it is feeling pretty springing over here at la casita costa mesa (yes we named our home, don't you?). it's currently seventy-five and sunny in orange county and change is in the air. wes and i have spent the week digging deep into some spring cleaning. hunkering down and getting prepared for...

wesley's new job!!! that's right. my mr. is under new employment. for the last few years, he has been managing a popular lunch spot at a very busy outdoor shopping center. but now that our own business calendar is filling up, he needs something with more flexibility and more importantly, more moola. and he found the perfect place. not only is it a high end, global restaurant chain, his new employer is opening a brand new restaurant about a mile from our house. he will be a part of the opening team at the new nobu newport beach.

to say we are excited for the amazing learning opportunity would be an understatement. and i have to say, i couldn't be prouder of my man. to celebrate him, i'm whipping up one of his favorite cocktails that now bares his name. 

rosemary westini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes.
ingredients: 2.5 oz your favorite vodka. .5 oz club soda. 1 splash - .5 oz olive juice (depending on how dirty you like it). 1 rosemary sprig & 1 olive for garnish. a few ice cubes. martini glass for serving. start by tearing away most of the rosemary leaves from your sprig so that there is just a bit left at the tip and it is basically a long twig. use the rosemary to skewer your olive and set it aside. 

fill your martini glass with your ice. pour in the vodka. 

then the olive juice. 

finally, pour in the club soda.

use your rosemary olive skewer to stir your martini gently. garnish with the olive rosemary skewer and serve. 

xo, a

rosemary westini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes.
ingredients: 2.5 oz your favorite vodka. .5 oz club soda. 1 splash - .5 oz olive juice (depending on how dirty you like it). 1 rosemary sprig & 1 olive for garnish. a few ice cubes. martini glass for serving.
start by tearing away most of the rosemary leaves from your sprig so that there is just a bit left at the tip and it is basically a long twig. use the rosemary to skewer your olive and set it aside. fill your martini glass with your ice. pour in the vodka. then the olive juice. finally top it off with the club soda. use your rosemary olive skewer to stir your martini gently. garnish with the olive rosemary skewer and serve. 

wes is going through some work transitions (i know i've alluded, don't worry details to come soon) so he has been home with me a lot more in the evenings. last night, we were watching the marathon of top chef episodes they were playing leading up to the new episode. about three episodes deep we had the epiphany. we no longer watched cooking shows in awe of what was going on. now we watch as if they are coworkers in our kitchen. instead of wondering how they could possibly come up with these crazy dishes, i'm checking which ingredients they are using, watching their technique, looking for my own tips and tricks anywhere i can find them. 

when the new episode finally came, the challenge was a tequila cocktail and dish paring. right up my alley. i was antsy on the couch thinking about what i would have made. so today, i attacked.

and i'm pretty sure my cocktail would have been a winner! 

passion fruit + lavender margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 4 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila blanco. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz orange liquor. .5 oz simple syrup. 1 sprig lavender. 1 passion fruit. 1 tbs each of salt & chili powder for garnish. shaker. stainer. 1 cup ice. ice for serving. 

start by combining the salt and chili powder together on a plate.

before you fill your serving glass with ice, gently brush the rim with a bit of the lime juice. 

gently brush the edges of the rim into the chili powder and salt mixture till lightly coated. 

fill with ice and set aside. fill your shaker with ice.

scoop out the passion fruit pulp and add it to the ice.

pour in the tequila, liquor, lime juice and simple syrup.

pull some of the flowers off the lavender sprig and add them to the shaker. 

reserve the rest for garnish.

shake your cocktail well till nicely combined and a bit frothy. 

strain over ice. 

garnish with lavender sprig and serve. 

xo, a

passion fruit + lavender margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 4 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila blanco. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz orange liquor. .5 oz simple syrup. 1 sprig lavender. 1 passion fruit. 1 tbs each of salt & chili powder for garnish. shaker. stainer. 1 cup ice. ice for serving.
start by combining the salt and chili powder together on a plate. before you fill your serving glass with ice, gently brush the rim with a bit of the lime juice. gently brush the edges of the rim into the chili powder and salt mixture till lightly coated. fill with ice and set aside. fill your shaker with ice. scoop out the passion fruit pulp and add it to the ice. pour in the tequila, liquor, lime juice and simple syrup. pull some of the flowers off the lavender sprig and add them to the shaker. reserve the rest for garnish. shake your cocktail well till nicely combined and a bit frothy. strain over ice. garnish with lavender sprig and serve.