Shiner's Ruby Redbird Summer Beer

They aren't kidding when they call it the perfect Summer brew. Just as it sounds...

a Ruby Red Grapefruit bubbly with a hint of ginger to perfectly offset the tartness.

Stay thirsty.

Wine and Tote

Look what they've done with the Boat and Tote. Kudos!

Currently available in Red, Navy, Pink, and Blue.

Above photos courtesy of Land's End

Hamilton, BDA

Pulling up to Hamilton ocean side from the Ferry, one might think they have pulled up into paradise. And truly, from my personal opinion, it may be pretty close.

Just looking and walking around the city of Hamilton is a joy in itself. 

Pictured above is Front Street, Hamilton, BDA.

Well preserved, like most things Bermudian, is one of Bermuda's first post offices, named for William Perot who began his postmaster days by unofficially greeting ships at port, tucking their letters under his hat, and riding them around town to each recipient.

This Salvation Army is a perfect example of Bermudian architecture, and care and quality.

And you don't get much more Bermuda than this... scooters lined up outside the big banks and financial institutions. Just your typical Bermudian commuter.

The Salt Lick

You don't live in Austin and not know the Salt Lick.

You don't come to Austin and not visit the Salt Lick.

You don't know barbeque until you know the Salt Lick...

The Salt Lick has been synonymous with Texas bbq for many years.

It starts with the original open wood burning pit that has brought in settlers from both north and south for many generations.

Then you toss on meats of all kinds

Fall off the bone ribs:

Saucey Glazed Chicken:

That red-trimmed marble Brisket cooked to perfection, burnt ends and all:

There's sausage up top:

And sausage crisping down below:

Rose Hill Manor

A recent anniversary celebration brought us outside Austin city limits.

Nestled in the hill country, Rose Hill Manor is a southern hospitality Bed & Breakfast that truly shines in the Lonestar state.

Dinner started with a warm Rosemary Biscuit and then continued with 3 courses...

To start - Asparagus tips with a bacon vinaigrette, red onion, and crumbly soft feta cheese.

Second course - A crepe stuffed with chicken and drizzled with a blueberry sauce. Totally French, and totally delicious.

For dinner - he got the beef, she got the crab cake. Both beautifully cooked to perfection and accompanied by complimentary reduction sauces.

Dessert was a deliciously fresh strawberry shortcake with homemade vanilla ice cream melting on top. 

And because it was our anniversary...

For nighttime entertainment, not only are the bookcases lined with plenty of reads and an array of movies on DVD to take back to your room with you, but those same bookcases are stocked with bottles of vino to be charged to the room, should you happen to desire a nightcap.

The views are spectacular, being in the country and all.

But what's a B&B without Breakfast...

Peach Pie

April showers bring May ... peaches!

As the saying goes - you don't mess with Texas, and you don't mess with Texas's Fredericksburg peaches. It is the beginning of what promises to be a delightful peach season thanks to some much needed rain. So dig in and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
A Dozen Fresh Peaches
1/4 cup of Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch
1/2 cup of Water
Pie Crust





WHAT TO DO...
Take your pie crust out of the refrigerator to get to room temperature (making it easier to work with).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and slice/core your peaches.

While a lot of recipes call for peeling the peaches, I like to keep the skin on. To me, it looks and tastes more legit.

In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of water with 1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch until well blended. Toss the peaches in a medium saucepan with 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the Corn Starch mixture.

Saute the peaches over the stovetop until slightly tender. The Corn Starch mixture will develop a gooey consistency.

Roll out one dough ball of pie crust for the bottom layer and place in a pie pan. Then roll out the second dough ball for the top crust of the pie.

Pour the peach mixture into your bottom pie crust and cover with the top pie crust however you should choose (lattice top crust displayed below) - just be sure to vent the top crust one way or another.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Splendid!

P.S. I've found that the flavor of a pie is that much merrier when you give it a day or two to rest, settling the fruit's tartness and bringing out the sweet. So, if you plan on having company over, I would recommend making your pie in advance, which proves easy to serve, but dressed to impress.

Decorative Recycled Glass Jugs

Nice looking, and useful!

A new menu at Texas French Bread

Well folks, it's menu changeover at Texas French Bread, which happens more often than not, but is still just as exciting every time. New on the appetizer front are seasonally fried green tomatoes and a summer squash bruschetta.

But the shining star is the cucumber salad, who'd have thought?! The freshness provides for a flavor not many know a cucumber to have. And the accompanying mint highlights just that taste.

The lamb chops were delicious. Cooked just right and served with a sauce to be soaked right up.

Of course there are a few oldies, but goodies, including the pork milanese and steak frites. Beef that is perfectly Texas and Belgium-style fried to order frites where you struggle to share because they are so good.

And our repeat offender, we had to end with the coconut meringue cake. Another wonderful dining experience.

Below is the new menu:

Picking the Perfect Avocado

When it comes to making a good Guacamole, it starts with picking the perfect avocado.

First things first, you want an avocado that is soft to touch, but consistent all over. If you give the avocado a slight squeeze and it is extremely soft in some spots, but hard in others, this just means the avocado is bruised. When it is soft at every feel, it is perfectly ripe.

Now don't be fooled by the color.  Most people will intuitively think that the lighter green avocado is not yet ripe, whereas the darker purplish colored avocado has further ripened.  This is not necessarily the case, but rather relates to the type of avocado. The all-so-popular Haas avocado has the purple hue, whereas many of the other varieties are green.