Uncertain Times Call For Certain Cocktails

Gah! Summer is flying by!!! It’s July 20th already and I can feel those carefree, lazy, poolside lounging days slipping from my grasp even as I type this post….

Then again, I’m kind of an alarmist these days – what with school starting a week EARLIER than scheduled (Aug 31) and still no word from our district as to just how the actual frig we’re going to play this COVID-19 game in a few short weeks. Will we be in school full time? Will we do a hybrid model? Will we be 100% distance learning? Spin the wheel and take a guess, because HELL IF I KNOW!

Normally by this time in the summer, I would have at least begun to do a few things to prep for the upcoming year. Name tags, copies for the first day, room fully organized, etc. I’m here to say I haven’t done jack squat, mainly because I have no idea what I’m even prepping for. The type of preparation I do will depend on whatever format we decide to embrace and –  guaranteed –  if I took a guess and went ahead and prepped for one format right now, we’d end up doing the opposite. So I just sit here, do absolutely NOTHING school related, and feel the anxiety and pressure mount by the nanosecond.

Guys, drinking isn’t even optional at this point. It’s 100% mandatory.

I feel comfortable enough to think that no one will judge me, based on the current state of affairs. If we thought shit was bad back in April, guess what? Nothing’s changed.  As a matter of fact, with everything opening up now that the green phase kicked in here in PA, numbers are spiking again and things will be just as dismal come the start of school, if not more so, than when we thought closing schools down in March was a good idea.

If I crawl in bed and close my eyes, can someone just let me know when this whole sordid mess is over? Or at least tell me when the murder hornets finally make an appearance?

As easy as it would be to do so, I can’t keep going down this rabbit hole of misery. Summer is a short lived, glorious season and I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I even planted a cocktail herb garden this year to help me enjoy summer libations poolside since the beach not happening this year (insert big old frown face here). My goal for the next few weeks is to focus less on the depressing state of the world, and focus more on how to improve my mental well being. I’m pretty sure alcohol will help.

It’s no surprise, with all this extra time on my hands, I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen trying new recipes and of course, mixing cocktails. And although I take serious pride in developing my own new drinks, sometimes whipping up old classics with a tiny twist are also my jam. With so many light, refreshing sips to choose from, I’m often hard pressed to pick a favorite, but gin and tonics are pretty high up there on the list. I recently saw post in one of my cocktail lovers Facebook groups about making a bunch of different syrups to add to cocktails.  I do this quite frequently, especially with herbs such as rosemary and thyme, but I remembered that this year, I planted some lavender in my herb garden and –  *blink*  – the lightbulb went off.

Lavender simple syrup is nothing new, but I’ve never gone there because, to be honest, I was a little afraid it might have an overly floral taste and I wouldn’t be a fan. Then I thought, well, what the hell do I have to lose except a cup of sugar and water and a few lavender flowers? So I gave it a whirl and decided to add it to my next G&T.

Can we just talk about gin and tonic for a second? It’s so simple but damn, if it’s not one of the better drink out there. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE an obscene amount of lime in mine normally. After some quick consideration, I didn’t think lavender and lime was going to be the winning ticket, but figured lemon could work nicely. Um, yeah – I wasn’t wrong. What came to be was a perfect lightly floral, citrusy, crisp cocktail that took my cares far, far away and reminded me that I need to calm my damn nerves (lavender is a calming herb, no?), enjoy the present, and make the most of this gorgeous (although hot as HADES) weather.

So I did. At least until my glass was empty. In short, it was a gin and tonic dressed up in light floral finery, ready to be your newest summer BFF. I seriously can’t wait to make another one.

So if you, like me, is feeling as if the world is teetering on the brink of no return, and you find yourself wondering who the hell bought all the damn Clorox wipes and Lysol in your community so you have none to clean your house (or classroom), take a moment to sit down, take a deep breath (if you can), and make a batch of Lavender Lemon Gin & Tonics. Because even though the future is vastly uncertain, what fabulous cocktail you enjoy next doesn’t have to be.

Recipe: Lavender Lemon Gin & Tonic

Fill an old fashioned glass with ice.

Pour:

1 1/2 – 2 shots Hendricks gin

1 shot lavender simple syrup

juice from 1/2 lemon

Top with your favorite tonic water

Stir with bar spoon and garnish with lime wheel pierced by a stem of lavender

For Lavender Simple Syrup:

Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar on stove until sugar dissolves.

Add 2 Tbsp lavender flowers – allow to steep for anywhere from 15 mins – 1 hour depending how strong you want the lavender flavor to be (taste periodically). I steeped mine for a full hour.

 

COVID Cocktails, Anyone?

It’s been no less than a gazillion years since my last post. I’ve been compelled to write many times since then, but lapsed because of either time constrictions or the other 10,000 life demands I’ve had going on. But considering we’re in the middle of a world-wide pandemic and quarantine right now, I’d be remiss to not write about what’s been going on… and how much I’ve been drinking my feelings in order to deal with it all.

Friday, March 13 was the last day that things truly felt “normal.” It was our last day of school before the initial 2-week planned closure due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. That weekend I celebrated St. Patty’s Day with friends, but even then there were conversations about social-distancing and what the next 2 weeks would be like – staying away from loved ones, wearing masks and gloves to the grocery store, and figuring out the best way to stay connected to my students until we were reunited at school once again.

No one could have predicted the rampant run on toilet paper, cleaning products, and canned goods that ensued. No one could have convinced me at the time that school was going to be shut down for the remainder of the year and I was going to have to somehow figure out a way how, over the course of 48 hours, to remotely teach 21 Kindergarten students, when I myself didn’t know how to use the technology I was asking them to use. No one could have guessed that our country was going to go into total shutdown, closing all businesses with the exception of those deemed “essential to sustain life”….Well, Italy could have guessed it. And they did try to tell us, but we’re Americans and we know best, right? Ugh…Don’t get me started.

So, needless to say, my stress level has been reaching some new heights over the past 6 1/2 weeks. I’m coping because honestly, I have NOTHING to complain about. I have a roof over my head, Josh and I still have our jobs, we have plenty of food to eat, and technology has allowed us to remain connected with friends and family (albeit in a new way, but it works for now). We are not suffering in ANY WAY, except for maybe the thicker than usual layer of dust that’s accumulated since the cleaning lady no longer comes – but again – FIRST WORLD WHITE PEOPLE PROBLEMS. I should just shut up right now.

The thing is, I am actually not ok. Mentally, this has been taking a toll, whether or not I want to admit it. When you’re an extreme extrovert, such as myself, social distancing isn’t a term that is welcomed into the vernacular willingly. It goes against everything I have ever done from early childhood through adulthood – that is, until 6 1/2 weeks ago, anyway. It kills me not to be able to be in the presence of friends and family and share a cocktail and just, well – hang out.  Sure,  there have been quite a few Zoom virtual happy hours, but they’re no substitute for real live human interaction. Thank god we’ve established a nice friendship with 2 of our neighbors and have had online game nights and socially distanced driveway cocktails and conversation, but it’s different. And it all just feels really, really strange.

So, with that said, we should probably discuss the alcohol component now, seeing as this is a cocktail blog…and assuredly, the cocktails have been a-flowin’ since this all started – first as kind of a novelty (Day drinking? Yes please! And who hasn’t made their own version of a Quarantini by now?), and then really it became more of a way of dealing with the stress of everything going on. Let’s face it,  there are days when I don’t even know what day it actually is. If that’s not a reason to drink, I don’t know what is.

The horror of it all is that all PA liquor stores closed for a few weeks sending everyone into a tizzy. However, they finally sorted that shit out and now are doing online and phone-in orders for those who have all day to do nothing but sit on their butts trying to get through. You literally have a to make a choice early in the morning…Am I going to get any work done today or am I going to park myself on the sofa, laptop and phone at the ready, so I can spend the next 8 hours trying to log into the Fine Wine and Spirits site and/or call the nearest store to see if I can get my allotted 6 bottles of whatever Nectar of the Gods I need? Thankfully, I started off with a well (and I mean, super healthy) stocked bar. I seriously need absolutely nothing and could probably make it through many more months without really feeling the pinch. BUT,  the mere thought of running out of certain “appurtenances” if you will, sends me in to a little bit of a panic. I try not to think about such things. It keeps me up at night. Just kidding…sort of.

The good news is,  I have been enjoying some creativity in my cocktail making, even during the week. It helps when you don’t have to set a 5:15 AM alarm every day. Or that every day feels like a weekend even when it isn’t. I mean, I AM still working. But even on work nights, 2 cosmos isn’t going to make me or break me since rolling out of bed at 8:30 is now perfectly acceptable. Not to slam Cosmos (I do love ’em), but bourbon’s been big on my quaran-radar and has lent itself to lots of concoctions over the past few weeks. I have made a few delectables that have gone into regular rotation and I have to tell you, in a time of uncertainty and worry,  the last thing I want to have to stress about is if my drink is going to be worth my time and tastebuds. The one I am sharing with you today has not, and will not, disappoint.

I’m calling this drink the Gates of Eden as a nod to the brand of bourbon I used. It’s made with Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon, which came to me by way of a bourbon-themed Christmas gift from the hubs (does he get me or what?). While I may not be a big fan of Dylan’s music, I can absolutely get behind his brand of booze 100%. Plus this stuff is 90 proof  – so yeah, I’m all about it. Being a Makers Mark gal, I felt a little like I was cheating on my beau with this drink.  But lately I’ve been branching out of my go-to brand comfort zone, and its yielded some rather fantastic results.  Mixed with my other new fave, Aperol, dry vermouth, and pineapple juice – the color of this drink is kind of peachy and dreamy, making it extra pretty to look at too. Bonus for those of you who are visual drinkers, like myself.

So if you’re feeling like this quarantine has got you down and day drinking has become the norm, or you’re just looking for a new drink to impress your friends with during your next Zoom happy hour, go ahead and ask yourself…WWJD? Guaranteed he’d point you in the direction of an old fashioned glass filled with lots of ice and a fantastic tasting Gates of Eden. Because even in these trying times, the “Big Guy Upstairs” knows what it takes to get us through this shit storm…and Heaven’s Door is a great place to start.

Recipe:

Gates of Eden

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add:

1 ½ oz Tennessee bourbon (I used Heavens Door)

1 oz dry vermouth

¾ oz Aperol

1 oz pineapple juice

juice from ½ lemon

½ oz rosemary simple syrup

Shake for 30 seconds until icy cold. Take off your N95 mask, sip slowly and enjoy – especially if your alcohol supply is running low.

Tidings and Cheer

GINgle all the way!

What is it they say about the best laid plans?

It seems my dreams of grandeur of mixing a new festive holiday cocktail each day of the week last week was the stuff fantasies are made of. I know it’s weird, but it kind of makes me sad, as this is such a great time of year to be inspired to make really fun drinky drinks – but alas,  the energy level simply could not match the enthusiasm this year, I’m afraid. Sure, I came home each day with a plethora of amazing ideas dancing around in my head like sugar plums, however as my to-do list for school kept growing exponentially, I simply didn’t have time to sit down, kick up my feet and relax with a glass of ANYTHING! And if that’s not the saddest Christmas story ever told, I’m not sure what is!

Oh well, no need to rehash the details on the hellishness that was last week. It’s Christmas Eve, for heaven’s sake! I’m up and at ’em, in full elf mode, trying to get everything ready for the big day tomorrow. Thankfully my husband and I decided no gifts this year, as our new in-ground pool is doing a pretty good job of breaking the bank on its own. My brother, sister and I agreed not to exchange as well – so the only two people I bought gifts for this year were my mom and niece. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. (Hey, I may be on Christmas break but I’m still a Kindergarten teacher, so the 5-year old vernacular sticks).

Other than the annoying as hell beltless robe fiasco that happened yesterday (curses to you, Marshalls), it’s been (dare I say it?) relatively easy to plan for Christmas Day. I’ll be preparing what few things I can in advance today. Then I’ll be tidying up the downstairs (no easy task with three dogs), plugging in the 8,000 christmas lights all over the house, wapping some last minute Secret Santa gifts, lighting some holiday scented candles (much to Josh’s chagrin), and finally parking myself in front of a toasty fire next to my guy. Drink in hand of course. That kind of goes without saying, no?

I’ve already got my Christmas tunes playing and am feeling the magic of the season. Since coming home from school on Friday evening, I’ve also been making up for lost time on the cocktail front, trying to make as many new creations as I can. I realize that I tend to play the vodka and bourbon cards pretty regularly, so two nights ago I decided to give my gin some fair play. I have a bottle of Tanqueray that was my dad’s that I only use on very special occasions. Since he passed away, I am reluctant to use it. I’ll never get rid of the bottle and I will only use its contents in a drink that I feel is dad-worthy.

This drink’s story begins with a dig through my fridge and the discovery of some blackberries “on the verge”. Blackberries and gin? Don’t ask me twice. From there it was easy. Most people know I’m addicted to Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur so that was a  no-brainer. Seriously – I’ll put that shit in anything. Well, almost anything. I have to draw the line at my cereal bowl. But you get the idea. It’s the bomb.

From there it was just a matter of adding a few more flavors that I loved and felt complimented each other. Raspberry liquor, cranberry, lime, rhubarb bitters and a little plain simple syrup. This would have been excellent with rosemary simple syrup too – I’m sure of it. It’s another obsession of mine and will be featured in my Christmas cocktail tomorrow (stay tuned). The end result was a tasty sip I’m calling Walking in a GINter Wonderland – and it was nothing short of A) absolutely gorgeous and B) tasty as all get out…in other words, I’d happily shell out $12 for one of these babies any given day of the week and not think twice.

I love Christmas Eve even more than actual Christmas Day. There’s something so peaceful and relaxing about it. All is calm, all is quiet. Perfect words for a perfect night. It’s only fitting that a perfect drink accompany it. And if ever a drink was Christmas Eve perfect – Walking in a GINter Wonderland fits the bill.

So if your gifts are all wrapped and bowed, the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and the cookies for Santa are placed carefully by the fireplace, may I suggest you relax and take some time to go Walking in a GINter Wonderland. You won’t regret it. And the best part is, you don’t even need to leave your house!

 

 

Recipe:

Walking in a GINter Wonderland

In cocktail shaker muddle 6 blackberries, juice and remaining pulp & rind of ½ lime, & 2 Tbsp simple syrup

Add ice and:

2 oz Tanqueray gin

1 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

½ oz raspberry liqueur

2 oz cranberry juice

Few dashes rhubarb bitters

Shake for 30 seconds until icy cold

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a martini glass

Garnish with 2 blackberries and a lime wheel on a pick

 

Happy Helli-Daze!

Better advice was never given…

Good Lord, would you look at the calendar????!!!!

Christmas is 10 days away – that’s right – TEN DAYS AWAY –  and honesty there’s not enough alcohol on the planet to get me to December 21st with any shred of sanity remaining. I’m staring down a shit storm of a school week, packed with a classroom of kids who are bouncing off the damn walls thinking about Santa and reindeer and toys and cookies, sugar plums and elves on shelves and Frosty and whatever other seasonally related thing you can think of  – and basically nothing I say or do at this point is worth a grain of salt (on the rim of my margarita). I’m no fool – I know what I need to do. Time to raise the white flag, pour myself a drink, and let nature run it’s course. What else can a frazzled, exhausted, in desperate need of a break teacher do?

Tis the season to be tipsy anyway, so who cares if I have 5 days of ear-splitting noise and chaos to contend with? I’ve got this, provided my martini glass stays refilled from now until Friday. I vow to make it happen. Who’s with me?

I’m officially declaring this week Helli-Daze Week, and each day, I plan on mixing up a new drink that’s festively fit for the season. With so much going on, I might have to resort to tweaking some old standbys that I love, but I’m determined to come up with a few originals that deserve a special place on Santa’s nice list.

As crazy as the Christmas season is,  I love it with every strand of tinsel in my soul. First of all, our house has never looked better. It’s twinkling in lights, with garlands a plenty. There’s wreaths and candles and Santas galore – not to mention 6 full sized Christmas trees spread throughout the house – bedroom included! I could park myself in front of the blazing fire for the next 5 days and be perfectly content not to move. Keep the Hallmark movies coming, hand me a snuggly warm blanket, stick the ottoman under my feet, and I’m a happy gal.

But along with all of the predictable holiday romance films, shimmering lights, ornamented trees and fires aglow, there HAS to be cocktails to accompany it all. I just so happened to have a bottle of holiday spiced wine I had opened last night and didn’t finish and wondered what I could add that would make this already winter-appropriate drink even more holiday friendly. Of course you can’t go wrong with flavors like vanilla, cranberry, orange, and star anise. Put them all together and you just earned yourself a respectable seat in Santa’s Mixology Workshop!

All of those glorious flavors ended up in my glass tonight, and it was nothing short of divine. I’m calling it the Sugar Plum Fairy as a nod to the quick split decision I made to throw  a dash of Plum bitters in the shaker at the very end. I absolutely love them and they smell so good. I’m going to go ahead and give myself a pat on the back for their addition. It adds just a little extra something…

The star anise was another fun addition to this drink, and landed a spicy note that complimented the already spiced wine. I didn’t care about the bits of the star anise that ended up floating in my glass after I shook it in the cocktail shaker, but straining before pouring in your glass is a quick fix if you like your drinks a bit more pristine.

So, in these next 10 days, if you find yourself pulling your hair out while making your list and checking it twice, remind yourself to slow down and savor the season. Take a deep breath, sip on a Sugar Plum Fairy, and settle yourself down for a long winters nap. You deserve it. Don’t you?

 

 

Recipe:

Sugar Plum Fairy

1 ½ oz Stoli Vanil

1 ½ oz. Spiced red wine

2 oz cranberry juice

1 Tbsp simple syrup

6 dashes of Plum Bitters

juice from ½ of a Clementine

Add 1 star anise

Shake for 30 seconds until icy cold

Pour into cocktail glass (Feel free to strain through a fine mesh sieve if you’re worried about bits of star anise ending up in your drink. I didn’t mind, but you might). 

Garnish with clementine wheel with star anise pushed into center.

Park yourself in front of a cozy fire and let those sugar plums dance in your head all night long.

 

Liquid Thanksgiving

True DAT!

Thanksgiving is a mere 5 days away and I have to tell you, it can not get here soon enough.

I love, love, LOVE the holidays and no matter how stressful they can become, I welcome the days off from work and enjoy time spent with friends and family. Normally we travel to Delaware to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, but my MIL’s back has been causing her some problems as of late, so she asked us if we’d mind hosting this year. We happily obliged.

Holidays are definitely my THANG! I love everything about them from decorating, planning the menu, gathering recipes, and making the grocery list. The one thing I don’t treasure, however, is going to the grocery store during this time of year because it’s like a damn insane asylum. Sorry, but I simply do not have the patience for people who are yapping on their cell phones, blocking the aisle with their gigantic carts, and hemming and hawing in front of the produce pricing scales like they’ve no place to be. In addition to my annoyance with everyone else at the store, I myself tend to be a very disorganized shopper, which perhaps, in it’s own way, is even more annoying. Even though I go totally equipped with a detailed list and good intentions, I still forget to pick up half my produce while in the produce section and end up walking around the store like a zombie, revisiting the same aisles or areas like 3 or 4 times before all is said and done. A trip to the store usually takes me no less than 2 hours – possibly longer during the madhouse holiday season –  and frankly, I don’t have that kind of time to waste. Unfortunately, I’ve been this way my entire life. Fortunately, I have an amazing husband who volunteered to shop when I decided to raise the white flag this year. Is it any wonder I love him as much as I do?

Although Thanksgiving is still 5 days away, I’ve been proactive about getting a jump on food prep and getting the house in order. We had an insane early season snow storm in the northeast on Thursday resulting in an 11:15 dismissal at school (every teacher’s dream day). School was cancelled on Friday which was a welcome and surprising gift from Mother Nature, seeing as she’s been kind of an asshole for most of the year. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. I now have 10 parent teacher conferences to reschedule but honestly, I’m not overly worried about it. It is what it is. They’ll all get done somehow. More importantly is the fact I was able to get some much needed baking/cooking done around here and am feeling somewhat prepared for the impending arrival of guests (my in-laws will be here tomorrow). Best of all, this snow and chilly weather has me feeling all kinds of holiday spirit! And you know what that means…..

Forget dreaming of a white Christmas… I’ve been dreaming about pumpkin inspired cocktails since October! It’s taken me up to now to finally come up with something but damn, was it worth the wait! The problem with most pumpkin martini recipes is they call for a creamy component of some kind. Usually milk or half and half. Heavy cream for the die hards who are looking for more of a drinkable dessert versus a sippable, more savory, libation. Every since my surgery, using cream in drinks has been kind of touch and go. My system doesn’t really agree with the richness and alcohol combo all of the time, which bums me out a little – because who doesn’t love a good White Russian on a cold and snowy night? So because I wanted a drink that didn’t “talk back to me” after it was consumed, I opted to steer clear of any ingredients that might revolt against me.

During the day on Friday, I had whipped up a pumpkin roll that I was freezing for Thanksgiving dessert. The recipe didn’t call for a whole can of pumpkin puree so I was already scheming in the early part of the day as to what I could use with the leftovers to make my drink later that evening.

I was a little concerned that the puree would be a bit gritty in the drink, or maybe not mix well or not have a strong enough pumpkin flavor – but thankfully that was not the case. My decision of whether to go with vodka or bourbon was definitely a cocktail conundrum, but I’m happy that I made the choice to stay clear. Of course, now I am determined to make a pumpkin drink with bourbon, but we’ll save that for another day. It’s no secret I’m determined to make better friends with my bottle of Fireball and so I invited it to come to this party as well. Other than a little triple sec, I didn’t think this drink required any more alcohol, as I wanted to make sure the pumpkin shined through. I liked the idea of a honey simple syrup for sweetness and the mix of apple and orange juices to compliment. And what’s a Thanksgiving-inspired drink without a little cranberry? It’s featured here in the form of bitters.

And so my penchant for pumpkin turned into A Penchant for Pumpkin Martini. One sip and I was ready to sing Over the River and Through The Woods at the top of my lungs. It’s truly Thanksgiving in a glass. Don’t believe me? Try one for yourself.

So if you’ve got some left over pumpkin puree from your Thanksgiving desserts hanging out in your fridge and hate the idea of tossing it in the trash – DON’T! Mix up a Penchant for Pumpkin Martini and let the Thanksgiving holiday start a tad early. A few of these and you won’t be able to blame the tryptophan for your after dinner nap.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe for:

A Penchant for Pumpkin

In a cocktail shaker add:

2 Tbsp Pumpkin puree

2 TBsp honey simple syrup

Mix well

Add ice and:

1 ½ oz vodka

¾ oz triple sec

½ oz Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey

1 oz apple juice

1 oz orange juice

3 dashes cranberry bitters

Shake vigorously for 30 seconds

Pour into a martini glass

Garnish with frozen cranberries and a star anise

Sip and enjoy. But put the carving knife down first. No one wants to tell a horror story at the next Thanksgiving gathering.

Sour Puss

Nobody likes a sour puss. 

I ended my week on a sour note. Both in mood and drink.

I love teaching with all my heart but when you are responsible for the care and education of 21 lively 5 and 6 year olds, there are some days when you simply feel overloaded, mentally and physically, and need a freaking break.  I reached that point late on Friday afternoon right before buses were being called, and my only salvation was the knowledge that I would have time to recharge my batteries and attitude the next two days…although I’m not sure if working on report cards this weekend is the best way to lift ones spirits. Deep breath…and pass the vodka, please.

There are some weeks that just feel like you are running at high speed 24/7. My marathon of exhaustion began last week with Halloween festivities at school . The Friday before actual Halloween is notoriously THE most exhausting day of the entire school year for teachers, and that includes the first day of school. Yeah – it’s THAT insane. The kids are absolutely BOUNCING off the damn walls, and that’s before getting hopped up on 18,000 pieces of candy. I played the Monster Mash in my classroom and you would have thought those kids were high on crack cocaine they way they started flying around the room. Look, I love that they are excited and “energized” but their reaction was more akin to a demon exorcism than child-like dancing. Sorry, but it’s true. WTF do they put in those Snickers Fun sized bars, anyway?

This past week continued to be hectic and emotionally tolling. I went to a good friend’s mom’s funeral on Monday and it really brought back a lot of sadness surrounding my own dad’s passing. I realized that I try to tuck those awful memories away in the back of my mind, but there was really no getting around it on Monday. My friend’s mom and my dad had very similar circumstances – late stage cancer diagnosis, the ups and the downs of hoping for a miracle, and then a very short (less than a month) period of time before they passed. It is shocking and heartbreaking and nothing can prepare you. It sort of set the tone for the week, if I’m being honest. I couldn’t shake the feeling of melancholy and I allowed it to affect my week. It doesn’t help that we’re winding down on the first marking period and report cards and conferences are right around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year…..NOT.

Along with all the school work I have to do, our house still looks like Halloween threw up all over it. Now that my favorite holiday is over, I’m over all these damn decorations spooking me out at every turn. I’m willing to admit that even I am getting tired of looking at the rubber cockroaches in the bathroom. And that creepy ass clown hanging out in our family room has overstayed his welcome for sure. Time to switch gears from ghouls to gourds. Thanksgiving’s time has come (and eventually that pumpkin martini I keep thinking about).

The problem is, I’m too busy to get it all done this weekend, so my ghastly friends will most likely have to hang out a little longer. Yesterday as I was packing up my wears to come home with me for the weekend, all I could think about the hours I would have spend working on grades and how unmotivated I was to do it. Even though I have next weekend to work on report cards as well, I’d rather get the bulk of it out of the way today and tomorrow. It’s self-inflicted torture but I’d rather endure one heavy hit of severe pain rather than stretching it out over two weekends. No matter how one chooses to approach report cards, one thing is consistently true. They SUCK. Doing them is enough to put anyone in a sour mood. Ask any teacher.

So, with everything unpleasant I seem to have lined up for the next week or two, it seemed only right to make a Friday night cocktail that matched my deep-rooted feelings about it all. A sour mood calls for a sour cocktail. And what’s more sour than lemon?

I have always adored the Lemon Drop martini. There is something refreshing yet biting about it, and when you add a sugar rim, it’s like a pre-treat for the lips even before that delicious elixir runs down your throat. I have saved many lemon drop recipes over the years but came across one on Pinterest the other day that caught my eye. It was called Oprah’s Perfect Lemon Drop Martini recipe. Oprah – as in Winfrey. I’m sorry but when Oprah talks, I’ll give a listen. She didn’t become a billionaire because she’s stupid. If she has a “perfect” recipe for a lemon drop cocktail, who am I not to give it try?

Turns out Oprah is a lush and likes her some strong ass drinks. But hey, I like that in a person. Her recipe calls for 3 oz of vodka. Yup – you had me at 3 oz, lady. Oprah is a purist, it seems, as vodka is the only booze called for in her drink. I’m not getting snarky over that at all, because let’s face it, 3 oz for one drink is plenty of booze to get you where you want to go. But I’ve seen this drink call for tripe sec as well. I didn’t want to go that route, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t leave well enough alone.  I decided to add one of my favorite liqueurs to the mix – Domaine de Canton (a French Ginger Liqueur) –  just to make it a bit more – I dunno – me? The end result was nothing short of divine – and just what this sour puss needed to cap off a sour-ass week. I’m calling it The “O”spired Lemon Drop, as a nod to Oprah’s recipe. After all, she’s the one who really deserves the credit here.

After two of these babies, my attitude went from pissed off and puckered to pleasingly pleasant and I knew the dark clouds hanging over me were finally drifting away. File this drink under “Mood Booster” for future reference. You’ll thank me later. Or maybe you’ll be thanking Oprah. Either way, you’re winning.

So if you’ve had a bitch of a week and need a drink to match your mood, pour yourself one or two “O”spired Lemon Drops and set your weekend on a course for a major ‘tude adjustment. You’ll be glad you did. And while you’re at it, maybe invite a few friends over so you can shout, “You get a drink! And you get a drink! And you get a drink! EVERYONE gets a drink!” You might not be a billionaire like Oprah, but that doesn’t mean you can’t act like one.

Recipe:

The “O”spired Lemon Drop

Rub edge of chilled martini glass with lemon wedge and then rim with sugar

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add:

3 oz vodka

2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

3 Tbsp Simple Syrup.

Shake well for 30 seconds until icy cold

Pour into prepared sugar-rimmed glass

Add lemon slice for garnish

Sit back, sip and feel your mood lift instantly. Discover a whole new attitude at the bottom of your empty glass!

 

 

Hello Mellow

Ok…so not entirely true. On either account. 

True confession time: I might be a tad bit obsessed with bourbon.

With Fall finally showing it’s true colors – literally – I’ve been mentally preparing for the transition from summer to autumn in all aspects of my life from activities, food, clothing, shoes (good bye flip fops – I’ll miss you the most), and of course, alcoholic beverages. In my last post, I was opening the door wide open, welcoming autumn with a bourbon and apple libation that is perfect to relax with after spending a day leaf pile jumping or apple picking. Bourbon is my fall and winter go-to. It wraps me up in warmth like a cozy blanket and really,  what’s better than that? Nothing, that’s what.

Autumn is, without a doubt, one of the most hectic times of the year. So much to do, so much to plan and rarely enough time to do it all. All I want to really do is simply sit back and enjoy the amazing season that it is, and yet there never seems to be time to do that. I hate that the season is so short. We seem to go from blistering hot days to frosty nights in the blink of an eye and those brisk, invigorating, chilly days of fall get lost in the up and down rollercoaster forecasts. I wish we had a stretch of two solid months to truly FEEL autumn, but it always seems disjointed to me. I have a million things to do at school and end up working late most nights to prepare activities for my students. Yes, I enjoy it, and it’s important for my kids to have awesome experiences at school that take extra time to prepare, but damn is it a time suck like no other.  This time of year is when I could really make a case for human cloning.

But every now and again, because it’s fall, and because I need a freaking break, I take time to just chill on a weeknight with a glass of something special to help me unwind and decompress. I’m battling a crud of a cold (definitely not allergies this time around) and I am exhausted to the core. I figured what harm can be done having a little bourbon to help me relax and sleep? In case you haven’t heard, bourbon is the new NyQuil.

I don’t often drink bourbon straight up or on the rocks (but sometimes I wonder why I don’t) and didn’t necessarily want to do a shot and then hit the hay. I started thinking about fall flavors and what works with the caramel notes of bourbon and was immediately inspired by a salad I recently made from the Barefoot Contessa. That woman is my absolute idol. Everything she makes is gold in my book. I figured if her ingredients could make sense in a salad,  they could make sense in my drink. You know, since the two are so closely related. A-hem.

Really the flavors taken from her salad that were driving my inspiration were maple and orange. The salad is a maple roasted carrot salad that had orange juice soaked dried cranberries in it. It’s quite simple, yet phenomenally delicious, with lots of textures and flavors to make your mouth happy as a grinning jack o’lantern. I’m not necessarily looking for texture in my cocktail, but some of those smoother ingredients were perfectly suited for a nice drink.

I began by looking up recipes for Old Fashioneds because I wanted bourbon to be the leading role in this particular drinkumentary, if you will. From there I made my own adjustments based on the flavors I wanted to co-star. Maple, orange, some bitters and how about some ginger thrown in for good measure? What developed was a hybrid between an Old Fashioned and something new fashioned, you could say. Perhaps it wasn’t exactly the cure for the common cold, but it certainly did help me mellow waaaay out and sleep like a baby.

I’m calling it You’re Not Old Fashioned because it really isn’t an Old Fashioned – even if it does have a few of the same ingredients. To me, it takes the best of a well-loved classic cocktail and adds some seasonal elements to make it just different enough. I will note that the longer the flavors had a chance to collaborate with the ice in my glass,  the better I liked it.  It was a mellower flavor and pleasantly sippable. Apparently what’s old is new again…

So if you’re feeling under the weather and are in search of a homeopathic remedy of the alcoholic variety, or you’re just in the mood for a couch-sitting, fireside appropriate cocktail, stir up a You’re Not Old Fashioned.  And get ready for a relaxing evening spent sitting on your butt, followed by a good night’s sleep.

You’re Not Old Fashioned

Recipe:

Drizzle bottom of glass with honey

Add:

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp water

2 dashes Angostura bitters

fresh squeezed orange juice (from 1/2 of an orange)

Stir ingredients in glass

Add 2 large king cubes or sphere ice cubes

Pour  ½ shots bourbon and 4 shot Cointreau over the ice.

Add ½ shot ginger beer (or hard cider if you prefer)

Stir

Garnish with orange slice and 2 maraschino cherries

Sit back, relax and savor the season…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Happy Fall Y’all!

Well folks, it’s officially Autumn on the calendar and you know what that means! Time to change up the old drinking palate and embrace the fall flavors we’ve all been missing since last November!

October is one of my favorite months of the year and as much as I mourn the death of my beloved summer, once school is underway, there is a part of me that longs for the call of those brisk, windy days and chilly nights that beg to be answered with warm cozy blankets and fireside beverages. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You can still be a die hard summer lover and admit your love of all things fall. It’s called seasonal bipartisanship. That’s a thing, right?

Not to sound like a broken record, but Mother Nature wouldn’t be herself if she just handed over the autumnal season nice and neat, without the rollercoaster of temperatures that have us guessing what the fuck season it actually is. We’ve been teeter-totter back and forth between shorts weather and hoodie weather with more unseasonable summer-esque days to come this week. But I’ve made an executive decision to ground my heels in and pack away my ideas for Coppertone-inspired cocktails and start playing with a more October-appropriate mix of the good stuff.

We only get two months to truly embrace all that fall has to offer before December gets all up in our faces and makes us switch gears once again. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holly-daze but I can only focus on one season at a time –  so let’s give fall the time and respect it deserves and make some damn good cocktails that the Great Pumpkin would be proud of, shall we?

Friday night is always a good night to get the cocktail juices flowing in my house. Last night my hubs was out of town and I came home from a rather long, tiring day to take care of my furry kids and become one with my couch. I’m battling either allergies, a cold, or the bubonic plague…no one really knows for sure. But bottom line is, I felt like a worn out dish rag and had little energy to do much beyond change into pajamas before 6:00 PM, feed the dogs, and press the buttons on the TV remote. Ok, and make a drink – but we all know that when you do what you love, it doesn’t really feel like work.

Yesterday was an almost perfect fall day. Temps allowed for a hoodie and jeans, but it was still sunny with a slight breeze. As the daylight hours dwindled, and a crispness entered the air (maybe I was imagining it but who cares), I started thinking about what I could make with the apple cider taking up valuable real estate in my fridge. I hadn’t been “feeling it” up until that moment – it’s been too warm outside to wrap my head around the cider game. But last night, I caved hard and opened my arms to it like an old friend. And what better liquor accompaniment to “cure” my allergies/cold/plague than bourbon? I’m pretty sure it’s the cure-all for most things that ail ya! Ok, so I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on TV, but I’m pretty sure I’m accurate on this one.

It’s no secret bourbon and apple cider go hand in hand. They are Autumn’s royal couple (in my not so humble opinion) and so my first two ingredients came together without much thought. The problem is, there’s 1000+ different cocktail recipes that call for those two ingredients, so adding my own spin to an already perfect pairing was a bit of a challenge. Instead of making a purely apple-centric drink, I wanted to embrace other fall-flavors to welcome the season as a whole. Pear, cinnamon, apple, honey, lemon, cloves…ok, now we’re talking.

What came out of my mixing session can only be described as fall in a glass. A little sweet, a little tart, a little aromatic. A lotta yum.

I’m calling this blissful beverage Autumnal Offerings. While the highlight is definitely apple, other fall flavors get in on the action too. With the exception of pumpkin (which I’ll feature in a future post), there’s a good representation of seasonal delights to get even the most hard-core summer aficionado excited about switching from slathering on the SPF and sticking their toes in the sand, to raking leaves and donning wool sweaters. I promise!

So, if your find yourself needing that extra jolt of inspiration to embrace the change from summer to fall, go grab a hoodie, throw some logs in the fire pit, and mix up a glass of Autumnal Offerings. Then sit back, relax, and let October do its thing.

Recipe for Autumnal Offerings:

In a shaker filled with ice add:

1 1/2 oz Makers Mark Bourbon

1 oz Elation Pear Liqueur

½ oz Fireball Cinnamon whiskey

½ oz Orange Juice

juice of ½ lemon

2 oz apple cider

squirt of honey (or honey simple syrup for better incorporation)

shake 30 seconds

Pour in rocks glass with crushed ice

Top with Izze sparkling apple juice beverage

Garnish with an apple slice decorated with 6 whole cloves and a cinnamon stick (your nose will thank you!)

Sip lazily by the fire pit and say hello to Fall!

 

Beach, Please!

I’m convinced there is no tired quite like the first week of school as a Kindergarten teacher tired. Yesterday ended the first week back after the most fun and relaxing summer I’ve had in a long, long time. And even though I’ve been logging classroom hours all throughout August to get my room ready for this year’s munchkins, as well as participating in 3 days of professional development, nothing can ever quite prepare me for the shock of back to school week.

As if the start of the school year alone isn’t rough enough, add to it Open House on the third night of school –  just to make life really interesting. Honestly, I think whomever scheduled that is secretly trying to kill the entire staff at our school. In a nut shell, it was an intense week of herding cats and juggling 5,000 things at once all while trying to calm down a handful of crying 5 year olds and deal with some oppositional defiance B.S. that makes me want to tear every last hair out of my head. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job but anyone who thinks teaching Kindergarten is “easy” should try saying that to my face and see where it gets them. It isn’t rocket science but it is by no stretch of the imagination, easy. Let’s just say, there’s a reason the majority of teachers drink.

And so begins a new school year and the unofficial end of summer, as well as the official end of carefree week days. It always breaks my heart to say good bye to August, knowing fall is not too far behind. I think what makes the passing of this summer so much more difficult to bear is knowing that my beach days are over for the year. We spent an amazing July in Bethany Beach, DE and enjoyed many sunny, hot, glorious days being the world biggest unabashed beach bums. Heavenly doesn’t even begin to describe it. We came home to a shitty, rainy, humid August and now that it’s September, we’re experiencing every type of weather from 90+ degree heat waves to flooding rains and temps in the 60’s. Why can’t we have a nice progression of seasons like the good old days? (Ah, but there’s no such thing as global warming, right??) No matter the weather, my mind hasn’t quite flipped the switch from summer mode yet and it was never more apparent than in last night’s end of the first week of school celebratory cocktail.

Despite my exhaustion, you don’t simply go home on a Friday night after the first week of school and NOT have a drink. It’s unheard of. I’m the dog parent in charge this weekend as my husband is in Delaware at my in-laws’ beach home tearing up the deck in preparation of building a new one. I knew that I had feeding duties to do but immediately following, I was going to make dinner of the liquid variety for myself. I REALLY wanted to go along with Josh to Bethany but the weather there was looking even worse than the forecast here – plus I have a million and one things to tackle at home. It did;t make sense for me to travel with him for one day, so while my heart was at the beach, my body was still stuck at home to decompress from the week and take care of my own 3 furry kids. Not the worst gig in the world but missing out on a beach trip even in the rain makes me kind of sad.

Which got me to thinking…when you long for the ocean waves, sun, and surf but are couch-bound in eastern PA, what do you do? You bring the beach to you, of course! Or, you bring it to your mouth anyway. So I did….I mean I REALLY did.

I’m still on the jalapeño kick and decided to add some tropical fusion to the party. Dark spiced rum, coconut rum, lime juice, honey, pineapple juice and cream of coconut. Talk about a tsunami of beach flavors in a glass. Damn!

I’m calling this island-inspired wonder Sand Between Your Toes because as soon as I tasted it, I was mentally transported to my beach chair….flip flops casually tossed to the side and toes dug deep in the warm sand. Aaaahhhh…If only…right?

It made me happy in a way that surprised me. Honestly, it was one of the more delicious things I’ve ever concocted and my taste buds did a complete happy dance the second it hit my lips. I half expected Ricardo Montalbano to show up, introduce himself as Mr. Roarke, and welcome me to Fantasy Island after the first sip. The taste was sweet with a bit of mild heat from the jalapeño, and it went down almost too quickly.  I debated making another because I wanted to keep living my tropical dream, but sheer exhaustion got the better of me and unfortunately, the heavy eyelids won out. But rest assured, this drink is getting filed in the FABULOUS folder and will need to be shared with friends, perhaps sooner rather than later.

So, if you’re as sad about letting go of summer as much as I am, and feel the need to visit the beach one last time before the leaves begin to fall, (even if it’s just on your taste buds) why not try a little Sand Between Your Toes? No SPF required!

Recipe for:

Sand Between Your Toes

In a cocktail shaker muddle ½ a jalapeno pepper, a healthy squirt of honey and juice of half lime

Add ice and:

2 oz Kracken Spiced Rum

1 ½ oz coconut rum

2 oz pineapple juice

2 Tbsp cream of coconut

Rim low-ball glass with sugar/salt mixture

Add two large ball ice cubes

Pour cocktail and listen to the kettle drums in your mind…

Garnish with a lime wedge.

 

 

Mama Said Knock You Out

So, there’s been a lot of drink mixing going on around here lately. I’m going to blame it on the fact that summer is coming to fast close and I’m not ready to say goodbye to my warm weather libations just yet. Over the past couple of weekends, I’ve hosted a few get togethers with friends I haven’t seen in ages  – not to mention get togethers I have with me, myself and I after a long day of classroom prepping (please don’t judge).  But no matter how big or small the gathering, I’m dedicated to making something special to sip when the working day is done.

Last weekend was no different. I had two old college friends coming for a visit and was determined to make a drink that fit the occasion. In other words, I wanted something that would get us to our “happy place” that would be delicious and go down easy. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I had perfected the jalapeño pineapple margarita while on my beach vacay, and figured that would be the perfect accompaniment to the shrimp tacos and corn salad I had planned for dinner. I was 1000% CERTAIN my friend Michael would love this libation as much as my friend Melissa had when I made them at the beach. I was not quite as confident my friend Lisa would like them so much, as she is not a big drinker… and we all know, tequila has serious game. But, being the self-proclaimed bartender of my own little domain, I was prepared with back up (Cosmos anyone? Who doesn’t love those?). Imagine my surprise when Michael rejected, but Lisa embraced, my spicy sipper? I guess some boys just can’t handle the heat. But BRAVO to Lisa for sticking with it, AND guzzling 3 (or was it 4???) of these throughout the night. Aribba Arriba indeed!

I suppose I could have just succumbed and made Michael a plain old margarita – sans the pineapple and jalapeño components –  and he’d have been perfectly fine with that. But I don’t like to do just “fine” when friends come to visit. I like to make something special – something different – something they couldn’t or wouldn’t otherwise make themselves at home. And so, as crushed as I was that Michael wasn’t as over the moon about the pineapple jalapeño margarita as everyone else had been, I didn’t let that deter me to make something he’d love.  I remembered I had purchased a bottle of Coldcock herbal whiskey a couple of weeks ago that was begging to be used, and got instantly inspired.

It’s still August so that means fall-themed drinks aren’t even on my radar. Hold your horses, apple cider . I’ll get to you soon enough –  but for now, I’m enjoying time spent with more light and fruity mixing options for my spirits.  Two of my favorite go-tos for summer bevies are lemonade and pineapple juice. They’re versatile enough to be mixed with any alcohol of your choosing and they have a happy, summary vibe that can’t be denied.  Coldcock is an herbal whiskey so it, too, begs to be included in the summer rotation as far as I’m concerned. (However, I can’t commit to say it won’t show up in the fall/winter cocktail rotation as well).

Herbal whiskey and lemonade and pineapple juice? Yes! How about adding some honey whiskey and some basil simple syrup (herbs, am I right?) for a tad bit of sweetness to balance out the tart acidity of those juices? Oh, hell yes. And hey,  I have a crap ton of mint growing outside in a big pot on my patio. Letting it go to waste would be a big time cocktail sin, so let’s just throw that in there too, shall we? Ok – now we’re talking.

This drink was damn amazing if I say so myself. It’s safe to say that Coldcock is my new favorite spirit to play with. Mixed with the honey whiskey, juices, mint and simple syrup, it gives this drink a one, two, punch of yummy but sneaky strength. We teased that Michael was about to get “Coldcocked” by this drink and after a couple of them, it was no longer a joke. In other words, sip carefully, my friends. This one, rightfully named The Uppercut Cocktail,  will sneak right up on you and hit you where it counts.

So, if you’re looking to throw an end of summer bash with some friends, or even throw yourself a little mouth party, may I suggest inviting a bottle of Coldcock to the occasion as well? While I don’t normally condone punching,  this is one heavy hitter I can get support. Just have an ice pack at the ready in case you over-indulge and hit the floor.

 

The Uppercut Cocktail (also known as “You Just Got Coldcocked”)

Muddle generous bunch of mint, juice of ½ lemon and 2 Tbsp basil simple syrup

Add: 1 ½ oz Coldcock herbal whiskey

1 oz American Honey Whiskey

2 oz pink lemonade

½ oz pineapple juice

Shake 30 seconds until icy cold

Add ice to fat & shorty-style glass & pour that drink!

Garnish with lemon wheel & spring of mint

Sip, enjoy, and protect your face!