A French press obviously makes amazing coffee recipes, but its uses lie far beyond your morning cuppa Joe. Get ready to have your mind truly blown by an innovative yet surprisingly common sense use for this flavor-infusing machine: Craft cocktail recipes. Bars all over the country are employing this new drink trend, and TBH, we're kinda surprised we didn't use the French press for this purpose years ago. If you're looking for exciting new tequila recipes, take note!
Image via Fritz Hahn/The Washington Post
So here's the long and short of it. If you put fruits, herbs, and other flavorful delights into your French press and then pour your liquids (think booze as well as juices) over top, all those flavors are going to sit together and infuse. It's pretty logical actually — it works in the same way that coffee beans infuse hot water. After a few minutes, you'll press down gently on the plunger, squeezing the remaining flavors and juices out of your flavor-makers. Then you're ready to use the press to conveniently pour the drink into a waiting cocktail glass.
Image via Hard Rock Cafe Blues Berry Press/Hard Rock Cafe
French press cocktails are all the rage at various bars across the country. The Theodore in Dallas was one of the original purveyors of this *ingenious* new trend. One of their specialties was an unorthodox version of the hot toddy, made with lemon, blood orange, lemon, vanilla, honeycomb, and cinnamon as flavor-infusers. Those ingredients are placed in the bottom of the French press, while cognac, poppy liquor, bitters, Bénédictine, and hot water form the base of the drink.
Image via D Magazine
And The Theodore is hardly the only bar that embraced the trend. Provision No. 14 in Washington DC jumped on board the French press cocktail train as well, with one of their stand-out drinks involving a mixture of orange juice, pineapple, lemon, and chamomile, all infused with orange peels, lemon peels, and mint leaves.
Follow us on Pinterest for more cocktail trends and creative drink ideas!
Header image via Hard Rock Cafe Blues Berry Press/Hard Rock Cafe
Nothing's more irritating than having to throw out fresh fruit you just bought because it either ripened too fast or was already festering with mold. And what food is the biggest culprit? Usually, it’s bananas. Unless you're fitting bananas in your everyday meal routine, it’s difficult to keep up with how quickly they brown (which can be anywhere from 24 hours to five days, depending on how green they were at the store when you grabbed them).
The good news is that there’s actually a lot you can do with overripe bananas. We turned to chefs for top tips (both creative and delicious) that will prevent you from throwing speckled bananas in the trash!What To Do With Overripe Bananas
Image via Butternut Bakery
Banana Bread, Obviously
One of the most widespread baking recipes to make with overripe bananas is banana bread. Why? Because it’s simple, delicious, and an automatic crowd-pleaser. Check out our one bowl gluten-free banana bread recipe, our chocolate banana pumpkin bread, or these 40 recipes of banana bread that you need to make this weekend (the options are endless!).
(Writer’s note: My go-to recipe is the chocolate chip banana bread from Butternut Bakery — but I use dark chocolate chips instead!)
Image via Half Baked Harvest
Freeze Them For Your Smoothies
When in doubt, put your overripe bananas in the freezer. Then you’ll at least have time to think on what to do with them—and you can throw them in your morning smoothies. Bananas last up to three months in the freezer ideally, and pair well with a variety of different flavor profiles, like caramel, blueberry, chocolate, or orange.
This strawberry-banana colada smoothie from Half Baked Harvest may just be your new fav, or the cloudy summer smoothie which doubles as an Erewhon smoothie dupe. Chef Chris Morgan of Joon restaurant in Washington D.C. advises using overripe bananas and other raw fruits for your children at home (he makes little smoothies for his 7-month old baby—pure genius!).
Image via Food Faith Fitness
Make Banana Cookies
Substitute the flour for bananas in your baking with some tasty cookie options. The plus side of banana cookies is that they are often automatically gluten-free and can easily become dairy-free (but always check first!). These easy peanut banana oatmeal cookies from Food Faith Fitness are a great option. If you’re looking to ditch the peanut butter, try out these 4-ingredient banana oat cookies from Livvin Media.
Image via Kathryn's Kitchen Blog
Ice Cream, Anyone?
There is nothing better than sorbet or ice cream in the summer months. All you really need is frozen ripe bananas, any other frozen fruit you prefer, milk (whichever kind you enjoy— almond, oat, etc.) and some sweeteners like honey or vanilla extract. To fit your health goals, you can even throw in protein powder. This strawberry nice cream from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog only has five ingredients!
Image via Butternut Bakery
Upgrade Your Breakfast
Pancakes, overnight oats, and muffins are all incredibly tasty options to use up those ripe bananas and upgrade your breakfast game. Try Butternut Bakery’sbanana nut muffins for a quick snack or these healthy chia banana pancakes from Half Baked Harvest for a savory morning bite. You can also sift through Brit + Co’s 17 overnight oats recipes — keep in mind that overnight oats only last a few days in the fridge, though!
Photo by Anna Tarazevich/PEXELS
Make Dog Treats
Don’t leave out your furry friends— they love bananas too! Making long-lasting dog treats “relieves the pressure on the idea of food waste, plus there is a bonus that your pets are spoiled, happy, and nutritiously rewarded,” says pastry chef Susan Bae of the critically-acclaimed restaurant, Moon Rabbit in Washington D.C. Check out her go-to dog treat recipe below:
Chef Susan Bae’s Dog Treat Recipe:
250g organic whole wheat flour
240g organic peanut butter
70g organic, unsweetened apple sauce
56g mashed overripe banana
113g organic plain bone broth
25g organic shredded cheddar cheese
25g freeze dried blueberries
Preheat oven to 350F.
1.) Mix to combine whole wheat flour, peanut butter, apple sauce, bone broth and banana. Until a dough is lightly formed.
2.) Fold in shredded cheese and dried blueberries to evenly distribute in dough.
3.) Roll dough out to 1/4” thickness and use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out treats.
4.) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake dog treats until firm and dry to touch (this varies with each oven) Check at 45 minutes.
5.) Store at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container or in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
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Header image via Half Baked Harvest
Whether you love to cook when you have time or prefer to avoid the kitchen at all costs, a quick and easy dinner is a must on a busy weeknight. If you've peeked into the frozen section at your grocery store recently, you may have noticed that frozen meals have come a long way since the TV trays of the past!
A variety of cuisines and cultures are now represented in the frozens aisle, and there are plenty of options for every dietary preference to choose from – all of which can help you maintain a healthy diet to fuel that busy schedule of yours. Ahead, find a few of our favorite frozen meals. Some work on their own and a few others just need a fresh appetizer or complementary ingredient to call it a complete meal.
Purple Carrot Sweet Corn Elote Bowl
Inspired by grilled Mexican street corn, this frozen elote bowl is a delightful mix of corn, chickpeas, red bell peppers, brown rice, and quinoa topped with a creamy lime sauce, pepitas, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
Evol Portabella and Goat Cheese Ravioli
These frozen raviolis are stuffed with portobello mushrooms and three cheeses (goat, ricotta, and Romano cheese) and then topped with a creamy basil sauce as well as red peppers, spinach, and cremini mushrooms.
Amy's Gluten-Free and Vegan Broccoli & Cheese Bake
This vegan mac-and-cheese gets a dose of beneficial fiber from broccoli, and with gluten-free breadcrumbs, it has a nice, crispy top when cooked in the oven.
Gardein Teriyaki Plant-Based Chick'n Strips
Fix these plant-based chicken strips with a side of asparagus, which you can bake at the same time or also steam in the microwave and add a squeeze of lemon or lime to compliment!
Healthy Choice Simply Organic Frozen Unwrapped Burrito Bowl
Make a burrito bowl at home with this easy meal starter you can prepare in the microwave for just a few minutes, then combine with some romaine lettuce and avocado slices!
P.F Changs Signature Frozen Chicken Dumplings
Frozen dumplings are great for making homemade soup in no time. Heat them up with frozen veggies (like carrots and spinach) in broth all at once, whether in the microwave or on the stove.
Sweet Earth Cauliflower Mac Bowl Frozen Dinner
Adding as many vegetables as possible to your favorite comfort foods is pretty much the secret to happiness and health. This cauliflower macaroni would get even better with a side of Brussels sprouts.
Good & Gather Signature Wood-Fired Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza
You just might think you ordered in with this wood-fired pizza and its prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, as Provolone toppings as well as white garlic sauce.
Alexia All Natural Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
Sometimes, the heart wants what the heart wants. If you're craving something salty, make sweet potato fries at home with a bowl of tomato soup for a meal adults and kids alike will love.
Beyond Burger Plant-Based Patties
Satisfy your summer grilling cravings with these plant-based patties and top them off with whatever fresh toppings you have in the fridge. Need ideas? Here you go!
Banza The Pizza Made From Chickpeas
Ideal for anyone minding their carbs, this four-cheese pizza with a chickpea crust is also gluten-free with no added sugar.
Sweet Earth Frozen Protein Lover's Breakfast Bowl
With 21 grams of protein from eggs, potatoes, and plant-based sausage, this frozen vegetarian meal will keep you satiated well into your day.
Feel Good Foods Gluten Free Vegan Frozen Vegetable Potstickers
These potstickers come equipped with a dipping sauce and quickly become crispy once you fry 'em up in a pan or wok.
Amy's Frozen Meals Vegan Pad Thai
This frozen meal tastes just like takeout, and has a good mix of veggies, tofu, and noodles.
Which frozen meals are your favorites? Follow us on Pinterest for more frozen meals + easy recipe ideas!
Image via Cristiano Pinto/Unsplash.
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
This post has been updated.
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Hero photo by Amina Filkins
I am the opposite of a casual Reputation fan. Four of my five most-listened-to songs on Spotify are from the 2017 album, I wore a Rep-inspired outfit to my Eras Tour show, and I am constantly analyzing (and talking about) its symbolism. I stand by the fact that this album, as misunderstood as it is, is actually the key to understanding Taylor Swift herself, which is why its rerelease is the one I've been most looking forward to. With TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Reddit, it feels like there's a new theory every day about when we'll get Reputation (Taylor's Version), but I'm pretty sure Taylor's been telling us the announcement date the whole time.
When is Taylor Swift releasing Reputation (Taylor's Version)?
Image via Source Pictures & Taylor Swift Productions
The cappuccino Easter egg from the "Karma" music video.
We don't have an official Reputation (Taylor's Version) release date yet, but all signs were originally pointing to an announcement on February 16, 2024. When the music video for "Karma" from Midnights came out, featuring a shot of Taylor holding a cappuccino, Swifties immediately picked up on the symbolism. The blue nail (which represents 1989 (Taylor's Version)) lines up with the 8 on the clock, and the black nail lines up with the 2 on the clock. Taylor ended up announcing 1989 TV on August 9 — and then announced The Tortured Poets Department(also known as TS11) onstage at the 2024 Grammys in February!
TaylorNation just teased the Reputation (Taylor's Version) release date by hopping on the latest internet trend, which uses the "You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me" lyric from "Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me?" Their Instagram carousel features images that have sent Swifties spiraling in the past, but there are two pics I'm paying special attention to: the "five holes in the fence" image from the Lover era, and a "Bejeweled" music video still of Taylor Swift pressing 3 in an elevator. May 3 (5/3) comes two weeks after the TTPD release, and since Taylor has been emphasizing her lead single "Fortnight" with the "For a Fortnight" challenge, it looks like it could line up perfectly.
There are plenty of other potential summer release dates too! Swifties know Taylor Swift lives and breathes the number 13, and that she's been making her recent rerecording announcements at her Eras Tour shows.
Well, this summer, Taylor is heading to Milan for a show on Saturday, July 13. X user @roranotaurora points out that the symbol for Milan is a snake (it's also a symbol for Rep!) AND that on July 13, 1977, there was a blackout across New York City. When Taylor announced the original Reputation in 2017, the "Don't Blame Me" singer blacked out all her social media. If she announced the album in July, there's a good chance we'd get it just in time for autumn, chilly weather, and Daylight Savings Time, all three of which go perfectly with the Reputation aesthetic.
There's another 13 we need to pay attention to as well: December 13, which is also Taylor Swift's birthday. The popstar had the date front and center in her Tortured Poets Department pop-up installation. Since the date falls on a Friday, it's the perfect day to drop some new music...
Are there any other clues that Reputation (Taylor's Version) will come out next?
Image via Amy Sussman
Taylor Swift attends the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton on January 07, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Recently, Taylor showed up to the 81st Golden Globe Awards in an all green ensemble, which is already so Reputation-coded to begin with. However, fans noticed one teeeeeeeny tiny detail about her look that really leans into all the theories that Rep (TV) is next. If you zoom in on her rings, one of them is a snake that's wrapped around her finger. 🐍
And after Taylor Swift released a video teasing her new album, Swifties are analyzing all the snakeskin patterns (on the curtains, the floor, and the green couch), as well as the dark visuals. While the video moves from the dark room to a bright one for TTPD, I'm convinced we'll be returning — or continuing down the hallway where you can see a dark picture frame waiting for us...
All the surprise songs at her Tokyo Eras Tour shows referenced falling apart, and a huge part of the Reputation era was related to a quote from Taylor that says "when she fell, she fell apart." Before playing "The Outside" as her piano surprise song on February 9, she made a joke that the song was 175 years old — which has Swifties thinking August 2 (175 days from February 9) could be the album's release date. Considering "The Outside" is off her first album, it's also possible we're getting Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) in August!
A recent Disney+ ad that paired the Eras Tour film and Disney Pixar's Cars went viral on Twitter because its tagline is "Getaway Car," one of the most beloved songs on Reputation (Taylor's Version)! No matter when the album drops, having Taylor Swift's final two re-recordings be her name and her reputation is literally so iconic and I can't wait to listen.
What Taylor Swift songs are on Reputation (Taylor's Version)?
Image via Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
We know that, based on previous re-recordings, Reputation (Taylor's Version) will have the original tracklist and an unknown number of vault tracks that Taylor wrote ahead of the Reputation era. PEOPLE also confirmed we'll be able to hear Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" in the new docuseries for the New England Patriots! You can also hear a snippet in the trailer for Ashley Benson's Wilderness ;). Here's what you can expect on Taylor Swift's Reputation (Taylor's Version). I'm really hoping the vault tracks include "I Don't Want To Live Forever"!
- "Ready For It? (Taylor's Version)"
- "End Game (Taylor's Version)"
- "I Did Something Bad (Taylor's Version)"
- "Don't Blame Me (Taylor's Version)"
- "Delicate (Taylor's Version)"
- "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)"
- "So It Goes... (Taylor's Version)"
- "Gorgeous (Taylor's Version)"
- "Getaway Car (Taylor's Version)"
- "King Of My Heart (Taylor's Version)"
- "Dancing With Our Hands Tied (Taylor's Version)"
- "Dress (Taylor's Version)"
- "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things (Taylor's Version)"
- "Call It What You Want (Taylor's Version)"
- "New Year's Day (Taylor's Version)"
What is Taylor Swift wearing to Grammys 2024?
Image via Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Taylor Swift showed up to the 2024 Grammys in a sculptural white gown from Schiaparelli Couture. I love how Taylor has hopped on the corset trend. This is my favorite neckline in recent years! Even though the dress is white instead of black or green — and ended up going along with the Tortured Poets Department (or TS 11) announcement — I think it's still a Reputation (Taylor's Version) Easter egg. White is, of course, the opposite of black, so I think it's a more unexpected reference to the album, with black accessories like gloves, shoes, and jewelry being a direct nod. Plus, the watch necklace pays homage to Midnights! At the 2022 VMAs, Taylor wore another Reputation-coded outfit before she announced Midnights, so I think it's definitely a pattern.
Is there gonna be a Reputation Taylor's Version?
Image Paul Kane/Getty Images
Taylor Swift performs at Optus Stadium on October 19, 2018 in Perth, Australia.
Yes, we're getting a Reputation (Taylor's Version)! Taylor Swift has been very vocal about the fact she's rerecording her first five albums. However, she's been less direct about the order or the release schedule, which is honestly more fun! The official Taylor Nation account added fuel to the fire when they posted a photo of Taylor rehearsing for The Eras Tour — because, like @nashs_mom on TikTok says, the pose doesn't match up with any of the songs. While all the photos they've previously posted match up with numbers like "Enchanted" or "Illicit Affairs," the new pose seems to match up with "I Did Something Bad" (which is both the last Reputation surprise song left AND the perfect song to announce the rerecording).
"Hear me out," another TikTok user commented. "['I Did Something Bad'] was not part of the set list in 2023 but what if the first night of the tour in 2024 she performs [it] and announces REP TV."
"I literally ratatatataed as soon as I saw it," another user says, referencing the iconic production at the beginning of the song. We have less than a month before the Eras Tour starts up again, so I'm excited to see when we'll finally get a Reputation (Taylor's Version) announcement!
What caused Taylor Swift to make Reputation?
Image via Def Jam/UMG
Cover art for Kanye West's The Life Of Pablo, which features "Famous."
The primary catalyst for Taylor Swift's Reputation era was a phone call with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. After Taylor said Kanye did not have her permission to say he "made that b-tch famous" in "Famous," a video leak from Kim seemed to show Taylor did actually give her permission (it was later revealed the video was edited, and Taylor gave her permission to be mentioned, NOT to be called a b-tch).
"#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty" began trending on Twitter, and everyone from the media to the general public began calling her a snake. So she disappeared from the public eye for over a year, and Reputation was born. The era was moody — and full of snake imagery. Taylor says in her TIME interview that the album came from "a goth-punk moment of female rage at being gaslit by an entire social structure," and told Rolling Stone in 2019 that Reputation was a "metaphor" and her "playing a character."
How old was Taylor when she wrote Reputation?
Image via Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TAS
Charli XCX, Camila Cabello and Taylor Swift perform onstage during opening night of Taylor Swift's 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour at University of Phoenix Stadium on May 8, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona.
Taylor began writing Reputation in 2016, when she was 27. However, the stories she's telling go back farther than that since "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" talks about a relationship from when she was 25.
Is Reputation a love album?
Image via Big Machine Records
Cover art for Taylor Swift's Reputation.
While Reputation is sassy, moody, and satirical, I stand by the idea that it's actually a love album at its core. While the general public talked most about "Ready for It?" and "Look What You Made Me Do," songs like "Delicate," "Call It What You Want," and "New Year's Day" are all about healing after the media turned against her. The message of the album is all about how she wants to spend the the ins and outs of life with people she loves, because they make the boring days beautiful, which is also the sentiment running throughout "Lover."
"I want your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day" and "We can leave the Christmas lights up 'til January" are the same!!
What are the Reputation Taylor's Version vault tracks?
Image via Warner Bros. Entertainment
A Horcrux from Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part I
While we don't have the tracklist for Reputation (Taylor's Version) yet, she did mention in her TIME interview that the vault tracks will be "fire."
"I’m collecting horcruxes,” she says of the rerecordings. “I’m collecting infinity stones. Gandalf’s voice is in my head every time I put out a new one. For me, it is a movie now.”
I'm going to be real honest, this is the line that sent me into a tailspin because the idea that Taylor loves stories like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and the MCU as much as I do is too much!! But it makes sense because after all, she IS a storyteller.
Do you think we'll get Reputation (Taylor's Version) in February 2024? Check out our Facebook for the latest Taylor Swift news and browse ourUltimate Taylor Swift Gift Guide!
Lead image via Big Machine Records
This post has been updated.