Basil Lime pepper infused Vodka Gimlets

Y'all know I like to keep things simple. I don't have time for fussy things. This drink is perfect because it has layers of flavor to entice you and is very easy to make.
Here is the how to on one of my favorite gimlets:
Take a fresh basil leaf and muddle it (mash it with a spoon) in the bottom of the glass with a pinch of sugar.
Add 2 parts fresh squeezed lime juice, 4 parts chilled pepper infused vodka and top with a slice of lime. I like mine without ice in a martini glass but this is equally good on the rocks.
If you can't find pepper infused vodka you can make your own by taking two serrano and one jalapeno peppers, sliced lengthwise and a clove of garlic packing it into a glass jar. Fill with vodka and let it infuse about 1 week. Pepper infused vodka is quite common in the South and always adds an interesting element to your vodka drink. 'A la votre', y'all..

How to Restore Old Brass Without Losing Patina

Brass is really trendy right now. Much of the home decor brass commercially available is cheaply made and will not retain it's beauty long. But brass made in the first quarter of the 20th century and earlier, develops an exquisite patina. Assuming of course that it has had reasonable care throughout it's long life. Sometimes, a good piece of brass will have just a tiny bit of verdigris, that is the crusty blue green stuff caused by oxidation and tells you corrosion is setting in. I see this a lot on furniture with brass mounts, lamps, chandeliers and light fixtures. Most brass tutorials give directions only on bringing brass back to it's super bright finish. Many antique dealers restore brass to it's bright finish, removing the patina and then apply a commercial solution to darken it again. I can always spot those. They never look quite right. There are some pieces that devalue when you remove the patina. Natural patina enhances the beauty of a piece, like this cl...

Southern Bacon and Crawfish Cornbread Dressing

Imagine you are dining outside at Blake Shelton's house this Thanksgiving and deep frying some big turkeys. A crawfish dressing would probably be on the menu. Deep fried turkeys and outdoor dining on Thanksgiving day is very popular in the South. And while people don't wild catch crawfish like they did a century ago, crawfish are always popular on the menu. Here I have paired it with bacon, corn, mirepoix,and jalapenos to give you a dressing with real local flavor. Here is what you need: 5 cups crumbled cornbread 1 1/2 lbs boiled crawfish tails ( frozen is fine) 10 ounces bacon, cooked and coarsely crumbled 12 ounces yellow corn 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1/1/2 cups chopped celery 1/1/2 cups green red and orange bell pepper 1 jalapeno ( optional) 2 eggs beaten 2 cups chicken stock salt, thyme, and sage to taste. Fry your bacon until it is ready to crumble, remove from pan and set aside. Saute the mirepoix, (onions ,peppers and celery) corn and jala...

Birdcage Beauties

Bird keeping is an ancient art. Long before the Spaniards invaded Mexico, Macaws were being bred as pets and the Japanese were cultivating beautiful songbirds. But of course it was the French, during the time of Louis XIV that brought bird keeping into popular culture. These birds all needed housing and the variety of cages designed for them is as varied as our own homes. From the Baroque... ..to primitive... ..whether for decor impact, or for keeping live birds.. beautiful bird cages, with their airy design adds ambiance to every space they grace. It is no surprise that they are the darlings of decorators around the world. If you love bird cages as much as we do, we offer this gilded cage currently on Chairish. https://www.chairish.com/product/286472/gilded-birdcage or click our icon in the right hand column. A stunning home for a pair of Java Temple Birds, Finches or Canaries. Until next time..

Oh La LaY'all......French Style and Southern Charm

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