10 liquid ways to beat the winter chill.

Baby, it’s starting to get cold outside – the perfect excuse to warm up with a little holiday cheer. And by “holiday cheer,” we mean a stiff drink.

Whether your poison is cider, champagne, coffee, or cranberry, this week’s Foodspotting Friday offers plenty of inspiration for imbibing this holiday season.

Champagne Cocktail @ Per Se

Egg Nog @ Saul’s Restaurant & Deli

Mulled Wine @ Christopher Columbus Restaurant & Pub

Absinthe @ Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

Irish Coffee @ Buena Vista Café

Spiced Apple Cider @ Michigan Brewing Co

A Winter’s Holiday @ Frankies Spuntino Restaurant

Spiced Cider Martini @ Douzo Japanese Restaurant

Egg Nog @ Saul’s Restaurant & Deli

Bourbon and Bacon @ The Girl and the Fig

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

When you have bad allergies, it can seem like you are allergic to everything. Turns out, you might be! Or you might just be super paranoid. We don’t judge. But what we can do is offer a list of everyday objects or activities that could have you swelling up like ice in the Arctic. Check out some common things that might get you sniffling and sneezing.

Cell Phones
We’ve all heard the rumblings about the dangers of cell phone radiation. But it turns out, your actual cell phone might make you sick. As the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports via Newsweek, the nickel in cell phones can lead to red, itchy skin.

Water
Yes, some people are allergic to the wet stuff. Aquagenic urticaria is a disorder that gives people hives, rashes and even blisters when they come in contact with water. It is an extremely rare, temporary condition.

Sex
Experiencing a burning, itching, or swelling in the genitals? You might be allergic to sex. Some women have an allergy to their significant other’s semen.

Exercise
This might just seem like a good excuse to skip the gym for most. For an unlucky (or lucky) few, it is because they suffer from exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Nausea and vomiting are just some of the symptoms associated with this disorder.

Soy
Soy is actually one of the most common food allergies in children, though some adults suffer from it. Symptoms include hives, swelling, wheezing, dizziness, and tingling in the mouth.

Condoms
Latex allergies come from the proteins found in natural rubber, from which latex is derived. And since some condoms are made with latex, this can lead to a (pause) sticky situation for some. Symptoms include redness and itching, but trouble breathing is also possible.

Sun
There are actually several different kinds of sun allergies. As The Mayo Clinic reports, these are “polymorphic light eruption (PMLE), actinic prurigo, chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) and solar urticaria.” Symptoms include hives, blisters, and painful rashes.

Chocolate
Yes, an unlucky few are actually allergic to chocolate. This is common in people who are already allergic to other food items such as milk, nuts and eggs.

iPod
Remember how cell phones can cause allergies? So can your iPod. It turns out that the nickel found in iPods can be just as irritating as some of your annoying neighbor’s musical choices.

Alcohol
Yes, that glass of wine might be giving you more than just a hangover. However, it is not the alcohol itself which causes the reactions, but often the sugar and fermentation process used in creating it. So next time you break out in hives, you might want to put the glass of wine down.

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Country Living (the British version) arrived at my parents’ house on Christmas Eve. It’s a personal favorite of my mother’s and mine. We sat on the couch drinking coffee and flipping through the pages that immediately take you to another world filled with delightful accents, elevenses and quaint, snow-covered gardens. Not to mention all of the various food ideas and photos. The magazine is like food and decorating porn all in one.

I quickly made my way to the back section which always features a collection of recipes. I stopped at a page with a photo of glass bottles with big corks, labeled simply with tape and black cursive writing, “Whiskey” and “Cranberry Vodka.” A “Trio of Liqueurs” said the recipe. “If you make a selection of liqueurs as gifts for Christmas you will have the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of your labors lined up gently deepening in color as they mature.” I grabbed a pen and scribbled the recipe that called for whiskey, orange rind, cloves and figs. That sounded like something I should have on hand in the new year.

Handmade hooch. Not only fit for gifting during this season, but a growing trend in foodie circles. Nothing says “this person knows what they’re doing” more than pulling out a home-brewed liqueur at a dinner party. It’s chic, edgy and fun. Which is probably why smaller, craft distilleries are having new found levels of success. That and the fact that home distilling in the United States is still illegal, making way for the small, craft producers, that have the necessary permits in place.

The New York Times recently covered a selection of city professionals turned distillery masters, in a quest for not only good tasting alcohol but a return to a simpler time, that honors agricultural heritage, and even urbanites on a newfound quest to craft something delicious and different that will wow their friends.

Distilling obviously takes a little more finesse and work than simply pouring a few cups of whiskey in a bottle, adding some spices and making sure you take the time to turn it every few days. But the idea is the same: create something new, different and maybe even a little off the wall. As Chris Weld, of Berkshire Mountain Distillers, told the New York Times, “We have the ability to diversify wildly. We can make a fruit brandy one day and a whiskey the next.”

Brandies, gins, fruit liqueurs – the options are seemingly endless, and as the trend grows, small distilleries continue to pop up with new offerings, meaning your liquor cabinet has very few limits to what it can be stocked with. If you’ve already gotten on the craft beer bandwagon, craft gin and even more risqué absinthe can’t be far behind.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to stick to the DIY method, keep with the artisan liqueurs. They’re easy, perfectly legal and will certainly up your dinner hostess status. Cheers!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: sunshinecity

The snow is flying and the fog is rolling in, so there’s no better time for getting comfortable between the sheets. But just because you’ve trekked inside with mini-icicles hanging from your eyebrows doesn’t mean you can’t heat things up at home. And there are many ways you can bring sexy back without turning to Viagra and unfortunate candle wax issues. Check out these ten tips to keep your libido cooking until spring. (Note: As with all medications, seek the advice of a professional before taking any supplements.)

Peppermint Peppermint contains menthol, which acts as a stimulant. For women, this is a good thing. As one source writes, “The scent [of peppermint] acts to stimulate the physical senses and if applied on the skin produces a cooling and exciting sensation which makes the erogenous zones in women more receptive to sexual pleasure.” Sexy has never been so cool.

Cornstarch Planet Green reports that painting your naked body with corn starch is super erotic. (Who knew?) They note that, “Just the initial sensation of cornstarch dropping on the skin mimics the sensation of liquid silk.”

Cinnamon Cinnamon has been known to increase sex drive over time. It can lower high blood sugar which “restricts the blood flow to the penis.” This can’t help but be a good thing for sex. Just be sure to only add a dash or two – large amounts of cinnamon may be toxic.

Ginseng Ginseng has been a popular aphrodisiac in China for centuries. Some claim it can boost sex drive and increase libido. It can also improve blood flow.

Exercise

Even moderate exercise will get the blood flowing to all the necessary parts. And as experts note, it will make you feel better about yourself, which is always a good thing for promoting sex.

Avocados Not only do avocados have a sensuous texture, they contain Vitamin E. As one source reports, Vitamin E can heighten your orgasm.

Alcohol (In Moderation) Discovery Health reports that “by reducing anxiety and stress one drink can help get you in the mood for sex.” But if you get drunk? You’re heading more for sleepy time.

Ginkgo Biloba This is thought to increase blood flow to the sexual organs. Even better? It can enhance orgasms.

Chocolate As Planet Green points out, chocolate is “believed to be a natural source of phenyl ethylamine (PEA), the same feel-good chemical that the body naturally produces during those first moments of falling in love.”

Saw Palmetto This is said to “nourish” the prostate gland and enhance the production of testosterone. Who knew palm trees could be so sassy?

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If you haven’t understood my love for kombucha, you mustn’t been spending enough time reading Foodie Underground. But as I discussed a couple of months ago, there’s really no point in spending $4-5 on bottled fermented tea when you can make your own. And if there was ever a time to commit to brewing your own kombucha, it’s now.

Why? Last week Whole Foods pulled all the kombucha from their shelves because testing showed that the drink might have elevated alcohol levels that would necessitate a government warning. Kombucha certainly isn’t up their in the ranks with wine and beer, but according to the law, products containing 0.5 percent or more of alcohol have to carry a government warning.

The concerns over elevated alcohol levels may or may not be justified, but a couple dozen of Whole Foods’ kombucha suppliers agreed to a voluntary withdrawal of the product. To understand just what 0.5 percent alcohol content means, think of a can of non-alcoholic beer, a drink that has an alcohol content of less than 0.5 percent of its volume. In other words, we’re certainly not talking Friday night drinks with the ladies, so you can keep chugging on that kombucha guilt-free.

But if you are looking for a way to spice up your cocktail hour (and in response to our “should kombucha be your party drink?” question, we say “yes!”), here are a couple of kombucha inspired drinks that should do the trick.

The Basic

• 1 part vodka
• 1 part tonic water or club soda
• 1 part Kombucha

Pour over ice

Note: if you want to get fancy, throw in a splash of juice concentrate or a liqueur. My personal favorite is crème de cassis.

The Mojito

• 1 cup plain Kombucha
• 1 lime quatered
• 6 mint leaves
• ice
• mineral water
• 4-6 drops of stevia
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• a shake of sea salt (optional)

Muddle mint with lime in a tall glass and add the rest.

I haven’t personally tried this one, but discovered it recently and it’s on the “drink to-do list.”

Make Your Own

If you’re feeling extra feisty, create your own kombucha cocktail. Need help? Mombucha, sold at the Brooklyn’s popular Green Point Food Market, recommends blending with bourbon, whiskey or scotch. Vodka and rum are also great candidates. Now get to mixing.

Non-Alcoholic But Still Fun

Smoothies are certainly the way to go if you want a non-alcoholic pick me up that includes kombucha. Here’s a basic recipe to play with:

• 10 ounces orange
• 4 ounces Kombucha tea
• 5-6 large fresh strawberries OR 1 cup of chopped pineapple
• 1-2 large bananas
• Other fruits to throw in at your discretion: blueberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: Anna Brones

Getting Purelled is the growing phenomenon of sanitizing one’s germ-infested mitts with the alcohol-based, Johnson & Johnson product known as Purell.

What’s in the name, William Safire students might ask?

Pure, I imagine, denotes the opposite of tainted, which in flu terms translates into ralphing, the runs and the unpleasant sensation of having been poisoned by Satan. Elle is French for she, as in, she is cruel that H1N1 Virus, widespread in 47 states now. Elle also is a swank Fifties ad-on, like ette for dinette. It sounds real classy.

I first heard the term the other day after ordering my teenage daughter to wash her hands after school. She’s a nail biter, more susceptible than most.

“I just got purelled,” she explained, exhibiting a jellyfish-like, residue bubble in her palm, which she kept afloat because she was undoubtedly fascinated by its staying power.  She has been studying chemistry in school. And I believe pathogen is one of her SAT terms.

Sydney and her peers happily take advantage of the economy, vat-sized, plastic dispensers of the waterless germ fighter stationed in every nook and cranny of her school, from the bathrooms to the cafeteria, library and gym.

At the campus’s recent Grandparents Day buffet breakfast, I watched an elderly dude mistake the jug O’Purell for carbonated water, carelessly pumping a shot into his cup with a puzzled visage. I gently intervened to set him straight. “You don’t want to drink that, Mister.”

The sanitizer, albeit refreshing upon contact with the skin, is not desirable as a beverage, no matter how much the Dunder Mifflinaholic, Meredith Baxter, of The Office fame ingests it for its alcohol content.

Getting purelled sounds ironically similar to getting paroled. In fact, a link exists when you consider hand purifying might prevent weeks off from school, a form of prison for parents who can’t do squat during the duration of the relatively mild but ubiquitously feared illness. I know as a mom who recently emerged from the trenches with her Swine Flu-infected youngest.

“Mommy, I’m bored! Mommy, stop working, I’m bored! ” I call it Purell hell.

In an aggressive no-tolerance approach, our school armed itself with endless stockpiles of the weapon at the beginning of the year hoping it might slow what it cannot prevent. While the CDC says there are  plenty of the H1N1 vaccines to go around, many parents apparently prefer that surefire killer, Purell.

“I definitely think it has slowed down the spread since contact between these kids is so constant, maybe each child is contacting 20 others throughout the day,”  says Dr. David Abusch-Magder, the head of middle school at Brandeis Hillel Day School in San Francisco.

At least the school, which has an impressive recycling and composting program, is using refillable containers. If you must invest is this much plastic, you might as well maximize its shelf life.

In addition to schools,  I’ve spotted the dispensers just about everywhere these days, from Trader Joe’s checkout counters to business offices, exercise studios and even in the cup holder of my own car.  The truth is there is no place to avoid the risk of contamination. Many organisms continue to thrive in my car despite the Purell.

Another truth is that we are creating a population of Purelled humans immune to the small percentage of bacteria resistant to the liquid. Bacteria that don’t die simply reproduce.

Let’s just hope we can conceive of  a way to upcycle all of those plastic dispensers once we are restored.

This is the latest installment in Luanne’s column, Life in the Green Lane.

Top image: The Local

Image One:Upyernoz

What could be better than sitting in the garden, reclining in a sun-baked chair, filled with joy at nature’s bounteous splendor? The answer is: being full of beer while you do it.

Since a little alcohol is healthy, a drop of the world’s oldest beverage fits nicely into a balanced lifestyle. But what about your principles? The good news is that – as with other artisan foodstuffs – the craft-brewing movement is gathering strength (take American Craft Beer Week, for example) and working hard to shake off the boozy male drinker stereotype. Yes, it’s official: craft beer is the perfect tipple for discerning, chic women, and the next generation of brewers reflect that.

But you’ll be thirsty by now, so enough of the big picture. For a guaranteed eco-friendly brew, try one of New Belgium Brewing‘s range. (The name? Years ago the founder cycled through Belgium – celebrated in the brewery’s “Fat Tire” ale). New Belgium has installed the greenest in energy-conserving features including generating electricity from reclaimed methane gas and sensor-regulated ventilation. Connoisseurs agree the beer’s a class act.

Eco-friendly beer: its time in the sun has finally arrived. But maybe you know that already, in which case – what sustainable microbrews can you recommend?

Links of interest:

Drink Craft Beer!

Beer Advocate

What is a microbrewery?

Image: Philipp Daun