drinks

Holidays are all about spirit. And by “spirit” I mean the feeling of happiness, gratitude, and grace that swirls around December. Spirit is more a mood than anything religious. Anyone can have spirit no matter what one celebrates. I love the holiday spirit. The buzz, the pomp and circumstance, the gatherings, and the overall excitement […]

Who does not love hot chocolate in the winter? There are a number of ways to make this old standby different, and this is one of them. This is my pumpkin-spiced white hot chocolate because I’m not over my pumpkin obsession just yet. In this simple recipe, white chocolate replaces the traditional milk or dark […]

I consider this another fun, seasonal, Fall cocktail, based on the “Fallen Apple” cocktail I first read about in Saveur in 2015. The Fallen Apple recipe talked about in that article was from chef Anna Bogle of Summit City Lounge in Whitesburg, Kentucky (a place and a state I’ve never been). A “Fallen Apple” cocktail, either the […]

My husband introduced me to Sidecars a few years ago. Something new and not too sweet was an easy sell. I liked the idea of having a drink served “up” instead of over ice. I also loved the look of an elegant martini glass. After one sip, I was hooked. But they are strong. I […]

This is a Havana cocktail and I love this drink almost as much as I love the song Havana by Camila Cabello.  A rum-based drink that is served “up,” this is smooth and fruity from the very first sip.  The trick to this tropical beauty is the pineapple-flavored rum I used to kick up the tropical […]

Day 5 of my smoothie week concludes with another easy, tropical-inspired dairy-free smoothie packed with nutrients to keep you energized throughout the day (or weekend). This is my pineapple-peach turmeric smoothie, and it is delicious. I can’t say this is my favorite of the 5 smoothies I’ve posted this week, but I may be slightly partial […]

Smoothie Week recipe #4: a cranberry-orange creamsicle smoothie that’s completely addictive. Ever had a creamsicle as a kid? If you were a fan like I was, you are in for a treat with this cranberry-orange creamsicle smoothie that hits the nail on the head in the nostalgia department. In developing this recipe, I just had […]

Day 3, meet my blueberry-mango antioxidant smoothie. This is a more classic fruit smoothie packed with antioxidants. We already know the power of the mighty blueberry, but the addition of mango and coconut milk takes this fruit smoothie to a new level. With a subtle tropical essence, this fruit-forward smoothie is a great go-to any […]

For my 2nd post of Smoothie Week, I developed this tasty and satisfying Fall-focused, pear-oat almond smoothie. Even though it is not quite Fall, I am a bit obsessed with this smoothie right now. This is a great, go-to breakfast smoothie that is smooth, filling, and loaded with nutritional value. No time for a hot […]

The end of Summer is approaching, Fall is almost here, and back-to-school time is at hand for many families. After a long summer filled with indulgences, it’s to get “back on track“.  With that in mind, I am declaring this week “Smoothie Week” on Simmer + Sauce. This week, I’ll be posting a new easy, […]

I’ve always wanted to enjoy sake. I have tried it warm and cold, over the years, but never loved it. Friends always said, “Drink the really good stuff and you will love it.” They were wrong. Straight-up sake always struck me as too medicinal. For me, hard alcohol is always tricky.  Even when it’s the […]

Unless you’ve traveled to Peru, chances are you have never tasted chicha morada. I have Erik Burmeister to thank for introducing me to this delicious Peruvian specialty. Chicha morada is a non-alcoholic Peruvian beverage made from purple corn called “maiz morado“.  “Chicha” is common in South and Central America–it is a fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented […]

Changemaker Series: Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. As a chef, food blogger, and mom, food is important to me. Food is something we all need, and for many of us, good food is readily available. But this is not the case for everyone, even in an area like Silicon Valley. […]

I don’t believe I had ever heard of agua fresca until I came to California. Popular in both Mexico and the United States, “agua fresca” is Spanish for “cool water” and is just that–a cool, water-based drink with various flavor combinations. You can blend fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds with sugar and water and serve […]

A horned melon is not your typical-looking fruit. Also called a kiwano melon, African horned cucumber, jelly melon, hedged gourde, melano, and blowfish fruit, the horned melon is native to Southern Africa and grows mainly in dry semi-arid places such as the Kalahari Desert. This fruit was later introduced to other areas of Africa, Australia, New Zealand more recently, the US. The […]