last night, my good friend beatrice came over for dinner. we met when i was still working in fashion but we really bonded over food and shoes. she came over to catch up and to taste some new menu items i'm testing out for catering. 

i've been suffering from a cold and her and wes went on a whole tangent about tequila being anti bacterial and helping when you have a cold. now, i was calling a bit of bull honkey on that claim. 

but i did some research and it is true that the agave tequila is made from has some great health aiding properties. anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects were listed as some of the health benefits. so hell, i'm going to give it a go. i'm upping my cold kicking odds of success with some pomegranate, blackberries and lime juice to make a perfect fall margarita. 

pomegranate margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila reposado. 1 oz pomegranate juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz triple sec. 2 blackberries for garnish. toothpick or rosemary stick. 10 pomegranate seeds for garnish. shaker. cup of ice. 

start by making your garnish. skewer your blackberries with your toothpick or stick. then add your ice to the shaker. 

pour in all your ingredients. shake well to combine. about 30 second. 

place your garnish in your serving glass. pour the contents of your shaker into the glass.

serve cold. enjoy! 

xo, a

pomegranate margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila reposado. 1 oz pomegranate juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz triple sec. 2 blackberries for garnish. toothpick or rosemary stick. 10 pomegranate seeds for garnish. shaker. cup of ice.
tart by making your garnish. skewer your blackberries with your toothpick or stick. then add your ice to the shaker. pour in all your ingredients. shake well to combine. about 30 second. place your garnish in your serving glass. pour the contents of your shaker into the glass and serve cold. 

maybe it is just that time of year, but i'm struggling this week. i've been grinding pretty hard both physically and creatively since twenty-seventeen started and i believe it is starting to wear me down. i tell my students all the time, when you are tired, rest. when you need to recharge, listen to your body. listen to your mind. so i gave myself yesterday off.

today, i continued my recharge with an epic yoga class with friends and now i'm hunkering down on my couch with this warming cocktail while stormageddon rages outside my window. i suggest you get home asap and do the same! 

pomegranate + mint hot & cold
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
total time: 10 minutes
ingredients: 1 green tea bag. 1 cup hot water. 2 oz gin. 1 oz pomegranate simple syrup (recipe to follow).1 oz lime juice. 5 mint leaves + extra sprig of mint for garnish. 2 lime slices for garnish. muddler. strainer. mug of choice. 

start by combining your tea bag and water in your mug. allow the tea to steep for 3 minutes. 

while your tea steeps, muddle your mint in the bottom of a glass. add the gin, simple syrup and lime juice to the glass and shake or stir well to combine. 

remove the tea bag from the tea. 

using your strainer, pour the gin mixture directly into your tea. 

stir well to combine. 

garnish with lime slices and mint and serve. 

pomegranate simple syrup
serves: 1 cup liquid
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 5 minutes
inactive time: 20 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup sugar. 1 cup pomegranate seeds. 1 cup water. 1 small sauce pot. 

combine all the ingredients in the sauce pot. 

bring the liquid to a boil.let the liquid boil until the sugar is dissolved. about 3-5 minutes.

remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temp.

strain and use or store in the fridge for up to a month.

xo, a

pomegranate + mint hot & cold
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
total time: 10 minutes
ingredients: 1 green tea bag. 1 cup hot water. 2 oz gin. 1 oz pomegranate simple syrup (recipe to follow).1 oz lime juice. 5 mint leaves + extra sprig of mint for garnish. 2 lime slices for garnish. muddler. strainer. mug of choice.
start by combining your tea bag and water in your mug. allow the tea to steep for 3 minutes. while your tea steeps, muddle your mint in the bottom of a glass. add the gin, simple syrup and lime juice to the glass and shake or stir well to combine. remove the tea bag from the tea. using your strainer, pour the gin mixture directly into your tea. stir well to combine. garnish with lime slices and mint and serve. 

pomegranate simple syrup
serves: 1 cup liquid
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 5 minutes
inactive time: 20 minutes
total time: 25 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup sugar. 1 cup pomegranate seeds. 1 cup water. 1 small sauce pot.
combine all the ingredients in the sauce pot. bring the liquid to a boil. let the liquid boil until the sugar is dissolved. about 3-5 minutes. remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temp. strain and use or store in the fridge for up to a month.