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 Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd and to honor what it stands for I am offering up truly "green", farm-fresh, organic ingredients and cocktails for spring. As an added bonus, I list the best fruits, veggies, herbs, spices, and florals to be used in cocktails, infused spirits, syrups, purees, and juices for the season, best way to prepare them, and what base spirits pair best with them. Thank you to Nicole Friend and my friends from over at Sauza Tequila for contributing.

International G & T Day (April 9th) has come and gone, but why not celebrate this classic elixir the whole month of April as we transition from spring to summer. Even though the G & T has lost some of it's luster over the past decade, it still remains iconic, especially for traditionalists. New age bars and bartenders have begun to modernize it by serving it many different ways without losing the distinct G & T taste. The classic G & T is experiencing a renaissance.

Let's face it - it is difficult to construct 'green' cocktails for Leprechaun Day...There just aren't a lot of options to make your cocktail look 'green', but what is St. Patty's Day without sipping a luxurious and delicious 'green' cocktail...March is the gateway to spring cocktails so why not incorporate some 'spring' flavors with 'end of winter' flavors...Being part Irish (on my dad's side), I take a lot of pride in creating this post.

I meant to put this post together last week, but due to unforeseen circumstances and difficult week personally, this V-day post comes early this week. Hopefully you have plenty of time to get the ingredients and perfect these cocktails or study the drinker traits before the weekend or your date arrives.

Welcome to the first edition of the "State of the Bar". This edition will focus on wine trends for 2018. The second and third editions will hone in on spirits and beer.

Like all of us, 2017 was a complicated year for wine. Drought and the tragic wild fires that burned through northern California and its vineyards left its mark on an otherwise successful year for the wine industry. Shaken, but not defeated, what is on the horizon for 2018 wine trends? Let’s take a look at which trends will open up, breath, and come to maturity in 2018.

Dry-Cured, Aged Ham

Thinly-sliced, bold flavored hams with a chewy texture and typically higher salt content.

A classic example of this style of ham, that nearly all of us know, is the Italian favorite, Prosciutto. You’ll find ham in this style typically served in micro-thin sheets as a melt-in-your mouth appetizer.

• Prosciutto
• Bayonne Ham
• Serrano Ham
• Jamón Ibérico
• Speck

Recommended Wines:

As I pursue my Level 2 WSET Advanced Certification in Wine, I decided to share with you my "8 Best Buys" for wine this season along with tasting notes and rating. I will also list my favorite wines right now regardless of expert ratings, cost, and availability (PA has limited distribution for some of these wines).

No matter how many you consume, you'll never forget your first Harvey Wallbanger. November 8th is "National Harvey Wallbanger Day" and I am here to illustrate it's strange and intriguing history. This classic drink has made a splash in the annals of cocktail history thanks to it's unique and memorable name. According to drink mythology, it was named after a surfer in the 1950's. After losing in a surfing competition in Cali, the downtrodden surfer dude, Tom Harvey, went to his regular bar and ordered his favorite concoction - orange juice and vodka with a float of Galliano.

For those who don't drink, who aren't in the mood to drink, or maybe drank too much the night before, a well-balanced, fresh, non-alcoholic beverage with complex flavors and thirst-quenching chararcteristics can be hard to find. Drinking flavored waters, protein drinks, and drinks with low sugar and calories may be fine for some people, but it would be nice to have something more or special. A drink with a little something extra.

Arriving on the scene is the non-alcoholic cocktail known as the 'mocktail'.