We spent a lovely long weekend in Baltimore helping with a wedding for some dear friends.  The weekend involved gorgeous dinners with friends and family from across the country (and ocean).  

The ceremony took place at a country church just outside of Baltimore and the service held beautiful liturgy specifically chosen by one of the grooms and stunning music. 

Our grooms were dapper in their navy and gray and the reception was a full afternoon tea in hues of navy, green, and yellow.  Thier nautical theme even carried through to the cake.  

The afternoon tea fare was just right as guests enjoyed croquet on the lawn.

The weekend ended with brunch at the Museum of Art under tents as friends and family bid farewell for their travel.  A wonderful weekend celebrating love!

There is something sublime about a slushy beverage.  I have spent some serious kitchen time concocting everything I can think of to freeze and scoop into a cocktail glass.  With warmer weather upon us, it is time to pull out the ice cold glasses once again and stock your freezer with the adult version of a popsicle.  After some serious taste testing and menu crafting, these are our favorites at JBE.  Two of the three call for prosecco to top them.  Feel free to use club soda or ginger ale as a less boozy replacement.  Also slushes tend to melt quickly.  We have been known to add ice cubes to the glass first to keep the beverages as frosty as possible for as long as possible.  Feel free to experiment with your own versions.

The Blueberry Fizz

1 lb blueberries

1/4-1/3 cup maple syrup (according to taste)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

zest from 1 lemon

1 cup vodka

Prosecco

In a food processor, process the blueberries and lemon juice until they are very smooth.  Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a 2 quart plastic container with a lid.  Be sure to press on blueberry solids to extract all liquid.  Add lemon zest, maple syrup and vodka to strained juice.  Stir to combine.  Freeze until solid (approx 4-5 hours).  Scoop approximately 1/3 cup of blueberry ice into champagne glass.  Top with prosecco and stir.  Garnish with whole blueberries and a lemon twist.

Cucumber Mint Tequila Slush

3 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped
Juice from 5 limes, zest from 2 of them
2 Tbs fresh mint, minced
3/4 cup honey syrup*
1.5 cups Tequila

Place cucumbers, lime juice, & zest into a food processor.  Process until smooth (this may need to be done in batches).  Press puree through a fine mesh strainer, catching juice in a 2 quart plastic container with a lid.  Be sure to press on solids to extract all juice.  Add honey syrup and tequila and stir.  Freeze.  Scoop into glasses.  Garnish with mint.

*Honey syrup can be made by mixing 1/2 cup honey with 1 cup boiling water.

Bourbon Slush

4 cups brewed tea
12 ounce can frozen lemonade, thawed
6 ounce can frozen orange juice, thawed
3 cups Kentucky Bourbon
5.5 cups water
Prosecco



Mix all ingredients except prosecco and freeze in a plastic container. Fill glass ½ way with ice. Scoop frozen slush into glass and top with prosecco.  Garnish with mint.

Let us know your favorite slush recipes! Cheers! 

We love birthdays here at JBE and 40th Birthdays top that list.  40 seems to be the birthday that lends itself to new adventures and experiences.  We were able to help make a 40th unforgettable in British Columbia this February.  The long weekend included a beautiful hotel property in downtown Vancouver with old world charm and unmatched service and the most amazing food with local seafood as the center of every good thing.

Local oysters and bubbly in downtown Vancouver

A snowmobile adventure was on the agenda and the private hire two hour drive into the mountains proved as showstopping as the vistas from the summit.  

Shannon Falls, BC

Whistler, BC

Whistler, BC

Snowmobiling was a great new adventure and Blackcomb Snowmobile provided a private guide and all of the basics for an unforgettable mountain tour with breathtaking scenery around every bend.

Apres snowmobile included mountain views and cocktails at the Four Seasons, Whistler while perusing all of the gorgeous photos.

The weekend was topped off with a multiple course dinner and single malt scotch pairing that included seven scotches ranging in age and flavor profile. 

Let JBE help plan your next travel experience and we can turn your ordinary trip into the adventure of a lifetime!  

Jennifer Brian Events is thrilled to offer private, in-home bourbon tastings.  Want to expand your knowledge of bourbon and taste some amazing things in the process?  Interested in spicing up your holiday party or gathering?  Let our Executive Bourbon Stewards guide you through all of the ins and outs of what makes bourbon so special.  From beginners to experts, we will make the evening an unforgettable experience.  

Already know what you like?  Our hard-to-find and rare bourbon tastings are sure to make your event the highlight of the season.  Contact us today and let us show you what we love about Bourbon. 

We celebrated the scary with an appropriately terrifying bar for Halloween and a delicious new fall cocktail, The Root of All Evil, courtesy of thewhiskeyscout and Ben Carpenter.  Check them out for all of the lovely recipe details.  And be prepared to make them all night long.

The hosts for this Halloween spectacular live on THE HALLOWEEN STREET in Louisville.  Their house theme is all things Voodoo and Bayou.  From witches around cauldrons to frogs and toads and snakes adorning the railings and fence, we needed to carry the theme throughout the house.  What better way than with a potion and poison bar?

Skull bourbon bottle courtesy of Steven G Cheek Ceramics

Antique apothecary jars courtesy of Crescent Hill Trading Co.

Dry ice smoked and fell throughout the evening in cold fog curtains and the sound of the ice "boiling" added to the effect. 

We made batch after batch of the cocktail and it was the perfect balance of bourbon and fall spice while we watched the thousands of trick or treaters line the street.  We can safely say even though the costumes are put away for another year, that cocktail isn't going anywhere for some time.  Cheers to autumn, friends!