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Why you shouldn’t drink champagne out of plastic cups

Why you shouldn't drink champagne out of plastic cups

‘Tis the season for toasting with bubbly. Glasses of champagne get passed around this month so often that it can be tempting to use casual plastic cups when hosting less formal affairs. But in doing so you’re not only being less environmentally friendly, but you’re not getting the champagne’s full, glorious flavor. A new study on the popular holiday drink proves that its taste is, in fact, affected by the drinking vessel it’s served in. If you’re thinking that bottle of prosecco you cracked open before the office Christmas party didn’t taste as good out of the water cooler cup as it does at home out of your fancy champagne flutes, you would be correct. Plastic vessels such as Solo cups, water bottles, Tervis glasses, styrofoam or any other type of plasticware you may have on hand, will make the bubbles behave differently. The reason is that the bubbles stick to…

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Seasonal

15 holiday recipes to make with eggnog, beyond the glass

15 holiday recipes to make with eggnog, beyond the glass

Make the holidays extra happy with these fun eggnog-inspired recipes. From oatmeal to fudge, you’ll love combining your favorite holiday flavors into these delicious sweet treats. Eggnog makes the perfect base flavor for cakes, pies, cookies, muffins and more, so celebrate the official ingredient of the season with one of these delicious desserts this year. See also molasses cookies with eggnog buttercream frosting.  1. Melt-in-your-mouth Eggnog cookies Your favorite eggnog in cookie form! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/246994360793667807/ 2. Eggnog Cranberry cheesecake Two holiday flavors unite to make Christmas miracles in the kitchen. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/371124825528219458/ 3. Eggnog Overnight Oats Make eggnog acceptable for breakfast. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56787645280149816/ 4. Eggnog bread You had me at “rum glaze.” https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567735096761687109/ 5. Eggnog Biscotti Perfect for dunking in your coffee… or in your eggnog. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/25755029099580353/ 6. Eggnog Gooey Butter Bars Butter bars packed with creamy eggnog flavor. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/129056345552210786/ 7. Eggnog Rice pudding A decadent dessert option. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/176273772899388110/ 8. Eggnog Pancakes Light, fluffy and…

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Starbucks holiday cups celebrate 20 years

Starbucks holiday cups celebrate 20 yearsStarbucks

It’s been 20 years since special Starbucks cups first began to grace our holiday season. It’s a ritual for many, that’s as beloved as trimming the tree or baking sugar cookies. The first Starbucks holiday cups made their debut in 1997, though it would be a miracle to find one today. Few were saved and the digital design files were lost in an earthquake in 2001. Even searching online poses few results, as the cups came before the ubiquitous time of selfies and cell phone cameras. One company designer, Sandy Nelson, having had the honor of designing the first cup, stashed away a full set of subsequent cups. “It was August, and I had just started with the company,” Nelson said. “We were working on holiday creative for the season to come. We had what felt like a hundred cup designs pinned up on the wall. Then Howard [Schultz] came by,…

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Seasonal

An Authentic American Eggnog Approved by George Washington

An Authentic American Eggnog Approved by George Washington

President. Patriot. Cocktail connoisseur. At the time of his death, George Washington was the largest distiller of spirits in America. He had recently approved the construction of a large, massive distillery that would produce 11,000 gallons of whiskey a year. With so much alcohol being passed around Mount Vernon, it’s no wonder George Washington couldn’t tell a lie. Many of his original, hand-written drink recipes, for various types of spirits, have survived until present day, but in the sprit of the season, here is a look at his favorite recipe when celebrating Christmas at Mount Vernon. Washington’s eggnog recipe in his own words: “One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whiskey, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, 1/4 pint sherry—mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

10 Naughty hot chocolate recipes for adults

Naughty-hot-chocolate-recipes-for-adultsAdobe stock

When winter arrives, it’s time for thick socks, cozy blankets and nights cuddled up on the couch with giant mugs of spiked hot chocolate. Almost all of these recipes are pretty simple to make, and yours don’t have to look Pinterest perfect. They just have to taste great and help you smile a little more through the coming cold months. The key is to making them taste fantastic is starting with quality chocolate in the first place. Drop that processed supermarket pouch with mini marshmallows right there! It’s full of brown powder, but that’s hardly the rich chocolate you crave when the temperatures dip. Treat your self to the real deal. After all, why use kid hot chocolate mix for these delicious adult drinks? You pay your bills. You’re an adult. You’ve earned it. Red Wine Hot Chocolate Rich red wine. Devilishly dark chocolate. It’s the ultimate decadent hot chocolate. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/72057662768436582/ Tequila spiked…

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Coffee makes for a healthier liver, experts say

Coffee makes for a healthier liver, experts sayAdobe stock

Coffee fans, go ahead and fire up that kettle or that Keurig and prepare some celebratory swings. A new report says that coffee consumption reduces the risk of chronic liver disease. According the roundtable report from the Institute for Scientfic Information on Coffee, people who were regular coffee drinkers — that is, drank between three and five cups of coffee a day — cut their risk of developing liver diseases like cirrhosis and liver cancer by up to 70 percent. The roundtable, held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, included academics, media medics and representatives from national liver associations from across Europe. They discussed recent research connecting coffee drinking and liver health and how to best disseminate the findings to healthcare professionals and the public. Chronic liver disease is one of the most common disease-related deaths in the United States today. An estimated 31,000 liver-related deaths occur every year. About one…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Pumpkin pie milkshake recipe

pumpkin pie milkshake

Fall temperatures don’t exactly scream ice cream, but this milkshake is pure pumpkin bliss. It’s like pumpkin pie in a glass, but better. This creamy concoction is perfect to whip up when you have a bit of purée left over from baking a pie. It only takes a few tablespoons of the canned purée, along with some cinnamon, cloves and other classic fall spices to replicate the most awesome of all autumn desserts. So break out the blender for this delicious holiday indulgence. Pumpkin pie milkshake Serves 2 Ingredients 2 1/4 cups of vanilla ice cream 1 cup skim milk (or your preferred milk) 4 tbsp pumpkin purée 1/4 tsp nutmeg 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp ground cloves whipped cream for topping Directions I’ve make this milkshake at least 20 times. Let me recommend two options: 1. The first option, you’re going to put all of these ingredients (except for the whipped cream)…

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Designated drivers enjoy new perks at beer and wine festivals

Designated drivers enjoy new perks at beer and wine festivals

As if there weren’t enough opportunities to drink, American cities host countless beer, wine and other alcohol-centric festivals. For those who imbibe, these festivals offer a fun way to try many different drinks in one setting. But if you happen to be at an event like this and you’re not drinking, you’re probably pregnant or someone’s designated driver — and you’re not having much fun. But the New York Times recently reported that plenty of major drinking-focused events are actually making a push to include non-drinkers in their festivities. The Great American Beer Festival, one of America’s best known beer festivals, kicks off today at the Colorado Convention center in Denver and will feature over 800 breweries with 3,900 types of beer. Organizers estimate that only 300 guests out of the 60,000 expected attendees won’t be drinking. “We have games set up, and I’ve seen card games break out. People tell jokes. I’ve seen…

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Where to get free coffee on National Coffee Day

Where to get free coffee on National Coffee DayAdobe stock

National Coffee Day falls on a Friday this year, which mean you can guzzle as much free caffeine as you want without having to worry about falling asleep anytime soon. Here is a list of coffee deals and freebies you can score to celebrate on Sept. 29, 2017. Some national chains are serving up BOGO, while others are offering freebies in exchange for app downloads. Still, a few more are offering free coffee to anyone who wants it: No gimmicks — bless their hearts. 7-Eleven 7-Eleven stores are celebrating by giving a free cup of coffee to 7Rewards members who show the bar code located in their 7Rewards smartphone app. Offer good one time between Friday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 1. Cinnabon Get a free 12 oz. coffee on Friday. Dunkin’ Donuts DD is having a BOGO free medium hot coffee with purchase of medium or large hot coffee. Krispy Kreme From Friday,…

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Seasonal

Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the U.S.

Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the U.S.Adobe Stock

For beer drinkers, the month of September brings the year’s main event: Oktoberfest (save questions about the name for another article). The time-honored annual fall tradition of debauchery begins this Saturday. Of course, Munich is the original Oktoberfest. More than 6 million people from around the world decend on the city every year to guzzle nearly 2 million gallons of beer. But for those of us who can’t get away overseas, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the German festival here at home. More than 46 million German-Americans — the largest single ethnic group — have gifted us with plenty of places to help them partake in their wunderbar celebration. To help you decide where to celebrate Stateside, WalletHub has crunched data to create a list of the top 100 best cities for Oktoberfest celebrations. The data crunchers used 23 indicators including sheer number of breweries and beer gardens, overall safety and walkability, average price of beer,…

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