the older i get, the more i believe that the universe is always sending me messages.

it’s been a VERY busy week, and today, i was feeling like i just wasn’t going to be able to get to that friyay cocktail! but i got my sh*t together and went to pick up the mezcal i wanted for today’s cocktail. by the way, if you are not familiar with mezcal, pick up a bottle! like tequila, it is made with agave, but they smoke the plant before they ferment it which creates this amazingly smokey flavor.

i had an idea of what i wanted to make, but i was going to have to run all over town to get the rosemary and hibiscus. and then, right there in the parking lot of the place i got the mezcal, was the MOST GORGEOUS hibiscus NEXT TO a flourishing rosemary bush. and the smokin hibiscus was born.

smokin hibiscus

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz mezcal. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 1 oz fresh lime juice. 1 sprig of rosemary. 3 oz club soda. hibiscus for garnish, optional. 1 cup ice or large ice cube. shaker with extra cup of ice.

start by combining most of the leaves from the rosemary sprig (leave the tip top leaves for the sprig to become a garnish), the mezcal, the hibiscus syrup and the lime juice in the shaker with ice. shake well for 30 seconds till the rosemary oils have released into the mixture.

pour the mixture into your serving glass filled with ice.

top with club soda.

garnish with rosemary sprig and optional hibiscus flower and enjoy.

xo, a

smokin hibiscus

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 2 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 3 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz mezcal. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 1 oz fresh lime juice. 1 sprig of rosemary. 3 oz club soda. hibiscus for garnish, optional. 1 cup ice or large ice cube. shaker with extra cup of ice.

start by combining most of the leaves from the rosemary sprig (leave the tip top leaves for the sprig to become a garnish), the mezcal, the hibiscus syrup and the lime juice in the shaker with ice. shake well for 30 seconds till the rosemary oils have released into the mixture. pour the mixture into your serving glass filled with ice. top with club soda. garnish with rosemary sprig and optional hibiscus flower and enjoy.

i am a BIG fan of garlic. i won’t deny it. when i cook with garlic and i still have that smell under my finger nails, i love it. there are very few things that i don’t add more than the recommended amount of garlic. i think you are getting the picture. i’m into garlic.

but one of the best ways to eat garlic, is roasted. roasting garlic cuts out that spicy taste you get from raw garlic and just gives you a smooth, deep, garlic flavor. there are tons of great uses for roasted garlic, but here is one of my favorites!

roasted garlic butter

serves: 2 cups butter

total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

ingredients: 1 head of garlic. 2 cups of room temperature butter. 1 tsp olive oil. .5 tsp kosher salt. aluminum foil. whisk.

start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees f. while your oven heats, chop the top off of your head of garlic and place the garlic in the middle of a square of aluminum foil. drizzle the garlic with olive oil and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt.

wrap the garlic up in the foil till it looks like you might toss it out.

then roast it in the oven for 50-60 minutes until completely soft in the middle. pull your garlic out and allow it to cool to room temperature. now that your garlic is roasted it should be a very mushy consistency.

when you squeeze the uncut bottom of the head of garlic, the individual cloves should just squeeze right out the cut open tops.

once in the butter, season with the remaining salt and whisk well until all the garlic is combined into the butter. about 30 seconds.

serve spread on some of your favorite fresh bread or store on hand for roasting chickens, potatoes, or to use for your morning eggs.

xo, a

roasted garlic butter

serves: 2 cups butter

total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

ingredients: 1 head of garlic. 2 cups of room temperature butter. 1 tsp olive oil. .5 tsp kosher salt. aluminum foil. whisk.

start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees f. while your oven heats, chop the top off of your head of garlic and place the garlic in the middle of a square of aluminum foil. drizzle the garlic with olive oil and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt. wrap the garlic up in the foil till it looks like you might toss it out. then roast it in the oven for 50-60 minutes until completely soft in the middle. pull your garlic out and allow it to cool to room temperature. now that your garlic is roasted it should be a very mushy consistency. when you squeeze the uncut bottom of the head of garlic, the individual cloves should just squeeze right out the cut open tops. once in the butter, season with the remaining salt and whisk well until all the garlic is combined into the butter. about 30 seconds. serve spread on some of your favorite fresh bread or store on hand for roasting chickens, potatoes, or to use for your morning eggs.