There are more than just bananas in there...
Remember Schoolhouse Rock? This drink is an absolute melting pot. A couple of things that pair naturally plus a couple that shouldn’t work at all but it comes together to make something unexpected and great; just like in Lady Liberty’s recipe. Won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Artichoke Hold.
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a monkey in possession of a fine teacup must be in want of a drink. Pretty sure Jane Austen said something like that in one of her early drafts. Mommy Dearest suggested I use one of these prewar beauties for another chapter in our saga of teacup cocktails and what could a loving son do but oblige her. So please, join me now as we stand and make the Earl Grey MarTeani.
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Some days things just come together and it all works out, through no fault of your own. The right ingredients, meet the right glass and with a little inspiration, magic happens. A lot of folks would say that the time you spent learning made it possible, but I know the truth, magic happens. Things work out in spite of anything you may have done. My dad would say “it’s better to be lucky than smart, cause you aren’t always gonna be smart enough, but you can be lucky enough.” He’s right, you just have to learn to not count on the luck, you can hope for it, but when it becomes a central part of your plans, you get to meet Lord Hubris and his partner Lady Karma. So, with a modicum of preparation and a great deal of luck, I ask you to join me now as we stand and make, the Cable Car.
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Managing expectations is hard. I don’t know how often I have gotten all excited for something and then been disappointed. How many times I have not even been able to remember why I wanted something in the first place, when I finally got it. You know how it is, you wait months and months for that movie to come out or for the next season of a show and when it arrives, it is definitely not all that. I kind of feel that way about todays drink. When I see it on a menu I often order it, only to be mildly disappointed and remember that it is always the same, but I persevere, thinking that some day I will finally find the perfect one, even if I have to make it myself. So, please, won’t you join me now as we make the classic Aviation.
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It’s not always that complicated. Occasionally, these drinks happen without a lot of thought going into them. Well, not a lot of thought on my part, anyway. Sometimes you stay out too late and just want to crank up some good tunes and make a drink for the pure pleasure of it. That’s what we have here tonight, just enough words to get us to the break and a heck of a drink to boot. So join me now as we stand and make the Rusty Switchblade.
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We are gonna change things up tonight. Don’t blame me, it’s just fate. When the world keeps throwing clues at you, what can you do? Well, you could take the hint, which I did. Won’t you join me now as we make Watermelon Beer.
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Maya Angelou spoke of “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” That’s a pretty good way to go through life. Well, maybe not the part about being unsurprised, that sounds a bit jaded, which I have been trying to avoid, but it happens. I am all for hoping for the best,but too much of a realist to not prepare for setbacks and disappointment. I figure we’ve had enough of those lately. So let’s look forward, toward better days to come. The pendulum swings from unity to division, hopefully it will swing back sooner rather than later and we can once again work toward a world where we focus on what we have in common and not our differences, which are mostly imagined anyway. So, let’s get together and feel alright, as we stand and make, One Love.
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This week I purchased something I generally advise other folks not to. I bought a flavored whiskey. I am not against the category, in general, but it is so easy to infuse your own, that I see little point in buying pre-flavored stuff. Same goes with rum, just make your own infusions using the real ingredients. If you want pineapple rum, soak some pineapple in rum for a day and strain. If you want Maple Bourbon, then pick your favorite bourbon and get some high quality maple syrup and go to town. I guess the point is, when you make your own you get to choose the ingredients and oversee the process and that generally works out better than grabbing something mass produced off the shelf. Unless there is marketing involved, then all bets are off. Which is why we gather here today. Won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Banana Flip.
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Lyle Lovett says “it ought to be easier,” he’s right, of course. That’s how it goes sometimes, easy tasks end up complicated and things you dread turn out all right. The thing is things are rarely as you expect them to be, so there’s no point in worrying about them. Trust me on this and please join me now as we stand and make the Bluebird.
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Three years ago today, we were chilling in Havana, celebrating my buddy Michael’s birthday. It was an amazing trip. Finally getting to visit that forbidden paradise, seeing the beautiful city, meeting new friends, cruising in classic convertibles and sampling all the rums, Hemingway style. As the hot August sun beat down on us, we made our way to La Bodeguita del Medio, where today’s drink was born. So, please join me now as we stand and make, the Mojito.
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