In early May, many of us partake in Cinco de Mayo celebrations, whether they’re at a friend’s home, a local restaurant, or bar. No celebration is complete with tequila, so here are a few fun facts and some new recipes inspired by my travels around California and Mexico.

Tequila was first produced in the 16th century near the city of Tequila, which was not officially established until 1666. The Aztecs made a fermented beverage from the agave ..read more

This year, many of us have made resolutions to eat cleaner and reduce our sugar intake. This resolve is tested at Happy Hour so we came up with two lightened-up cocktails that offer the same satisfaction as traditional favorites, but without the excessive calories. Using fresh squeezed citrus juice adds a burst of flavor and sweetness without the use of refined sugar.

Vermouth is commonly listed in popular cocktail recipes, but what exactly is this mystery ingredient? It is an aromatized fortified wine flavored with various botanicals such as: roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs and spices. Starting with a base of neutral low-alcohol grape wine, each manufacturer adds additional alcohol and a propriety mixture of dry botanicals. The vermouth is then sweetened with either cane sugar or caramelized sugar, depending on the style. The two prominent types of vermouth are the sweet, red ..read more

Since the early revolutionary days of our country, Americans have loved hard cider. Founded in 2001, Blue Mountain Cider Company in Oregon has been continuing that tradition with their crisp, handcrafted ciders. Using only apples from their orchards in the renowned Walla Walla Valley in the Pacific Northwest, Ron Brown and his family personally select the finest apples to blend and ferment. They are one of the few American artisan cideries that add fresh juice and a dash of carbonation to enhance flavor.

Ron’s sons Eric, Jared ..read more