Tuesday, March 31, 2020

March, as the saying goes, should come in like a lion and go out like a lamb.  Nope, not this March.  The month’s ending is more dismal and more disconcerting than its start.

This cocktail is also called a Red Lion.   Dip the rim of a goblet in lemon juice and then in colored sugar.   In a shaker full of ice, combine 1 ounce gin, 1 ounce orange liqueur, 1 ounce orange juice, and 1 ounce lemon juice.  Shake well and strain into the goblet.

I made the cocktail exactly as the recipe said, yet it was in need of some sweetness. Appropriate, I suppose.

Monday, March 30, 2020

The President has extended his lock-down recommendations, so here we go again for (at least) 30 more days.

Combine three tablespoons puréed golden kiwi, 2 ounces dark rum, 1 1/2 ounces mojito syrup (or mint flavored simple syrup), and 1/2 ounce lime juice.  Stir well, then pour into a shaker full of ice.  Shake well, then use a large-holed strainer to remove the ice cubes but not the kiwi bits.

This little wind-up kiwi bird toy was brought back from New Zealand by Youngest Son. The bird brings me joy, so I keep it in my daily line of sight.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

This Tiger King Cocktail is BLACK coffee, ORANGE liqueur, vodka, hazelNUT liqueur.   Get it?  Black and orange tigers and the NUTS that “care” for them…(Yeah, yeah, I know y’all are watching this on Netflix.  We have watched a few episodes, and I am still baffled as to why I am so fascinated by this series.  Would we be watching this if we weren’t stuck at home?)

This drink is also known as a Orange and Coffee Martini.  Combine, over ice, 2 ounces strong brewed cooled coffee, 1 ounce vodka, 1/2 ounce orange liqueur, and 1/2 ounce hazelnut liqueur. Shake, strain, pour.  Serve with an orange wheel.  It’s grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Polish vodka (of course!) and dill pickle juice. I suggest three parts vodka and one part pickle juice. I am a fan of dirty martinis, and this taste is similar–the tangy and salty juice is reminiscent of the liquid in a jar of olives.

I loved the color of this one, and I did enjoy the flavor since I was having the cocktail along my savory supper.  But if you are not a pickle fan, don’t bother.

“Na zdrowie!” seems so appropriate in this time of CoVid, since this Polish toast literally means, “To health!”

Friday, March 27, 2020

Yeah, I know it’s not exactly a cocktail, but red wine also calms my anxiety.

I couldn’t resist making a LAY OFF pun, since I keep hearing about furloughs and firings.

This French beaujolais was 4 years old, and perhaps would have tasted even better had we consumed it earlier.  However, the bottle was toward the back of the wine rack, and had been rather neglected and forgotten.  Could that be an analogy for other aspects of my quarantine life? Should I look for neglected and forgotten skills and dust them off and use them?  Stay tuned.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

The Moscow Mule standard recipe calls for 2 ounces of vodka, 4 ounces of ginger beer, and 1/2 ounce lime juice.  Combine, and add ice to fill the cup.  Garnish with a lime wheel. The copper Moscow Mule cups are ideal, since the metal helps retain the coolness.

This is Birthday Boy’s favorite cocktail. He is home with his parents for the quarantine, and we acknowledge that this is not how most 20-something-year-old American males want to spend a birthday.  Cocktails did help the situation, as did a Zoom birthday party with 8 out-of-town relatives.  We discovered that singing Happy Birthday simultaneously does not always sound too good, but the wishes were heartfelt and sincere.  I am fairly certain that this was the largest group of people to gather for his birthday since we threw him a party when he was 10 or so.  See?  There is a silver lining to the quarantine!

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

This cocktail is also known as the 50/50.  Combine, in a shaker full of ice,  one part gin and one part dry vermouth.  Strain, pour into a chilled glass, and garnish with a lemon peel.

According to an internet search, this is a favorite cocktail of the Prince of Wales.  We learned today that HRH Prince Charles has been diagnosed with the Corona virus, which goes to prove that the no one, not even blue-blooded royalty, is immune from infection.

Cheers to Charles, and get well soon.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Purée one ripe mango (peeled and cut into cubes) in a blender with 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 ounce lime juice,  1 1/2 ounces tequila, and 1/2 ounce triple sec.  Dip the edge of a margarita glass into lime juice, then dip into margarita salt(mine happened to be mandarin orange flavored).  Add ice cubes to glass, and pour drink into glass.  This makes a large cocktail, or perhaps 2 smaller ones.

The name of the drink should speak for itself, although perhaps the admonishment should be extended to WOMAN as well as MAN.  Go home and stay home!

Monday, March 23, 2020

Unsweetened iced tea, 1 ounce fruit-flavored liqueur, 1 tablespoon simple syrup, and lemon slices. Add lots of ice!  I used Paw Paw liqueur from Vitae Distillery in Charlottesville, Virginia, because I am once again promoting locally-made products.

This drink’s needed here in Virginia, since our governor has now closed all schools until June 10, which is a few days after summer break was originally supposed to start.  In other words, I will not be reporting to my job at the high school until the fall.

Cheers to the teachers out there, who now have to prepare virtual-learning plans.  Your summer break is still weeks away, isn’t it?  And although I often heard many of you complaining about the (pre-quarantine) job, I know you would still rather be in the classroom than stuck at home in front of a computer screen. I admire you all greatly.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

This batch was made by Husband, since the Manhattan is his signature drink. Blend two ounces Maker’s Mark bourbon, 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth, and a dash of angostura bitters. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with bourbon black cherries.

And yes, Manhattan and all of NYC are closed except for essential businesses.  Wow.  I cannot imagine that vibrant city being empty–but I can imagine how dire the situation can get if hospitals become even more strained.  Good luck, New York–you are strong enough to get through this!