I loooove a Paloma. Summer, winter - no matter what time of year, I can sit down and enjoy that blissful combination of grapefruit and tequila (or mezcal). Is it any wonder it’s Mexico’s favorite cocktail?

I have been wanting to make a milk-clarified cocktail for ages, and I finally sat down and did some research on the subject. If you’re not familiar, milk clarification is a technique used to render cocktails (typically punches) beautifully clear that was super popular back in the 1700s and 1800s. Back in the day, the end goal was less about pretty clear cocktails and more about softening the flavor of the booze and making a batched cocktail that would keep for a long time.

I’ve been wanting to create a savory small bite to pair with classic martinis for a while, and those cute organic, pre-cooked baby beets at the grocery store got me thinking. After a few different attempts that were overly complicated and not particularly delish, I arrived at this simple, elegant, and tasty hors d’oeuvre with baby beets, creme fraiche, fennel, walnuts, and my all time favorite mustard, Maille Old Style.

For some reason the moments when I’m first falling asleep or just coming to in the morning is when I tend to have sudden flashes of insight or inspiration. It’s like I do my best thinking when I’m sleeping. The other day as I was waking up to a pitch black morning (thanks daylight savings), I had a vision of a frosty pale purple coconut cocktail with violet liqueur and berries. Doesn’t that just sound dreamy? This is literally the stuff my dreams are made of.

The holidays and holiday festivities are right around the corner, which for me means two things: cocktails and hors d’oeuvres! One of my favorite things about this time of year is creating the drinks and small bites that my family enjoys when we all get together. We spend the holidays traveling between my parents’ home and my in-laws, so rather than putting together main dishes, I’m usually in charge of the appetizers and apéritifs.

If you haven’t tried cheese cream coffee or tea yet, let me be the one to tell you you’re really missing out! Check out my original post about cheese tea here. The cream cheese-based whipped topping works on a variety of hot and cold beverages, but I think this creamy, salted pillow of love adds something really magical to a decadently sweet iced coffee cocktail.