Tag: coffee (Page 1 of 2)

Death By Morning

June 24, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

If you don’t start anything, you’ll never have to finish it. That sounds a bit pithy and wise, does it not? I could probably drop a dash after that and make up a name and folks would think I was educated for quoting someone clever. Sadly, that’s not the case, they are just some words I wrote down while trying to figure out how to start writing. Some days it is harder than others. Like most of my life it is feast or famine. Either I have million things to say and I am having to edit ideas out to keep things on track or I live in an inspirational wasteland. It’s not quite that bad, but I do want things to be good and somedays, well, you can just tell that the good stuff is going to hang there like Aesop’s grapes, just out of reach. So, in the spirit of doing the work, even when you don’t feel like you have it in you, won’t you join me now as we stand and make Death By Morning.

White Knight

March 21, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Sometimes, you want something rich and creamy. A dessert drink, if you will or if you won’t, it makes no real difference to me. I am not a huge fan of this class of drinks, but I was intrigued by the smoky scotch component, so here we are. Won’t you please join me now, as we stand and make the White Knight.

Two Boil Flip

February 25, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

There is no real rhyme or reason when it comes to drink selection. I have a curated list of possibilities that I usually consult. Beyond that, it could be a song I heard, a random craving for aquavit, a request from the wife or the way a leaf catches the moonlight. So how did we get to today’s drink? Maybe I am on a weird ingredient kick. Maybe I was reading about regional cookies. Maybe this one was a request. This morning was so long ago that I can barely remember what inspired me to go down this rabbit hole. That is obviously a lie, but I needed a segue, so here we are. In the spirit of a mild prevarication in service to the narrative, won’t you join me now as we stand and make, the Two Boil Flip.

Coco Bitter

February 17, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

After a year of days running into each other, it seems like overkill to have this week of ice and snow. I already barely knew what month we were in and I awoke this morning to a grey, ashen sky over an endless sea of white to discover that it was Wednesday, and not just any Wednesday, but Ash Wednesday, which means I went right on through Mardi Gras without realizing it. To be fair, I should have known, mom had homemade King Cake at dinner Sunday, so I knew it was coming up, it just never really registered that it was upon us. I had planned to make a New Orleans classic, but that did not quite work out, so, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the Coco Bitter.

P.S. I Love You

February 14, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

It is Valentine’s Day, which seems like the perfect opportunity to make a nice sweet drink with some depth and complexity then follow it up with an even sweeter story of incredible depth and levels of complex beauty only dreamt of by mortal man. I could do that. Sondheim would have us believe the “opportunity is not a lengthy visitor” that can be missed before you even realize it has arrived. Of course, he would take at least an hour and a half before revealing that wisdom just after intermission. So, in the spirit of cutting to the chase and not beating around the bush, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the P.S. I Love You.

La Vida Nola

February 10, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

I am feeling a bit contrarian and stubborn this evening. I don’t know why, it just happens sometimes. They are calling for an ice storm later, but it’s been warm all day, so I want a treat. I figure I deserve it. I mean I got through the day. I didn’t have a treat yesterday or the day before. Honestly, I am not sure if I have been good enough to deserve a treat, but I am having one anyway. So in the spirt of delayed pleasure and finally getting something sweet, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make La Vida Nola.

DTC Coffee Tonic

February 6, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

“Sometimes, you just need a little pick me up, something quick, easy and tasty. Can’t you understand that?” he said, the exasperation clear in his voice. “Why has it always got to be a thing? It doesn’t have to be so complicated. Just make a drink, tell people how to do it. Throw in a little history,” at this his eyes met mine as he continued, “history about the drink. None of that other stuff. Just make drinks and stay in your lane.” I rankled at that last bit. Anyone can copy recipes from books or internet sites, but keen insights on the events of the day, hiding within cocktail posts? Thats kind of my thing. I tell stories, they aren’t always good ones, but I tell them, nonetheless. It was at that moment that I decided, fuck that guy, I am gone do it my way and let those chips fall where they may. Besides, with an attitude like that he’s hardly connoisseur, not worthy of what we have here. This is clearly the good stuff. So in the spirit of going your own way, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the DTC Coffee Tonic.

Coffee House

January 29, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Some days you just want something simple. No muss, no fuss, as they say. Asked what he wanted in life, a friend of my father’s once said, “What every man wants, a peaceful existence.” That sounds pretty good today. I checked the news and things seem nice and boring. Well not quite boring, there are some possibly earth-shattering things going on in the market as a bunch of folks use reddit to turn the tables on hedge fund managers, showing just how ridiculous it is that “short selling” is even legal while also exposing just how much more equal some animals are than others in the eye of US finance law. If there was ever a house of cards that could use a burning down, well they may have found it. Me, I’m feeling like a coffee, maybe some acoustic music from a band only the cool kids have heard of, enjoyed on an old overstuffed sofa, with good friends and maybe a little poetry. So, won’t you please join me for a quiet evening as we stand and make the Coffee House.

Devilish Coffee Milk Punch

December 6, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 2 Comments

We have been talking about travel quite a bit lately, I guess it is true that when you can’t do something, talking about it is the next best thing. Unless you’ve got facetime, of course. The topic came around to New Orleans which was basically just a list of places where we wanted to go have a drink or appetizer or dessert or even a meal. We are strong believers in the moveable feast. Some of my very best meals ever, took place over 3-4 hours in 4-5 restaurants or bars, with lots of time to stroll the streets and laugh in between courses. New Orleans certainly lends itself to this sort of meandering celebration of decadence, with lots of incredible options and character to spare. After spending a bit of time salivating over meals and cocktails past, my father began to pine for a Milk Punch he had enjoyed at Arnaud’s and then he sent me a recipe. So, won’t you please join me as we stand and make, a Devilish Coffee Milk Punch.

Mexican Breakfast Stout

November 29, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

We haven’t done a brunch drink in a while. To be fair, we haven’t done brunch in a while, but I felt like a bit of pre lunch day drinking, so here we are. I love the whole concept of brunch. You get to sleep in and then enjoy an extra decadent meal complete with drinks. Well, drinks from the approved list. You can’t have a martini or an old-fashioned without raising eyebrows, but a Mimosa or Gordon’s Breakfast Cup or Bellini or French 75? You can have five of those and no one will care. So, let’s add one to our approved brunch drink list as we stand and make the Mexican Breakfast Stout.