my favorite season is finally upon us. i'm not even going to pretend i'm not 100% biased towards summer. summer is my season. i love light weight, flowing dresses, wearing my bikini every day and summer produce. 

as a kid, i was a bit freaked out by fruit that had some fuzz, but as an adult i have developed a true appreciate for fuzzy stone fruits. that juicy, summer sweetness is undeniable. and right now, my local produce stores are bursting at the seems with tasty peaches. 

i love the sweetness of peaches, but i do not love super sweet cocktails. the heat from jalapenos brings the perfect balance to the sweetness of the peaches and the boozy kick of the vodka. bring it all together in a chilled glass and you will have a cooling cocktail that also packs a bit of a punch but goes down way to easy. drinker be warned. 

spicy peach martini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 7 minutes
ingredients: 2.5 ounces vodka. 1.5 oz peach juice (i used hand juiced white peaches, but you can buy peach juice at the grocery store). 1 oz lime juice. .5 oz simple syrup. 5 thin slices of jalapeno (seeds removed). 1 peach wedge for garnish. 1 lime twist for garnish. shaker full of ice. chilled martini glass. 

start by filling your shaker with the vodka, peach juice, lime juice, simple syrup and 2 of the 5 jalapeno slices. shake well to combine. 

place the remaining jalapeno slices in the bottom of the martini glass. 

pour your liquid into the martini glass. 

garnish with peach wedge and lime twist and enjoy. 

xo, a

spicy peach martini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 7 minutes
ingredients: 2.5 ounces vodka. 1.5 oz peach juice (i used hand juiced white peaches, but you can buy peach juice at the grocery store). 1 oz lime juice. .5 oz simple syrup. 5 thin slices of jalapeno (seeds removed). 1 peach wedge for garnish. 1 lime twist for garnish. shaker full of ice. chilled martini glass.
tart by filling your shaker with the vodka, peach juice, lime juice, simple syrup and 2 of the 5 jalapeno slices. shake well to combine. place the remaining jalapeno slices in the bottom of the martini glass. pour your liquid into the martini glass. garnish with peach wedge and lime twist and enjoy. 

food has become an art. it is no longer just about fueling your body. good food is now defined not only by how it tastes, but by how it looks and pleases the senses. which is great for me, because i love to play with my food. 

but let's be real. most of us don't have enough hours in the day to squeeze in a workout, regular errands or even a shower, let alone "style" our dinner. just EATING dinner is a win on some days. 

however, it is really nice sometimes after a long day to indulge in something that feels a little special. so, when i have an hour or two at my home on the weekends and nothing much to do, i'll make some pineapple flowers or dried citrus wheels to keep on hand for when i need a pick me up. they are CRAZY EASY to make, they keep for six months in an airtight container and they are the perfect addition to a sad or boring plate or cocktail. 

pineapple flowers
makes: 10-20 flowers (depending on a mini pineapple vs regular size)
prep time: 10 minutes
bake time: 1 hour
active time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
ingredients: mini or full sized pineapple. mandolin or very sharp knife. silicone baking mat or parchment paper. baking sheet. 

start by preheating your oven to 225 f. line your baking sheet with your parchment or silicone mat. remove the top, bottom and all the skin of the pineapple. 

slice the pineapple very thin. one eighth of an inch or thinner. BE CAREFUL! 

place the pineapple on the baking sheet. bake the pineapple for 25 minutes a side (flipping them halfway through. bake for 20 minutes each side if you are using the mini pineapple. 

when the pineapple is dried, remove it from the oven. now you can leave the flowers flat, or while they are still warm, you can use your fingers to press the sides of the pineapple up to make more of a flower shape. 

allow the pineapple to cool completely. use or store in an airtight container in a pantry or cupboard for up to six months. 

use as desired. 

xo, a

pineapple flowers
makes: 10-20 flowers (depending on a mini pineapple vs regular size)
prep time: 10 minutes
bake time: 1 hour
active time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
ingredients: mini or full sized pineapple. mandolin or very sharp knife. silicone baking mat or parchment paper. baking sheet.
tart by preheating your oven to 225 f. line your baking sheet with your parchment or silicone mat. remove the top, bottom and all the skin of the pineapple. slice the pineapple very thin. one eighth of an inch or thinner. BE CAREFUL! place the pineapple on the baking sheet. bake the pineapple for 25 minutes a side (flipping them halfway through. bake for 20 minutes each side if you are using the mini pineapple. when the pineapple is dried, remove it from the oven. now you can leave the flowers flat, or while they are still warm, you can use your fingers to press the sides of the pineapple up to make more of a flower shape. allow the pineapple to cool completely. use or store in an airtight container in a pantry or cupboard for up to six months. use as desired.