Marmite Toast and Buttermilk Rhubarb Squares

Hello my diligent readers! I do apologize for neglecting you for so long. I've been busy traveling the world you see. I realize that as soon as I reveal my location any forgiveness for my lackadaisical posting will be lost, but...I'm in New Zealand!


Don't worry though, there are benefits for you too. I am very pleased to present a New Zealand recipe:

Marmite Toast!

As much bread as you like
olive oil spread
Marmite*/vegemite if you prefer
sharp cheese
sesame seeds

Basically you spread and layer your bread with the ingredients listed above. First goes the olive oil spread, then a THIN, THIN, THIN spread of marmite. Top with some "tasty" cheese (aka "sharp"), a sprinkling of sesame seeds, and bake until it is crisp. Cut into strips and serve!

*Marmite courtesy of Wikipedia is "a sticky, dark brown paste with a distinctive, powerful flavor, which is extremely salty and savory. This distinctive taste is reflected in the British company's marketing slogan: 'Love it or hate it.'" Salty is right! Beware! I heard a Kiwi divulge that one of their favorite games is to offer Americans some "chocolate sauce" and then give them a spoonful of marmite!

In case that doesn't suit your tastes, you'll be relieved to know that while the Bag-ette is off trotting the globe, The Bag Lady diligently remains in "The Bag Meal Test Kitchen." Thus, we are pleased to present the real reason you came to the blog today, I know and accept this fact. Marmite is not for everyone...you could probably use it in a bag meal though...



Buttermilk Rhubarb Squares
Topping:
Resealable bag:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar (Mix in baggy with other ingredients or you will get a hard rock of sugar)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds (For longer storage life do not chop until ready to use)
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons melted canned butter

Batter:
1 cup bottled water
2 tablespoons powdered eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered buttermilk
1/2 cup oil (Tip: Did you know that cubes of shortening will last in bag meals up to 6 months after opening? Keep this in mind for your tortilla recipes)
2 cups canned stewed rhubarb (sweetened to taste and cooked in a pan then canned)

Directions: Add melted butter to topping ingredients and set aside. Grease and flour 9 x 13 pan. Mix all batter ingredients in a large bowl. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until center is done using tooth pick test. Serve warm or cold. It is fabulous with vanilla ice cream.

Isn't everything fabulous with ice cream? Well, maybe not marmite...

Cheap Bags and Healthy Truffles

Greetings! I know, 2 posts in 2 weeks. It's ok, you can be impressed. :)

First on the docket, we have a hot tip for purchasing bags. Staples is currently selling a box of 250 bags for $44.99. That works out to a mere $0.18 a bag! Wowza! As an added bonus, the bags are a very pleasant mint green color. They used to paint hospitals green you know. It soothed the patients. If you're not into soothing greens, it appears you also have the option of "electric blue." Join up with some friends and order several boxes to get free shipping. Check it out.... here.

We'd like to thank Christy for her excellent contribution of healthy truffles! Who doesn't like truffles after all?

"Take a dry fruit that is fairly moist (like a store-bought prune) and roll or dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Healthy truffle! Kick it up by adding a little cayenne to the cocoa if you dare.

One can make a more complicated version that is a mixture of dried fruit that has been food-processed into something paste-like and then rolled into balls and dusted with cocoa. But the first way is really simple and good."

It's quick, it's easy, it's delicious! Give it a try. In fact, I'd probably fill a whole minty green bag full of them. Everybody loves a truffle! Come to think of it...I like prunes too. (Shhh, don't tell.)

Another Contest!

Hey there baggers!

We realize that we have more than fallen off the blogging boat...we pretty much drowned. BUT we're happy to announce another contest! This one is courtesy of a fellow bagger and blogger- PitterPatHeart. Keep tabs on her bag meal adventures and find out about the contest here. You can only enter this give away through PitterPatHeart's blog, so make sure you leave her some comment love!

Keep bagging and I'll see what I can do about getting some exciting new content up on the blog! An exclusive recipe perhaps? (I promise, it will be sooner than later...)

CONTEST WINNERS!

Hello folks! The puppies are doing well. They now have teeth and are beginning to scurry about the house!

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... OUR WINNERS! (in no particular order)
Aubri-Pepper
Donna-Deogee
Janice-Bubbles

Please email The Bag Lady and let her know your mailing address and whether you would like a copy of It's in the Bag, Gluten Free, or The WOW Diet!

Cheaper Bags

Apparently, the bag meal craze is taking off and suppliers are taking note. Some stores are wanting upwards of $0.45 a bag! As of today, Uline is the cheapest site that we know of. Check it out, stock up, and let us know if you come across a better deal.

Happy Bagging!

The puppies have arrived!

In case you haven't heard, the puppies are here! There are 3 girls and one boy. We're still accepting suggestions for names. Remember, the top 3 names will get to pick a title from The Bag Lady's collection.

CONTEST!

We're excited to announce our first contest! In honor of The Bag Lady becoming a Grand-puppy-parent, we are accepting suggestions for puppy names. The top 3 winners will win a book of their choice from The Bag Lady's collection. When the puppies are born, we'll post pictures for inspiration, until then here's the rules.

Rules:
1. Only one entry per person.
2. No duplicate entries.
3. Submissions will be accepted via blog comment, facebook, email, or messaging.
4. Winners will be announced in Feb.

Good Luck!

Pasteurizing Eggs

Ever wanted to make a recipe with raw eggs and you worried about getting sick? Maybe you have a thing for raw cookie dough, but your mother always warned you about bacteria? We have your solution.

Salmonella Entertidis is a bacteria that can infect chicken's ovaries. The bacteria gets "packaged" with the egg yolk when the white and shell form around it, making the egg contaminated before it is laid. About one egg in every 20,000 actually contains salmonella bacteria, but if it's there, it's dangerous. There are ways prevent illness. According to the FDA, refrigerating eggs below 40 degrees Fahrenheit limits Salmonella growth and fully cooking eggs destroys the bacteria.

I know what you're saying, "that's well and good, but I don't want to give up raw cookie dough!" (I know I don't) the good news is, you can pasteurize eggs at home, and it's easy too! Pasteurization is a process of heating a food to a specific temperature, for a specific amount of time, to kill specific bacteria. (My, my, what a specific process!) Salmonella bacteria are killed at a temperature of 140 degrees in about 3.5 minutes.

So, if a room temperature egg is held in a bowl of warm water--lets say 142 just to be safe--for 3.5 minutes, any salmonella bacteria will die. It takes 5 minutes for an extra large or jumbo egg.

Ready to try it yourself?

Place the room temperature eggs in a colander and lower them into a pan or bowl of 142 degree water. Put an instant read thermometer in the bowl to make sure you have a high enough temperature and that it remains constant. If your eggs are medium or large, leave them in the water for 3.5 minutes; for extra large or jumbo eggs, leave them in for 5 minutes. When the time is up, remove the eggs, dry them, and refrigerate them in a tightly covered container.

Viola! Now go enjoy that raw egg smoothie! I'll be sticking with cookie dough. ;)

Squash It!

Hello readers old and new! We're glad you're here. It's that time of the year, the brief space between the end of fall and the dawning of winter. There's been a few flurries in the air and hearts are full of thanks, which means...it time to SQUASH IT! So, for all of you wondering about the delicious and versatile gourd, here you have it: The Bag Lady on Squash.

Where can I purchase canned butternut squash for the butternut soup found on page 77 of It's in the Bag?

Bag Lady: I buy mine at Target.

What are your general thoughts on squash? Is it a food close to your heart?

Bag Lady: Squash to me is the perfect fresh food storage food because it will last from fall to spring if properly stored. There are also many different varieties and many ways to prepare it. We usually plant butternut, spaghetti, and acorn squash. We experimented with several other varieties and decided to save the seeds from the following store bought varieties: sweet meat, butter cup, sweet dumpling, stripetti, and swan white acorn.

What if I have limited garden space and don't want squash vines everywhere?

Bag Lady: This year we tried growing our squash up a trellis of sorts. We tied the vines onto the fencing using yarn scraps. To our surprise the squash grew all season without falling off of the vines. We did not even support them with slings etc. They just hung there and ripened.

When do I pick my squash?

Bag Lady: I was taught that you pick your winter squash just before the first frost. There has been some confusion as to the timing. I believe this stems from my recommendation of picking concord grapes after the first frost to ensure maximum sweetness. Just remember squash is before and concord grapes are after the first frost. If you are still confused, send in a picture and I will tell you if you have a squash or a grape. Ha, Ha!

How should I store my squash?

Bag Lady: Once you have your lovely squash harvested simply place them in a cool place i.e. root cellar. Remember to keep them off of the cement. We store ours in our unfinished basement where the temperature hovers around 40-60 degrees year round. I just lay wood boards on the cement floor and place the squash on the boards. Some people recommend hanging the squash in netting. I haven't found the need to do so.

Can I can squash?

Bag Lady: I have never canned squash because it's low acidity level lends itself to food borne illnesses such as botulism. I have frozen my winter squash and it becomes watery, so I use it for soups and sauces or pies.

The endless varieties of squash are so overwhelming! How do I find a variety I want to grow?

Bag Lady: If you find new varieties of squash in the store that you would like to try growing, simply scrape out the seeds and allow them to dry for two- four weeks on a paper plate. After they are dry, place the seeds in a cool dark place and they will be ready for next year's planting. You should never need to buy squash seeds again.

So, I've got a bunch of squash...now what?

Bag Lady: Try my delicious Butternut Squash Cheesecake!

Butternut Squash Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
1/3 cup chopped nuts of choice
1/3 cup melted butter
2- 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup butternut squash puree
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup ground nutmeg

In a bowl, combine crumbs, nuts and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. In another bowl combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Remove 1 cup of the batter. Add remaining sugar, squash, and spices to remaining batter, mix well. Alternately layer squash and cream cheese batters in baked crust. Cut through the batters with a knife several times for a marbled effect. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Cool before removing pan collar. Serve chilled.

There you have it friends, the ins and outs, the ups and downs, the seeds and strings of squash! If you have any other questions (or are still trying to decide if you have a squash or a grape) send us a comment or email. You know we'll respond. Good luck with all your Thanksgiving preparations. If you're one of those that hates pumpkin pie (like myself) maybe you should give squash cheesecake a try!

EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PREVIEW: The W.O.W. Diet

Before The W.O.W. Diet


And now, a snippet from the author:

"I continue to experience the benefits of the enlightening W.O.W. Diet. My health has significantly improved. In 2005, my cholesterol was 235. Three months after being on the W.O.W. Diet my cholesterol dropped to 183 with an HDL (good cholesterol) of 73. I am wearing a size 9/10 (2010), down from a tight-fitting size 14 pant (Jan. 2007). When I began the W.O.W. Diet I weighed 186; presently, I weigh 148, a remarkable thirty-eight pound loss.
So far, after being on the W.O.W. Diet for twelve weeks, Trent has lost fourteen pounds and five inches from his waist. My mother, who is seventy two years old and who has suffered with IBS of the diarrheal variety for most of her life, has been on the W.O.W. Diet for three weeks. She has lost twelve pounds and four inches from her waist. And more importantly, she has not had any bouts of diarrhea since beginning the W.O.W. Diet. My step-father, age 71, is not as faithful to the W.O.W. Diet as my mother, and he’s still lost seven pounds in three weeks."

Today:


Picture courtesy of Deseret News. Article by Valerie Phillips, Photo by Tom Smart

Get excited friends, this book is going to be big! Remember you can pre-order your copy today through the link at the top of the page.

Daily Herald

If you missed seeing The Bag Lady in the Provo Daily Herald, here's your chance to check it out! Utah County fans, don't forget to come see her demonstration at the Provo Library on Nov. 4!

"Fast Food, or Running for your Life with Bag Meals"--Part I

Day 1: We heard that they are coming. Coming. Coming in the night. We know that we'll be safe as long as the sun shines, they don't like the sunlight. Yesterday we began the evacuation to the northlands. We can only take as much as we can carry. The village decided there would be a greater possibility of repopulating the earth if we split up (yes, our village is concerned about the world at large-we even recycle.) If we were caught as a group, it would be total annihilation. I worry about the provisions some of our people took. The neighbors had to sacrifice their 50 gallon water drum...it was impossible to carry. The five gallon buckets of wheat and dried beans will provide sustenance, but I suspect it will be like eating cardboard after a few days. Perhaps the creamed corn will add some variety.

It makes me glad that we gave up on bulk food storage some time ago. I never realized just how valuable the bag meal system was until we had to pack up on a moments notice. Our family of 4 was able to evacuate with 4 bags each-2 in each hand, we even strapped one to the dog. Since each meal feeds 6-8 people, we should be able to feed at least 30 if we meet up with camp. On our own, we'll survive comfortably for some days...if they don't trace us by the smell of our flesh.

At least this day we should be safe. We've covered sufficient ground and found harbor in a field of daisies. Hopefully the bright colors and happiness will deter them. For now I take solace in this Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pasta. The creamy sauce and zesty basil are a taste of the comforting fires of home. The chicken will give us protein to continue our march tomorrow. Yes, at this time I can rest, but lurking at the edges of my awareness is the knowledge that we're being tracked. They are coming. The zombies are COMING!!

Book Review

The book is making the rounds in the cyber world! I didn't even know the Mormon Times existed, it's a product of the Deseret News, so it was a pleasant surprise when we discovered this review. Check it out here!

Deseret News

Did you see The Bag Lady in the Deseret News? If not check it out here. If you already saw the article, click the link anyways and relive the magic. :D

Q & A: Meats

First off, kudos for following the blog. We realize that we've been a bit slow in our posting, but we haven't forgotten about you! By now you've probably read through the book and come up with some questions. Today we bring you a special Q&A with our friend Wendy. Wendy comes from West Hills, CA (we're thrilled with the growing CA following!)

Wendy: Do you brown your meat or pack it raw?

Bag Lady: It depends on the meat I am canning. I always brown my hamburger, sausage links, and patties before canning.

Wendy: Do you add water?

Bag Lady: You only add water if the meat has been cooked prior to bottling. When I have done this I used broth and it is yummy! But I usually raw pack most things and sprinkle with seasons if I am not using it for multiple dishes. i.e. Sunday roast always gets seasoned before I place it in the jar.

Wendy:I canned hamburger, but the recipe said to add water to the top, then put the lid on. I've used it, but it's always a little scary when I look at it.

Bag Lady: I never add water to my hamburger. Make sure you do NOT cook it thoroughly. Only cook it until the outside turns that gray color then spoon into prepared jars. You are only cooking it a little so that it doesn't come out the texture of canned dog food. If you cook it completely it will be dry and have an odd taste after processing.

Wendy: Do you think stew meat would work in canning?

Bag Lady: Yes. I can steak, stew meat and roasts as well as other meats and fish.

Wendy: When you use [bottled meat] in a recipe, is it already cooked from the pressure canning?

Bag Lady: Yes! You can eat it cold from the jar and be fine. However, make sure your bottles are properly sealed. To insure this I never leave my rings on after the initial 24 hours. I do this so that any gasses can easily pop the lid off if it is improperly sealed. If the bottle IS properly sealed, it will make that vacuum sound when I take the lid off. If there is no vacuum sound, I know the bottle was not sealed and the contents are bad.

There you have it folks! Don't waste another minute, canning your own meat "can" be easy and fun! If you hit any snags, shoot us a message.

Fan Mail!

Hello! We've been hearing all sorts of good things from "baggers" around the country. Here's some of the blips!

"Finally! After pre-ordering your book and waiting, and then checking on the order only to have to reorder, I finally have it! It is wonderful!...My attempts at food storage in the past have been, well, sad to say the least. I tried to stock items that we use frequently, but then I just ended up with an over stuffed pantry full of food that won't go together to make a meal. With J. going away to college next year how easy will it be to send supplies back with her to make sure she eats right while she is on her own. I will just grab a few bags and she will be set! Awesome! Thank you for sharing your wisdom in a way that is so accessible. I can't wait to try all of the recipes."
-Nancy, Redding CA

"I just received my book in today's mail and I love it!!!"
-Susan, Rockwall TX

"I love the book! I bought it a week ago here in Sacramento and I have been gathering supplies for the last week and today will start assembling the bag meals. I'm very excited!"
-Sandie, Orangevale CA

"I went through and read about Michelle's new and very smart way of doing food storage. I was going to give this book to my good friend who is our Emergency Preparedness and Canning Specialist in my ward, but I believe I will keep it and have my two caregivers (who are both LDS) help me prepare a week or two of meals based on this simple and easy way...I thought this would be a great way to prepare meals ahead of time for me...I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to cook or that has a very busy schedule. The family's input [will] make it fun and educational. It is more economical in the end."
-Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri Rodeman, Benton City WA
Read the full review here

Drop us a line, we'd love to hear from you too!

Howdy Y'All

That's right folks! We're headed to the Utah State Fair! Here's the low down:

Michelle and Trent Snow authors of "It's in the Bag: a New, Easy, Affordable, and Doable Approach to Food Storage" will be sharing their skills and knowledge at the Utah State Fair on September 9th and 17th.

Septemeber 9th:
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Michelle will demonstrate the revolutionary method of food storage bag meals and home canning sausage, beef, and chicken.

2:30- 3:30 p.m. Trent will demonstrate how to build a sprouter, a hands free emergency washing station, and a how to make a homemade cheese press.

Please join Michelle and Trent next door at the country store for a book signing immediately following each demonstration.

September 17th:
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Michelle will demonstrate the revolutionary food storage method of bag meals and how to make delicious and inexpensive homemade yogurt and soft cheese.

2:30- 3:30 p.m. Trent will demonstrate how to build a sprouter, a hands free emergency washing station, and how to make a homemade cheese press.

Please join Michelle and Trent next door at the country store for a book signing immediately following each demonstration.

Grab yer boots and we'll see ya there!

Guest "Bagger!"

Hello readers! I realize that I took a bit of a blogging sabbatical, but I'm back in full force today with a guest reader. This is Sandie.


Sandie hails from Northern California and we're thrilled to have her on the blog today. (Think of this post as a cyber interview)

Sandie: Can you substitute dehydrated meat for bottled?

The Bag Lady: Yes, you can use dehydrated meats; however, you will need to increase the amount of bottled water in each bag meal. I don't use dehydrated foods because we actually eat our bag meals for most breakfasts and dinners.

Sandie: Where did you find canned ham and bags?

The Bag Lady: I could only find the ham at Walmart. And as far as the bags go, I purchased mine at Xpedex and got a deal because I bought 500 of them. I asked if I bought 500 bags would they discount the price and they did. I ended up paying 0.18 cents/bag which is good because the original price was 0.25/bag.

Sandie: Where do I find canned cheese and butter?

The Bag Lady: I tried different butters and cheeses and decided on Bega brand for the cheese. To me it tastes less salty. I would definitely taste test before you spend money on a case. It is manufactured in Austrailia. I like the Red Feather brand of butter. It is manufactured in New Zealand. You can buy these from emergency preparedness stores or on-line but would suggest comparing prices as it is spendy. Because of the long shelf life I take the canned butter and cheese out of the bag meal that I am preparing and recycle it back into a newly made bag meal rather than use it. After all, we aren't in a crisis so why not use the fresh and save money too!

And Finally, Sandie's Testimonial:

Today I put together nine bag meals. It was so fun. I need to run back to Winco to get more canned roast beef and Costco to get more canned chicken. Also, I went ahead and ordered bags online from Uline in Los Angeles. I had to get a case of 250 and they came out to 22 cents each.
This is the coolest idea, the bag meals. Without a basement I'm having to convert linen closet space, etc. but it wil be so great to have these meals ready to go and I'm very excited about the idea of rotating the storage. Here's one of our family favorite recipes that I converted into a bag meal by substituting real chicken breasts for canned chicken:

Sandie's South of the Border Chicken

2 cans chicken meat
1 can black beans
1 jar/can picante sauce

Seasoning Packet:
1 cup instant rice
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Pantry Item:
grated cheddar cheese

Drain black beans and corn. Mix all ingredients together in saucepan on stove until hot. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min. until bubbly.

We would love to feature more of our readers on the blog! If any of you have questions, comments, stories, or recipes (We LOVE recipes), please send them to m_snow61@hotmail.com We would also appreciate a picture!
Happy Bagging!

Snow Vineyard

Does anybody know what time it is? It's jelly time! Now, I know what you're thinking, "Bagette, you're mistaken. Everyone knows you make jelly in the fall, when the FRUIT is on." The masses may make jelly in the fall, but around here that's not how we roll. The explanation is simple. By the time traditional jelly time rolls around, The Bag Lady is tired from canning everything she can get her hands on (we've had to rescue the cat a few times.) So, in a miraculous feat of defying mother nature, AND rotating our food storage, we jelly-ize in the early summer.

You see, jams are made with fresh or frozen fruits, but jellies are made from juice. Hence, you can make jelly whenever the mood strikes. In our humble backyard, we have a small vineyard. "Snow Vineyard" consists of 7 vines. We have Concord, Zinfandel, and lovely little white grapes. The juice from the white grapes has a pink blush to it, and is our favorite to drink, it's not as sweet as the Concord. Sadly, we've all forgotten the name. If you're interested in starting your own vineyard, leave a comment and we'll do some research. Our vines grow up the fence, so they don't take much space. The first year yields no harvest. You have to pluck the baby grapes off, or the weight will break the vine. Juice output increases each year. Last year our vines were 4 years old and we averaged 11 quarts of juice per vine.

"Snow Vineyard"

Awww, how cute! This bunch of baby grapes is about 2 inches long.

Anyways, back to how we make jelly in the early summer. After the first fall frost, we harvest the grapes and The Bag Lady begins juicing. Through the winter and spring, we have a good stock of red juice for cooking (it's a good substitute for red wine) and white juice for drinking (thank you little mystery grape.) Come March-May, The Bag Lady bottles rhubarb, and makes strawberry freezer jam. Most people would then come to a canning lull. How does one fill this lull? Grape jelly.

The Bag Lady launches into grape jelly, with the juice that was canned last fall. It's super quick and easy, about 20 minutes a batch. I believe we're on batch 12 today, and she's only been at it for 1.5 hours yesterday and 4.5 today. The house is filled with the rich, luxurious, robust, earthy aroma of simmering juice. The jelly is lovely as well, in fact, it seems to stimulate the appetite.

Summer Grape Jelly
3 1/2 cup grape juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package MCP powdered pectin (the pectin camp is fiercely divided between MCP and Sure Gel, but we fall in the MCP camp)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon butter (This is TOP SECRET. It cuts down on the foam, besides, butter makes everything better)
5 1/3 cup sugar

In a stainless steel stock pot, combine everything EXCEPT sugar. On high heat, whisk continuously until boiling. Add sugar. Continue whisking, when the mixture comes to a full boil whisk another 2 minutes. Pour the boiling mixture directly into prepared canning jars. Wipe lip of jar clean, and secure with lid and ring. Now, the USDA extension service suggests a boiling water bath to seal jars...However, sources we will not mention simply tip the jars over (lid side down) for 5 minutes, then right the jar, and allow to cool. The heat from the boiling jelly should seal the jar. You'll hear a nice little "ping" when the jar seals. Be sure to check your lids and make sure the lid does not compress. If it does, the jar is not sealed, and it should be refrigerated and eaten. Oh darn. Label your jars and store!

"Would you like to come to my quarters for some toast?"

Cherry Rickey

Quote from The Bag Lady, "If there's one thing I love more than a good Coke, it's a Cherry Rickey..." This recipe is a blog exclusive, and cannot be found in the upcoming book. Think of it as a spring gift for all you faithful readers.


Cherry Rickey
2-3 Tbl Cherry Syrup*
1 Cup Sprite
1/4 Lime
Maraschino Cherries
Ice

Fill glass with ice and 1/2 cup of Sprite. Add syrup (2 Tbl is normal, 3 if you've had a REALLY rough day.) Add remaining Sprite, squeeze in 1/4 of lime and give it a swirl with a swizzle stick, knife, straw, bamboo skewer, long teaspoon, bent coat hanger, anything with stirring capabilities will do. Drop in your squeezed lime rind and a maraschino cherry for garnish.

*Mere mortals get their cherry syrup at the local grocery for around $3/cup. However YOU can buy assorted gourmet syrups and flavorings at DaVinci Gourmet. That's where we get our syrups, the average price is $7 for 3 cups.