Celebrating 2 Years on Hint of Thyme

Picture taken at Solea Mexican Restaurant - June 2012

Greeting readers! 

This month we are celebrating 2 years on Hint of Thyme.  I have learned so much about blogging and new cooking techniques in a short amount of time.  When I started Hint of Thyme in 2010, I really only planned to share it with friends and family.  It still amazes me that I have readers as far away as Australia and Hong Kong. 

It has been an awesome journey that I will gladly continue.  I had much to learn after moving away from my home town in Milwaukee and getting acquainted with my new home kitchen.  Jon has thoroughly enjoyed his position as the "unofficial taste tester" for Hint of Thyme.  It has been a joy for us to bring you restaurant and brewery reviews.

Let's look back at the first ever blog post.  This post is from my former life as a wheat eater.  Tomato and Basil Pizza Pasta was once my most favorite meal to make on a Friday night.  I recommend this dish to any young ladies that might be trying to impress a date or if you are looking for something more flavorful than "Hamburger Helper".  This dish can also be made with Gluten-Free pasta and sauce.

Here are a few popular posts and favorites on Hint of Thyme.

• Art in a Glass - Bloody Mary's:  A whimsical post about an American favorite.

• A Man Needs Meat and Potatoes:  I certainly did not expect this post to gain this level of popularity.  It has become a "pot-luck" favorite and often requested at gatherings.  It's amazing what you can create without a plan or recipe book.
  
  
• Gardening and Cooking - It's a Learning Process:  This post about a bad gardening experience received the most views EVER in only 1 week.  If you're looking for a good laugh at my total girly behavior and amateur gardening experience... this post is for you!

I hope that you will continue to visit and cook with me.  In the next coming months, I am hoping to dedicate more time to posting new Gluten-Free recipes and reviews.

Cheers to finding little moments of happiness through food, faith and friendship!

Thank you for making my first 2 years memorable.  Stay tuned for more recipes to follow.


Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All Rights Reserved.

Art in a Glass - Bloody Mary's

What is not to like about Bloody Mary's?  It comes in many different forms and is essentially a meal in a glass.  With or without the vodka.. a Bloody Mary can be one of the tastiest treats if it's made correctly.

Everyone has their own way of concocting this tomato-based beverage.  There are also many drink "accessories" that can be included in the glass.  So what are some of your favorite Bloody Mary fixings?

In addition to having an assortment of fixings, the Bloody Mary is often served with a little friend - often referred to as a chaser or side car.  The beer chaser is an excellent pairing with spicy drinks. 

Speaking of spicy... let's talk about how I typically create this delicious beverage.

The way that I create a Bloody Mary is to start out with ice in each glass and have an additional glass for mixing.  Over the top of the ice, I will add celery salt, worcestershire sauce, a little pickle juice and for those that like it spicy.. hot sauce.  Then I will add a couple shots of premium vodka and the tomato juice.  Yes, the tomato juice does matter.  You want something that is already pre-mixed and it should be thicker than something like V8.  To mix throughly, transfer the drink from the full glass to an empty glass and repeat until mixed well.  Add a squeeze of lemon at the end.  The fixings will depend upon the person's preference. 

I have seen everything but the kitchen sink added to this drink.  Asparagus, string cheese, pickles, shrimp, celery stick, beef stick, green olives, brussel sprouts, pearl onions, mozzarella balls, black olives, green beans, banana peppers.  The list goes on.  Basically if it fits in the glass.. why not put it in there, right?

This beverage definitely gets my vote for "art in a glass".  Wouldn't you agree?

To read more about the history of Bloody Mary cocktails, visit Wikipedia. 

Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.