Designated Appletini

Ingredients:
- 3 parts freshly pressed apple juice (green or gold apples)
- 2 parts simple syrup
- 1 part fresh lemon juice
- granulated sugar

Add apple juice, simple syrup, lemon juice to shaker filled with ice. Shake mixture until container feels cold. Pour into chilled martini glass rimmed with granulated sugar. Garnish with apple slice. Note: Add gin for Gin Appletini. (Created by: Gwen Sutherland Kaiser, Bar Chef, Blooming Hill Farm, NY)

Gingerbread Apple Martini

Ingredients:
- 1 oz vanilla vodka
- 2 oz Canton Ginger Liqueur
- 2 1/5 oz apple cider
- A few drops of lemon juice
- Orange zest
- Agave syrup

Line a chilled martini glass lightly with agave syrup on a dish followed by spiced graham cracker crumbs. Place all ingredients except for orange zest in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into martini glass and pour to almost the top. Freshly grate orange zest on drink and serve immediately. (Created by Pichet Ong)

Cosmopolitan Turkey Panini

Ingredients: (Makes 2 sandwiches)
- 2 ciabatta or foccacia rolls or 4 thick slices Italian bread
- 1/2 oz citrus flavored vodka
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 chipotle chile canned in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 2 slices onion
- 2 tablespoons Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce
- 8 ounces sliced turkey
- 2 1-ounce slices Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1) Cut rolls in half lengthwise. Stir cranberry sauce, citrus flavored vodka, mayonnaise and chipotle in small bowl until well mixed.

2) For each sandwich, spread cut surfaces of roll with cranberry mayonnaise mixture. Place 1/4 cup spinach, an onion slice, 4 ounces of turkey and a slice of cheese on bottom half of roll. Place top of roll on sandwich and flatten. Brush both sides of sandwiches with olive oil.

2) Heat sandwiches in panini press according to manufacturer's directions. Or heat sandwiches in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a heavy pan on sandwich and cook 10 minutes, turning once or until sandwich is toasted and hot throughout.

Misty Winter Warmer

Ingredients:
(makes four quarts)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 qt cranberry juice
- 46 oz pineapple juice
- 2 cups Canadian Mist whisky
- 4 1/2 cup water

Place brown sugar and spices in a pot basket of a 30-cup coffee maker. Add juices, water and whisky to the pot. Brew as you would coffee and serve hot, directly from the pot.

Chestnut Eggnog

Ingredients:
- 6 eggs, separated
- 1/2 c unprocessed sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 2 c brandy
- 2 c heavy cream
- 1 c milk
- 1 c Chestnut puree*
Garnish: whole star anise or fortune cookie

Beat egg yolks, sugar, nutmeg, salt, chestnut, cream until it thickens and pales in color and consistency. Slowly beat in milk and brandy. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until consistency is that of a white and fluffy meringue mixture. Gently fold meringue into eggnog and serve. Garnish with a whole star anise or fortune cookie. NOTE: eggnog mixture will separate so keep a spoon handy to stir the pitcher.

* Chestnut Puree: In food processor, add 1 lb can of pureed chestnuts, 1 c unprocessed sugar, 1/2 c water and puree on high until mixture becomes smooth. (Cocktail by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser, Photo by Mary Claire Miraldi)

Welcome to Hell

I loved it. A lot.

Thanksgiving Toast

Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Beefeater Gin
- 1/2 oz. canned cranberry sauce
- 1/2 oz. Ginger ale
Garnish: 3 roasted walnut halves, speared cranberries or a sprig of rosemary

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into martini glass. Add a float of ginger ale after straining. Garnish with 3 roasted walnut halves, speared cranberries, or a sprig of rosemary.

Pomegranate Toddy

Ingredients:
- 3 oz brandy
- 1 1/2 oz Pama pomegranate liqueur
(or substitute with 2 oz pomegranate juice and 1/4 oz simple syrup)
- 3 oz Darjeeling tea with cloven
Garnish: cinnamon stick and orange peel

Brew tea first. In an Irish coffee mug, pour brandy and pomegranate liqueur. Pour hot tea and stir. Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange peel.

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In Search of the Trojan War

The Goebbels Experiment

Troy - Unearthing the Legend

Empires: Napoleon

Empires: The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

Empires: Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire

Becoming American: The Chinese Experience

Manuka & Maple Sour

Ingredients:
- 1 part 42 Below Honey Vodka
- 1/2 part maple syrup
- 2/3 part lemon juice
- dash of bitters
Garnish: lemon zest and orange peel

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon zest and an orange peel.

Modern Mojito

Ingredients:
- 3/6 of a lime
- 3 sweet basil Leaves
- 1/2 oz Partida Agave Nectar
- 1 1/2 oz Leblon Cachaca
- 1/2 oz Sprite

Muddle the first three ingredients, add ice, the Leblon, sprite, shake and serve in a rocks glass. (Cocktail created by: Junior Merino, Master Mixologist, Cocktail Times.com. Photo: Peter Pioppo from Studio P.)

American Chocolate

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Prostitution Behind the Veil (1/5)

Prostitution Behind the Veil (2/5)

Prostitution Behind the Veil (3/5)

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Prostitution Behind the Veil (5/5)

There Are More Than Two Parties in the US

I hardly knew that there is a "Green Party" and lately had heard of "Libertarian". An email from a friend about "Faithless Elector", a person who casts a vote in the Electoral College, else than what they have pledged to sent me on a frenzy of clicks and hops through pages which resulted in my education about the different parties in the US today.

In an overall look, it looks that I am more inclined toward Libertarians. But I still need more education.

Shooting Star

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Sobieski Vodka
- 1/2 oz Massenez Creme De peche
- 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
- 1 oz Lychee Juice
- 1/4 oz Lime Juice
Garnish: Starfruit

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with starfruit. (Cocktail by Junior Merino)