Bushwacker Jelly Shot

Bushwacker Jelly Shot, aptly garnished with painted pearl dust curliques and edible silver leaf

Ah, the Bushwacker, the signature cocktail of our favorite Caribbean jewelery store.  Comprised of six different spirits (including two types of rum) cleverly hidden in vanilla ice cream, it comes as no surprise that this cocktail is known as "the Wallet Whisperer" in certain circles for its purse string loosening qualities . . . Bushwacker Jelly Shot is just as sweet, and just as potent as its cocktail inspiration.  

Cheers,

Michelle

More »

Dear Edina Liquors . . .

Monday's Purchases

Dear Edina Liquors,

Yes, there IS a reason for my weekly purchase of a large cardboard box chock full of liquor, cordials, champagne, and various liqueurs.  Please rest assured that it is not because I am going on a bender, bout or undertaking any other variety of bacchanalian carousing.

More »

You Say Gelatine, Part II

Cosmopolitan Jelly Shots, prepared with sheet gelatin, in the wilderness (hence the lack of garnish . . .)

Last week was technically a vacation week with my husband's family for their annual cabin expedition.  However, lingering tasks beckoned/loomed - the sheet gelatin shipments had just arrived the previous Friday, and our editor needed the sheet gelatin conversion in order to send the manuscript to copyediting.    Also, despite rather primitive conditions at said cabin (the stove is basically one step up from a hot plate!)

More »

I say Gelatin, you say Gelatine . . .

The Mysterious Sheet Gelatin . . . 

Dr. Oetker Brand sheet gelatine (does that  trailing "e" provide superior gelling powers?)

Manuscript editing has run (temporarily) aground on, well, the issue of gelatin itself.  Apparently, we have stumbled upon (no pun intended) one of the most hotly contested questions* in the culinary world- translation of powdered gelatin to sheet gelatin.

More »

In Which Innocent Jell-O Shots Are Spitefully Squandered . . .

We've been a little preoccupied with manuscript and such, so please bear with another week without jelly shot specific news and patter.  However, we thought you would be as delighted as we were to catch a reference to gelatinous cocktails via our beloved Dr. House.  As you can see from the episode excerpt below, the garrulously adorable (or obnoxiously abbrasive, depending on which side of the fence one sits on) Dr. House appears to be a fan of the Jell-O shot.  (We like to think he’d be a big proponent of Jelly Shots too. . .)

Scene, Wilson’s apartment.  Wilson enters.  House is ensconced on sofa, eating . . . 

H: late night with the pigeon sisters?

W: every now and again I’d like to come home without being interrogated

H:someone's cranky [thoughtful pause] . . . and late.

More »

Where No Jell-O Has Gone Before . . .

NYC based Gowanus Studio Space recently held its annual Jello Mold Design Competition!  (Wait - if you are not familiar with this spectacular event, you may wish to find a comfortable chair and catch your breath for a moment!  OK - settled?  Great, let's move along then.)

More »

The Jelly Shot Whisperers

I hope you all are having a wonderful July 4th weekend.  The mood at the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen is positively buzzy, and it has nothing to do with either holiday fireworks or high octane cocktails!  What have we been up to?  I, for one, have been pretty busy chasing down friends and acquaintance (and, sure I'll admit it - even a few total strangers) so that they may gaze upon the  Jelly Shot Test Kitchen article appearing in this month's issue of Edina Magazine.  (I am pleased to report that the response has been positive and of yet, no restraining orders have been filed!)  Intermittent bouts of blushing and aw-shucks-i-ness have also been reported at JSTK - these are attributed to Editor Sarah Bauman's kind words, in addition to her delightfully breezy prose.

A few weeks ago, when we posted about the Edina Magazine photo shoot, it was clear that Tate Carlson (photographer) and Bret Ryan (art director) were nothing short of Jelly Shot Whisperers.  Now we have the photographic evidence to prove it.  Just.  Gorgeous.  Don't you agree?

From top, "The 78", "Ocean Margarita", and "French Lemonade" Jelly Shots.  

Photo by the fantabulous Tate Carlson.  Art director Bret Ryan.  *

Here's a tiny shot of the cover - yes, that's right, those are Jelly Shots in all their glory!  Mai Tai is in the front row - you can see Sea Breeze and Tequila Sunrise interspersed amongst the three featured Jelly Shot recipes (shown above).

Thanks so much, Sarah, Bret and Tate!  We loved meeting and working with you and all the lovely people at Edina Magazine and Tiger Oak Publications! 

Cheers,

Michelle

* The recipes for The 78, Ocean Margarita and French Lemonade Jelly Shots are available via the article link, or the JSTK blog's recipe page.  

More »

Easy Does It . . .

Sometimes simple is better.  Personally, I love a bow, a flounce, a fluffy ruffle, and certainly an over-the-top garnish on a Jelly Shot!  This weekend however, necessity (severe time constraints and proposed transport of Jelly Shots by convertible on hot summer evening) dictated exploration of easier, breezier Jelly Shotting.

From left, Mai Tai, Blue Hawaii, and Oasis Breeze Jelly Shots, skewered with maraschino cherries, oranges and pineapple

More »

The Trouble with Sambuca

Sambuca Jelly Shot, domesticated. . . 

Some find it surprising that the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen isn't all mini blintzes and blackberry sangria.   We certainly have a great deal of fun, but there certainly is a toil component (aka looming manuscript deadline, bi or tri-weekly photo shoots, etc.), and every now and again, an extremely difficult test case.  

Sambuca Jelly Shot came on the heels of Kir Royale Jelly Shot (a bit of a prima dona, that one), and experienced escalating textural issues throughout the testing process.  

More »