Alright, before I get started, let’s get all the “Peachy” jokes out of the way. That’s just peachy. That dessert looks peachy. Everything’s peachy! Any others? Ok, glad we got that out of our systems.

For the final course of the Ursula’s Wine Dinner, guests were presented with a simple yet decadent dessert. Fresh sliced peaches alongside a rich but fluffy Japanese whiskey sabayon. Sabayon is made with egg yolks (see my recipe here on JapanEats.tv) that are whipped like mad with liquor or wine, sugar, and vanilla until light and airy. To add a bit more creaminess, I folded fresh whipped cream into the sabayon for this dessert. The result was something more substantial than whipped cream and a bit lighter than ice cream. It was perfect for an August evening in Minnesota.

I have made this dessert several times and with various fruits (depending on what is in season) here in Tokyo and it never fails to impress and promptly disappear, leaving diners scraping their plates for the last few bits. It takes a little time and arm strength (lots of whisking) but I find that it is 100% worth it.

Even from the kitchen I heard guests raving about the pairing for the dessert. Kurt chose to serve a Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere Riesling, 2007 which was a massive hit. Light and refreshingly fruity, the riesling helped make for a peachy end to a peachy evening. (Sorry, couldn’t help it…)

Peaches with Japanese Whiskey Sabayon

Makes 4-6 servings

4 ripe white or yellow peaches, sliced with skin on

1 cup whipping cream

Japanese Whiskey Sabayon

Mint leaves for garnish

Arrange the peach slices in serving dishes.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the whipped cream. About half way through, add the sugar and continue beating until firm peaks form.

After making the sabayon and allowing it to cool, carefully fold the whipped cream into the sabayon until it is no longer streaky and has become a light yellow/almost white color.

Spoon the sabayon-cream into each of the serving dishes. Garnish with a mint leaf and serve immediately.

Inspiration comes in many forms. I find myself inspired by the lunches Japanese students bring to school that are so carefully prepared and planned by their mothers. Inspiration creeps in while riding my bike down the street and passing a noodle shop that smells like rich miso broth and sounds like grateful soup slurpers. Other times, inspiration finds its way into my mind by opening up a book. A cookbook, that is. It’s no secret that we all have different moments that give us that creative jolt to come up with the next great idea, whether it is in the kitchen, at the office, or elsewhere. That’s the beauty of creating. It happens differently for each of us and the result, though not always what we imagined, becomes just what we need to continue developing ideas.

For this recipe, my inspiration came from David Chang. Chang’s recipe for miso butter in his cookbook, Momofuku, is a simple combination of salty miso paste and creamy butter. But oh, the possibilities that come from these two simple ingredients are endless. I modified the miso butter recipe slightly for the wine dinner. Using equal parts miso paste and butter resulted in a perfectly creamy, flavorful base for crisp, green sugar snap peas, rich, perfectly cooked salmon, and a gorgeous fried egg with a bright orange yolk.

For the wine dinner I used a fried quail egg. Let me just say that was the worst idea ever. Oh, it turned out beautifully in the end, but it was madness trying to break open all those little eggs for 40 people! And then frying them?!? Long story short: What was I thinking? So, since quail eggs are difficult to find for some, I’ve substituted a regular, sunny-side-up egg in this post. Feel free to use whatever you like- they both make a gorgeous presentation! I have a pretty serious love affair going on with eggs, so anytime I can top a meal with one I jump at the chance.

When you shop for salmon, make sure to look for thick lines of white running through the flesh and try to smell it if you can. It should be odorless. Having adequate fat in the salmon ensures it won’t dry out when you cook it. For the wine dinner, we used Scottish salmon from Coastal Seafoods (if you live in the Twin Cities and aren’t already buying your seafood there, get on it!) that was just perfect. Here in Japan we are fortunate to find plenty of salmon year round (yay!). It looks like this:

As the main entree, this dish was perfectly paired with a 2007 Deux Amis Zinfandel. When Kurt told me he was going to pair the salmon with a Zinfandel, I was skeptical. But as I’ve said before, Kurt is a master when it comes to wine (he has several awards for Best Wine List from Wine Enthusiast to prove it!) so I went with it. It turns out that the Zinfandel stood up nicely to the miso butter, salmon, and egg without overpowering the dish. Perfection.

Here are the recipes and pairings we have covered so far:

Lotus Root Chips with Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake

Edamame Crostini with Meyer Lemon & Shiso, paired with Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo

Scallop and Corn Gyoza with Sriracha Dipping Sauce, paired with HB Picpoul de Pinet 2009

Pork Belly & Leek Yakitori with Asian Slaw, paired with Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja 2005

Salmon with Miso Butter, Sugar Snap Peas, and Fried Quail Egg, paired with Deux Amis Zinfandel 2007

Only one more post to go! Are you ready for dessert?

Salmon with Miso Butter, Snap Peas, & a Fried Egg

Serves 4

4 center cut salmon steaks, skin on

2 cups sugar snap peas

1 cup shiro (white) miso paste, room temperature

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Lightly pat the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the miso paste and butter. Stir until smooth and fully incorporated. Use  a pastry brush to smear about 1/4 cup of miso paste in the center of each serving plate. Arrange the sugar snap peas on top of the miso butter in one layer. Set the plates aside while you cook the salmon and eggs.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. After about 1 or 2 minutes, add about 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Wait for the oil to heat, about 1 minute, and add the salmon, skin side down. (The pan should be hot enough that it immediately sizzles when the fish is placed in the oil.) Allow the fish to cook on one side for about 3 minutes. Flip the fish and cook or another 2 minutes for medium-rare. Cook for 3-4 minutes if you’d like your fish more done.

Carefully remove the salmon from the pan and put on a plate. Set aside.

In the same pan you used for the salmon, fry the eggs in the olive oil until the whites are firm (but do not flip for sunny side up). If the whites are not done and it seems the bottom is getting too done, you can transfer the eggs to a lined baking sheet and put them under the broiler, watching VERY carefully, until the whites have set.

While the eggs fry in the pan, place the salmon steaks on top of the sugar snap peas. When the eggs are done, put them on top of the salmon. Sprinkle with black pepper and red pepper flakes and serve immediately.

Confession: I have done too many margarita posts lately. Here’s the thing…I love them thankyouverymuch. Please don’t judge me.

Alright, moving right along… I actually made this margarita back in June but haven’t gotten around to posting it until now. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise seeing as how I now have a fabulous full-time job here in Tokyo. It’s been a big lifestyle change and sadly leaves me much less blogging and photo-taking time (*tear*) but I am loving going to work. And being able to afford things.

But this gorgeous cocktail popping with bright pink and green is the perfect way to say “Hey, I can handle blogging and full-time work! Right?”

For many of you, raspberries are in season and you will be able to make this with the fresh-picked variety. If you don’t have fresh raspberries handy, frozen will work also. And guess what? You don’t even have to have key limes! Just use good ole regular limes instead. Still beautiful, still perfectly tasty.

I leave you with this drink (hopefully in hand) after a short and sweet post. When I get my act together with my new schedule I will be sure to post the last two of my Wine Dinner posts, like Salmon with Miso Butter, Sugar Snap Peas &  Fried Quail Egg!

Raspberry & Key Lime Margarita

Makes 4 cocktails

1 pint fresh raspberries (or about 1 cup frozen)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup Key lime juice (or 1/2 cup regular lime juice)

1 cup tequila (hefty, yes…if you alter this amount I won’t be offended)

Combine the raspberries and citrus juices in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Use a fine mesh strainer and a spatula to press the raspberry mixture through into a bowl- this removes the seeds from the berries.

Add the tequila, pour into a pitcher and pour into a salt-rimmed glass with ice. Garnish with half a Key lime or a slice of regular lime. Cheers!

It’s hard to believe that I am beginning my third year in Tokyo. Especially considering this was the conversation when we decided to come here:

Husband: “Do you wanna move to Tokyo?”

Me: “Um, do I have to decide right now?

Husband: “Yes.”

Me: “Well, uh….(nervous stomach flutters)…I guess so.”

Husband: “Ok! Sweet!”

6 months later…

Husband: “So how long should we stay?”

Me: “Probably 2 years. At the most.”

Husband: “Yeah, I agree.”

And now here we are. Our third year in this foreign land that has become our home. I can say with complete certainty that I did not see that one coming!

We spent our third anniversary of moving to Tokyo enjoying the Obon festivities (read more about Obon here). Specifically the fireworks, or hanabi. The weather was oddly comfortable in the midst of the oppressive heat of summer. We enjoyed takoyaki (doughy balls of batter with pieces of octopus, scallions, and ginger covered in a savory sauce and fish flakes) while we waited on our plot of land covered with a plastic tarp for the fireworks display to begin. And of course we did a little people watching.

The lovely yukata (click here for more about yukata) offered a splash of color to the crowd of thousands of people.

The food and the fireworks did not disappoint.

Cheers to year #3!

Here’s the thing: I’m not a fan of hot weather. I’m all for beach vacations near the calming sound of ocean waves, sand between my toes and all that jazz. But generally suffocatingly hot weather is not my idea of a good time. Living in Minnesota this was never much of an issue. Summer is short and sweet in Minnesota. Ending with the Minnesota State Fair as a signal of cooler days to come, summer blows by with some heat and humidity, but it disappears quickly into golden colored fall days. Crunchy leaves, cool breezes, hot apple cider and sweaters take the place of days on the boat, cool drinks, and tank tops. Tokyo, on the other hand, holds onto heavy, hot air until October. Which often times leaves me feeling uncomfortable after only 2 minutes standing outside. Add on having to ride my bicycle everywhere and you’ve got one crabby Tokyo Terrace resident.

It’s not all grumbling and griping though. Despite my own personal issues with the current weather situation, it provide a good excuse to drink fun cocktails like this Thai Basil & Mint Mojito. After 3 months in the U.S., I came back to my little herb garden in Japan to find it completely overgrown with Thai basil and mint. The plants reached out of their pots in winding, twisting shapes reaching for rain and sun and just begging to be used in an icy drink.

I use cane sugar in my mojitos because I find it to be more easily dissolved. And it lends a slightly toasted sugar flavor without being crazy sweet. You can use regular sugar too, but you might want to reduce the amount depending on how sweet you like your drinks. If you are a hot weather hater like me right now, it’s probably time to make this. Go on! Make it!

Thai Basil & Mint Mojito

Makes 1 cocktail

1/4 cup loosely packed mint and thai basil (or other basil) leaves

1 tablespoon cane sugar (or granulated sugar)

3 oz. white rum

4-6 oz. tonic water

ice

lime juice

In the bottom of the glass, combine the mint and basil leaves, sugar and rum. Muddle everything together until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ice and top with the tonic water and lime juice. Stir gently to combine. Serve very cold. Immediately.

I woke up this morning to the sound of cicadas buzzing in the trees outside our apartment. There is something comforting about cicadas. They are consistent. Consistency is a rare thing in this city.  While so many things are changing around us, these buzzing bugs, like clockwork, are a sign of summer. They start abruptly and end just so. One day, we will be walking down the street and we’ll realize that the noise has stopped. We won’t know exactly when it happened, but at some point the buzz has ceased and the air is still. Or at least as still as it can be in Tokyo.

Another constant in Japan is yakitori. Walking into any Izakaya (small restaurants scattered along almost every block in Tokyo) and the smokey smell of barbecued chicken and pork belly wafts through the air while sizzling skewers are placed on a hot charcoal grill. For my recipe, I use a pan on the stove top (Shhhh…don’t tell!) because it is easier to get consistent results with the glaze. The sweet, salty flavor of the teriyaki glaze is the perfect accompaniment to an ice cold brew. (Or a nice glass of wine.) This is the essence of the Japanese Izakaya.

Because this is a staple food in Japan, it had to be a part of my wine dinner menu. We typically order chicken and leek yakitori, which is simply chicken thigh meat and Japanese leeks (smaller than leeks found in the U.S.) skewered and glazed over a piping hot grill. For the wine dinner, I chose to use pork belly rather than chicken. There are a few reasons for this decision, one of which is the utterly delicious, rich flavor of pork belly. Adversely, I’m sure we have all experienced dry chicken. It’s hard to make sure chicken doesn’t overcook when grilled, but it becomes even more tricky when cooking for 40 diners. Pork belly, on the other hand, is rich and fatty, making it virtually impossible to ruin with too much cooking. The layers of fat and meat simply melt in your mouth. Melty, flavorful, and just plain amazing. Nothin’ wrong with that!

Pork Belly Yakitori from the night of the wine dinner.

Here’s the downside: pork belly is difficult to come across for some. I had a hugely frustrating experience trying to buy it in the Twin Cities (everyone I called said, “We have bacon!” which is just not the same). Fortunately Ursula’s could order it from a supplier. But what options are there instead of pork belly? Chicken. Yep. Use chicken thighs because they have more fat in them and therefore won’t dry out like chicken breast. If you are lucky enough to find pork belly, give it a try! It’s the same cut as bacon without the curing.

The Asian Slaw I served with the yakitori was a perfect companion for the rich pork belly. Red cabbage, shaved carrots, basil, cilantro and mint lightly dressed with soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce and mirin (sweetened rice wine vinegar) made for a light, refreshing flavor and a gorgeous color contrast. Kurt paired the yakitori with a 2005 Ramon Bilbao Crianza Rioja, a natural pairing for grilled meat.

Pork Belly (or chicken) Yakitori & Asian Slaw

Makes 4-6 servings

2 lbs. Pork belly, cut into sliced 1 inch thick and about 2 inches wide, or chicken thigh meat cut into cubes

3-4 Leeks or 1 bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

12 6 inch bamboo skewers

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Mirin

1/4 cup Sake

1/4 cup Sugar

Asian Slaw

1 head Red cabbage, shredded

2 Carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 Tablespoons mirin

1 Tablespoon fish sauce

1-2 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/3 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup mint

Soak the bamboo skewers in water for about 15 or 20 minutes. While they are soaking, cut the meat and the leeks. When the skewers are ready, assemble the skewers as follows: leek, pork belly, leek OR leek, chicken, leek, chicken.

Next, make the sauce. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a medium bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Place the skewers in a shallow dish and pour the sauce over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 4. Flip the skewers once in the middle of the marinading process.

After marinading, remove the skewers from the fridge and allow them to reach room temperature (about 20 minutes). Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the skewers and allow to brown about 3-4 minutes per side. After browning the second side, add the marinading liquid and toss the skewers gently to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes. The sauce with reduce and automatically glaze the meat.

Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, while you assemble the slaw.

For the slaw:

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, and herbs. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the liquid ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss (I like to use my *clean* hands) until evenly distributed.

Place a handful of the slaw in the center of a plate or bowl. Top with 2 or 3 skewers and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve.

Going home to the Midwest from Japan for the summer is a funny sensation. On one hand, I feel completely relaxed. Like I can finally take a deep breath instead of a shallow one. Like I can finally stretch my limbs and soak up some open space. On the other hand, when summer is over and it is time to return to our Tokyo life, I get to come back to my own kitchen and to familiar routines. I am reminded that I am living in an exciting city where I get to have experiences (and eat food) that I will remember for the rest of my life. While I am thankful and happy with life in Tokyo, there is little that can take the place of going home.

The recipe for my scallop and corn gyoza is a little bit like home for me. It’s a recipe that turns out beautifully every time I make it. I always end up wondering why I don’t whip these up more often. And there is never enough for the people I serve them to.The golden brown crisp on the side that has been fried, the chewy noodle-like consistency of the opposite side, and the filling of sweet, salty, crunchy and soft corn, scallops, cabbage, soy sauce, ginger and garlic is mouth-wateringly perfect in every way. I love the sizzle of the pan when I first toss these babies in the oil. Ah, beautiful music that can only be made better when followed by a bit out of one of these dumplings…

You may remember seeing this recipe a few months ago. No, you aren’t crazy- this did appear on the site already. However, I dressed up the presentation for the wine dinner at Ursula’s Wine Bar & Cafe, where it was served with a 2009 HB Picpoul de Pinet. It was like taking a little black dress (already a classic) and adding a pair of red stilettos. It just needed to be gussied up. The red dots on the plate are Sriracha, a spicy Asian sauce made with garlic and chili, and the sauce under the gyoza is Sriracha mixed with Greek yogurt.

Click here for the recipe if you’d like to give these a try! You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

In lieu of Cocktail Friday this week, I’m posting the 2nd of 6 courses from the wine dinner at Ursula’s. Not to worry, the liquor will start flowing again next week, but for now we are going through a little detox.

For the second course of the wine dinner, I made these edamame crostini with Meyer lemon and shiso. The idea behind the entire dinner was to show the diners how to enjoy new ingredients in familiar dishes. Crostini has become a mainstay in many restaurants and recipes are everywhere for these little toasts, making it a perfect way to explain the fusion of ingredients.

This recipe came to fruition after I made something similar using fava beans in Tokyo last spring. My original idea was to use yuzu (for more info on yuzu, check this post from the White on Rice Couple), but since it is unbelievably difficult to find in the United States I went with the Meyers. I was pleased to find that the sweet yet tart flavor was actually very close to that of the Japanese citrus I love so much. If I could have limitless yuzu year round I would be a happy chica.

Once I decided on the Meyer lemons, I opted for shelled edamame as a base rather than fava beans which were also difficult to find this time of year. The bright green soy beans tasted like springtime in Japan and offered a vibrant color to the crostini. The shiso (read more about shiso by clicking here), with its slightly minty flavor, was the perfect way to accent this fresh dish. It was wonderful hearing positive feedback about the crostini as guests were biting into the creamy topping and crunchy toasts. The wine-master, Kurt, paired the crostini with a fresh, floral sake called Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo. The pictures above show a glass of Toad Hollow Chardonnay, which was a great pairing as well.

So what do you do if you can’t find shiso? Substitute a little basil in the recipe instead. And if you can’t find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons. Most grocery stores these days sell shelled edamame in the frozen section, so take a look the next time you go shopping. This is a healthy, fast and easy appetizer to make. If you have frozen edamame in your freezer, you’ve got the makings of a great appetizer on-hand! Enjoy!

Edamame Crostini with Meyer Lemon & Shiso

Makes about 30 crostini

2 baguettes, sliced 1/2 in thick

Olive oil, for brushing the bread

4 cups shelled frozen edamame, cooked following package instructions

1/4 cup meyer lemon juice (from about 1 lemon) and zest

1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped

1/3 cup shiso leaves, roughly chopped

1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

Heat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the sliced bread on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Adjust the heat if they are browning too quickly.

Meanwhile, place the cooked edamame, lemon juice, half the lemon zest, garlic, and shiso in a food processor. Pulse 4 or 5 times to combine the ingredients. Then, with the processor running, stream the olive oil through the top until it reaches a creamy, but not runny, texture. (Think hummus.)You may not need to use all the olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper. Spread the edamame mixture on the toasts, the top with the leftover lemon zest.

*To make ahead, prepare the spread and the toasts separately. Store in airtight containers, refrigerate the spread, and reserve for up to 2 days.

Salt & Pepper to taste

I find it funny how my life has panned out over the past few years. Not really ‘funny-haha’, more like ‘funny…huh?’

Case in point: my life the past 9 years…

2001 Graduated from Mahtomedi high school and began attending Luther College in Decorah, IA. Worked at restaurants (Ursula’s Wine Bar & Cafe included) and Kowalski’s Market in White Bear Lake, MN.

2005 Graduated from Luther with a major in communication and a minor in music.

2006 Started working 70 hours a week for a massive retail company that will remain nameless.

2007 Married my adorable husband. Left said retail conglomerate and began working as a teacher’s assistant in the Special Education department at an Elementary School in Roseville, MN.

2008 Moved to Tokyo, Japan with adorable husband to work at an International School as a substitute teacher while he taught 2nd grade. Began a master’s program in elementary education.

2009 Began Tokyo Terrace, a food blog chronicling my experiences in Tokyo and in my kitchen.

2010 Completed master’s program for elementary education. Hosted a wine dinner for 40 guests alongside Kurt & Theresa Hegland of Ursula’s Wine Bar & Cafe in White Bear Lake, MN.

Back up even more to when I was an 8th grader auditioning for a church musical. That’s when I met Kurt Hegland, owner of Ursula’s and great friend. Somehow, throughout my music-retail-food-educator life, I managed make it to June 2010, when Kurt and wife Theresa asked if I was interested in hosting a wine dinner at their restaurant. I could create the Japanese fusion menu and Kurt would work on the wine pairings for each course. We set the date, finalized the menu, and on August 4th I experienced  one of the most exciting events that I’ve been a part of in a very long time. And I have to say that if someone had told me in 8th grade that a few years down the road, after moving to Tokyo, I would be cooking 6 courses for 40 people based on my food blog, I would have laughed really hard. Through my braces.

Yes, it’s been a wild ride and a winding road to get to this stage. And I am excited to share the recipes from the wine dinner with all of you. So, without further ado, here is the first post of this series:

The evening began at 6:30 with the Meet & Greet. This is the time when guests can chat with one another while nibbling on small bites and sipping an aperitif. Dried, shredded squid, edamame, and lotus root chips with furikake were the food stars.

A beautifully refreshing and festive sparkling sake, Hou Hou Shu, took the place of the typical champagne or prosecco. I fell head-over-heels in love with the sake, which was slightly unfiltered, giving it more body and a gentle flavor. The bubbles danced around on my tongue and just begged for a big celebration. The pairing was fabulous.

Of course, while everyone was enjoying their chips, edamame, squid and bubbly, I was in the kitchen just getting started on an entire night of being a chef. For the first time ever. And I almost died with happiness. More on that later…

If you’re wondering about furikake, here’s a little information for you: Furikake is a common seasoning for rice in Japan (which is one of my favorite things ever!). It is made up of sesame seeds, dried fish flakes, nori, and other dried seasonings such as wasabi. Furikake is often seasoned with salmon, shiso, vegetables, and chicken as well. In this case, the furikake has to be sprinkled on the chips immediately after frying to ensure it sticks to each chip. You don’t need a lot because the flavor pops with just a gentle sprinkle, so don’t fret if a scant amount remains attached to the chips. It’ll be just fine that way.

If you’d like to give these a try, click here for the recipe. If you can’t get your paws on lotus root (check at any Asian Market) you can use russet or sweet potatoes instead. The Furikake is such a natural way to flavor chips like these. It would be a great topping for popcorn, too!

Hot, hot heat. That’s what August seems to be all about for many right now. Heavy air teams up with burning sunshine to make it completely and utterly uncomfortable to set foot outside. It’s as if someone turned up the thermostat as high as possible and then covered everything in a big blanket. When the weather reaches this point, we have two options: 1) sit inside with our feet in a bowl of ice water and the AC cranked, or 2) put ourselves in close proximity to a body of water. Today, my family went with option 2. We spend the afternoon on Bald Eagle Lake where we enjoyed swimming and cool drinks to fend off the heat. No matter which option you chose, a cold beverage helps pass the time and cool the temperature. Temporarily anyway.

If you are in the same boat as we are here in Minnesota (I know; Minnesota + heat in the same sentence is a little strange) then you need to try this Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita. As much as I love a good traditional margarita (on the rocks, please!) they can occasionally be overly sweet and syrupy. This bubbly margarita is made with blood orange French soda, which gives it an effervescence that is welcome during these seemingly intolerable days. The sweetness is subtle but enough to stand up to the salted rim of the glass.

Speaking of the glass, I found these beautiful vintage glasses at an antique store the other day and I am in love. They are delicate, unique and a perfect new prop for Cocktail Fridays!

Cheers to the dog days of summer and  the last Cocktail Friday post before I head back to Tokyo next week.

Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita

Makes 1 drink

2 oz. tequila

4-6 oz. Blood Orange French Soda

1 tablespoon lime juice

ice

Margarita salt

Lime wedges

Before putting any liquid in the glass, use a lime wedge to wet the edge of the glass. Dip the rim of the glass in the margarita salt. Put the tequila in the glass, followed by the lime juice. Next, add the ice cubes gently (if you aren’t careful, a lot of the salt will fall of the rim of the glass). Finally, top the glass off with the blood orange soda and garnish the glass with a lime wedge.