Coopers' Craft and Ale-8 Bourbon Cocktail
A refreshing spring bourbon cocktail made with Kentucky's own Coopers' Craft bourbon and Ale-8-One.
Spring is here and it's time for refreshing cocktails. Coopers' Craft reached out to me to try their bourbon cocktail made with Ale-8-One, and I'm so glad they did! It's like a crisp mix between a mint julep, a Kentucky Mule, and bourbon and ginger ale!
Coopers' Craft is the newest bourbon from Brown-Forman; only the third bourbon in their lineup! It's a low (82.2) proof and is great for mixing. The brand name pays homage to the Brown-Forman cooperage, the only cooperage owned by an American whiskey company, which allows for precision in selecting the woods selected for the barrels.
Of course, Ale-8-One is a Kentucky original as well. The unique ginger ale-type soft drink has been bottled in Winchester since 1926, and is something of a cult classic for Central Kentuckians. It pairs nicely with the soft, baked apple notes in the Cooper's Craft for a fresh, crisp cocktail.
Just mix two parts Coopers' Craft bourbon to four parts Ale-8 and serve over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig for springtime in a cup!
Vineyard Vines 2017 Kentucky Derby Collection
Every day should feel as good as Kentucky Derby Day! HerKentucky's favorite styles from the 2017 Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection!
Derby is only 52 days away, y'all! While it's ridiculously cold in Kentucky today, the official Vineyard Vines Kentucky Derby Collection was just released and it has me thinking about warmer weather, mint juleps, and Derby festivities. (Not to mention the upcoming opening of the Vineyard Vines store in Lexington!)
I am simply OBSESSED with this mint julep recipe t-shirt. I'll definitely need this one!
The Bugler Whale shirt is so cute and commemorates one of my favorite racetrack traditions!
And this t-shirt has the coolest drawing of the track!
Y'all, I have to have one of these coffee mugs. I mean, Derby, Louisville Stoneware, and Vineyard Vines are three of my favorite things.
Shop more Vineyard Vines Derby looks at Nordstrom or Vineyard Vines. They have looks for you, your beau, and the kids in your life! They even have some Oaks gear!
This post may contain affiliate links; HerKentucky LLC may receive a nominal payment for your purchase or click.
Your Kentucky is Showing! (Giveaway with My Kentucky Tee)
Our friends at My Kentucky Tee, along with the talented artist Angie Boston at Thirsty Hearts Design, have come up with the cutest design, y'all! I mean, haven't there been times when your Kentucky was showing? (I know my Kentucky was showing many times when I lived in Nashville and had to explain to folks that Jack Daniels was NOT the same thing as bourbon!)
I was so excited when My Kentucky Tee sent me one of these shirts; I immediately put together some fun outfits with it!
Even better, My Kentucky Tee wants to send a "Your Kentucky is Showing!" tee to one HerKentucky reader. Just enter using the rafflecopter widget before tomorrow afternoon, February 28th, at 5 pm!
Searching for Lilly Pulitzer x Starbucks S'well Bottles in the Louisville area
Searching for the latest Lilly Pulitzer Limited Edition.
Image via Lilly Pulitzer
A few days ago, my social media lit up with posts from two of my favorite bloggers (Carly from The College Prepster and Krista from Covering the Bases, who also happens to be a UK alumna!) that Lilly Pulitzer and Starbucks had teamed up for a water bottle collaboration with S'well Bottles. I was pretty pumped, since I'm basically obsessed with both Lilly Pulitzer and Starbucks, and because I could actually use a new water bottle.
So, I decided to devote a couple hours to the search. Now, in my very limited defense for wasting time on this project, I will say that I had to fast for a little medical test, so I knew I'd be way too hangry to actually work on my manuscript this morning. Plus, I had an hour or so to kill while waiting for the vet's office to fill Max's prescription. So, I decided to check out how Louisville Starbucks scored among the 4,000 Starbucks outlets that would receive a shipment. I figured that since Louisville is the 38th largest metro area in the nation, and is a city full of Lilly lovers, we stood a pretty good chance of getting this merchandise at at least a few stores.
Now the Starbucks website lists 38 stores for the area inside the Gene Snyder Freeway in the Louisville metro, including those in malls as well as Target and Kroger stores, on campus at U of L, and at the airport. I assumed that standalone stores in high-traffic areas that meet Lilly's demographics would be the most likely to receive a shipment. Here were my results for the Louisville market.
1. Starbucks at Frankfort & Lexington, St Matthews: They did not have the bottles when I visited in person last night; said that a new shipment will be in late today, so check back this evening.
2. Starbucks at 4400 Shelbyville Road, St Matthews: Didn't have them when I visited today, said a new shipment of items will be in on Sunday, so check then.
3. Starbucks at Hurstborne & Shelbyville: Did not have the bottles out on display; the store was way too busy to bother a barista or salesperson.
4. Starbucks at Holiday Manor: When I called, they said they didn't have them and didn't expect to get them.
5. Starbucks at Paddock Shops (formerly the Summit): When I arrived there around 10 this morning, I was told that bottles had been put out first thing this morning and had quickly sold out.
6. Starbucks at Target, Westport Rd and Hubbards Ln: I walked by the kiosk; no bottles were out. (I didn't think that Target ever wanted to hear the words "Lilly Pulitzer" again, but I thought it was worth a try.
7. Starbucks at Kroger, Westport Rd and Hubbards Ln: I walked by the kiosk; no bottles were out.
8. Starbucks at Baxter and Highland: Aren't answering the phone. At this point, I don't blame them.
9. Starbucks at Dixie Highway: I heard a rumor on Facebook that they sold out first thing this morning.
After all this, I decided that I may look for one on Starbucks.com later this spring. I'm certainly not paying the speculators on eBay, though. Let me know if you find one!
The HerKentucky Valentine's Day Luxe Wishlist
A girl can dream, can't she?
Hey y'all! How are you spending Valentine's Day? Or, better yet, Galentine's Day? Now, I'm not usually one for fighting the crowds for fancy prix-fixe dinners, but I sure do love to window shop for all the pretty pink and red Valentine's Day themed pretties that are in stores right now. Here are a few of my luxe Valentine's Day favorites.
I seriously love this Lilly Pulitzer sunny shoulder silk blouse! What a great update on a classic Lilly Elsa top!
I have this Talbots cashmere heart sweater, and it's so lovely! (and under $45!)
I'm obsessed with Vineyard Vines holiday tees. Especially this one.
And then there's this David Yurman necklace... A girl can dream, can't she?
Shop The Look
Red Gold® Tomatoes Baked Gnocchi with Cream Pomodoro Sauce
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package potato gnocchi
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 stems fresh flat leaf parsley
4 stems fresh oregano
4 stems fresh rosemary
4 stems fresh basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Red Gold® Tomato Paste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold® Whole Peeled Tomatoes, or 1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold® Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves torn for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400o F. Spray an oven safe dish, 8 inch round baking dish, with non-stick cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Add olive oil to large saucepan over medium heat. Add parsley, oregano, rosemary and basil. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the herbs become crisp. Remove herbs and discard. Add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Now add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minutes.; Stir in tomato paste, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, cooking about 30 minutes more. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to saucepan along with the juice. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in cream and gnocchi.
Transfer half of mixture into prepared dish. Top with half of the cheese. Then add remaining sauce and top with remaining cheese. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes. If you want to brown cheese, place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.
Allow baked gnocchi to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then top with fresh basil leaves. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Heart Disease and Me.
The women in my family have a history of heart disease.
It sounds innocuous enough when I say it that way. It's a whole lot more real when I say:
"I was three years old when my grandma was babysitting my cousin and me. She was in her fifties. And she had a heart attack. All I remember about that day is that I spilled a gallon of milk. That's long-forgotten, but the day's other events changed the course of my grandmother's health for the remaining 25 years of her life."
My grandma with my cousins and me, just before she got sick.
"My aunt suffered a heart episode that left her comatose for a week. From the middle-of-the-night phone call alerting us all to the situation until one miraculous day in the ICU at UK Med Center, we had no idea if she'd wake up."
My mom with two of her sisters. 2 of these 3 women have life-altering heart conditions.
"My mom has a heart condition that has affected her daily life in small ways, but we always know it's there."
Makes it a little more real, doesn't it?
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. Here are some scary-assed statistics from the Go Red for Women foundation:
- Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths each year, killing approximately one woman every minute.
- 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
- Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease and the gap between men and women’s survival continues to widen.
- The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women vs. men, and are often misunderstood.
- While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease.
The Bluegrass State is pretty notorious for poor cardiovascular health. According to the CDC, more than 1 out of 4 deaths in Kentucky are due to heart disease.
These are very real, very sobering statistics. This February, please stop to think about all the heart logos you see -- the Valentine's Day ads and the Go Red for Women events. Wear red for yourself and those you love. If you're out looking for last minute Godiva at the mall today, participate in Macy's Go Red Campaign. But most of all, educate yourself. Talk with your doctor about your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Make healthier choices in your diet and exercise. These are all changes you know you should make anyway.
It's not just for you. It's for everyone on your Valentine's Day list.
"My aunt suffered a heart episode that left her comatose for a week. From the middle-of-the-night phone call alerting us all to the situation until one miraculous day in the ICU at UK Med Center, we had no idea if she'd wake up."