Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Here’s a sample of things we heard Dr. Fauci tell the US Senate today: reopening quickly is going to create a second wave of CoVid-19 infections; the death toll is “almost certainly” higher than officially reported; children are developing mysterious illnesses related to the virus; and there will likely not be enough “treatments” in place to safely open college campuses in the fall.  All this, plus the federal deficit is setting records, large American retailers are filing for bankruptcy, and unemployment figures grow higher daily. No wonder tempers are flaring in the White House.

And no wonder I seek comfort in the simple pleasures, like sipping a glass of wine on our sunny deck while I watch Husband grill today’s supper.

Today I opened a bottle of sauvignon blanc “Monticello” from Dave Matthews’ winery, Blenheim Vineyards, here in Charlottesville.  BUY LOCAL!

Several months back, I bought a jar of Cocktail Caviar (imported from Taiwan)–basically little gelatin balls filled with apple vodka.  I thought adding the “bubbles” to the wine not only looked pretty, but was also fun to drink.  Pop!

And I couldn’t help myself–Dave’s lyrics kept circling in my head. Was he talking about social distancing?

The Space Between
The tears we cry
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The Space Between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

Will I hold you again?

 

 

 

Monday, May 11, 2020

I try to limit my time on Twitter.  I try, but often I get sucked in and get progressively more annoyed with each latest “trending” hashtag.   Some of today’s trends included “TrumpGate,” “Obamagate,” and even “Watergate.”

Today I will calm my soul with the ButterGate, a drink I invented to use up my bottle of butterscotch schnapps. I thought “butter” was an apt modifier for our recent unfortunate “churn” of events, namely the “spread” of the coronavirus.  And Trump is still not wearing a mask–how “dairy!” My ranting is making this post longer than I planned–I was thinking about “shortening” it, but nah.

In a short glass, combine 1 ounce butterscotch schnapps, 1/2 ounce Frangelico, and 1 ounce unsweetened almond milk (or regular milk).  Add one scoop of coffee ice cream and drizzle with caramel syrup.  Enjoy this one with a spoon, since this is definitely a dessert.

 

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, and especially to my own 94 year old mom, who still tells me to drive carefully and to get plenty of rest. Hang in there, Mama, and maybe I will be able to get to Indiana this summer, if the nursing home lets me in to see you. Thank you for being my mother.

Only Youngest Son is home with me, for part of the day (Essential Employee that he is), so I have asked Beloved Husband to make today’s cocktail.  Of course, he is making my all-time favorite.  After 31-plus years of marriage, he knows what to do.

In a shaker full of ice, combine 2 ounces Polish vodka with 1 ounce dry vermouth. Add “enough” (about 3 teaspoons) juice from the olive jar, stir, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with at least 2 blue-cheese-stuffed olives.

 

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Little Richard died today at the age of 87. Not only did he show us how to scream (a skill I need lately to channel my frustration), but he was also a gay black man who took gospel and blues and made it into rock-n-roll.  And society didn’t seem to mind.  I have been sorrowful over the last several days as our nation hears about continued acts of racism and hatred that end tragically.  Good golly, Miss Molly–why can’t we all get along?

Today’s drink is my version of  the Tooty Fruity cocktail.

In a shaker with ice, combine 1 ounce vodka, 1 ounce triple sec, 1 ounce orange juice, 1 ounce pineapple juice, and 1/2 ounce grenadine.  Shake well, and strain into a tall glass with more ice. Garnish with fruit.

 

Friday, May 8, 2020

Today is the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week, so I had planned a lovely tribute to all our dedicated educators, now adapting to the “New Normal” of teaching remotely and online.   THANK YOU!  I was going to drink a glass of hard apple cider in your honor, since you deserve not one apple, but many!

However, this afternoon the doorbell rang unexpectedly, and when I opened the door, there stood my one and only most wonderful daughter, clutching a bouquet and delivering a box full of various bottles of cider from her employer, Blue Bee Cider in Richmond, Virginia.  We had agreed not to meet in person for several more weeks, but there she was–best quarantine day EVER (even though we maintained 6 feet between us and mostly stayed outdoors).

Apple cider is the most traditional American beverage, Daughter will argue, since our earliest settlers consumed cider on a daily basis. (Water was too dangerous to drink.)  Charlottesville’s own Thomas Jefferson grew Hewe’s Crab apples at Monticello since he heard great things about this fruit from George Washington. Curious now?  Stop by any cidery which uses heirloom apples to craft its cider, and have a taste.  (Or pick up a bottle from the curbside.  Buy local!)

I now have so much cider to enjoy.  Happy Mother’s Day to me!

 

Thursday, May 7, 2020

So Axl Rose and Steven Mnuchin are feuding on Twitter.  I have no words for all the weirdness that is 2020, so today I will borrow from Guns N’ Roses.

“Welcome to the jungle / It gets worse here everyday / You learn to live like an animal / In the jungle where we play”

“Cause all these dreams are swept aside / By bloody hands of the hypnotized / Who carry the cross of homicide / And history bears the scars of our civil wars”

“And when your fears subside / And shadows still remain / I know that you can love me / When there’s no one left to blame / So never mind the darkness / We still can find a way / ‘Cause nothin’ lasts forever / Even cold November rain”

“It’ll work itself out fine / All we need is just a little patience”

Today’s drink is my version of a cocktail recipe I found, appropriately called “Wicked Behavior.”

In a shaker with ice, combine 1 1/2 ounce bourbon, 3/4 ounce pineapple juice, 1/4 ounce creme de cassis (black currant liqueur), 1/4 ounce Aperol, 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice,  and 1/4 ounce honey.  Shake and strain into a coupe glass.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Today is National Nurses Day! We salute all nurses, especially those now on the front line of our ongoing pandemic. We are all so grateful for your courage and dedication! Mere words are not enough to express our admiration for you.

Today’s cocktail needed to include honey, since our “worker bee” nurses are full of precious sweetness.  I could even say that nurses are “the bee’s knees.” This is my version of the Bee’s Knees Cocktail.

In a shaker with ice, combine 1 1/2  ounces gin, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.  Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass.

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Grain of salt? Lately, we need a huge ol’ chunk of salt. Which mathematical model do we believe?  Whose story do we believe? Do we even bother watching the various press conferences?

Oh, and by the way, Happy Cinco de Mayo! Of course, I selected a margarita—with tons of salt on the rim–for today’s drink.

This is my version of a cucumber-cilantro margarita. In a shaker, muddle 4 slices of peeled cucumber, 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro leaves, 1 lime wedge, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add 2 ounces silver tequila, 2 ounces triple sec, and 1 ounce fresh lime juice.  Add ice and shake well. Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge (or dip into lime juice) and then dip rim into margarita salt or kosher salt. Strain the drink into the glass and garnish with a cucumber slice or a lime wedge.

 

Monday, May 4, 2020

Darth Vader:
Luke, help me take this mask off.

Luke:
But you’ll die.

My family members are dedicated fans of Star Wars, so I had to acknowledge May The Fourth/Force with two cocktails based on the franchise. The movie lines I’ve quoted could be applied to today’s pandemic, unfortunately.  Keep your masks on!  And don’t go to visit any “hot spots” like the Death Star!

The first drink is a salute to the blue milk that young Skywalker drank on Tatooine.  Combine 2 ounces pineapple juice, 3 ounces blue curacao, 6 ounces unsweetened almond milk, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.  Pour over ice.

The second drink is a version of the Death Star Cocktail.  Combine 1 ounce coffee liqueur with 1 ounce Fireball cinnamon whiskey.  Stir and pour into a glass with a big cube of ice, if possible.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Beats me when this quarantine will be over.

Beats me when we will stop wearing masks.

Beats me when we will stop hoarding meat and toilet paper.

But I do know for certain that I will never forget this unprecedented time of isolation and worry.  And I am fairly certain I will remember the goodness shown by so many people.

In honor of 3 May Constitution Day in Poland (and my heritage), I have made a cocktail celebrating a defining staple in Polish cuisine: the BEET!

This recipe is similar to a ginger beet martini.

In a blender, puree 2 cooked baby beets (canned is fine), 1/2 peeled Granny Smith apple, 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (or less if you don’t care for ginger), 1/4 ounce lemon juice, and 1/4 ounce simple syrup.  Transfer to a shaker and add 3 ounces of vodka and several ice cubes.  Shake and strain into glasses and garnish with lemon.  Note:  this recipe makes 2 cocktails, or one Polish-sized one.