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This is one TASTY rum cocktail!  We wanted to use fresh fruits to create the tastiest rum punch around and I think we nailed it.  The trick to this great punch is using fresh-pressed juice. There is nothing quite as good as fresh juice.  Many of you may not have a juicer, so don’t panic, you can always use a strainer/muddler to get a similar juice or head to Whole Foods and pick up a pint.

The delicious dark rum from Bully Boy Distillers is smooth, making for a great accompaniment to any cocktail.

Ingredients:

  • 1 fresh pineapple
  • 1 lime
  • A handful of fresh basil
  • 3 ounces of dark rum – we used The Rum Cooperative by Bully Boy Distillers
  • 2 ounces coconut water

Make:

  • Remove the skins from the pineapple and lime. Then cut up into small pieces.
    • Place in the juicer with basil
    • If you don’t have a juicer use a muddler and strainer to make your own juice
    • If you don’t have a muddler or strainer – head over to Whole Foods or another local store to grab fresh-pressed juice.
  • Mix juice, rum, and coconut water together
  • Pour over ice
  • Garnish with a pineapple wedge
  • Enjoy!

Check out the behind-the-scenes photos!

Have you ever used fresh juice to make cocktails? We highly recommend it. Not only is the juice tastier but there are far fewer preservatives and sugar in the juice.  Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s both carry fresh-pressed juices.

Let us know what you think of this one! We sure LOVED it.  It’s perfect on a hot day like today (it’s currently 95 degrees out).

Thanks for reading – Taylor

 

Happy summer, everyone!  We hope you’re enjoying this rainy weather (stop raining, please) and are enjoying spending time with friends and family. We have another easy yet tasty cocktail for you to make. The Blue Mint Margarita is for everyone who loves a good margarita but wants to make it just a little fancy. It’s super easy, refreshing, and perfect for any upcoming event you have.

Ingredients: Makes one margarita

  • 3 ounces Tequila – we love Espolón Blanco Tequila
  • 2 fresh squeezed limes
  • handful of blueberries
  • Splash of soda water
  • Fresh mint (Don’t have any of your own? We have some at the back entrance of our store – take some!)

Make:

  • Muddle the blueberries and mint
  • Add crushed ice
  • Squeeze the limes over ice
  • Pour in 3 ounces of tequila
  • Add a splash of soda water
  • Add fresh blueberries to top

Cheers! We hope you find this cocktail perfect for your summer celebrations!

Xo – Taylor, your MWS cocktail mixer/maker/drinker

 

 

“Hey Siri, show me breweries near me…” LORD HOBO BREWERY!

There is nothing better than a brewery during the summer–especially when it’s local. Lord Hobo Brewery in Woburn is going to be the hot spot of the summer here on the north shore. Aside from their legendary BOOMSAUCE beer, the brewery has so much fun to offer this summer, and you need to get in on it. Here at Mystic Wine Shoppe, we are all about the Lord Hobo buzz and wanted to share our excitement with you. Allow us to share some of our favorite features of this extraordinary local brewery.

Lord Hobo

Outdoor Seating All Summer Long
Working on your summer tan while drinking a beer = multitasking at its finest. Lord Hobo Brewery has a brand new outdoor patio at their Woburn location, and we are all about it. Outdoor dining makes for a perfect summer afternoon or night, especially with a brew in hand.

Games, Games, Games!
Lord Hobo likes to keep things playful. From live music to trivia, to bingo–they have it all, creating an upbeat aroma for you and your party. And if you aren’t a competitive person, that’s okay too. Kick back, relax and enjoy the excitement running through the brewery (and maybe go and snag some of their cool apparel too, while you’re at it.)

Beer. Food. Happiness.
Food and beer make us happy, what about you? Lord Hobo Brewery has a full kitchen that provides a rotating menu filled with delicious food each week. And the best part…even if you don’t dine in with them you can still take your food and beer to go.

Don’t Like Beer? No Problem!
Hey, not everyone likes beer, and at Lord Hobo–that’s okay! The brewery serves cider, white wine, red wine, nitro iced coffee, and various non-alcoholic beverages alongside their legendary brews. Everyone in your party can find something they like, making it a great destination for meeting friends and family.

We told you we loved it. Do you now want to try it too? Lord Hobo Brewery in Woburn is open Monday through Thursday 4pm-10pm, Friday through Saturday 11am-12:00am, and Sundays 1am-10pm.

For more information visit their website!

 

Cheers!

Photos By: Lord Hobo

They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. But in New England, April winds can roar and the lion is very much alive well into May.

Last weekend, I followed the lion of winter north and drove up to visit my fellow fully-vaccinated friends in Harrisville, New Hampshire. I left Arlington on Friday night with a couple of bottles of Chasing Lions Pinot Noir, some good sharp cheddar cheese, and my beat-up Yahtzee set, excited, after a year of social distancing, to see people again. The trees were bare along Route 3 and there were still rogue piles of snow clinging to winter in the forest shadows and on the north face of Mt. Monadnock.

Harrisville, New Hampshire is a perfectly preserved little mill town. Perched on the shores of a picturesque lake, the heart of the town (and the only place to buy provisions) is the General Store. Supported by the Historic Harrisville Foundation, the General Store has been supporting the community throughout the pandemic by providing Friday night take-out dinners. Every week’s menu is a new theme. Last week was Mexican with homemade tortilla soup, tamales, and an assortment of side dishes.

Chasing Lions Pinot Noir seemed like a fitting accompaniment. I couldn’t wait to open it. As we waited for dinner to be delivered, I sliced up the cheddar cheese, got out some crackers, and uncorked the first bottle. It felt amazing to be with people again.

Produced by the Nine North Wine Company of Napa Valley, the Chasing Lions, 2017 Pinot Noir is easy to love. My friend Andrew and his wife Mary Lou are well versed in wine and they noted notes of cherry and citrus. Our host commented that she tasted a bit of spice and I simply proclaimed it “delicious.”
By the time our tamales arrived, we were ready to open the second bottle and the laughs and conversation flowed as easily as the wine.

Now, the lion of winter has seemingly moved on. The daffodils are blooming —even in the shadows of Mt. Monadnock— and I’m delighted to have found a wine that I’ll be uncorking to celebrate not just the return of spring, but also the gradual return of dinner parties and lifting a glass of wine with friends. Cheers!

Thanks for reading,

Carol, Mystic Wine Shoppe’s Wine Connoisseur

Yup, it’s mid-winter, and there is yet another snowstorm on its way! Are you excited or dreading yet another driveway to shovel?  We have mixed feelings but can say our February cocktail of the month is sure to help you beat those mid-winter blues. It’s refreshing, tangy, and reminds us of warmer weather.  Give it a try – you’ll love it!

Recipe:

  • 3 ounces of premium vodka
  • 1-ounce fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1-ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1-ounce of lemonade
  • Bitters
  • Rosemary for garnish

Make:

  • Pour vodka, lemonade, grapefruit juice, and lime juice over ice
  • Add bitters – we did about 3 dashes
  • Mix and top with rosemary

We find winter is a lot more fun if you have an outdoor activity you love and a good cocktail in hand!  We hope this easy-to-make and delicious cocktail brings you a happy moment.

Stay safe out there!

Thanks for reading along, Your friends at Mystic Wine Shoppe

 The snow is falling, the fire is roaring and you’ve got a delicious vanilla espresso in hand! Yup, it’s winter in New England and the only way to get through it, is well, with fancy cocktails of course.

The first thing you need for a good vanilla espresso martini is all the ingredients (and good music doesn’t hurt either).

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce of Deliciously Light Bailey’s (All the deliciousness of Baileys, with 40% fewer calories and 40% less sugar than Baileys Original Irish Cream.)
  • 1.5 ounces of Kahlúa
  • 1 ounce of Coffee Liquor
  • 1.5 ounces of Stoli Vanilla Vodka

Make:

  • Shake together in a shaker with ice
  • Strain into a fancy martini glass
  • Option to add foamed milk

 

This is a tasty blend with delicious hints of vanilla and coffee… it’s a sure crowd-pleaser!

Let us know how you like your espresso martini?

One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that because people are working from home, animal shelters around the country are reporting record numbers of adoptions. I was lucky to find a “pandemic pup” of my own at Shultz’s Guest House in Dedham. A mix of terrier, hound, and adorableness, I named him “Bernie” and in the two months that I’ve had him, he’s mastered housetraining, sleeping through the night, and a few basic commands.
I figured we were ready to be houseguests.


My friend Beate, owns a farmhouse in New Hampshire with plenty of space to social distance, lots of land, open fields, and room to run. It’s a puppy paradise. So, Bernie and I hit the road. We packed a box of dog biscuits (also, puppy chow, his bed, chew toys, leash, and harness and poop bags) as well as a big pot of black bean soup (recipe below) and a couple of bottles of Mulderbosch Faithful Hound red wine. It’s a blend— kind of like Bernie.


As soon as we hit Route 101 North, the landscape changed from brown to white. An hour later, Bernie was romping in the snowy field burning off his abundant puppy energy and I was heating up soup and uncorking a bottle of wine.

Mulderbosh’s Faithful Hound 2015, is from Stellenbosch, the most famous wine-producing area in South Africa. The region is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which are used to create Bordeaux blends, like the bottle I was pouring.


The wine is a beautiful color—swirl it in the glass and it’s dark ruby red. Take a sniff and it bears a hint of vanilla, cedar, and berry. Sip it and you’ll taste the earthy, fruity deliciousness that paired beautifully with the smoky citrus of the black bean soup.

We ate, we drank, we played with the puppy and then we looked out the window. The snow was coming down at a furious clip. It was clear that Bernie and I had to spend the night. And the next night, too. Fortunately, I had brought plenty of kibbles and an extra bottle of Faithful Hound.

The next day, we hiked through the woods, we played board games and at night, we ate more soup and drank the second bottle of wine. In the morning, I watched the snowplow clear the dirt road and knew it was time to pack up and, like a good dog, go home.

SNOWED-IN SOUP
4 cups dried black beans – rinsed
1 large ham hock (optional)
2 Tsp. olive oil
1 sweet onion chopped
3 garlic cloves smashed and minced
4 carrots sliced into half coins
4 cups (approx.) Chicken stock or water or a combination of both
I cup chopped tomatoes (canned or boxed)
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
4 Tsp. cumin
black pepper to taste
salt
2 Tsp. brown sugar
1 large orange

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil. Add onions and garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and cumin. Cook until tender. Add black beans, tomatoes, ham hock and enough liquid to submerge ham hock. Add carrots. Grate orange. Retain zest, cut orange in half and add to pot with brown sugar. Cover and simmer until beans are tender. Add orange zest and continue to simmer. Remove meat from bone, chop and return to soup. Add more liquid and more seasoning as needed. Serve with chopped cilantro, a lime wedge and a dollop of sour cream.

Not sure what to pair with those tasty holiday dishes this year? We can help with these pairing suggestions for veggies, red meat, and turkey!

Veggies:

  • Trimbach Riesling (Alsace) Its delicate bouquet, the fine balance between its dry personality, its distinguished fruitiness and its natural vitality contribute to its exceptional richness. $21.99
  • St. Michael-Eppan Sauvignon Blanc (Italy) Gooseberry nose with grapefruit hints. Medium structure but nicely fresh and juicy, Off-dry, $16.99
  • Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino (Sardegna Italy) Costamolino is produced with the Mediterranean table in mind. Vermentino’s herbal flavor can also highlight vegetables such as fava beans or fennel. $14.99

Red Meat:

  • Torbreck Shiraz: A dark cherry, the central core of fruit gives way to an intense textural mid-palate full of blueberry, cocoa, spice, and dark chocolate. $19.99
  • Chateau Lanessan Haut-Medoc (France) Winery notes. Multilayered, elegant nose. Lovely Structure on the palate with fleshy tannins and a long finish. $24.99
  • Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa) Supple tannins, and vibrant black cherry, candied blackberry, and spices. A hint of coffee and dark chocolate create a lingering and delightful finish. $23.99

Turkey:

  • Boen Pinot Noir (California) The first sip of this tri-appellation Pinot Noir envelopes the mouth with a velvety richness. Flavors of bright cherry, dried herbs, and hints of vanilla, is supple and sumptuous, to the finish. $19.99
  • Argyle Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley Oregon) Red and dark fruit with savory spice and delicate floral notes. A lively, fresh middle palate along with classic Argyle silky texture and persistent length. $22.99
  • Frederic Esmonin Les Genevrieres Pinot Noir (France) Sumptuous aromas of red berries and cherry are supported by light notes of wildflower. On the palate, there are flavors of red fruit, spice, and floral accents. The tannins and acidity provide a delightful structure. $15.99