Jaime Mazur

Half the battle of dry January is just overcoming the ritual of opening a bottle of wine or mixing up a cocktail. And sometimes, it’s just the taste you are after. How incredible then, are the alcohol-free options from @dhosspirits ? This 0 proof, alcohol-free Juniper Spirit has the body, taste, and smell profile of a gin, without the alcohol, the calories, or the liquor tax! With only 5 calories per 1.5 Oz serving, you can reduce your caloric content for a gin&tonic by 96 calories per serving. Truly, this changes the game for at home cocktails and bar mocktails, beyond Dry January. • • • • • #dryjanuary #mocktails #cocktails #athomebartender #ginfree #juniperberry #startenders #dranks #alcoholfree #alcoholfreedrinks #mamajuice #lowcalorie #dhos #yourdrinkyourway

Cocktail vs Mocktail Round Two! Is the cocktail in the rocks glass or in the coupe? Would you believe that other than the additional of a clear spirit, the only difference in these two drinks is that one is shaken and one is stirred? Seriously! The composition is the exact same, just one uses the non-alcoholic parts as a base and the other makes it the main event. What are your guesses? -3.5 Oz @lacroixwater Limoncello -.5 Oz Fresh Raspberry Syrup -A Squeeze of Lemon -1.5 Oz @catanpisco (optional) #catanpisco is the first Female Owned Chilean Pisco brand in the US! Available at @target and @binnysbev, this #pisco is 100% Pedro Ximenez grapes and, at 40% ABV, falls under the Pisco Reserve umbrella. I added the liquor and ice to a shaker and strained out the final product into the coupe glass. It’s fresh, vibrant, with a floral note and buttery mouthfeel that plays well with the fresh, hardly sweetened, Raspberry Syrup. • • • • #dryjanuary #mocktails #mocktail #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailvsmocktail #pisco #chilean #chileanpisco #piscodrinks #piscococktails #piscochile #catan #smallbusiness #familybusiness #nonalcoholic #nonalcoholicdrink #sommelier #beverageblogger #adultbeverages

Cocktail vs Mocktail Time! As you may have been able to glean from my stories, I am using this month as a #dryjanuary. First up, here is a cocktail vs mocktail recipe. The White Cranberry Mimosa comes from Moersch Hospitality Group, the folks behind #SouthwestMichiganWineries like @taborhillwinery, @roundbarnwdb, and @freeruncellars. The mocktail is my alternative. White Cranberry Mimosa: 1.5oz white cranberry juice 5oz Tabor Hill Sparkling Demi-Sec Cranberries for Garnish Cranberry Mocktail: 5 Oz Sparkling Water or Lemon-Lime Soda, depending on your preferred level of sweetness 5-6 Dashes @Feebrothersbitters Cranberry Bitters Rosemary Garnish (optional) #bartender #savesmallbusiness #southwestmichigan #lovewestmichigan #michiganwineries #lockdownsdontwork #winter #winelife #sommelier #sommstyle #sparklingwine #mocktails #alcoholfree #cocktailchallenge #michigan

I finally got to make a Riesling Holiday Punch with a Pear and Cranberry Ice Float for Christmas! 10 point deduction for waiting until it had been out a couple of hours and the perfect ring started dropping some cranberries. A great way to be festive if you’re having a pod NYE party: it’s low alcohol, tasty, and the recipe is in my 5 Ways to Enjoy Riesling Holiday post! • • • • • #riesling #germanriesling #pfalz #holidaypunch #icefloat #decorativeicecubes #decorativeice #cocktailideas #batchcocktails #muellercatoir #youcansipwithus #winelover #winecocktails #sommlife

If you haven't been to a @Fanniemaychocolate this holiday season, I HIGHLY recommend you stop by. There are new candies (Double Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Pixies, anyone?), pre-made, and customizable holiday baskets, and the same great quality you've come to expect. An Illinois business celebrating 100 years, they know how to do holidays. If you've already done your holiday shopping, don't forget that Valentines' Day is 6 weeks into the New Year! #chocolate #chocoholic #tradition #holidaytradition #supportillinois #institutions #saveillinoisrestaurants #openillinoisrestaurants #lastminutegiftideas #lastminute #holidaycheer #christmasshopping #christmasgifts #gifted #notsponsored #fanniemayisthebest #bestchocolatebox #chocolatebox #chocolatetruffles #wevegotacountrytosave

Not a zoo, no tickets, free entry and parking, and spell binding lights. @villageoflombard and @lombardparks put on this magnificent display every year in #lilaciapark. TIP: bring your mask just in case it’s crowded. The nearer to closing time (9PM) you visit, the less crowded it is. 5 PM is quite jammed. While you’re in town, stop at @noonwhistlebrewing to pick up a six pack of beer! I like their #swankysmack sour, and fruity IPAs, and I like to support a small business even more. Grab a to-go meal at @babcocksgrovehouse or sit at #rosemaryandjeans for safe dining. #shoplocal #holidaylights #yestoyorktown #lombard #dupagecounty #suburbanchicago #westchicago #westernsuburbs #noonwhistlebrewing #christmasdecor #christmaslights #outdoorlights

IF YOU LOVE CHOCOLATE AND LIVE IN #chicago, have I found a CANNOT MISS for you. If you are looking for a place to fill the gap of #mindyshotchocolate #drinkingchocolate, I have also found the place for you. This evening, I had the pleasure of participating in a Chocolate History and Tasting @northwesternalumni event hosted by @kelloggschool alumna and owner of @cocoaandcochi, Kim Hack. A former member of the #wine industry and certified #somm, her hourlong class was delightful and worth every penny. I loved how she likened the craft of cacao harvesting to that of a grape harvest, and couldn’t believe the #chocolateknowledge she shared. As #sommeliers, We’re so used to genetic twins and identical fruits in a cluster, but chocolate is unbelievable. Each seed within a piece of fruit is genetically different from one another, based on whatever single speck of pollen was on a gnat when it pollinated the tree. It was absolutely fascinating and I highly recommend looking into a webinar or simply picking up some exotic chocolates for your loved ones. Of everything we tried, the @manoachocolate Goat Milk Chocolate was my favorite, probably because it was a #darkchocolate that hits like a #milkchocolate. The @amedeituscany was a close second bc of the mouthfeel and finish, while the @marouchocolate and @amanochocolate were both incredibly creative and unexpected delights. I pulled out @masiwines Amarone, @chwinery dessert wine, and @bodegasanvalero Grenacha for pairings, and I chose the #elbombero Spanish Wine as the ideal pairing. The high alcohol, rich dark fruit, and middling tannins did well with the first two chocolates, and I elected not to pair with the fruity and chili pepper chocolates because I’m not a madwoman! 😆• • • #cacao #cocoa #wineandchocolate #sweetandsalty #winepairings #chocolatelovers #chocolategifts #worldofchocolate #worldofwine #winestudy #wsetlevel3

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Nothing wears better than gratitude for your country’s armed forces, but this @stetsonusa hunting cap from @tenthstreethats comes in a close second because I was not prepared for this cold snap while visiting @cantignypark Tank Park. • • • Located in suburban #wheaton, over twenty US tanks are arranged for adults to learn and kids to climb! It’s just $5 to park, and there are no entrance fees. While the McCormick House and @firstdivmuseum are closed, the tank museum and visitors center is open. A truly fascinating and fun way to spend a day! • • • And for my @northwesternu nerds, a #medill and a #mccormick got married, had Robert R McCormick who owned this estate, and that’s the #northwestern royalty of #mccormickschoolofengineering and #medillschoolofjournalism ! #gocats • •#madeinusa #dupagecounty #greenspaces #kidsmuseum #outdoormuseum #tankmuseum #tanks #cantigny #wevegotacountrytosave #outdooractivities #historylovers #wwinstagram #thingstodoinchicago #thingstodoinillinois #illinoisblogger #hatstyle #hatsofinstagram

'Tis the season of so much to do, and so little time. I've been skipping the afternoon caffeine jolt for @lonolifeinc collagen enriched bonebroth. At 50 calories per serving with 10 grams of protein in a steaming hot and delicious cup of broth, it keeps me full, warm, and on track to avoid holiday overindulgences. I'm partial to the chicken broth, and not a fan of Tomato Beef, but to each their own. Their new Noodle Soups make #cuponoodles that won't make you regret it two hours later. • • #lonolife #protein #lonolifestyle #realtaste #realportable #livethelonolife #collagen #onthego #instant #TasteMoreofLife⁣ #simmerandsip #bonebroth #portable #foodporn #keto #whole30approved #rmd #gifted #ffactorapproved #paleo #fitlife #meateater #bonebrothsoup #noodlesoup #lifestyleblogger #chicagoblogger

Whether your holidays will be you alone or with family, consider experimenting with #riesling from Germany this season. Cocktails, still, sweet, dry, or sparkling, explore 5 different ways to enjoy Riesling this season on JaimeSays.Com. • •#rieslinglover #germanwine #germanwines #prädikatswein #winesofgermany #thanksgivingpairings #winelovers #wine #winetime #kabinett #vdp #holidaydrinks #threeingredients #threeingredientcocktails

If you love personal freedoms, privacy, and lots of snow, you’ll probably enjoy a trip to Northern Idaho. New on JaimeSays.com• • • • • • #norida #7b #iloveidaho #sandpoint7b #bonnersferry #schweitzermountain #undiscoveredamerica #ladyliberty #wevegotacountrytosave #fourseasons #idaho #idahome #exploreoutdoors #sociallydistanttravel #socialdistancing #factsoverfear #montana #kootenaicounty #kootenai #americathebeautiful #greatamerica #getoutside #kag #america #jaimesaysidaho #jaimesaysmontana #jaimesayswashington