I had the pleasure of meeting with Anthony Nicolo from Farmstead Wines last week, at Salt Tasting Room. Not only did we share some good food and some fantastic wines, we had a long, effortless conversation about one of our favourite topics – wine.
But it’s the not the wine that got me thinking today… more, it was Blood Alley in Vancouver, where Salt is. There’s a history to Blood Alley that many don’t know, speculate about and spread erroneous thoughts about as well. It’s home to a lovely little cluster of drinking hot spots, including Salt, The Irish Heather (currently …read more

Those who know me well, and who have known me for the past few years, know that this is not my “happiest time of the year” (for me, that’s summertime…. give me heat, give me sunshine!!)….*cough* sorry…. I got distracted. Right, where was I?
Oh yes… Christmas. Winter. Snow. Bleh. So, for me, staying warm, inside, with a good drink makes me happy. So, my 12 Drinks of Christmas (the 12 days being the ones that begin on Christmas night and end at Epiphany on January 5th)? Here it is….(recipes below)
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to …read more

I’ve mentioned before that I’m just not a scotch drinker, but thankfully for me, I have several friends who really enjoy their scotch, and my dear friend Dave, in Nashville, is a huge fan. When I received the bottle of Macallan 12 Year old Scotch, I happened to be in Nashville, and offered it to Dave to try.
Dave and I had a good chat about the Scotch, and I remembered that Dave used to live in Ireland and Scotland. “Scotch is magical for me. It was only after living in Ireland and Scotland that I gained a true appreciation for …read more

When I first heard about Agavero, several thoughts went through my head, the first of which being “sure, I’ll try anything once!” and then, the second, being…. “hold on…. blended tequila? Blended with …. what?”
When I got it home, it took me a few days to crack it, and, as I do with all of the reviews I do, I tasted it neat first. I was shocked at how good this is!! Holy!! I didn’t bother to mix this with anything, I just… sipped it, and enjoyed it.
Agavero, is seriously the ultra smooth 100% blue agave tequila, hand blended with …read more

Halloween is now about a week away. I still don’t have a costume, but I know exactly what I’ll be serving to friends on Friday night.  This is the first of the Drinks After Dark Halloween Recipes – there will definitely be more!
Vampire Juice
In a tall glass with ice mix:
2 oz Finlandia Lime Vodka
4 oz tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh horseradish
Splash of steak sauce (any brand)
Splash of hot sauce
Garnish with eye ball radish
To make ice “eyeballs”. Peel radishes, leaving thin streaks of red skin on to represent blood vessels (see image). Using the tip of the vegetable peeler, or a small, …read more

We spent a week in Honolulu last December, and I totally fell in love with the North Shore and surfing. My favourite beer while in Hawaii was Kona’s Longboard Lager, so it’s no surprise to me that they’ve combined two of my favourite flavours – coffee and beer.
Their new Limited Release Pipeline Porter ($9/6-pack – available from September through March) is made from a blend of premium malted barley and freshly roasted 100% Kona coffee. The end result is a smooth brew with a dark appearance that goes as well with a hearty meal as it does by itself.
Kona Brewing …read more

Today is Blog Action Day, where more than 12,000 bloggers around the world band together for one cause, and this year, blog action day is shining a spotlight on poverty.

While alcoholism affects many who live in poverty, there are equally as many of us who can not only have a drink or two and stop, but who can also afford it. And if you can afford it, it’s time to start giving back.
I’d like to give everyone who reads Drinks After Dark a challenge. Sometime, in the next two weeks, between October 15 and November 1, do something many can’t …read more

Yes, you read that right.
There’s a new casino recently opened in  Uncasville, CT, and to commemorate it, they’ve teamed up with, who else but Tiffany & Co. to offer a new cocktail called Windfall.
The drink itself sounds innocuous enough, even though it’s a pour worth $550. A mixture of Krug Grand Cuvee Brut Champagne, Richard Hennessy Cognac, Grand Marnier Cuvee du Cent Cinquantenaire 150, Chamboard Raspberry Liquour, and pomegranate juice. Sounds a little over the top, but ok so far.
The garnish is what gets ya. Raspberries and blackberries float on top of the drink, and then have been topped with …read more

I’m fighting a nasty cold at the moment, and as soon as people hear me speak, they figure it out pretty quickly and then tell me to go curl up and create myself one of many Old Wive’s Tales to cure the common cold.

So, what are these ‘cures’? They mostly centre around the Hot Toddy. There’s tons of different ways you can make a Hot Toddy, from everything to Whiskey, Rum or Gin. The prevailing theory is that a hot toddy’s mixture of piping hot water, rum, and lemon can provide a lot of relief. Alcohol has an anti-inflammatory …read more

It’s October first (how did that happen already??) and that means it’s time for another exclusive cocktail from Drinks After Dark’s official Cocktail Guru, Steve Kemble.

This month, Steve’s evoking a little bit of a Halloween bonfire type vibe and brings us a “Campfire Martini”. It’s pretty easy, and something the grown ups can have while kids snack on s’mores.
To make:
1 oz 10 Cane Rum
1 oz Godiva Dark Liqueur
1 oz Bailey’s
2 dashes Vanilla extract
Crushed Graham Crackers
Melted Chocolate
Bacardi 151 Rum soaked marshmellows for S’more effect (optional)
Pour all liquids into shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Rim a martini glass with melted …read more