Saturday, June 20, 2020

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Today our family celebrates Dear Husband’s birthday. I also celebrate my love of Dear Husband, because on the eve of his birthday in 1983, our relationship moved from platonic to romantic. I’m without a doubt, I say, the best birthday gift he ever got.

The kids will be joining us on Zoom later for a virtual birthday party, but Husband and I kicked off the fun with a few brunch-time cocktails on our deck. We almost always go “out” for part of the birthday festivities, but this year we chose to avoid the weekend crowds at breweries and re-opened restaurants. (We are instead using Friday early afternoons to visit breweries with outdoor seating and physical distancing procedures.)

Dear Husband came up with the recipe for his version of a spicy hot Bloody Mary. I couldn’t resist the perfect strawberries I bought at the drive-through farmers’ market this morning, so I made my version of a strawberry martini. Both cocktails include freshly ground black pepper, which is a favorite of the Birthday Boy.

1. For the Bloody Merry, use a pint glass and a large ice cube. Add 2 ounces vodka, 1 ounce fruit-based liqueur (Husband used paw-paw flavor), a generous dash of Worcestershire sauce, 3 dashes of Tabasco, and a dab of wasabi sauce (he used a leftover packet from sushi take-out). Stir well, and fill the glass to the top with V8 juice. Top with black pepper. Garnish with celery stalk.
2. For the Peppered With Love cocktail, wash and hull fresh strawberries. Cut each berry into quarters until you get about 1/2 cup. Add 2 ounces vodka, 1/4 ounce lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (trust me on this–it brings out the bright strawberry flavor). Muddle in a glass until the berries are thoroughly mashed. Add a few ice cubes and stir. (Strain if you don’t like the pulp.) Top with black pepper. Garnish with a strawberry.