It may be a rainy Friday morning here in Maine but I’ve got a Fair Trade Find this week that has me dreaming of the next sunny summer’s day happy hour! Loyal readers have surely already stocked up on my recommendation’s for Fair Trade Beer and Wine but I have something new that just screams summer time goodness.
This company, known simply as FAIR, is “the world’s first line of Fair Trade certified premium spirits.” Based in France and started by a couple of young (and not bad on the eyes) guys, they offer three Fair Trade certified ways to spice up your party drinks. The first one off the production line was their Quinoa Vodka which came to be following a 2 year joint research project by French distillers and Bolivian farmers. Wow, talk about commitment to the Fair Trade philosophy! When it debuted in 2009, the Fair Quinoa Vodka was nominated as the Best Tasting Vodka at the New York Spirits Awards and received a gold medal at the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute the same year. The quinoa used is also organic certified.
The two more recent additions to the FAIR line of premium spirits are the FAIR Cafe liqueur and the FAIR Goji liqueur. I know, the cocktail ideas are beginning to brew and make you drool, right? The Goji liqueur (which is the first and only goji berry liqueur) is certainly going to be a staple in my summer cocktail repetoir! Goji berries, with a burst of cranberry, cherry and plum flavors, are hailed as one of the most nutritious fruits in the world thanks to the insane amounts of antioxidants they contain. The berries used to produce FAIR Goji liqueur are harvested by Tibetan monks in the Himalayas. Seriously, is there anything not to love about this stuff??
And, because, I love my readers so much, I will even leave you with a FAIR spirits cocktail. This was published in New Jersey Life | Health & Beauty magazine and, legend has it, is not only a healthy and delicious Fair Trade cocktail, but is also a perfect hangover cure!
photo by Cathy Miller
Chakra’s Bitter Pill created by Evelyn Ciszak of Chakra Restaurant in Paramus
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Pimm’s Cup No.1
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. Fair Trade Goji Berry Liquor
- Dash of Simple Syrup
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain and pour over fresh ice into Collins glass.
- Garnish with an orange twist.
Enjoy, Mommas, and let me know what other FAIR cocktails you create this summer!
