Ginger Lime Summer Hummer #SharpenYourKitchenIQ & A Giveaway!

Happy Friday everyone!

We are going to have some fun today because today I am sharing two products given to me my KitchenIQ. I was given these kitchen products to review, but opinions are my own.  

V-etched Better Zester is the first kitchen tool I want to talk about because it is ah-maz-ing. 

I have a zester that I thought was awesome, but the Better Zester is even better. I made an Instagram video earlier this week that you can check out here and talked a little bit about some of the unique features of this zester. The Better Zester has a protective cover to protect the microplane from dulling and wearing faster than it should. The Better Zester has a unique curved shape and I really like how it allowed me to get a good angel on my citrus fruits to efficiently get as much zest as possible. My only complaint is that it is a little larger and fits a little awkwardly in my drawer- I almost wish is folded.  My favorite feature was the fresh zest storage container. I  make a mess when I zest and think helped to reduce my zest waste significantly. I find that it is many time the small conveniences that get me to experiment in my kitchen. The Better Zesters consumer friendly feature make it a happy addition to my kitchen. 

The Grate Ginger Tool is the second kitchen tool I received from KitchenIQ. This is another amazing product I am so excited to share with you. 

Truth be told ginger is not something I use often in my kitchen. Many time I avoid it because it can be a pain to prep. I was excited to try this tool because I am all about simplifying prep work whenever possible - #worksmarter! Click here for my Instagram video of this The Grate going to town and peeling the ginger! The Grate peels, grates, slices and extracts juice. It is a small size and does not take up a lot of space for all the jobs it does. My test of this product was peeling and I could not believe how fast and easy it made peeling ginger. The peeler is almost like a little spoon and got the job done so quickly! I also loved the slicer. Think of it as a mini mandolin- it is sharp so watch your fingers.  This is another product that I absolutely loved. If you use ginger this is a must have for your kitchen. It is easy to use (and washes well too- a must for this mom).  I think it is worth noting that this product can work with more than ginger because it will likely attract more folks to give it a try knowing it is versatile enough to work with just about any root vegetable. 

I wanted to create something taste using my new kitchen tools. What better way to celebrate summer on the horizon than a refreshing cocktail.  I love Moscow Mules and Summer Hummers, and decided to make combine my favorite flavors from these drinks. First, I made an easy Ginger Lime Syrup to sweeten my drink. 

Ginger Lime Syrup

Ingredients

Zest and Juice 1 medium Lime

2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled sliced 

1 1/2 cup water

2/3 cup sugar 

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a small pot. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain, cool and pour into a jar. Store in fridge up to 1-2 weeks. 

So, next we come the cocktail. The best part. Like I said my inspiration was a cross between a Moscow Mule and a Summer Hummer. I opted for a vodka cocktail and I used limeade versus the traditional lemon is a summer hummer. I used a store bought limeade (I used Simply Limeade), but you could make your own. So how was the finished product? Delicious. The flavors works really well together and the drink was so refreshing.  The recipe below is for 1 drink, but I would say the recipe for the syrup will make about 5 drinks. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 shots vodka

1 1/2 shot ginger lime syrup (recipe above)

1/2  cup limeade (store bought or homemade)

Ice & fresh lime wedges

Instructions

Fill glass with ice and pour vodka over ice. Top with syrup and limeade. Stir with straw and garnish with a fresh lime wedge. 

KitchenIQ has been generous enough to offer a giveaway to my readers!  The prize pack is both the kitchen tools reviewed in this post and the V-etched Spice Grater! Enter in the Rafflecopter tool below and  I winner will be randomly selected next Friday! 

This contest is only valid for U.S.  residents. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway