Who is ready for summer and patio szn? Hanging on a patio means lots of laughs and maybe even tears. One of the best parts of summer is hanging in my backyard, sitting around the fire pit with my favorite people.
It has been a long time since I have posted any of my cocktail thoughts, but today, I figured it was the day to get back into writing! End one chapter and begin a new one, as they say.
Getting here was not easy…, but Stacy2.0 (yes, it is trademarked) is becoming a big experiment! I’m a 49-year-old empty nester figuring out the next stage of my life! I have spent a lot of time thinking about WHAT NOW and how to navigate it. We all know that the unknown is very scary, but it can be super exciting and fun when you flip it. It is really all in how you look at every situation. There are ups and downs, and that is ok…. feel the feels and then let it go. All we have is the story we tell ourselves- make sure your story is your truth and trust yourself.
Ok, enough sappy shit on to the best part of summer and patio szn is fun food and drinks with the ones you love. One of the best parts of my patio is watching my flower beds, and herb garden grow! I plant a cocktail herb garden with everything from lavender to mint every year! Then I started experimenting with fresh herbs and simple syrup. Basil simple syrup quickly became a favorite! I use 1 cup of water to a 1/2 sugar because I don’t love it when cocktails are super sweet. However, I had wanted to try a cocktail with the basil-infused simple syrup, so I asked Alexa for some help. Together, we stumbled upon a recipe for basil bourbon lemonade! All I can say is- fantastic!
Back to herbs for a quick minute… Every good cocktail needs an equally great meal to go with it! When I woke up this morning and was making my morning coffee, I spotted the bag of quinoa. It struck me as odd because for 1. it was not where it belongs, and 2. It was in the original packaging. That out-of-place sighting made me decide tonight was quinoa falafel bowls! I pulled parsley, mint, and basil from my herb garden and added a bunch of veggies to the quinoa! I picked the food first this time, but always best to find your inspiration and run with it.
Enjoy the unofficial start to summer with a loved one doing what you love, and we will navigate WHAT NOW together. I can’t wait to enjoy patio szn with you!