Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Thyme Whiskey Limoncello

     

    March is here at last and we are ready for all that this month happens to bring with it.  Vacations, Spring break and hopefully a little rain.  To start the month off in a celebratory mood, we will be serving up our cocktail of the month, a Thyme Whiskey Limoncello.  Of course, we used our favorite Irish whiskey for this drink, Telling Single Pot Whiskey.  But you can use your favorite Whiskey or whatever you happen to have on hand.  Of course we chose an Irish whiskey in remembrance of St. Patrick’s Day. 

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, who when he was just 16 years old, was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave.  He managed to escape but returned to convert the Irish to Christianity in 432 ce, and is recorded with opening churches, monasteries and schools during his thirty years on the island.  He is said to have used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and is also said to have driven snakes from Ireland.  The Irish community celebrates the day as a religious feast day and it became Americanized in 1732 led by parade, “wearing of the green,” and dying rivers green, just to name a few.  

In continued celebration with St. Patrick, we selected Irish Whiskey as our base for our cocktail of the month and are excited to share it with you this month.  Please note here are a few more tips to make your drink the way you want it when making it on your own.  If you like your drink on the sweeter side, add in an ounce of simple syrup.  Do not have any Limoncello, just add more fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Make your drink the way you want it and use your favorite whiskey. 

Thyme Whiskey Limoncello

Serves 1

2 ounces Teeling Whiskey

1 ounce Limoncello

½-¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

One sprig of thyme

Pull off the thyme leaves directly into your ice filled shaker cup.  Add in the whiskey, limoncello and lemon juice.  Shake until the outside is cold.  Pour into an ice filled glass.  Garnish with lemon rind and fresh thyme. 

This cocktail is great to sip and enjoy under the moon light, with friends.  Enjoy your drink with a hearty Irish stew or Seafood chowder.  Ask for it by request when you stay at the Oaks Bed and Breakfast or for any special event.  

Please enjoy responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!

In the Garden ~ Companion Planting

 

    This February weather has been pretty mild so far, but do not let it fool you into complacency, your plants are not yet ready to go outside.  What you can do instead is get ready to plant in the coming weeks by starting your plants early inside, if you have the space.  This could be anywhere you have good lighting or you can also use grow lights.  If you are really lucky, a green house.  To get some of the best yields you have ever had, we wanted to talk about companion planting.  

Companion planting is growing vegetables, herbs or flowers near each other to optimize the soil, bug deterrents and pollinators, for a stronger healthier plant and a larger yield.  Did you know that tomatoes love carrots?  While we usually plant basil with our tomatoes, they also love carrots.  Since carrots like cooler weather, start them first, then succession plant in tomatoes and basil, as the days go longer and the temperature increases.

Another favorite of ours to plant together is nasturtium and cucumbers.  Nastirtium is a flowering green, where everything it grows is edible.  The flower and leaves are a perfect addition to salads, and adds a bit of peppery spice to the dish.  Cucumbers thrive with nasturtium growing close by.  Ours took off and did not look back.  

Probably our most successful and favored planting companions is the “three sisters” combination of beans, squash and corn.  This triple threat works great together and produces wonderful yields when grown together.  With differing times of produce, you can have food all summer long with these companions.

We usually mix together our greens, in rows by and around each other.  Kale, spinach, arugula and chard all go well together and create bountiful yields when planted.  The cooler weather allows for greens to grow and thrive together early on in the season, and when planted next to each other, they all thrive.  

We have left the best for last, marigolds.  Marigolds are a garden staple and we plant these all around the edge of our beds to help keep away unwanted pests and to draw in pollinators.  Marigolds help tomatoes, summer squash, lettuce, and green beans.  These flowers are beautiful as well as beneficial for any garden.  

Do not be afraid to combine your plants this year for a stronger, healthy plant that produces more food for you and your family.  Companion planting is more than just planting next to each other, its a great way to ward off pests and optimize your garden to produce more.  Be sure to check out the chart from the Farmers Almanac website for more details and plants that we did not cover.  Happy planning and plating this Spring.

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Pomegranate Bliss Martini

    

     Love is in the air, or at least the card and chocolate companies want you to think so. Personally, I feel that love can and should be celebrated all year long.  Afterall, it should not be something you take for granted or celebrate only when the calendar tells you to do so.  Even though that is how I feel I still wanted to create a cocktail this month that brought out the feelings of love.  The only way I knew how to make that happen was with color.  

While pink is not my favorite color, it does demonstrate qualities of love and has people feeling like they are feeling the love, when drinking this delicious mixture.  A simple yet elegant drink with a bit of mint, makes for a wonderful and flavorful drink to enjoy while dining.  The pomegranate really sings in this one, and gives a lovely tart but also sweet finish.  

While this drink is served in a martini glass it holds none of the traditional martini flavors or alcohols in the mix.  It is strictly of its own making.  While made in a shaker cup, you could possibly pour and stir, if that is your preferred way to drink and serve a martini.  Today we are shaking, and then pouring our drink into our preferred glass.  

The glass ware used to serve a martini has become an iconic piece of drink couture, and was originally designed to help keep the contents cold, and away from warm hands.  This elegant v-shaped glass really became all the rage in the mid 1920’s and could be found all over the world, and made more popular with the desire for people to imbibe in gin.  Either way, the v-shaped glass has become known as a martini glass to patrons the world over.

Pomegranate Bliss Martini

¾ ounce Pomegranate Juice

  1 ½ ounces  Vodka

½ ounce Cointreau

½  ounce Fresh lime juice

Mint for garnish

Place mint in the bottom of the shaker cup and muddle.  Add ice and the remaining ingredients.  Shake until the outside of the cup is cold.  Pour into martini glass. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.  If you would like  your drink to be a bit sweeter add in ¼ to ½ ounce simple syrup. 

This drink is so simple to make and great to share with others.  You may be wondering if you can substitute out Cointreau with Grand Marnier, and I would say no, unless you are ready for the color of your drink to change.  Grand Marnier is a darker, more amber colored liquor while the Cointreau is clear.  Let the pomegranate shine in this drink and keep the Grand Marnier for another time.  

Around Town ~ Villa Del Mar

 

        Time flies when you are having fun and that can’t be more true when owning a restaurant.  A new Mexican food restaurant opened just last September and we finally made our way over to check out Villa Del Mar.  Located at 326 Industrial Drive E, Sulphur Springs, and open Sunday - Thursday from 11 am - 10 pm, and Friday - Saturday from 11 am - 11 pm.  On special event  nights they are open later.  Of course, you can hop in for happy hour from 2-6 pm during the week and grab a drink.

Diego and I chatted for a bit before the evening rush to find out what the best dishes are and when the musical talent will be arriving next.  If you have not been inside the building in a while, there is a raised platform towards the front that allows for bands to come and perform.  This Saturday is when they will next have a live band, performing from 8 pm - 12 am.  And then a mariachi band will play on Saturday, February 14.  This Saturday, come and see Pilotos Del Triangulo, no cover fee, order some food and drinks and enjoy the music.  

Villa Del Mar is not your typical Tex-Mex, while they do have some crowd favorites on the menu their focus is more seafood, with that great Mexican flavor.  Think Coastal Mexico, with a variety of seafood choices to fill your plate and your tummy.  By far the favorite dish at the restaurant is their seafood tostadas.  Three fried corn tortillas, topped with a variety of items including some seafood favorites.  The other crowd favorite is molcajete, and their seafood option is the most selected one.  A bowl filled with octopus, shrimp, a delicious sauce and so much flavor.  

Of course I should have asked about the favorites before we ordered but what we ordered was just as delicious.  Shrimp nachos, chicken enchiladas, full shrimp dish and a brisket dish that had a great kick.  If spice isn’t your thing, be sure to ask if you can have your dish a little bit milder, even my spice loving group, was looking for their water glass.  

If water is not your beverage of choice, Villa Del Mar offers a full bar with plenty of beers on tap or in the bottle.  Customize your drink with specialty tequila or grab one to sip on during your meal.  Or ask for some classic mixed drinks such as a Paloma or house made Margarita. You will not be disappointed with your choice. 

We hope that you will stop in and visit Villa Del Mar soon and discover Mexican food from the ocean is just as delicious as that from Texas.  No matter if you are there for just a meal or to enjoy the band, you won’t go wrong with a visit. 

B2B Travel ~ Work and Wander

     I recently had to travel for work and figured I would take a bit of time to add in some wander to my travels.  While traveling for work is about being productive and functional there is no reason to miss out, go and explore the destination.  This is true now more than ever when “bleisure” and “townsizing” have become intrinsic with business travel. 

Work and wander go hand in hand when traveling to smaller towns, such as where our bed and breakfast is located and other small towns world wide.  Studies have found that taking breaks throughout the day can actually increase productivity in workers, which can be even more true for those who are traveling while working.  Why not add in that bit of wander to help boost energy and productivity?

The edge in boosting productivity starts with the location where you stay.  Local accommodations such as a boutique inn or bed and breakfast, will serve as your personal guide.   These hosts help you to make the best “wander” decisions in your day, so that wander time is used wisely and effectively. 

Wandering can help to reset your mind and body from being locked in a singular place for too long and increase blood flow to reactivate your mind for better results once back in that week's office.  Whether a stroll through a historic downtown or even walking to a local cafe for lunch these moments of movement improve your focus for the remainder of the day. 

Now that you have found the perfect place to stay and they are helping your to explore, embrace your work life balance with that bit of wander when traveling for business.  Take the time during the day to explore a little to get the lay of the land, or use innkeeper recommendations for authentic local experience. 

Work and wander is more than a new trend,  it’s a new way of approaching business travel.  By taking those short breaks to explore your temporary home, you’ll discover that the best part of the trip isn’t just the work you finish, but the world you find along the way.  

Travel Texas ~ Salado, TX

    

     Located in Central Texas, almost equal distance from Austin and Waco, lies the village of Salado, Texas.  In 1859 the Village was founded because the locals wanted to have access to a strong education, creating Salado College, located near a spring fed creek.  Between the creek and the college Salado found itself to be a viable settlement that has stood the test of time. 

The local downtown of the village boasts over 175 shops, dining and historical spots.  Antique shops, boutiques, and so much more entice visitors to spend time visiting the village and exploring the historical significance of this central Texas village.  Take a walking tour of the historic sites, and learn more about how the Village came about and take a step back into the past.

If you are looking for entertainment outside, the Tablerock Amphitheater is going to be the place you want to stop.  Music, plays, and so much more are scheduled to perform on stage under the stars.  But that’s not all, the amphitheater sits on 13 acres filled with trails for hiking and biking. A must do while visiting Salado.

If live music and theater are not what you are looking for Salado has a season of Annual events that happen throughout the year that include art, holidays and even golf.  Nine different annual events are scheduled for guests to enjoy and some cross over to multiple weekends such as their Christmas Stroll.  You might not want to miss the Scottish Games in November, travel back in time to see men in kilts, toss a caber, play drums and generally show off how strong they are for all to see.  

If you are looking for places to stay, look no further than The Yellow House Bed and Breakfast.  Located just outside of the village, Yellow House has a room for everyone.  With a main house, that has four rooms, two cottages and two guest houses to rent for parties of varying sizes.  Sara, your innkeeper, makes a homemade breakfast the morning of your stay that you will not want to miss.  Yellow House also does special events such as a charcuterie class, cookie decorating, and cooking demonstrations.  The chef kitchen is perfect for learning new techniques with friend and family.  

Of course there are other places to stay such as the Historic Stagecoach Inn and your standard hotel.  Take a break from the norm and step out to explore a new way to travel and stay with local accommodations.   On our last visit to Salado, we wandered the village and even stopped in for a local trivia night at Chupacabra, which had a great selection of beer and wine for patrons to partake while dining. 

Salado is a wonderful place to visit and you can spend any number of days in the village and still not see it all. Plan your stay and explore this little slice of Texas that is right off the interstate. You will not be disappointed with your visit.  

In the Garden ~ How Much Should you Plant

   

 

    It might seem early to start thinking about what and how much you want to grow in your garden this year but you might want to think about first how much you will need.  Right now is the perfect time to plant your onions, that will be ready for early spring.  But how many onions do you need to plant?  Of course if you do not like onions, then we can’t really be friends.  Just kidding! They do lend great flavor to dishes as a base so it might be time to rethink those onions.

For ease of simplicity we are going to use the base measurement of a family of four. For those who know my family, know that we are not a family of four but seven and four of those are teenage boys, which is sometimes like feeding two grown adults.  All this to say, take these numbers as a base and add in more of what you really like and maybe what you really want to eat.  Of course, how much space you have is also a contributing factor.  Are you only growing your garden in pots, then maybe you will have to ignore all these numbers.  If you have a good amount of space or friends willing to share and grow this will help guide for variety and fun.

Don’t forget that you can rotate items out as the weather changes. For example, those leafy greens and spinach will do very well during the cooler months, while tomatoes will not.  Rotate your choices to also add variety and diversification to your garden.  If you plan to preserve your items for use all year long, even better, that will stretch your garden into the winter months when you won’t be able to grow as much food.

I found a beneficial chart here: https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/vegetables/getting-started/calculate-how-many-vegetables-to-plant/ They give a great breakdown of plants per person from one to four.  If this seems overwhelming, partner with neighbors or friends.  Do you grow tomatoes really well, volunteer to grow them all for everyone and see if they can handle all the zucchini and squash.  There are so many ways to grow your own food and be able to feed your family healthy, sustainable produce that won’t break the bank.  Of course each year you garden it gets easier.  As you learn more and figure out what works best for you and your garden, it becomes a source of pride and enjoyment.   

If you plan to preserve food you might need more space and more plants.  For example, you might need 5 tomato plants per person for a year's worth of tomato products, such as salsa, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Whereas, you will only need one squash plant per person, to provide an adequate amount of squash for a year.  Those cucumbers are a higher number as well, such as 6 to 9 plants total for fresh and pickled cucumbers to last a year.  Create variety in having multiple winter squash plants that will yield enough for a year.  Five different options are, acorn, butternut, spaghetti, and the like.  These all have a stronger outer layer that will store well in dry storage along with those potatoes, onions and garlic.

Do not be afraid to try something new to see how it works out.  If your goal is not to preserve food but to share with others keep those numbers high.  If you want to only grow enough for your family, I hope this helps to get you started.  Of course, it’s never too early or late to start your garden, so give it a try.  We hope to hear from you about all your growing success this year.  We will regularly post our wins and misses from our garden so be on the look out.