Yep, he’s at it again! And nope, I didn’t taste this drink. But Mr. C. assures me it’s really, really tasty. And much easier to mix than some of his concoctions. But again, where’s the gin? I suppose I shouldn’t complain. If he liked gin as much as I do, I’d have to share my good gin with him. And what’s the advantage in that! So I guess I should be happy that he chooses other liquors and liqueurs with which to assuage his passion for new and different libations. (Keeps him busy too.)

So the other evening while he was mixing this drink, I still hadn’t finished my almost daily jazzercise workout. Usually I exercise while he’s not around, but it just worked out (get it) that we were in the same area of the house at the same time. So while I’m contorting my old body to one of my favorite CDs, we actually had a chance to listen to the music together. Which then led to a discussion about the lyrics to one of the songs – (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding by English songwriter and singer Nick Lowe, first released in 1974. (See lyrics below.)  

And it occurred to me while we were talking, that the words to this song truly reflect what makes me so uncomfortable with our present administration. And recently, “uncomfortable” with my fellow citizens who feel their “rights” are being violated because they are being forced to stay home for their own good, and the good of those around them. (“Uncomfortable” being the least offensive and politically correct term I could come up with. Not actually the word I would have preferred to use. But some amount of decorum must be displayed in the name of good taste. Blah blah blah!)

Anyway – the words of this song just speak to me. And they truly reflect what I am currently feeling. But there is a flip side to this story.

Some of us who have lived through good and bad times, are aware of the ups and downs that life brings. We acknowledge that what we are experiencing right now is awful. But we have learned that the human spirit is resilient. And I truly believe that we should reflect that in our daily lives, especially right now. So as much as I often feel anxious about what’s happening in our country and around the world, I refuse to become depressed. I need to honor my feelings, but not dwell on them. And I need to continue to express my concerns, but not become a prisoner to my worries. And above all I need to feel positive that things will take an upward turn and reflect that confidence to those around me. It starts with each of us. How we relate to each other. And how we support our leaders who represent the views we hold true.   

So in the spirit of this post, I want to thank all of you for reading my blog, for understanding and hopefully forgiving me for openly airing my feelings, and especially thank you for all you do to keep yourself and your family safe, healthy, and well fed. Peace, love, and understanding to all.

(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding?

And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony

‘Cause each time I feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry
What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love and understanding?

Revolver Cocktail

2 oz. bourbon (a rye-heavy bourbon such as Buffalo Trace is recommended)

½ oz. coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa)

2 dashes of orange bitters

wide strip of orange peel, garnish

Combine bourbon, coffee liqueur, and orange bitters in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist orange peel over the drink to express oil, add a couple of ice cubes, and drop peel into drink as a garnish.   

I know what you’re thinking if you are a subscriber to this site and follow along with me on a daily basis. You are probably thinking that Mr. C. has nothing better to do than put on his mixologist hat and play mad scientist with exciting new cocktail ingredients. And that I have nothing more exciting to do than don my apron and experiment with new dishes. And you would be right. This blog is basically the story of our life as we are confined to quarters.

Of course we do manage to get a few other daily activities performed in between my culinary endeavors and Mr. Cs late afternoon play time with exotic adult beverage concoctions. He practices the piano daily for long hours, works in the yard, weather permitting, goes for hikes, again weather permitting, does any shopping that needs to be done, takes care of our kitties every little need, and does most of the grunt work around the house. So he stays busy. Oh and he is a prolific reader.

I keep things tidy around the house, do all the cooking, spend at least 3 hours reading every day, work on my latest mosaic project, and of course research recipes, prepare them, and if they are worthy, publish them after first writing a humorous and always interesting preface. (No false modesty in this gal!) (But seriously, I do try to make my prefaces informative, while providing a bit of levity to hopefully give you a chuckle now and then.)

Now what does all of this rhetoric have to do with another cocktail recipe from Mr. C.? Well I thought I better explain that while we too are tired of being home every stinking minute of every stinking day, we are not bored. Or idle. And if working out the kinks of new cocktail recipes helps keep my dear husband occupied, the way playing with food helps me to better maneuver this difficult time, I say – keep the drinks coming and bon appétit!  

As always – peace, love, and happy “five o’clock” to all.

2 oz. rye whiskey (Mr. C. uses Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey)

½ tsp. simple sugar syrup

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 dash orange bitters

splash of club soda

1 maraschino cherry (Mr. C. uses Luxardo brand)

ice

lemon peel

Shake all in a cocktail shaker. Pour into an old fashioned glass. Enjoy!

This cocktail will appeal primarily to lovers of peaty/smoky whiskies.  A certain element of “mad scientist” is additionally required, given the unusual ingredients and multiple preparation steps. And as with many of the cocktails Mr. C. enjoys, this is yet another drink, via Rick & Katie (Andy’s sister), that will never pass my lips. In fact, I couldn’t even get it past my nose last evening when he presented me with the opportunity to “just taste it”! Right! Like that’s ever going to happen when the first whiff was so peaty I felt I had just been teleported to the Isle of Islay. (Peat is still sometimes used in the British Isles as a source of fuel because trees are not in abundance. With Scotch, the “peaty” flavor actually comes from the malting process, where the dried barley absorbs the smoke odor from the burning peat used in the drying. And OK, I’d normally be just fine being transported to the Inner Hebrides, but maybe not right now during the coronavirus crisis.) Anyway……

Andy likes this drink. And because I like him (a lot), and I have a passion to share recipes with you all, go ahead and prepare this drink if you too are crazy for strange and (according to Mr. C.) delicious mixed drinks. Just don’t expect me to lift a glass of this concoction to your health. For that privilege, I reserve the right to choose a much tastier libation – a very dry, Tanqueray martini, up with 1 olive. Cheers everyone!

¾ oz. blended Scotch whisky
¾ oz. mezcal
dash of lemon juice
dash of honey syrup (should be prepared in advance – see recipe below)

dash of orange bitters

dash of Xocolatl Mole bitter

ice cubes

splash of single malt Scotch whisky grapefruit peel or dash of grapefruit bitters

In a cocktail shaker, combine the blended Scotch, mezcal, lemon juice, honey syrup, orange bitters, and Xocolatl Mole bitters; add ice and shake well.  Decant into a Tom Collins glass with some of the ice. 

“Float” the single malt Scotch on top by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon into the glass.  Garnish with grapefruit peel (express peel over drink and rub rim of glass as well); alternatively, add a dash of grapefruit bitters after the float. Makes 1 cocktail.

Notes on specific ingredients:

The blended Scotch should have moderate peat.  “Islay Mist” or “The Famous Grouse Smoky Black” are recommended choices.

A smoky Mezcal should be used, such as Fidencio.

The single malt Scotch should have strong peat.  Laphroaig is the recommendation here.

Bittermens makes a Xocolatl Mole bitters, available on Amazon.

HONEY SYRUP

Combine 1 part honey and 1 part water.  Heat to a simmer while stirring; allow to cool.  Leftover syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

Frankly I wouldn’t drink either one of these alcoholic suckers if my livelihood depended on it! OK, maybe if I was desperate, but it would have to be truly dire straits for me to take even one more sip of either of these adult beverages. Of course I did take a small sip the first time Mr. C. assembled each of these. But that was enough to almost put me off alcohol forever. Almost. But like most of the alcoholic concoctions Mr. C. enjoys, I just don’t get the appeal. Where is the Tanqueray gin for Pete’s sake?

OK, I know I’m in the minority when it comes to mixed drinks. Some might even go as far as to call me boring. (I’m actually just fine with that moniker.) I simply like dry martinis and gin gimlets. A really great Margarita too. But that’s about it when it comes to mixed drinks.

But Mr. C., well that’s another story. He will try anything. But then he comes by it naturally. In fact both of these recipes came to us via Andy’s sister Katie and her husband Rick. They too are adventurous when it comes to spirits. In fact, even more so than Mr. C. They actually order fun drinks when they go out, and then get the recipes. And then of course pass them on to Mr. C.

So the upshot of all this rhetoric is that if you too have an adventurous spirit when it comes to adult beverages, give these two drinks a try. Mr. C. assures me that they are really tasty. Of course some might challenge his definition of good taste. He married me after all. Nuff said!

As always, peace, love, and cheers to everyone.   

ANCHO PROBLEM! – from theCopper Glance – a cozy bar & kitchen in Winthrop, WA

1¼ oz. tequila blanco (Andy uses Patrón silver)

1 oz. Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur (you want the red liqueur)

scant demerara simple syrup*

¾ oz. lime juice (fresh is best)

5 drops Moroccan bitters (Andy orders bitters on-line from The Bitter End)

6 drops saline** (Andy uses an eye dropper purchased at our local drug store)

ice cubes

Shake all together in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a martini or coupe glass with 2-3 ice cubes. Garnish with a twist of lime, if desired.

EL GRITO COCKTAIL –  from the A’Town Bistro in Anacortes, WA – a cozy spot for farm-to-table new American cuisine with an open kitchen and craft beers on tap  

1½ oz. Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur (you want the red liqueur)

1 oz. mescal (Andy prefers Fidencio Clásico Mezcal)

½ oz. cherry liqueur (Andy uses C&L Maraschino Liqueur)

¾ oz. lime juice (fresh is best)

¼ oz. agave or simple syrup* (Andy uses simple syrup)

ice cubes

Shake all together in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a martini or coupe glass with 2-3 ice cubes. Garnish with a twist of lime, if desired.

Note: Andy’s thoughts on what type of glass to use for mixed drinks:

Pale colored drinks (gin, vodka, clear tequila, etc.) look best in a martini or coupe glass. (And no, the glasses you see in the pictures above are neither a martini nor a coupe glass. The glass used for the photos was a legacy from his parents. He often uses this glass when he mixes a light colored drink for himself.)

Darker colored drinks (amber colored whiskeys, dark rum, etc.) look wonderful in an old-fashioned glass.

*To make simple sugar, place an equal amount of sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool and store in a covered jar. Simple syrup will keep, refrigerated, for about one month.  

**Stir salt and water together until the salt is dissolved. 4 parts water to 1 part salt.

So, what do you do when you have plum vodka, originally purchased for my recipe for Spicy Plum Crunch, and there it sits, almost untouched with all the other liqueurs looking lost and abandoned? Or so it must have appeared to Mr. C., because the next thing I knew he was offering me a sip of a new drink he had just fixed for himself. Well that was his only mistake. He should have mixed one for me too!

Now as you might rightly assume because I write a cooking blog, that I am not a picky eater when it comes to trying new ingredients. I’m almost willing to try any type of food. Almost. But I am a very picky drinker. I like very few mixed drinks. I drink Tanqueray martinis, Mr. Cs Tanqueray gin gimlets, Mr. Cs Margaritas, Mr. Cs Cosmopolitans, and….wait….that’s about it! Well until recently that is. I now add a Plum Vodka Cosmopolitan to my short list.  Full disclosure: I really like beer. So occasionally I enjoy a dark beer, but rarely more than once a year. (Not good for me.) And I try to stay away from wine as much as possible, but that’s not easy. (Again not good for me. Too much sugar for my aging system to handle.) So I pretty much stick to martinis because they seem to have no effect at all on my internal operating system. (Ain’t aging fun!?!?) Anyway, I’m not complaining because I really love me a good old martini.

But I have to tell you. This drink is worth going the extra mile (or how many ever miles it is from your home to the nearest repository of ingredients for adult beverages) just for the pleasure of letting a bit of this liquid trickle down the back of your throat. Delicious doesn’t even cover it. And talk about refreshing. The lime juice just makes the flavor zing.

So next time you want a new and exciting drink to delight your friends with, make them one of these babies. You will become their new national treasure. As will the drink.

Before I leave this preface, please know that all the drinks referenced above are on this site. Would I tell you about how much I enjoy them without providing you with the means to fix one for yourself? Of course not! Silly you! Enjoy

2 oz. plum vodka (we use Pearl Plum Vodka)

1 oz. orange flavored liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)

1 oz. cranberry juice cocktail

juice of ½ small fresh lime

small splash of Rose’s lime juice

ice cubes

lime wheel, garnish, opt.

Pour the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, and Rose’s lime juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and pour contents into a chilled Tom Collins glass. Add a few ice cubes. Garnish with a lime wheel if desired.

OK, this cocktail recipe looks to me, at least at first glance, like it has a bit of the “kitchen sink” thing going on. But according to Mr. C., it is an absolutely delicious adult beverage. A happy meeting of several different flavors which result in a very complex taste.

Now for me, taking even a sip of this drink would bring me nothing but unhappiness. I am a true wimp when it comes to most mixed drinks. I like gin, vodka, and on occasion tequila (as long as it comes in the form of a really good Margarita). Other than that, I’m pretty darn boring when it comes to alcoholic concoctions. Mr. C. on the other hand loves to play mixologist and sample, then perfect drinks that include unusual liquors, liqueurs, and additives.

So this recipe is direct from the resident drink mix master. Thanks honey. But no thanks to one of these instead of a martini!

And special thanks to Andy’s sister Katie and husband Rick for the gift bottle of Xocalatl. Looking for drinks that used this ingredient led to the discovery of this special cocktail. Chin-chin.

½ oz. rye whiskey

½ oz. bourbon

½ oz. calvados

½ oz. cognac

¼ oz. simple sugar syrup

2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters*

1 dash Xocolatl Mole bitters***

6 or so ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange and lemon peel twist.
  
*Per Wikipedia – “Peychaud’s Bitters is a bitters distributed by the American Sazerac Company. It was originally created around 1830 by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) who settled in New Orleans in 1795. It is a gentian** based bitters, comparable to Angostura bitters, but with a predominant anise aroma combined with a background of mint.  Peychaud’s Bitters is the definitive component of the Sazerac Cocktail.”

** Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family, the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostly large, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue.

***Combination of cacao, cinnamon, and spice.

Note about bitters:  

According to vinepair.com, “bitters are the slightly confusing name given to a class of liquor-based flavoring agents used for everything from stomachaches to cocktail recipes (confusing because they’re not necessarily bitter).”

Those of you who know me personally know that I like gin. OK, not just any gin. I like Tanqueray gin. And my adult beverage of choice is always a very dry martini, up, with one olive. (Unless of course I am with my dear friend Vicki who loves olives, then I try to remember to ask for 2 olives and she gets them both.) Greater love and all that……….. But I digress.

Anyway, as much as I love me a good old Tanqueray martini, I have recently expanded my horizon to include these delicious drinks made with, you guessed it, Tanqueray gin. And oh my, are they delicious! But then, I am a great lover of lime juice. So really, what’s not to like?  

So if you too love gin and want a refreshing change from a martini that would be especially good on a hot summer evening, request one of these drinks from your favorite mixologist. Speaking of which, Mr. C. is it 5:00 yet?

Gin Gimlet Cocktail:

2 oz. gin

1 oz. fresh lime juice

¼ oz. simple syrup*

ice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake vigorously until shaker is frosted over. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or save the ice and add a few cubes to keep the drink cold. (My preference.)

Gin Rickey Cocktail:

ice

1½ oz. gin

juice of ½ lime, or more to taste

club soda

lime slice

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in the gin and lime juice. Top off with club soda. Stir. Garnish with a slice of lime.

*Simple Syrup:

1 part water

1 part granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

So, in always trying to provide you with full self-disclosure, I wouldn’t drink one of these cocktails if I were dying of thirst. (OK, maybe if I truly needed liquid that badly, I would swallow it with my nose plugged. But other than that, never would I sink so low as to let this combination of liquids go down my throat.) But, and isn’t there always a but, Mr. C. might actually ask for one of these cocktails if his doctor ordered him to give up liquor starting tomorrow!  

Now please understand, it’s not the combination of ingredients in this drink that I abhor; it’s the whiskey, Fernet Branca, and the bitters. So why would I bother to provide you with this recipe when nothing about it, except the color and presentation, appeals to me in the least. Well, it’s because Mr. C. likes it and he feels certain other whiskey lovers will also find it delicious.

So that’s all I have to say on the subject. Try it if you must!  

2 oz. rye whiskey

¼ oz. Fernet Branca liqueur*

¼ oz. simple syrup

1 dash bitters (orange, Angostura, or bitters of choice)

1 thin strip of orange or tangerine peel

Fill a small shaker with ice. Add the whiskey, Fernet Branca, simple syrup, and bitters. Stir continuously for about a minute or until the mixture is well-chilled.

Strain into a cocktail glass (a coupe would be perfect), add a few ice cubes from the shaker, and drop in the strip of orange or tangerine peel as garnish.

*Fernet is an Italian type of amaro**, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but usually include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron, with a base of grape distilled spirits.

**Amaro is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly consumed as an after-dinner digestive. It usually has a bitter-sweet flavor, sometimes syrupy, and has an alcohol content between 16% and 40%.

OK, this is a hot buttered rum recipe for true believers! In this case, true believers are defined as people who like their hot buttered rum sweet, plenty hot, and tasting strongly of rum. No namby-pamby drink be this! It is truly a hot buttered rum drink for connoisseurs.

And when I say sweet, I mean sweet! This drink is a dessert in and of itself.

So if you enjoy hot after dinner drinks, or before skiing drinks, or any old time its cold and bleak outside drinks, give this quaff a try. Just don’t expect to drink it down in one gulp. It’s a leisurely sipping beverage.

For other hot adult beverage concoctions, see the following recipes made for enjoying on cold winter days: B-52 Coffee, Glögg, Irish Coffee, and Mexican Hot Cocoa.

Happy New Year to all. And stay warm. This recipe and the other recipes I referenced above should help.

Hot Buttered Rum Mix:

½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated is best)

tiny pinch allspice

1½ tsp. molasses

1 T. vanilla extract (yes, tablespoon)

1 pint vanilla bean or French vanilla ice cream, room temperature

Combine all ingredients. Store in refrigerator (if using within a week) or freezer, if using sporadically.

Hot Buttered Rum Drink:

1 c. boiling water

1/3 c. Hot Buttered Rum Mix, or more to taste

1 oz. rum (dark, light, or spiced), or more to taste

whipped cream, opt.

freshly grated nutmeg, opt.

cinnamon stick, for stirring, opt.

Pour boiling water into a large microwave safe cup or mug. Stir in the hot buttered rum mix. Taste and add more mix if required. Microwave until very hot. Add rum, taste again, and add more rum if necessary. Garnish with whipped cream and grated nutmeg. Serve with a cinnamon stick for stirring.

  

 

OK, everyone knows how to combine orange juice and sparkling wine together. But, does everyone know to top off the drink with a bit of orange flavored liqueur? I think not! Now you do. Happy New Year everyone.

1/3 c. chilled sparkling wine (think champagne or Prosecco)

1/3 c. chilled orange juice (no pulp)

2-3 tsp. orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, triple sec)

thin orange slice, garnish

Pour the sparkling wine (1^st) and orange juice (2^nd) into a champagne flute. (No need to stir.) Top with the orange liqueur. Garnish drink with an orange slice.