Just nuts

I've decided that the perfect snack to take to the Super Bowl Party next week is bar nuts. Of course they will be coated with lots of Sal del Mar. I found the recipe in the "Genius Recipes" cookbook. The flavor is not sugary or spicy .. and it is simple to make. You won't want to buy the already salted nuts again. 

Recipe from "Genius Recipes" and the Union Square Cafe

1/4 pound peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, and whole unpeeled almonds or 1 1/4 pound unsalted assorted nuts

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons Sal del Mar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until they become light golden brown, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, Sal del Mar and melted butter. Thoroughly toss the warm toasted nuts with the spiced butter, adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm.

Tweaking a Bloody Mary

There are all kinds of recipes for making a Bloody Mary, but don't forget the salt. Salting the rim makes the flavors pop. Without it, you can produce a tasty creation... but salting the rim will make it drop-dead delicious.

There are many things to learn about using salt to enhance your drink, but one of the most important considerations is the texture. Sal del Mar's coarse crystals let the flavor linger on the tongue and also add a little crunch. The crystals also have a dampness that allows them to cling to the rim of the glass so that you don't get the salt sliding down the edge of the glass as with some of the refined salts.

SALTY TIPS:

To tweak the classic Bloody Mary, mix a medium-grind of pepper with Sal del Mar sea salt. Spread the mixture on a small plate.

Moisten the edge of the glass just half way around the top edge by running a lime slice around the rim.

Press the rim of the glass into the Sal del Mar/pepper mixture to crust the rim. Shake off any access.

Allow the salt/pepper to air dry a few minutes before filling to ensure that the salt mixture lightly flakes off with each sip.

A winter cocktail

We recently had a photo shoot with photographer Amy Haskell and stylist Paula Hamilton to capture a cooler months approach to our cocktail and food recipes as Winter approaches.  One of our first shots was a tequila cocktail, a very simple cocktail, of an añejo tequila. Añejo tequila has been aged for at least a year in small oak barrels. The more time it is aged, the smoother the texture. It is a classic drink that is sipped and is the spirit of conviviality. 

Behind the scenes was the job of creating a setting of comforting warmth and we feel Amy and Paula "nailed it."  The tequila cocktail glows with a warmth radiating from it, thanks to Amy's use of light. Paula, who has an uncanny eye for the right prop, took a painting off the wall of her studio... and it set the scene of a Winter Cocktail. 

All that is needed is to stoke the fire, gather friends, and give a toast. 

For the foodie on you holiday list

We have put together a pasta gift-basket idea that any Foodie would like. We started with a wire basket that we found at Bon, a gift boutique in Tucson. Of course, our gourmet sea salt is the first element we added. We have learned that salt/Sal del Mar is an essential ingredient for the pasta water or the entire dish will taste under-seasoned.

The hard part was deciding what other ingredients to add because the list of great pasta products is limitless. We choose breadsticks, tomato paste in a tube, olive oil, artisan pasta and wooden utensils to toss the pasta. Shop around to find lots of different ingredients and place your order at Sal del Mar to select one of our embroidered bags. Just add a tag and a bow and it will make a great gift ... even for the non-foodies. 

Another gift idea....

One of my favorite designs for our Sal del Mar hand-embroidered bags is our grey linen "Sal de Cocktail" bags. It is it's simplicity, that I like, and here it is paired with a crystal shallow bowl that is perfect for our gourmet salt to be used to crust the rim of any cocktail glass. There are so many cocktails that are enhanced with a little salt besides margaritas... Bloody Mary's, Salty dogs, tequila cocktails Paloma's and more.

The crystal bowl and Sal de Cocktail make the perfect gift this time of year. It is tied with twine and and a paper tassel. With the Holiday season upon us...remember it is a great hostess gift and for all the men on your list that are always so hard to buy for.

A painting worth a thousand words

Our Sal del Mar mermaids have gathered for tea at the Sal del Mar Tea Room wearing their Holiday hats to remind everyone that our hand-embroidered bags make the perfect Holiday gift. The reason they look so excited is that they want everyone to know that there are many hand-embroidered bags to choose from: palm trees and sea creatures.. a slice of lime and a garland... a mermaid with a shell fan... a mermaid wearing a Holiday hat... and even a huge fish.

This whimsical painting shows off part of the fun we have a Sal del Mar. It started with just a glimmer of an idea forming in my head. So.. I called up Paula Hamilton, who is the artist for Sal del Mar, and we exploded with ideas between each other. This one began with a story we made up of our mermaids who came ashore and because the Holidays are coming they decided to have a tea party to discuss it. Then Paula created her magic and made the idea even better.

Remember they make a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving... and they're already wrapped!.

Salty gift idea

We are always finding gift ideas for our Sal del Mar hand-embroidered bags. (Of course, they are the perfect gift just by themselves). So... recently we decided to start "listing" ways to combine our Sal del Mar bags with other items to make a special gift. We even created a new category on our website, called "Salty Gift Ideas." This is one of my favorite ideas. It is simple and easy to create with just a few items: a hors d'oeuvres plate (many to choose from either on line or at local gift boutiques); a cheese spreader; one of our hand-embroidered bags; and tie it all up with a ribbon and tag.  A perfect gift for a Thanksgiving host or hostess.

Everything's coming of cranberries

There is something so thrilling about seeing the harvesting of this cranberry bog on a drive on Cape Cod.. It made me want to make everything cranberry. Muffins. Scones, Sauces. Chutney. But, instead, I settled for a Cranberry Margarita.

Seems as though Marilyn had the same idea.  I shot this photo from a large mural at the Chatham Orpheum Theater in Chatham, Massachusetts. I think you'll like the recipe (see below). It's not too tart or too sweet.

Cranberry Margarita  

This recipe is great for a crowd, but is easily reduced to serve just one.

2 cups of Tequila blanco
2 1/3 cups of cranberry juice
2/3 cups fresh lime juice
1 cup of triple sec or any orange-flavored liqueur
Sal de Margarita sea salt

First, rub a lime over the edge of a martini glass, covering just half the glass edge. On a plate, add a thin layer of Sal del Margarita sea salt and dip the edge of the glass into it. If possible, let it dry out a bit.

Combine the tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a large pitcher. Add in small portions to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.Shake and serve in a Sal del Mar rimmed martini glass.