Oh Klaus.  Just the very mention of travel and he’s in got his suitcase packed and the plane tickets ready.  A trip to Florida brings his little terra-cotta mind to all things citrus related.  But what goes best with citrus fruits?  Of course Florida travel where Florida citrus just tastes better than any other place around. Klaus loves fresh juices in all his cocktails and wouldn’t it be funny if he started requesting fresh juices everywhere he goes? Well [...]

  Klaus has spring fever.  Not only are the plants bursting out in lush green splashes of color, but also Klaus has love on his little terra-cotta mind.  You see Klaus tends to drink a bit too much during the day.  With the coming spring in the air, his libido is working overtime.  How do I know this?   Well Klaus doesn’t hide his emotions well.  Recently Klaus has been receiving strange messages from other gnome in the social mediascape.  Is [...]

Gin is in for early spring!  Oh, please don’t get me wrong; it’s early spring- even though it doesn’t feel like it outside.  Klaus is most concerned about the tasty mint out in the garden.  Will the cold damage the mint?  Let’s ask the mint! Klaus:  “Will you get frost burned?” Mint:  “Yes” Klaus: “What would you like to do about this?” Mint: “Pick me and add me to a cocktail with this marvelous ginger ale I just found.” So [...]

  A lovely Spring Cocktail should entice the imbiber towards the more herbaceous flavors of the season.  As a young man, I remember making tinctures of the aromatic leaves of the eucalyptus tree and preserving them in gin or vodka for use during times of stress or duress.   Simple sugar syrup would be added to this tincture of and some black peppercorns would be added to the mix.  Then the syrup would rest in the dark recesses of the refrigerator [...]

  Klaus invented a new cocktail!  This is not just any cocktail, mind you- but one that speaks clearly of the season.  But what season is that?  The dull time, just before the burst of spring.  The ground coming out of its slumber, mud all around, a few crocus flowers straining to move through the soft soil.  It’s going to snow in the next few days though… A cruel joke perhaps? The past few days, Klaus has seemed full of [...]

  Klaus spent a weekend recently in Santa Fe soaking up as much Tequila as his little ceramic stomach could bear.  He was visiting close friends who sought to show Klaus as much of this area as possible through eating the best food and drink. Klaus is very appreciative of the journey, safely tucked into his leather briefcase- away from the curious, probing hands of TSA Agents.  He gets nervous when going through security.  He remembers leaving Paris at Charles [...]

Klaus loves winter almost as much as he loves oysters!  This can be construed in many ways.  Either you love winter or you hate it.  In Klaus’s world, this can only mean love- because he is absolutely passionate about oysters! Recently Klaus received a letter from his father in Germany.  Klaus has been doing a bit of research about his history and contacted who he thought was his father.  Not all gnomes are made in Germany, but Klaus is relieved [...]

  Cabin FEVER???? Klaus has cabin fever.   After complaining about the cold for weeks on end, Klaus’s cabin fever is about to come to an end.  In two days, Klaus is going on a journey!  But for now he must be content and sit near the wood burning stove for heat. Now somewhere inside his little ceramic body there lies a thirst that is impossible to quench.  Every so often his little ceramic brain sends a message down to that [...]

Klaus has been extremely busy over the past two weeks.  Yesterday he traveled to Philadelphia to visit the birthplace of our nation.  He also paused to enjoy a lovely visit at the location where one of his favorite liquors was created. That liquor would have to be named Snap.  USDA Certified Organic Snap is Klaus’s favorite Schnapps-like slurp that tastes like the Old Country. Klaus made quite a hit down in Philly.  He got inspired for a drink that he [...]

Klaus has discovered the true meaning of Christmas.  It is not the gifts, nor the eating, nor a well made cocktail.  What Christmas means to Klaus is the gathering of his family and the desire to see good things come from within. Klaus hails from the Black Forest region of Germany.  This is a place where Christmas is celebrated all year long in the form of festive foods like stuffed pork chops, sausages, rib roasts and of course strong drinks [...]