from recycled materials. The last and best part? The company supports finding your beauty and loving who you are- at all ages, and all places in your life, without abandon. You can read their manifesto on their webpage, here. See? It’s awesome!

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When I got the invite to go, it encouraged people to come as they were, clean-faced, no make up. Umm. Dang. I wear make up most days, and usually always in public. I was down for a challenge though, and I am so glad I did. This is a great group of gals, and I was able to mingle with other bloggers. Tell me this doesn’t look like fun? Here I am signing the manifesto, and with other bloggers (hint, I’m the tall one). There was also wine, glorious wine!

DCMM-0138DCMM-0108 DCMM-0075 (1)I had a chance to chat with the owners and awesome ladies behind DCMM. They are wonderful and friendly-they come with a wealth of experience. Ileen Ruvinski comes with a background in marketing and product development and paired with Kathleen Spitzer’s background in skincare and working in managment for some big companies, you have a power house. If you put that aside, and just chat with them, you learn that that want happiness. They want women to find that happiness and know that they are beautiful. They are excited about their products and what they mean for women-no marketing ads exploiting women, and no using images that damage self-esteem. It’s skin care you can get behind. We talked about who were are, and why it is so important to have healthy images for beauty-as a mom to a little girl, I can’t get behind this idea enough.

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So, what products are there? There’s a lot! There’s washes, lotions, creams, serums, and toners. There’s something for all skin types and the fact that it’s free of pthalates and parabens and other toxic chemicals makes me feel good about using it. I had a chance to try out three products: the Wash It Away Cleanser, the In Balance Toner, and the Face Love Moisturizer.

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As with every new product, I am skeptical until proven otherwise, and after spending the past three years either pregnant, breast feeding, or waiting for my hormones to finally figure it all out, my skin is a fierce judge. When I first used the wash, I didn’t get it. It wasn’t foaming, and then it occurred to me-it shouldn’t! It was quick-put it on, rub gently and rinse off! The toner was nice and refreshing, a nice change to my normal routine (oil washing, and a touch up with almond oil under my eyes).  Lastly was the Face Love moisturizer, I squeezed a bit out and put it on, only to realize I squeezed way too much. Guys, a little bit of a good product goes a long way! After two weeks, I am happy to report that I am enjoying it! My skin isn’t as well, hormon-ridden, and it’s just as quick as my oil washing routine. No time lost and I get to mix up what I use? Yes!

So…Are YOU ready to sign the manifesto and give Don’t Call Me Ma’am a try? Here’s  your chance! You can win your very own set of three products, the Wash It Away Cleanser, the In Balance Toner, and the Face Love Moisturizer. All of you have to do is comment on this post and tell me why you’re beautiful. Share this with your friends, and have them say that you sent them for an extra entry! If you REALLY want to get crazy, go to my Facebook page, located here and add another comment that you “liked” me, for an additional entry!  I’ll pick a winner end of day on Saturday the 28th!

Here, I’ll even go first! I’m Raina, I am beautiful because I am loved, I am strong and I am one hell of a momma. You can call me by my name, you can call me Momma. Call me what you will, but Don’t Call Me Ma’am. 😉

Here’s to all of us and finding your beauty!
Raina

Please note: While I wasn’t paid for this post, I did receive the goods in exchange for the write up. Also, the pictures in the post are from DCMM and Revel Creative Marketing Group, who were wonderful in providing all images from the event and of the products-thank you, ladies!!!!

 

You should get out more!

Sometimes you just want, no NEED to get out. You need to have conversations with adults that don’t involve Daniel Tiger and to relax, eat good food and have a fun time. That well needed break came in the form of Seattle Food Tours.

I recently had the chance to try this fun organization out. The concept is great-you get together with a small group of people, and go on a food tour of a particular neighborhood. There’s no decisions to make, no dishes to do-you just get out, relax and let someone take good care of you.

We ventured through one of my favorite neighborhoods, Capitol Hill, and stopped at 5 restaurants: Bar Cotto, Le Zinc, Momiji, The Tin Table, and D’Ambrosio Gelato. Coral Sisk, our guide and local foodie set everything up in advance, checking for allergies and sensitivities to ensure a safe and happy experience. Each stop allowed us time to mingle, eat, drink and learn about what we were eating and the people who made the food. Between each stop, we learned a little about the neighborhood, too. It’s really a great way to meet people and learn, in addition to eating! What made this even more perfect for me was that each stop was a different type of food-I didn’t have to commit to any one thing. By the time the evening was over, I was full, relaxed, and had connected with other bloggers in my area. What more do you need?

Let’s get to the good stuff-what we ate!

The first stop was Bar Cotto. This was a quiet, intimate, candle-lit spot-perfect for a date. This was a great “starter” place, but not for those adverse to eating meat-we had torta  fritta, which were little fried pillows of dough, alongside carefully sliced prosciutto, mortadella and salami. We sipped a fabulous sparkling lambrusco and chatted. Despite the space being filled with the tour group, it was still quiet and enjoyable.

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We ambled to Le Zinc,little brother to Maximilien in the market. We met the owner and chatted food and wine before having some of the best scallops I have had. Imagine large tender, delicate scallops, coated lovingly in comte cheese and bread crumbs, then seared quickly, and then placed on a hash made of potatoes, apples, bacon and topped with fried taro root. This was my favorite spot of all because of the attention to detail and taste. The presentation was wonderful as well. This lovely little French stop was perfect, but sadly, I learned that they have closed their doors. I would HIGHLY recommend a stop into Maximilien to get your French Fix!

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Next up was Momiji, a very popular and busy sushi spot. Board after board of their butterfly rolls were brought out quickly enough to go around and then some!  The butterfly rolls were filled with crab meat, and then topped with tuna, avocado and roe. They were creamy and lovely, and again, the amount of food was just right.

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We paused to talk about where Capitol Hill got its’ name and whether it was the hope of becoming the state capitol or if it was named after the hometown of a founder of the neighborhood. We looked at the architecture, talked about how the neighborhood has changed over the years, comparing stories.

We arrived at the Tin Table, housed in the Odd Fellows building. Location-wise, this was the best stop! The building is amazing, and quirky, there was a good amount of people, and the space is really well laid out. This spot in itself is a date night! Not only can you get a great meal here, but you can catch a show, as well as get in your dance fix in the most lovely ballroom. The owner was very sweet and took us on a tour of everything-again, the space itself is worth a visit!  At the Tin Table we had an interesting combination of food-cider smoked salmon laid over cabbage with bits of apple and bacon. There was pomegranate seeds in the dish as well as buckwheat spaetzle. The pros? The salmon was outstanding, the cons-the spaetzel wasn’t my favorite, and the pomegranate seemed out-of-place. Overall the dish worked, and I would definitely go back for the fish any day. The chef and owner were welcoming, and the wait staff were very attentive.

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Lastly, we made our way to D’Ambrosio Gelato, for a sweet treat and to wrap up a great evening. This was a fun, bright spot, with rows of soft, tasty gelato. I picked out a scoop each of the chocolate hazelnut as well as the Mexican chocolate-it was a great combination, sweet and spicy and smooth. It was the perfect way to wrap up the evening!

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If you’re looking for a great date night, or a fun tour for out-of-town guests, Seattle Food Tours is definitely the way to go; it’s an affordable way to eat your way through the city without having to choose or rush, you just enjoy!  For more information, please check out their website.

Are you ready to go?!

Raina

Please note, while I did receive a ticket to this event, all opinions are strictly my own .

 

 

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