Saturday, April 4, 2020

(Hoping the tickle is from the pollen…springtime in central Virginia is gloriously beautiful, yet the green powder on every surface does wreak havoc on our nasal cavities AND our throats.)

I wanted a pretty pretty cocktail to match the pinks and purples of the red bud trees, the azaleas, and the dogwoods.  So I put on my mask and drove to the ABC store—my first outing in 2 weeks–and found the Creme de Violette.  It takes so little, anymore, to make me happy.

Combine one-third ounce Creme de Violette, 1.5 ounces gin, and  1.5 ounces vodka.  Mix gently with 2 ice cubes and strain into a stemmed glass.  I garnished mine with actual violets from my yard (!!), but you may garnish with a twist of lemon zest and/or brandied cherries.

Friday, April 3, 2020

This is my spin on an Angel’s Face cocktail.

Pour over ice, 1 ounce Jim Beam Apple whisky (not one of our favorites, so I bought one of those tiny sample bottles at the ABC store), 1 ounce gin, and 1 ounce apricot brandy.  Stir and strain out the ice.  Garnish with an orange peel.

Shout out to my two angels, Stephenie Mack and Cheryl Petencin, for providing my family with patterns, sewing supplies, and even a couple masks!  I found some stray elastic, interfacing, and cloth squares in the craft box, so I put a few additional masks together for my family.  I guess it proves that if you keep something long enough, it will eventually come in handy.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Today’s drink is actually considered a shooter, and called a Black Bear Bite.

Combine 1/2 ounce vodka, 1/2 ounce Kahlua, and 5 drops of Tabasco sauce.  Pour into a shot glass and sprinkle with black pepper.  The “bite” comes at the very end!

After 3 weeks of non-stop togetherness, things were bound to get hairy.

Husband was a bear this afternoon and we exchanged harsh words.  I am happy to report that we kissed and made up, and Husband has permission to spend as much time as he wants in the man cave downstairs.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

A “mocktail” of ginger ale, a teaspoon of grenadine, and pomegranate seeds— no fooling! no alcohol!—because my liver needs a short break and craves the antioxidants.

And Ina Garten is my hero–her Instagram post demonstrating how to fashion a jumbo cosmopolitan made me laugh and admire her mad skills.

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!