Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Well, yes, I could be talking about the weather. This afternoon is sunny, but the morning was cloudy, and this partly-sunny/partly-cloudy weather is typical of spring in Virginia.

But I also could be talking about my emotional state. I count my numerous blessings daily, but then I read a news report or check the posts on social media, and I become discouraged or angry or profoundly sad. My mood can shift as quickly as the spring weather, in other words.

I am enjoying writing these daily posts. And the positive feedback from my readers makes me smile.  Thank you.

This is a simple, 2 ingredient cocktail called “Sol y Sombra,”  which means “sun and shade” in Spanish. The name refers to a type of ticket one can buy at a bullfight. The cheap seats (like the bleachers at a baseball game, I suppose) are in full sun, and the pricier seats in the shade. Some seats, however, will allow you to experience both, depending on the time of day, just as this cocktail combines both a light-colored liqueur and a dark-colored brandy.

In a shaker full of ice, mix 1 1/2 ounces of brandy (I like Christian Brothers) with 1 1/2 ounces Anisette (I used anisette from Vitae Spirits in Charlottesville–buy local!). Shake well and strain into a brandy snifter.

Remember to drink responsibly.

Monday, April 27. 2020

If I were a very stable genius, perhaps I would say “Noble” instead of “Nobel” when referring to these prestigious awards. And perhaps I would understand the difference between a Nobel and a Pulitzer Prize. Am I being sarcastic? You decide.

The cocktail is actually called a “Nobel Breeze Drink” and I found it on a Swedish website.

Squeeze 1/4 of a lime into a lowball glass, then drop the lime into the glass.  Add 2 ounces dark rum. Fill up with about 2 ounces of cranberry juice and 2 ounces of fruit soda, such as lemon-lime (I used a black cherry). Stir and add ice cubes.

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Brad Pitt nailed his impersonation of Dr. Anthony Fauci on Saturday Night Live last night, don’t you think?

And for those of you who thought the name of the cocktail held another connotation?  Well, get your minds out of the gutter.  Ha, I am just giving you a hard time.

Seriously, I have always had a celebrity crush on Mr. Pitt, and after watching him express his heartfelt appreciation of Dr. Fauci, health care workers, and their families, I think my crush intensified.

When I googled “Brad Pitt cocktail,” the first hit was a recipe for an Alabama Slammer, a drink that Brad enjoys.   Here is my version.

In a shaker, mix 1/2 ounce plum brandy like Sljivovica (or 1 ounce of sloe gin or perhaps even apricot brandy), 1 ounce rye whisky (I like Knob Creek), 1 ounce amaretto, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, and 3 ounces orange juice (I used fresh squeezed).  Shake and pour into a tall glass with several ice cubes.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

It’s Saturday night! Woot! Time for virtual cocktail hour!

I am certain by now that most of you have tried Zoom, or Google Hangouts, or FaceTime, and so on, whether for business or for pleasure. So far, I have used these platforms for a birthday party, for Easter breakfast with the kids, for weekly catch-up sessions with my nieces, and for Saturday night cocktail hour with two other couples.

Husband grouses about social media and all, but he does look forward to Zoom cocktail hour.

Tonight I have made a batch of Blackberry Bourbon Smash.

In a shaker, combine 1/2 ounce lime juice, 6-7 mint leaves, and 3 fresh blackberries.  Muddle until pulverized.  Add 2 ounces bourbon, 3/4 ounce simple syrup, and a few ice cubes.  Shake, then pour into a rocks glass. (You may want to strain out the bigger pieces, such as the mint leaves.) Add one ounce club soda and additional ice, if you prefer.

A toast to family and friends, physically distanced but close to my heart!

Friday, April 24, 2020

Sometimes, I don’t have to work hard at all to come up with ideas for a cocktail.  Today was that day.  PLEASE don’t inject Lysol into your body.  PLEASE don’t drink Purell.

However, do get outside and do soak up the sunshine, which probably doesn’t kill the Corona virus, but does improve your health and your mood.  And then have a cocktail.

This cocktail is a version of a Sunshine Cocktail.  In a shaker full of ice, combine 2 ounces white rum, 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, 1 ounce pineapple juice, and 2-3 drops grenadine.  Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with pineapple.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

This cocktail is also known as a Rhett Butler.  Yes, I know that self-proclaimed “selfish and shrewd” Rhett was originally from Charleston, SC, but his resignation to the fact that the South was doomed came after the battle in Atlanta.  And all those tumultuous scenes with Scarlett took place in Georgia.

This coming weekend, the state of Georgia will allow hair and nail salons to welcome clients. On Monday, movie theaters and restaurants will unlock the doors.  One possible conclusion? Georgia’s government and business leaders don’t give a damn about the medical and scientific communities’ warnings of increased coronavirus infections.

And other states–such as South Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida–are “opening up” for business in the coming days.

I suspect Rhett would approve of the re-opening, and maybe even make some fast money because of it.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 2 ounces Southern Comfort, 1/2 ounce​ Cointreau, 1/2 ounce lime juice (fresh is best), and 1/2 ounce lemon juice (fresh is best).  Shake well and strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with a lemon peel.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Happy Earth Day 2020!  Today is the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, and yet, saving the Earth is still not a priority for many of our leaders.  Yes, I fully understand that we are busy fighting a pandemic now, but when this is over, can we shift our energy (pun intended) into fighting for clean air, land, and water? We are currently proving that we can adapt our everyday habits, so let’s keep the momentum going and evolve into a society focused on conservation and sustainability.

Today, my cocktail has just a tiny trace of alcohol and lots of flavor–it’s a kombucha brewed just a few miles west of here, on the edge of the Appalachians. Buy local!

If you don’t drink kombucha, does that mean you have no culture?  I really should share more of the bad puns just fermenting in my brain.

Be good to yourselves, and to the Earth, and let’s help each other stay healthy out here.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

I should probably drink before confronting a mirror. I miss my stylist, Lisa.  How long has it been now?  Six weeks? My hair is a rainbow of blonde, gray, and the drabbest brown.  And it’s going to get worse.  Husband keeps muttering things like “Vanity, thy name is woman,” but then I remind him that “Blondes have more fun!”  When quarantine is over, I will happily strike at the roots of my problem.

Variations of this shooter are the B52 and the Duck Fart.  Really.

In a shot glass, pour 1/3 ounce Kahlua.  Slowly add 1/3 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream by pouring it over a small spoon.  In the same way, slowly add 1/3 ounce apricot brandy.

Stir, or drink as is–your choice.

Monday, April 20, 2020

It is Monday, right?  I pulled our muddler out of a drawer in the bar, and I used some pent up energy to smash up those cucumber slices.

The only novel thing about today was a leaking washing machine.  This refreshing drink is going to help me take my mind off that mess.

But wait.. the Tabasco hits me at the end of my first sip.  Is it the capsaicin, the compound that makes hot peppers hot, making my brain release endorphins?  Maybe!  (And that’s as close as I get to being high on 4/20.)

In a cocktail shaker, muddle three slices of cucumber with 3 dashes of hot sauce (I prefer Tabasco).  Add 2 ounces of vodka, 1 ounce of lime juice, and 3/4 ounce real maple syrup.  Add ice, shake, and strain.  Pour into glass. Fill remainder of glass with club soda, and garnish with a cucumber slice. 

Sunday, April 19, 2020

American pop culture meets Russian literature meets quarantine is my theme for the day.

Has your family dug out the old jigsaw puzzles yet?  Oh, we have.  The one in the photo is from the stash left at home by Oldest Son. It’s a classic.

I researched Tolstoy a bit today, and learned that he viewed alcohol as a danger to the body and to society. In 1890 he even penned an essay entitled, “Why Do Men Stupefy Themselves?”  (He apparently was never quarantined for 38 days and counting.)

All things in moderation, I believe. Alcohol is not a panacea.  But I am finding joy in creating cocktails! For today’s drink, in Leo’s honor,  I have selected a Black Russian.