Month: July 2020

Spiked seltzers haven’t lost their traction. We love a juicy IPA as much as the next guy, but sometimes you want a lighter alternative. If you’re already experiencing White Claw fatigue, know that there’s a big, beautiful world of spiked seltzers, hard teas, and canned cocktails you’ve likely never tried.

15 of the Best Summer Beers Made for the Beach

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Summer 2020 is as good a time as any to try some standouts. You’re spending more time at home, leaving plenty of time to crack open a cold one after yard work, lazing by the pool, or enjoying a day on the lake. Better yet, pick up some packs of spiked seltzers and other canned concoctions for your Fourth of July festivities. Whether you’re anticipating a leisurely or boisterous holiday weekend, it’ll surely benefit from these five.

Our Favorite Low-ABV Beers to Drink This Summer

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Not one is a flavored malt beverage. Each of these boasts premium alcohol and natural ingredients for a buzz that can’t be beat. Think of them as cocktails you’d make for yourself—only canned and ready to be toted to your favorite local beach, mountain, or buddy’s backyard.

The Best Spiked Seltzers, Hard Teas, and Canned Cocktails

1. Volley Sharp Grapefruit Spiked Seltzer

This newly launched line of spiked seltzers doesn’t rely on malt alcohol, nay. Volley utilizes 100 percent blue agave tequila from Guadalajara, Mexico, in its easy-to-slug concoctions. But we urge you to savor every sip. Unlike other spiked seltzers that use sub-par tequila mixed with malt liquor and additives, Volley sources blue agave from the highlands of Jalisco, where the agave plant matures slowly, yielding sweet, floral, well-rounded tequila. Flavors include fan favorites like Sharp Grapefruit, Zesty Lime, and Tropical Mango, as well as a wild card: Spicy Ginger. And since they’re using premium tequila, they don’t muck it up with unnecessary ingredients. Volley uses natural fruit juice and sparkling water—and that’s it! There are no concentrates, added sugars, or “natural” flavors, aka synthetic, lab-made essences that taste artificial (think watermelon seltzers that mimic Jolly Ranchers). The Sharp Grapefruit is refreshing with the tang and sharpness you’d get from a paloma. Available in New York, New Jersey, and Florida markets; online shipping available nationwide in all 50 states. Find the closest third-party retailer near you, here.

• ABV: 5.25%
• Calories: 100-110
• Carbs: 1 g
• Sugar: 0 g

[$13.99, 4-pack; drinkvolley.com]

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2. LQD Hard Peach Green Tea

LQD (“liquid reimagined”) is a line of craft beverages that comes from Anheuser-Busch’s Brewer’s Collective. The sector’s lineup includes Hard Agave Limeade, Hard Hibiscus Lemonade, Hard Passionfruit Green Tea, and Hard Peach Green Tea—best enjoyed while playing a round of bocce ball or lolling about on a porch swing (just our humble opinion). The Hard Peach Green Tea has a soft, mellow fruitiness. The flavor isn’t overt—more like the musky fragrance of sun-ripened fruit. LQD brews decaffeinated green tea leaves with pure cane sugar (and a little yeast), which naturally ferments into alcohol (the same process as beer and wine), then they blend in more green tea and add whole peach puree. There are no artificial sugars or additives, and we love the lack of malt liquor. It’s incredibly smooth and a nice alternative to seltzer. Find the closest third-party retailer near you, here; also available on drizly.com.

• ABV: 5.2-5.9%
• Calories: 150-185
• Carbs: 11-18 g
• Sugar: 8-12 g

[$10.99, 6-pack; drinklqd.com]

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3. JuneShine Blood Orange Mint Hard Kombucha

For some, kombucha is the magical elixir that calms stomachs and delivers sweet, sweet salvation from the worst hangovers. You can thank the probiotics and antioxidants from its gut-friendly yeast and bacteria; they, along with organic acids, actually detoxify the liver, per research published in the CyTA Journal of Food. Some brilliant minds have used kombucha as a mixer in cocktails. It’s naturally effervescent and sour, after all. But Juneshine has done one better and created a lineup of hard kombuchas. Blood Orange Mint is one of their most popular, touting real blood oranges, green tea, cane sugar, a touch of honey, mint, and Jun kombucha (a variety of ‘booch, which is fermented with tea and honey instead of cane sugar, lending it a lighter, smoother taste). Grab one while barbecuing. Better yet, keep a cooler handy while you man the grill, ‘cus it’ll go down fast. Other notable flavors include Midnight Painkiller (coconut, pineapple, orange, turmeric, and nutmeg) and JuneShine’s new 100-calorie offering: Pineapple Orange and Hibiscus Lime. Find the closest third-party retailer near you, here; home delivery available in some states; also available on drizly.com.

• ABV: 4.2%-6%
• Calories: 100-149
• Carbs:
• Sugar:

[$29.99, 12-pack; nyc.juneshine.com]

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4. Cutwater Lime Vodka Soda

Cutwater has over a dozen different canned cocktail options (Rum Mojito, Whiskey Mule, Tiki Rum Mai Thai, the list goes on…), so you’d be hard pressed to find something you don’t like. Their line of vodka sodas will definitely hit the spot on sweltering summer days. Choose from Lime, Grapefruit, or Cucumber—all are made with the brand’s very own Fugu vodka, which is distilled six times from corn-based grains, then filtered 15 times (precision is the name of the game) with either naturally flavored lime, cucumber, or grapefruit soda water. It’s crisp, light and everything we want to be drinking on a body of water (or a hot-as-hell fire escape in Brooklyn). Find the closest third-party retailer near you, here; also available on drizly.com.

• ABV: 5%
• Calories: 99
• Carbs: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g

[$12.99, 4-pack; drizly.com]

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5. Southern Tier Distilling Vodka Madras

Seeking a canned cocktail with some artisanal flair? Southern Tier‘s got just the ticket. Their Vodka Madras has more depth and complexity than your average ready-to-drink varietal. Cardamom is steeped in chamomile tea, providing zest and warmth to counteract sweet orange juice and tart cranberry and lime juices. It all gets mixed with their Southern Tier Vodka, which is made from 100 percent New York State wheat and distilled multiple times (read: it goes down smooth). This little beauty was a 2019 SIP Award Best of Class Platinum winner to boot. Other notable canned cocktails include Bourbon Smash (straight bourbon whiskey, ginger, mint, and lemon), Gin & Tonic, and Vodka Soda. Find the closest third-party retailer near you, here; also available on drizly.com.

• ABV: 8%

[$12.49, 4-pack; southerntierdistilling.com]

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15 of the Best Summer Beers Made for the Beach

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I was never what you’d call a talented cook, but since having Alfie my repertoire has dwindled to consist of approximately five dishes, Uber Eats, and calling my mother-in-law for an emergency delivery. So when I got the opportunity to land (ahem, that’s a fishing pun) 2kg of barramundi fillets from Humpty Doo Barramundi, I was excited but slightly nervous to try a fish curry. After all, 2kg is a lot of fish, and when you’re gifted that much fresh, sustainably-farmed seafood, you want to do it justice.

Barramundi isn’t my usual go-to in the land of fish (I’ve always been a salmon gal) so I had to do a little research. Did you know that Australian-farmed barramundi is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory), phosphorus (protects the blood’s acid balance and transports energy) and selenium (an anti-oxidant, for thyroid health and immune system)? Well you do now. Plus, as it turns out, it’s delicious AND really easy to cook with. From pan frying and oven-baking to fish cakes, fish pie and fish curry, the options are pretty well endless.

Paralysed by indecision, I called my afore-mentioned mother-in-law for help. Maddy is an excellent cook (and even more amazing MIL and support to us), and she offered to cook a Bengali-style light fish curry for us. It was A M A Z I N G, and even I can cook it, so I’m sharing the recipe with you. It takes a little prep work, but it’s worth the effort.

You’re welcome.

Maddy’s (non-Bengali) version of ‘macher jhol’ – a Bengali-style light fish curry

Ingredients

300g oily fish fillets cut into 2” pieces (I’ve used barramundi, but you could also use red snapper, salmon, pomfret, sea bass, tilapia…)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into narrow wedges
Mustard oil – 2T for frying, 1t for the five spice tempering and 1/2t to drizzle before serving
Sliced green chillis (to taste)
1T chopped fresh coriander
1T mustard and coconut paste*
1/2t turmeric
1/2t panch phoron**
Salt to taste

*Mustard and coconut paste
20g mustard seeds soaked in 200ml water for 2 hours
1 green chilli (optional)
20g moist coconut flakes
1/4t salt
Grind together to form a fine paste and freeze excess for later use.

**Panch phoron (Bengali five spice tempering)
1T fennel seeds
1T mustard seeds
1T cumin seeds
1T fenugreek seeds
1T nigella seeds
Mix and store excess in a jar for later use.

Method

1. Coat the fish fillets with 1/4t turmeric and a pinch of salt and set aside.
2. Coat the potato wedges with 1/4t turmeric and a pinch of salt and set aside.
3. Heat 2T of mustard oil in a wok till it begins to smoke lightly. Add the potatoes and ‘fry’ until light brown. Set aside.
4. Add the fish pieces to wok on medium-high heat and delicately sear – approximately one minute each side. Set aside.
5. Add 1t mustard oil to the wok on medium heat and wait until it begins to smoke lightly. Add the sliced chilli (if using) and panch phoran tempering. Stir and then immediately add the mustard and coconut paste plus 2T of water (to prevent the tempering from burning). Stir continuously.
6. Once simmering, add the fish and potatoes, cover with water and stir gently to combine. Simmer covered for approximately 5mins or till fish and potatoes are cooked.
7. Season to taste.
8. Drizzle 1/2t raw mustard oil in a serving bowl and top with fish curry. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander. Enjoy with hot rice.

What is tempering?
Tempering is a method widely used in Indian cuisine, where whole or ground spices are heated in hot oil or ghee and then added to a dish. This process extracts and retains the essence, aroma and flavour of the spices, adding a whole new dimension to a dish.

Humpty Doo Barramundi

I was lucky enough to be gifted 2kg of beautiful barramundi from Humpty Doo Barramundi. Humpty Doo is a privately owned and operated family business set halfway between Darwin and Kakadu National Park, surrounded by lush mangroves and virgin tropical savannah. For them, sustainability is more than an operating practice; it’s an ethos that runs through the DNA of the business. Humpty Doo Barramundi maintains a holistic approach to sustainability, considering the health of the environment, the barramundi and the consumer, and I feel like you can taste that in the fish itself.

Many consumers don’t realise that 60% of Barramundi consumed in Australia is imported. Without labelling in restaurants, many assume that if it’s Barramundi, it’s Australian. I’d urge you to ask the question, read the labelling, and support Australian businesses like Humpty Doo Barramundi.

The post Bengali-style light fish curry recipe appeared first on Lazy Girl Fitness.