There are more than just bananas in there...
It’s all about experimentation. Trying new things, finding out what works and what doesn’t, making sure your results are reproducible. This week I saw the scientific method described as “fuck around and find out”. I can’t argue with that. So let’s get in the garden and contemplate artichokes as we fuck around with the Cynar Sour.
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I am always on the lookout for new things and one of the most enjoyable aspects of “Cocktails from Quarantine” has been the excuse, I mean opportunity, to try lots of different alcohols. This week I stumbled across a bottle I have been looking for and immediately snatched it up, with the intent of exploring it’s charms and then sharing them with you, gentle reader. So, remembering that education is never a waste, won’t you join me now as we stand and make The Queen’s Steeple.
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I bought some new tins and I am still trying to decide if I really like them or not, so I’ve got the feeling we are in for some shaken drinks over the next few days. Which is lucky, because I prefer to shaking to stirring or building or, heaven forbid, blending. There is just something about it. The sound of those tins crashing together as the ice sloshes back and forth mixing up the flavors and textures we all love. The feel of the ice forming on the outside. The heft of them in your hands and the new ones have definitely got heft. So in the spirit of getting to play with new toys, won’t you join me now as we make the bitter, but lovely, Sawyer.
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My bar gear has been terribly neglected of late. It was not intentional, but life conspired against me, or, perhaps, life colluded with fate to force my hand. Either way we went from our mostly distanced, socially and otherwise, lifestyle back into the world with a bang. Suddenly, we were traveling to see family, eating in restaurants, attending events and seeing long lost friends again. Honestly, it was a little overwhelming, at times, considering our last year and a half, but it was good. The downside, I have not been home, or at least home and inclined to make a drink in a bit. Seems like a small trade off for a bit of normalcy, but most everything has a price and my hands were ready for work. So, in the spirit of remembering the things that matter in life, won’t you join me on this first day of June as we stand and make the Rainbow Paradise.
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As Captain Augustus McRae once said, “What’s good for me might not be good for the weak minded.” I always liked that idea. I have enjoyed a great many distractions over the years that I would not recommend for the weaker of heart or constitution or for myself, really, in retrospect. That said, I am glad I’ve been afforded the opportunity to be pretty foolish over the years, without serious repercussions. One downside of good fortune is a healthy dose of belief in yourself, whether warranted or not. So, with a nod to both Dunning and Kruger, and in the spirit of taking a swing when you don’t even deserve to be in the game, won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Lively Gus.
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Obligation is a funny thing. It is simply defined as “a course of action a person is bound to do, arising out of a sense of duty or customs or law.” They go on and on describing edge cases, but it really does come down to “a responsibility that you assume” for whatever reason. I think that is the key part, the free will portion, which is funny because obligations are constraints, they limit freedom, by their nature. It is at precisely that moment when you make that choice to accept responsibility, a choice that will keep you from being able to make some other choices, that obligation begins. That has been on my mind a lot lately, those chains we bind ourselves with. Those ties to the place, family, groups, and the tasks that define us. Ultimately, these choices say a lot about who we are, who we can be and how we will get there, if we honor them. So, in the spirit of choices made, deadlines and commitments, won’t you join me now as we stand and make The Crushed Nun.
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It is the boys birthday and rather than spending a bunch of time writing something nice for y’all, I’m gonna phone this one in while they are gone to get pizza. So, without superfluous words or ado of any sort, won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Mundo Perdido.
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Some days, you just want easy. Usually those are days when things have not been easy, otherwise. This is one of those days. This is one of those drinks. So in the spirit of nearly minimum effort, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the Widow’s Kiss.
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Hunter S. Thompson famously said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” I get it. I am all about the weird in pretty much any variety. I like weird people, weird entertainment and weird flavors. I like doing things other folks think is weird, like being open and honest, but in a kind way. I try to be relatively open-minded and saying yes to life has afforded me the opportunity to experience all kinds of weirdness, I think this is a positive thing, or least it has been mostly positive. So, in the spirit of keeping an open mind and trying new things, even if they seem a bit weird, I finally broke down and bought a bottle of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey. How’d that turn out? Well, let’s go on a voyage of discovery as we stand and make the PB&J Sour.
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The poet once said, “Strawberries are great, oysters are amazing and they are both aphrodisiacs, but you’re probably not getting lucky if you mix them together.” I’d counter that if you could accomplish that task, you were relying on skill rather than luck anyway, but that is another story, entirely. The point is, not everything was made to go together. Sure, Reese’s got it right and made it look easy. The guy who invented the pickleback shot had a harder road, but still pulled it off. Today, we are going to experiment with a cocktail that combines two of my favorite drinks. Will we be successful? Well, let’s find out as we stand and make The Bitter Last Word.
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