Author: Monkeybrad (Page 50 of 57)

Tequila Sunrise

May 6, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

So…you’re listening to The Eagles with your pals, one day…

I’m a fan of The Eagles, have been since the music was current, but I’ve never been crazy about Tequila Sunrise. I like it fine, it’ll do, but it is never something I’m gonna queue up first. I’m kind of the same way about the drink, they are nice on occasion, they are pretty, but a bit sweet for my taste and grenadine just makes me want a Shirley Temple. Which makes me think I need to work up an adult version of that famous kiddie cocktail. I remember ordering those with class and savoir faire as the most worldly 7 year old at the Red Lobster, but that’s another tale for another day. My wife, on the other hand, loves a fruity, sweet drink at the end of a long day, so Tequila Sunrise it is.

La Paloma

May 5, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

A big portion of my socially distanced existence revolves around selecting a cocktail to make and acquiring the tools and ingredients. Some days this is easy, I want a daquiri or Laura has a request or the day lends itself to an obvious choice like today. So, happy Cinco de Mayo while everyone is having margaritas tonight, in my naturally contrarian manner, I’ll be making La Paloma.

Bee’s Knees

May 4, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

This morning I saw a reference to the Norse goddess, Freyja. She’s an interesting character, most remembered as the goddess of love, lust and fertility, but I prefer her “darker side” as the goddess of magic who hand picks half of the fallen who enter Valhalla, plus she’s got a sweet cat-drawn chariot drawn. Yeah, a chariot pulled by a team of cats. So much awesome. Of course, the way my mind works instead of mixing up some Viking blood concoction, I’m suddenly presenting a virtual offering to our own Nashville goddess of magic, Freya West, the human embodiment of the Bee’s Knees.

Sazerac

May 3, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 3 Comments

My buddy Matt is celebrating one of those big milestone birthdays today. Out of respect for my elder, I won’t say which one, but I will say he is remarkably well-preserved for such an advanced age. The thing is, they had planned a big kickoff to the next decade with a trip to JazzFest to party in style. Like so many plans this year, JazzFest isn’t happening today and Matt and Julie are celebrating from home. So tonight we are gonna raise a traditional New Orleans cocktail to him and for all of our friends we wish we could be singing and dancing with in the Crescent City tonight. So crank up some Dr. John and enjoy the classic Sazerac.

Mint Julep

May 2, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

Shakespeare said that “there is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” This year, things are different, there’s no getting around it. The key is to just make the best of it and not spend so much time worrying about how things should be that you miss out on good they can be. So, on this horseless derby day, we’re gonna have a Mint Julep in the shade.

Olive Oil Vodka Martini

May 1, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

There are gonna be things in life that you just can’t understand. No matter how hard you try they just won’t make sense to you and it’ll be hard to see how other people can be so blasé about the whole thing. I’m that way about the vodka martini. I just don’t get it. Lots of people love this drink and I’ll give you that it’s pretty, but it’s also just so…basic. When faced with one of those inexplicable things you’ve got two options, you can just accept it or you can try to make things better. So that’s what we are doing tonight, we are going to improve the martini, through chemistry. I present, Popeye’s favorite, the Olive Oil Vodka Martini.

Iron Ranger

April 30, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

I read about drinks, a lot. I love looking at a recipe, imagining how it’s going to come together, trying to figure out how the ingredients are going to play together. Reading about drinks often leads to reading about bars, which leads to lists of places to go and trips centered around a single drink. Since we are safe at home for a bit, I decided to make a drink I’ve wanted to try for a while from a bar that’s definitely on my must do list. So let’s get into the tiki-esque Iron Ranger from San Diego’s amazing looking, Raised by Wolves.

Gin Gimlet

April 29, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 3 Comments

Douglas Adams called Sunday afternoon “the long dark teatime of the soul”. It is apt and he explains it perfectly, as he always did, which, in fairness, was his thing. I’ve always felt that Wednesday’s were the weekly equivalent, but I lack his inestimable skills when it comes to communicating through the written word so I’ll just phone it in and admit that Wednesday’s got me feeling a bit of the old Ludwig Von Ennui. So when you’re a bit tired and you just want something pure, turn to the simple pleasures and when it comes to cocktails it doesn’t get much more pure and simple than the Gin Gimlet.

Vesta

April 28, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

They say that the best cocktails are always made by someone else and it is true. Laura said that there was no doubt that this was the best cocktail she’s had during our exile and I can’t argue with her. This is the first whiskey cocktail that Laura ever truly enjoyed and is still a favorite of ours. So join us tonight for Corsair Artisan Distillery‘s signature Vesta.

El Floridita Daiquiri

April 27, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 3 Comments

There’s something about being stuck near home that makes you look back to sunnier times and adventures past. Today’s cocktail is inspired by a great adventure with friends a couple of years ago, walking in Papa Hemingway’s footsteps through the sunny streets of Havana to the air conditioned oasis of El Floridita for their signature Daquiri.