The Jealous Crumpet

A sweet little blog

Tag Archives: lime


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Violet Sake and Vending Machines

2While I was visiting Kyoto I had the pleasure of staying at the Sakura Terrace.  There were many great amenities at the hotel, not the least was a free happy hour where guests got a free cocktail of choice each evening.

My plan was to try a different cocktail on each of our 4 nights at the hotel and on the very first night I got a violet sake cocktail. I LOVED it!! I’d never even thought of making a cocktail with sake, but it was delicious, perfectly balanced, refreshing and beautiful (I am a sucker for pretty libations).  123On the second night I got the violet sake again.  By the third night both my husband and I got the violet sake and by the end of the trip I had never branched out.  When we got back to the states I make it my mission to create my own violet sake.  4For months I played with various sakes, syrups and sodas to create the best possible drink.  It was a fun project and my husband especially enjoyed the position of official cocktail tester.  So here is the recipe!1Y2B2228 copy1 oz Monin Violet Syrup

2 oz Nigori Sake

3 oz La  Croix Lime flavored sparkling water

Mix syrup and sake. Add  water and ice and stir. Enjoy simple perfection!

You may have noticed the uniformed little ladies gripping the rim of the glass.  They were vending machine purchases.  One of the many things that I loved about Japan was the large amount of toy machines that contained the most bizarre little toys.  For 1 or 2 yen you could buy the craziest figurines and I bought many of them.  Far more than is acceptable for a full grown adult, but they were so interesting!! They had machines that sold nothing but old men sitting on benches, peeing dogs and even cute animals made into foods, such as a puppy made into a hamburger.  You can see what I’m talking about on the far right below. Untitled-11 I bough my flexible little ladies, a squat toilet, a woman serving sake, but the weirdest machine I bought is below!Untitled-1How weird is that!!! It is a baby head with an alien inside.  I didn’t have any coins when I spotted it so I dragged my husband into a cafe to get change so I could buy it! The best 2 yen I’ve ever spent!1


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Olive Oil and Vinegar: More than a salad topping

King's Olive Oil Pairings

I often only think of using olive oil and vinegar as a salad dressing, but it can be used for so much more.  On a recent assignment I visited King’s Olive Oil, which sell premium grade extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegar and speciality food items.  The oils and vinegar come in numerous flavors and I got to sample fig balsamic vinegar, Persian lime olive oil, basil olive oil and much more.

During the shoot we sampled two wonderful desserts: vanilla bean ice cream with peach white vinegar and brownies made with blood orange olive oil.  Both were delicious and super easy.

I loved the brownies so much I went home and made a batch. They were a huge hit and everyone was impressed with my culinary prowess.  I mean, blood orange brownies, that even sounds fancy.  Here’s the secret: replace the oil in brownie mix with King’s Olive Oil infused oil and voilà Blood Orange flavored brownies.

Blood Orange BrowniesSo pop into King’s Olive Oil (and Vinegar) today and start impressing your friends.  Be sure to check out the recipe wall for more (free) culinary delights when you go in.

King Olive Oil