I’m partnering with Healthyish Foods to bring you the #HealthyishHappyHour, featuring Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails and organic cake pairings. This post is sponsored by Healthyish Foods, but all opinions are my own.
What I’m Serving: Whiskey
Hey! Hi! Hello! It’s time for another installment of Cheers to the Weekend, when we chat life over wine or cocktails. This weekend, I’m serving up Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails featuring a whiskey that made my pals at Pennsylvania Libations rave (PA Libations is a must visit if you’re in Pittsburgh): Manatawny Still Works’ Keystone Whiskey.
About this Pennsylvania Whiskey For You Nerds
“A malt-heavy, four-grain whiskey, comprised of several different batches, Keystone Whiskey is aged in premium American oak cooperage for 12 to 36 months. This decadent spirit’s mash bill consists of malt, wheat, oats and rye and boasts a surprisingly complex, but a mildly sweet character and a pleasant finish. Those fortunate enough to try it will discover notes of maple syrup, vanilla, citrus and spices, while the flavors impart honey, malt, cinnamon, flowers and multiple grains.”
What I’ll Be Watching While Sipping Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails:
[Cue the heavenly voices and light] … Praise be! We finally have Hulu! We’re finally watching The Handmaid’s Tale. I have made such valiant efforts to avoid all spoilers, even shushing my sister-in-law so as to arrive at this foreboding series with a blank slate. Much to the credit of the show, it’s one of the very few programs I physically cannot binge watch.
What I’ll Be Listening to While Sipping Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails:
DesignSponge founder, Grace Bonney returned to podcasting! Her first podcast, After the Jump, was one of my gateway podcasts. It led me to follow so many amazing creatives and first tipped me off to Death, Sex & Money. I’m eager to soak up this new series, Good Company, a spin-off of her magazine. Did you know I was a contributor for DesignSponge? I even shared a tour of our apartment.
What To Eat With Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails: Healthyish Tangy Lemon Cakes
Healthyish Foods creates organic, individually portioned cake mixes, so you can be the Goldilocks of dessert. For this pairing, start with a Tangy Lemon organic cake mix, top with organic Vanilla Bean Frosting, then arrange a few nectarine slices to your fancy. Garnish with fresh thyme, or lemon thyme if you can find it, and if you like a little savory hint, add fresh crushed black pepper. Whiskey and black pepper are a match made in cocktail heaven.
If your happy hour happens to fall during a time when the grill is fired up, try these Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails and the cakes with grilled nectarines. Grilled fruit and cakes are a match made for weekends.
What To Read While Sipping Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails:
Historically, women played a much greater role in whiskey than credited (no surprise there, right?), and in modern day, there are plenty of women proving whiskey isn’t reserved solely for the Don Drapers of the world anymore. Check out Food & Wine’s article, 6 Women in Whiskey to Watch, and your happy hour or weekend sipping will have a new sense of purpose. Let’s definitely drink to that- raise those Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails, ladies!
That’s it for me. Tell me about your weekend plans below, and let’s keep this happy hour rolling.
Cheers to the weekend!
Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails
About this Drink: Don’t let the longer ingredient list for these Nectarine Thyme Whiskey Cocktails scare you. Try substituting other herbs or stone fruits. Use maple instead of honey. There are a lot of tasty possibilities on this one.
Serves: 1 (but I recommend a second round!)
Ingredients
2 oz. whiskey
3 Nectarine Slices
1-2 Thyme Sprigs
1 small bunch mint leaves, chopped
2 small sprigs of rosemary, chopped
2-3 small sprigs of thyme – or lemon thyme
1/2 oz. Honey
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Garnish
Fresh rosemary
Nectarine slices
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake for 10 seconds. Strain over ice. Garnish with fresh rosemary and nectarine slices.
Enjoy!
