
Semifreddo Bellini
Semifreddo means "half cold" in Italian. Here it refers to the slushy mixture that brings texture and flavor to this classic Champagne cocktail. This would be a great cocktail to make on New Years Eve! INGREDIENTS 1 cup peeled, chopped peaches, frozen until hardened 1/4 cup peach schnapps 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled Champagne or sparkling white wine 2 tablespoons superfine sugar 1 cup small ice cubes Peach slices, for garnish DIRECTIONS Blend peaches, peach schnapps, 2

Pumpernickel Surprise
As the holiday parties continue, we thought we would share some more appetizer inspiration! INGREDIENTS 8 small slices (1/4 inch thick) pumpernickel bread 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, with beets or plain 4 ounces smoked trout fillets, pin bones and skin removed, fillets flaked into large pieces 16 small sprigs dill 1 lemon DIRECTIONS Cut each slice of bread on the diagonal in half. Spread one side of each with butter, then with horseradish

Berry Little Cocktail
Have yourself a Berry Little Cocktail. Stir up this light, bright drink with the tang of citrus and a splash of Champagne to add a festive fizz to your holiday bash! INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 ounce ruby red grapefruit vodka 2 ounces Champagne 1 ounce cranberry juice 1 ounce black currant juice DIRECTIONS In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, dissolve sugar into 1 1/2 cups water. Add cranberries and simmer for 5 minutes, or until softened. Remov

Winter Staycations
You’ve just got to love the Okanagan! When the winter blahs hit you this season, there are dozens of great places to take a “staycation” – a genuine, world-class vacation in your own back yard. It will save you money and offers the activities, recreation and relaxation you traditionally seek in faraway destinations. If you’ve got the blues, pack your bags and get yourself to one of these nearby areas that are guaranteed to put the smile back on your face. If the grey sky ha

Winter Solstice Cocktail
With the winter solstice approaching, on December 21st, we thought you'd want this Winter Solstice Cocktail recipe in advance so you can pick up these fresh ingredients. With the winter solstice marking the longest night and shortest day of the year, it means our Okanagan long sunny nights will return in no time! YIELD: Makes one cocktail INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 ounces orange vodka 1/2 ounce orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice Ice cubes

Dress It Up Holiday Hair
The holidays are just around the corner and who has time to spend in the hair salon (heck, we barely have time to shop for gifts). This is the time when we need quick transformations after our work day, before heading out to the company Christmas party, a friend’s cocktail gathering or a family get together. So, to help you out this year, we have 5 great hair ideas that are not only party-appropriate, but are easily mastered with a few simple steps. Now that’s cause for celeb

Chai Tea
When we talk about "chai-flavored" anything, in my opinion the dominant flavor we're really talking about is green cardamom. After green cardamom the taste of chai can diverge in a few different directions. However, these spices are perhaps most commonly used, and they form the base of the chai (as taught to me by my friend Baljit). Primary chai spices: Green cardamom pods - 7 pods - the key ingredient - give chai it's flavor - break pods in a spice pestle Cin

Christmas Cheese Log
"Nothing says holidays, like a cheese log." - Ellen DeGeneres INGREDIENTS 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup coarsely grated sharp white cheddar (4 ounces) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped Crackers, for serving DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, cheddar, Dijon, and Worcestershire until well combined; season with s

Eggnog Martini
In celebration of eggnog officially in all stores, we wanted to introduce a homemade eggnog martini that you can serve at your next Christmas party! INGREDIENTS 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice, plus more for garnish 8 cups whole milk 6 large egg yolks 3 cups brandy DIRECTIONS Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Place bottom of bowl in an ice bath; set aside. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and pumpkin-p

The Heart Truth
Hundreds of guests slipped into their fanciest dinner attire and headed to Kelowna’s fifth annual Red Dress gala. It was a sea of red at the Manteo Beach Resort this past October and it was all in the name of raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Heart disease used to be considered “a man’s disease”, but that has changed now, as men and women are both equally being diagnosed in Canada. The beloved gala is a way to dress up in the brightest of reds, while remindin