I promised you more posts about the be-u-tee-ful glassware and crystal I’ve been scooping up at the Austin Thrift Town. There are more fabulous finds every time I’ve gone in there recently! It’s easier than you might think to find a set of matching glassware and indeed, I’ll be reporting on my recent pretty score in that category but for fun, charm your guests with a delicious summer treat in mismatched glassware.

Brandy Alexanders may be the most decadent summer adult beverage of all time – and they’re so easy to make it’s almost embarrassing. Here’s my closely guarded recipe…are you ready? You’re probably going to need a pencil. Take some ice cream…and some brandy…and mix them together. Seriously. The hardest part is waiting for the ice cream to soften enough.

What kind of ice cream…and what brand of brandy, you ask. Vanilla and the cheapest kind of both you can find. You’ll want maybe a cup or a bit less of brandy for a half-gallon of ice cream.

But look at these pretty glasses I found for my ice cream treats! Fun and funky stems and different bowl shapes made a great party look.

Dish up the ice cream, sprinkle with nutmeg, garnish, and take a bow! You’ve scored another crowd pleaser thanks to Thrift Town and my top secret Brandy Alexander recipe.

Stephanie F. is a dedicated thrifter whose mantra is, “Buy used – there’s just too much stuff in the world!” She became hooked when she found a pair of sock hop saddle shoes in junior high that she could actually afford with her allowance money (hey, it was a RETRO sock hop!). Today she lives and works in Texas’ capital city doing her part to “Keep Austin Weird.” She’s the author of an Austin blog – The Thrifty Snicker – which lets her prowl local thrift stores while telling herself that it’s not shopping; it’s research.