Mulled Wine for the Holidays!

My phone has a great app called MDrinks that delivered to me this holiday morsel: Mulled Wine. I always wanted a good recipe for spiced wine and this one was simple, straight-forwards and easy to make. I will share it with you thus:

• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 12 cloves (whole, not ground!)
• 1 lemon peel
• 750ml of red wine (I used a pinot noir, 750ml is usually 1 bottle of wine)
• 1/4 cup of Brandy (I used Christian Brothers brandy, great and affordable if you're using it to cook. Hair of the dog if you're serving it straight up.)

1. Simmer the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and lemon in a BIG pot (stainless steel is best) for 10 minutes. Do NOT allow to boil.
2. After the 10 minutes, add the wine and bring up to a coffee temperature. Nice and hot! Once again, DO NOT BOIL.
3. Add the brandy, give it a brisk stirring and SERVE.

This drink is delicious! I wish I'd shared it sooner, because it's the holidays in a glass. The wine smells strongly of cloves due to their already pungent scent, but the flavor is sweet and savory, deep and full. It's fruity, with a smooth finish and just a few glasses will have you feeling in the holiday spirit (read: jolly.) My sisters don't really like it, one commenting that it made her feel like she was "In Lord of the Rings," which only furthered my pride in the drink. My family doesn't drink much, but those who did loved it. I served the same recipe to a holiday party my friend Marty threw and it was a big hit.

Easy to make, delicious to drink and REALLY wonderful smelling, if you ever considered a great party drink during these cold days CONSIDER THIS.

Word, and Happy Holidays!

-Joe

Bacardi Mojitos in bottles

Last night me and Big Jim sat down for some gaming.  We popped in Silent Hill: Homecoming and chilled for a while, before I suggested grabbing a beverage.  The mini-fridge in my basement is usually stocked with Vess soda, so Jim went to look.  He exclaimed loudly and I inquired what was amiss?  The fridge had in it Bacardi Silver Mojitos and cans of Budweiser Select from when we chilled together in August.  We rejoiced.

The Bacardi Silver Mojito is a stylish bottle with a twist off cap, filled with a cloudy liquid.  I have three varieties of it in my fridge but I'm only going to review one for now: the classic.

It's sweet.  Damn sweet.  Bacardi Silver is like Rum Lite, and this is Rum Lite with sugar on top.  It's got very little mint kick to it, and a lot of...sweet.  Ehhh...I'm afraid to have more than one, my stomach might turn.  But that doesn't change one fact:  It's damn good.  Refreshing to the utmost.  Chilly and fine.  I'd enjoy one of these over maybe a movie from pay-per-view, or Halo 3.  Tonight in fact I am enjoying one whilst playing Left 4 Dead (And taking a break to blog about booze).

Why not, I'll try to Mango flavor as well (They also have a Pomergranate flavor...chic).

Mango is...not as good.  Smells mango-y, and the first sip is rewarding but it has a funky aftertaste, and just reverts to the classic flavor a little too quickly for me.  Best bet is stick with the classic mojito flavor we know and love...or get the fixins and make yourself a caipairinhas.

Bottom Line:  One's company, Two's a bad decision.  Enjoy one during a hot summer day, chilled well.  They're pretty good.  Stick to beer if you want to chug something though.  Chug a few of these and you'll let loose that ole' Technicolor yawn.

PS: The beer was skank as hell for some reason...ich.  I need a Berryweiss.

Caipirinhas and bad bartenders.

My family and I went to TGI Fridays to celebrate my coming home for the holidays.  Their menu reads like an encyclopedia, and after Volume 1 I was already done/bored.  The drink menu read like this: Take the name of a basic drink (Long Island Iced Tea, Mudslide, Mojito...etc) and add ULTIMATE to it.  I was unimpressed in the long run.  But something did stand out: Caipirinhas.  

I had never had one.  I'd heard of them to be sure, but I was intruged.  After wading through the various ways Friday's offers to muss it up, I came across the Caipirinhas Tradicional, which I quickly ordered.

Caipirinhas

• 1.75 oz of Cachaca
• 1/2 a fresh lime cut into 4 wedges
• 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar

1. Cut the lime into 4 wedges and place at the bottom of a rocks glass.
2. Add the two teaspoons of sugar, and muddle heartily!
3. Add ice.
4. Add the Cachaca, and shake.
5. Serve!

It was refreshing and fine, super sweet.  The lime flavor was almost sweet too, serving to balance out the flavors (I would have preferred even a little more lime maybe).  It was fantastic.  My mother, who doesn't like hard alcohol, enjoyed it immensely.  I compared it to a mojito, for it's balance of a biting flavor (mojito's mint to the Caipirinhas' lime) with a lot of sugar.  It's also easy as pie to make, and muddling always looks impressive.  I enjoyed the Caipirinha very much.

Later that night, my dogg Stu and I went to a bar in South City St. Louis...that I forget the name of.  Probably a good thing.

It was a good scene.  Smoking inside (WOOT), vintage pinball machines, some kickin live music.  But the bar...damn.  Here's where the night got really iffy.

First off, I tried Bell's Cherry Stout.  I found it quite disgusting.  It tasted like Robitussin cough syrup, so I powered through my glass like a madman insane.  Stu loved it, I couldn't handle it.  It was bitter, and the cherry flavor was so strong and foul I made faces all through it.  Geh.  

Second drink was called a Tennesee Walking, and it was a house cocktail.  Jim Beam Black, Lime Juice, Orange Juice and simple syrup.  Well it started good and well but as I watched the bartender prepare the drink, he left out the lime juice.  Served it anyways!  Why not!  There was so much OJ I may as well not have been drinking anything at all.

Bottom line: I need to drink better while I'm in town.  Let's get to making that happen.

Gin Gimlet, part 2

She's danger in heels.

The red dress makes her stand out like a strawberry in the sand, flowing and matting against her legs thanks to the ceiling fan's breeze. Her gloved hands are carrying that damned purse (I bought her that goddamn purse), slung over her left shoulder and close to her ample breasts. I've never really been a materialistic man but this girl has the most perfect pair of breasts I have ever laid eyes on. The dress didn't hide them well enough, despite it's "native" look. Her head was wrapped in the same red cloth and her sunglasses were large and gaudy. Her dark hair makes it seem almost like she fits in among the people behind her on the street. A single strand of it falls across her face and she brushes it away, an automatic action. One look at her walking in and I disapproved instantly. She walks with an air of authority. In this circumstance, and with me holding all the cards, it wasn't her place to do so at all. It made me want to smile. I sipped my drink to hide it.

She walks straight up to me, as if to plant a kiss. I see it in her stride. Same stride for two years. I raise my glass again and block my face with the gin, speaking through it.

"A little forward, don't you think?" I sip the gin, feeling it work it's way into my senses. I set the glass down and wait for it.

"Always cool, aren't we Sal?" It's amusing to me, that when an organization of criminals discovers my real name, it's not my real name at all. I still wait for it.

"It took Henry a little while to find you, you know. We didn't expect the gamble in Berlin honestly. Thankfully I was there to stir through your dramatics, love."

I hate when she calls me love. She has this perfectly applied Russian accent, a fake one might I add, that she knows drives me crazy. She does it a lot. She has a habit of using her tongue too much on the L in the word "love", and it throws me back to a lot more private a time, with a lot less clothing on. I mentally kick myself for losing focus.

"Anyways, enough of the old times. Henry sent me, honestly, to cut you a deal."

Read: Henry sent me to seduce you into bed, so he can deal you a knife to the throat.

She opens her purse and takes out a large roll of money. My eyebrows perk just slightly. She smiles, and next to it holds up a human finger. My eyebrows draw tighter. It's a girl's finger. It's her finger. She takes off the glove of her right hand to show me. Her fifth finger is missing, bandaged crudely. Her laughing eyes take on a sudden and terrifyingly pitiable look to them. She is about to cry.

"Turn over the plans, or Henry will kill me."

My eyes dart briefly to the window. In the corner of the window is the tip of a rifle, just a few centimeters, pointed directly at her. She's starting to lose her composure. Poor thing, it must have taken her every last drop of sanity to get through that speech without breaking the spell. Now she's got nothing left. I drink the last drop of the gimlet, my mind loose enough and just dull enough to allow me to do what happens next. I smile and nod, reaching into my coat for the carefully folded plans, but I come out with my gun. Clicking back the hammer, the gun rises swiftly and stops perfectly. She stares down the barrel, the tears starting. She looks up at me, into my cold eyes. I wink at her once, and her eyes intensify into something I can get behind. Hope.

"Brace yourself, and I apologize in advance for this."
I coil my legs and spring forwards, wrapping my arms around her tightly. She's tensed her muscles for the impact, good girl. The bullet from the assailant flies through my shoulder, leaving a bloody streak and stinging like ten thousand bastards. I whip my gun sideways and squeeze off a round. The gun vanishes back through the window and I hear screams outside. I fall to the floor. She crawls over to me, the waterworks all the way on now, and grabs my coat.

"You idiot! You damn idiot do you think running will do us any good?!" she bawls.

"Nobody said I was running, babe. Now shut up and get down, I've got work to do!"

the Black Velvet, and the best bartender ever

So over the last week I was at GenCon in Indianapolis, IN indulging my inner and outer nerd. It was a brilliantly fun week, with a lot of imbibing on my part, and a chance to try a few new things in the world of drinks. The Black Velvet was by far my favorite foray into this realm.

Black Velvet

• Half stout (usually Guinness)
• Half sparkling white whine (usually champagne)

1. Fill a champagne flute halfway with stout.
2. Carefully float the champagne on top of it till filled.

The drink is exquisite. I am trying to move down a line of beer cocktails because they fascinate me, and this was my first. It was poured expertly, and tasted amazing. The flavor of the champagne slightly overshadows that of the stout, but that's okay in this case. The stout was there, after swirling it around on my palate a little. It provided an earthy base to an otherwise unearthly drink. The champagne bubbles pulled both flavors up through the flute and they danced with perfect precision.

I suggest the drink. Give it a taste. See if it's your thing. I seem to be heading down the line of a champagne fan, I know, but I like it and it's my blog so nyah. Between the Kir Royale and this, that's two great champagne cocktails I think everyone should try. Who knows? You may find you even like a little stout!

Now, the man who poured me this drink was a god amongst men. He is without a doubt the best bartender I have ever had the privilege of enjoying. We were eating post-con dinner at McCormick and Schmick's in Indianapolis, and I ordered my usual cocktail, the gin gimlet, to open. What amazed me was what happened next. He first asked what kind of gin I would prefer. All good bars ask, and I'm proud to say Tanqueray. I appreciate it's bite, above Beefeater's smooth finish and Bombay Sapphire's...meh. I just like Tanqueray. So Tanqueray it is. He begins by...and this messed me up: freshly squeezing two limes for the juice. It was orgasmic. Precision, excellence. There wasn't a bottle of Rose's Concentrated Lime juice in sight, just a basket of lemons and limes. The juice was added to the Boston shaker and with the gin, shaken and strained into a chilled martini glass. Served to me. I took one sip and

GOD.

DAMN.

The gimlet was sweet. And sour. But it was a natural kind of sweet and sour. The lime juices natural sugars had come out in the process and were right there, with the flavor of the gin. I wanted a bathtub full of it, and a straw, and the ability to metabolize alcohol with no risk whatsoever. It was without a doubt the most perfect cocktail I have ever had. Bar none. He also made me the Black Velvet, and that was just as expertly done. I tipped him ten dollars for the gimlet alone.

If you are even in Indianapolis, try McCormick and Schmick's. Pricey, yes. Delicious, HELL yes. Good bartender, no...BEST bartender.

Peace.

-Joe

PS: I have some pictures of this evening on my phone. Soon as I upload them we can all enjoy them!

Blue Moon

It's like...It's like orange juice beer.

That's how to describe Blue Moon. From its color down to its finish, it tastes like a beer that yearns to be a juice. Citrus flavors have a tendancy to overcome other more subtle flavorings in drinks, and this is no exception. But it's a GOOD sort of overcome!

Blue Moon and I got our start back when I was working at a major video game company in Chicago. I was too young to drink back then but the guys I worked with all loved Blue Moon. I had a taste one lucky day and it struck me as a deliriously refreshing beverage, especially for a hot day. A nice, light ale, not hoppy at all, with that great orange flavor. I've tried six-pack bottles of it, and find it doesn't quite capture the flavor of a well poured draught pint, garnished with fresh, wide slices of juicy orange. Man alive.

I drink Blue Moon exclusively during hot weather. It's made for that. I prefer a heavier drink in the cold, something british and room temperature (read: stouts). But Blue Moon has me looking forwards to the summer every time. I got my dad into drinking it too, and we enjoy one together on occasion.

The Final Word: If you don't really like hoppy lagers, and want a little more flavor to your ale, give Blue Moon a try. INSIST on draught, insist on a slice of orange. If you can't get that, don't make it your first foray. Wait, instead, for the right circumstances and enjoy a good bottle bear like Corona. But Blue Moon should be on everyone's list.

Latency...

No computer, can't really concentrate on a good post but I have MATERIAL.
So gimme a little bit, to get my wireless card installed and maybe tonight I'll have a little something for you.

Peace!

The Kir Royale and Godfather

I tried an incredibly delicious drink last night known as the Kir Royale. Here's the story, followed by a few more.

Last night, after a great dinner at the 2nd Annual Space Camp Hall-of-Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony, we went to a reception at Ketchup, a classy dance bar at Bridge Street Town Center in Huntsville. This place was poppin'. The music was loud, the beats were hot. I'm going back for sure, but I digress. We went into the VIP and sat down with some of the guest speakers and award winners from the event. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the famous astrophysicist was in attendance that night. He is the most inspiring public speaker I have ever met in my entire life. We listened and talked to him all night. (He even said my major-video game development- was good!) But on to the drinks.

I realize that only a well-stocked, well-tended bar will be able to know, much less make a few of the mainstream IBA drinks I tend to order. It is in my snooty opinion every decent tender should have the IBA list memorized. I gave it a shot with a variation on a classic. "The Kir Royale..." I said. The host nodded and said no problem! My emotions could be summed up in one word: glee.

The Kir Royale

• 9 parts Champagne
• 1 part Creme de Cassis (black currant liqueur)

1. Pour the creme de Cassis into a wide champagne flute first.
2. Then the champagne.
   

My god, this drink. I love currant flavor, first off. I describe it as a grape with balls. The champagne fizzed pleasantly in the glass, which had a deeper rose hue than normal thanks to the color of the cassis. I took one sip and was knocked off my feet. It was fizzy and sweet, as was to be expected with champagne, but it has a tart kick to it thanks to the cassis. It was a perfect blend of all the things I love about sour drinks and sweet drinks. I took a few sips, and passed it to Krista, who promptly drank it all. Needless to say, she enjoys them too. They are now in my top five list of drinks, and may soon usurp the gimlet if things continue! A normal Kir has white wine instead of champagne. Wikipedia suggests a chardonnay-based Burgundy wine, such as a Chablis.

Trivia: Hercule Poirot loves Kirs.

Let me go back in time through the night a little, however, to the dinner itself. There was a half-amply stocked wet bar (A stocked bar has Rose's Concentrated Lime Juice. Dammit) that I ventured too. I explained to the tenders how to make me a Godfather. They laughed and said they'd remember the drink for sure! So for good measure, I also told them how to make a Godmother. Then I tipped really well.

Godfather

• 1 part amaretto
• 1 part scotch

1. Mix both into an old-fashioned glass with ice.
   

This drink is one I've always wanted to try. I love me some amaretto, and I want to learn to enjoy the subtleties in the flavor of scotch. I had my head turned when the bartender was pouring the scotch, so I missed which label he used. The label of amaretto was Amaretto de Amore.

The drink had the flavor of a blended malt scotch whisky. I had to stir it a bit to get it to blend well with the amaretto, but when it did it hit the tongue sweetly, and swallowed like whisky. It had a kick to it, of course. It's a good cigar drink, really. A heavy sort of flavor, but the almond tries its best to cut the scotch juuuuust enough to make it sweet-ish. I may have it again sometime if I get my hands on a nice Romeo Y Julieta.

I also had a weak-ass amaretto sour. Too much sweet and sour mix, too much ice.

Bottom Line: Try the Kir Royale, it's incredible. Give the Godfather a shot if you like scotch, amaretto, both or neither. Only drink properly mixed amaretto sours. Stay in school.


PS: The bar Ketchup put together a few simple "space" drinks last night. Cute, tasty. I made one up too. The V2 is mine.

V2 = Extra Dry Vermouth and Gin martini, frosted glass, no olive. Speak in a German accent while drinking.

Alien = Orange Juice and Midori

NASA = Orange juice and peach schnapps

The bottom two are fast and easy party drinks you can whip up in minutes for several friends and family. The Alien had a lovely green tint to it...mmmm...

The Dark Knight

Seriously.
It's a drink.

The bartenders down at Prive', a high-class movie theatre premium box seats section at the Monaco Theatre, have concocted several drinks themed after characters in the new Christopher Nolan Batman spectacular "The Dark Knight." The drink is...in contrast to the film...sweet. Let's get into it.

The Dark Knight
(The ingredients list I found was typical of most bars in its simplicity.)

• Vodka
• Gin
• Rum
• Chambord
• Blue Curacao

Now, a drink like this usually drinks like a Long Island Iced tea and in fact, that's exactly what I'd ordered prior. The bartender asked me if I wanted to try one of their Batman LITs and I promptly agreed. You could offer me an Iron Man themed cup of crap and I'd probably pay at least a few bucks for it. They'd premixed a few jugs of the stuff, so I was skeptical. I prefer my drinks made fresh, of course. I accepted it, squeezed a lime into it (that was proffered), and took a sip.

It was like grape CANDY. That was my best first impression. You know how a perfectly mixed LIT doesn't taste like any alcohol is in it at all? That was this thing. It reminded me most of a sweeter version of Mountain Dew's short-lived Halloween flavor "Pitch Black." Chambord is a very sweet raspberry liqueur, and I was surprised to note that the mixture produced less of a raspberry notion on the tongue and far more of a grape one. It's not like the vodka and gin softened the flavor at all. But nevertheless, it tasted overpoweringly like a Chambord and grape candy soup. I drank it swiftly, and it left me with a light buzz that I appreciated for a short while.

I have a feeling the Dark Knight was made with a little extra something in it that they weren't spilling the beans on. Maybe some grape Kool-aid powder, maybe a little juice. Anyways, I really enjoyed the drink. I think it may have been just a tad bit too sweet for me but bah, I do enjoy a little sweetness every now and then. After it I had a gin gimlet and all was right with the world. I intend to try Chambord as a neat little cocktail, to sample it's intricacies more. When I get back to Chicago I'm going to be trying a lot of liquors and liqueurs neat it seems. I'm down with that.

Bottom Line: Deceptively strong, just like the Dark Knight himsef.

Long Day: Alabama Slammer and a B-52

I don't typically go for shots, I find them a terrible waste of money and alcohol, but last night I had two-ish. One was more of a "slammer," I'm told. These were two drinks off my beaten path, so I had slight trepidation going in, and coming out of it I have to say I enjoyed them. Let's go!

My brother-in-arms Clay and I nipped off to Wendy's and Ruggby's for a meal and a sip. I had a Baconator in a matter of seconds and he had some chicken nuggets ("The best chicken nuggets," he says). I have a small application on my phone that lists off drinks and I remembered I wanted to get a few knocked down for the blog, so it was a toss up between a few. I decided to stick with the Alabama Slammer for my first round. Clay had a Woodchuck apple cider.

Alabama Slammer's are surprisingly fruity drinks. It was only about 4oz tops of a drink in the bottom of a sad looking plastic cup. I got the feeling that the drink is often served in a much larger volume, probably at a party or something. I immediately felt slighted for paying for it. A "tasty" slammer contains:

• 1/2 oz amaretto
• 1/2 oz Southern Comfort
• 1/2 oz sloe gin
• 1 splash sweet and sour mix/some sort of citrus

Honest to goodness I could taste NONE of the liquor in this drink. It was probably the acid of the OJ and sweet and sour fruit juices that did it, but it tastes like curiously strong punch more than a "slammer"...whatever the hell that is. It was delicious though, and I'd have several more. Perfect party drink, for getting the kick later without getting the kick going down. I could see trays of them, all lined up all pink and pretty waiting for passing pool party guests to grab one and throw it back before mingling and carousing. I need to try another drink with sloe gin. The gin fanatic I am, I desire to know more. The amaretto was virtually nonexistant...which makes me believe that the slammer is a very VERY customizable drink. I bet if I went to a different bar every night and had one it'd be subtly changed each time. When I get to Chicago I'm going to either A) find a bar where I can become a regular and get to know how the bartenders make their drinks or B) make them all myself. I'd prefer B, but finding a nice intimate bar may be what I need.

The slammer was a good drink, it was tasty and the scariest part is I could drink it all night but honestly I'm probably not going to have one again. Wholly unremarkable. Great for refreshment and leave it at that. Serve it to guests, share it around. Make a big ole'batch and have a good time but don't go into a bar and order a single one for yourself, you'll be sad.

I move on from that through two cigarettes and a Woodchuck apple cider to a B-52.

• 1 part Grand Marnier
• 1 part Baileys Irish Creme
• 1 part Kahlua
  

1. Layer the ingredients in the shot according to this order: Kahlua first, Baileys, Grand Marnier. Use the back of a cold bar spoon when adding the top two ingredients and pour slowly to prevent mixing.
2. Replace the Grand Marnier with a high-proof dark rum and set it aflame for a Flaming B-52, a showy version of the drink. Set fire to the rum and drink quickly with a metal straw.
   

The B-52 is a shot that is traditionally served pousse-cafe style. This means the layering of the ingredients according to density. Calvin makes a MEAN pousse-cafe Grasshopper actually. The shot came to me and was the color of my skin throughout. No pousse-cafe for me. I was saddened yet again. I raised it, gave it a nod, and threw it back.

First thing that hit me was the Grand Marnier. The rich and powerful bite of the drink hits your tongue first and foremost. It sets a high intensity bar for the rest of the shot. Grand Mariner is primarily an orange liqueur, and despite not tasting particularly orange it did bite with just the barest acidic hint. After that I got the mix of Baileys and Kahlua. Kahlua is a coffee liqueur and Baileys is well...Baileys. Irish creme by itself is an incredibly sweet and silky drink, and mixed with the coffee flavor of the Kahlua the sting of the Grand Marnier was gone within moments, replaced by a lingering coffee and sugar flavor in the back of my mouth. The milky Baileys coated my tastebuds and took over the flavor well after I'd finished the shot. For several minutes actually. The smokey nature of the Kahlua was a perfect combination with the creamy Irish creme.

I thoroughly enjoyed the B-52. I like Baileys by itself, and I drink White Russians with my roommate John often enough to appreciate good Kahlua, but this was my first run in with Grand Marnier. I'd like to have it in a drink again after this. I think it's a great liquor for mixing. If you enjoy the mulled flavors of Baileys and Kahlua, give this shot a...try.

Bottom Line: The "Bama" Slammer is for parties and poolside. The B-52 is for a job well done.


PS: After a little research, Wikipedia offered up several variants of the B-52. I'm gonna share them here. They're kinda fun! The following is a quote from the Wikipedia entry:

• B-52 with Bombay Doors, a B-52 with Bombay gin
• B-52 in the Desert, a B-52 with tequila rather than Bailey's Irish Cream^[2]
• B-52, a B-52 with Cointreau
• B-53, a B-52 with vodka
• B-54, a B-52 with amaretto
• B-55, a B-52 with absinthe
• B-57, a B-52 with Sambuca, and triple sec rather than Grand Marnier
• B-61, a B-52 with vanilla and creme de cacao
• B-1, a B-52 with Ketel One vodka ^[3]

PPS: Don't have both of these in one night. I got a maaaaad headache.

Inaugural Post Addendum: Limencello

If I had written about both of the drinks I had consumed the other night, it would have been way too long. So let me tell you a little bit about Limoncello.

Limoncello is a simple liqueur, Italian in origin and made from nearly pure alcohol, lemon zest, water, and sugar. So why not just drink the ostensibly similar in composition Mike's Hard Lemonade? 3 reasons:

1. Mike's doesn't hold a candle to Hooper's Hooch.
2. Its taste belies its alcohol content; i.e. weak, unsophisticated drinks like Mike's, Bud Light and others are for frat boys to chug, not for you and me to revel in.
3. It can be made in large quantities inexpensively. (And then sold at an absurd markup in a restaurant--more on that later)

Limoncello is what is known in the old country as a digestivo. It is meant to be sipped and nursed after a good hearty meal as digestivos, as the name implies, are believed to aid digestion. Typically, an Italian dinner would be followed by such a drink to settle your stomach after eating a starchy, carby pasta-topped-with-highly acidic-tomato-sauce dinner. It can be enjoyed by itself or coupled with a light dessert such as vanilla gelato (which happened to be the way that I had it last Sunday).

As mentioned before Limoncello is exceedingly simple and embarrassingly inexpensive to make yourself. And totally legal to do so as well because you don't actually have to create the alcohol you use. That part you have to buy yourself. But once the final product comes together, you'll be extremely proud of yourself. Take it from someone who paid USD$6 for an ounce and a half of the stuff.

Here's one way to make it*:

• 15-20 lemons
• 2 750 mL bottles of Grappa**
• 5 cups sugar
• 6 cups water

1. Zest all the lemons. So you don't waste anything juice the lemons and make lemonade for your kids. (Limoncello has a strong lemon flavor but is not bitter because it contains no juice.)
   
2. In a glass jug (you can clean out a Carlo Rossi wine jug for this step) place all the zest and pour one bottle of Grappa. Store in freezer for 10 days, stirring optional. The waiting periods are when the alcohol extracts the lemon flavor from the zest.
   
3. Boil sugar into water in a large saucepan. Allow to cool.
   
4. After 10 days, combine zest/Grappa mix with sugar/water mix. Add second bottle of Grappa. Chill in freezer for 10 days.
5. After 10 days, strain zest out of mixture. Store in freezer, serve in chilled shotglass or cordial glass.

*There are hundreds of Limoncello recipes out there. If you have the patience, experiment to see how you like it best.
**Grappa is one of the best alcohols to use, but you may use whatever. I wouldn't recommend anything less than 100 proof, because the lower the alcohol content, the less flavor will be extracted from the lemon zest.

Play it up to your guests that your limoncello is homemade from fresh ingredients and aged and they'll be wholly impressed. Just don't tell them how simple it was. :)

Gin gimlet, part 1

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Guinness Is Good For You: My Inaugural Post

Hello everybody! Glad to see you!

For my first post on our blog I thought I would tell you about my dinner last night. Specifically how the drink was and how it paired with the food. (I have to admit I intentionally thought about what drink I was was going to get and I tasted it with a critical tongue)

Yes that drink was Guinness Stout. Ireland's baby for what is coming up on 250 years. Perusing the alcohol menu I was still undecided as to whether I should have beer or wine. After all I didn't know what would be better for my first post and what would contrast any previous post that Joe made. But Gina, my girlfriend, suggested that I get a beer.



Now this left me in the unclear position of deciding what my meal should be. I didn't think that Guinness would have been good with pasta and Gina was ordering a pizza so I didn't want to copy her as I usually don't want to at restaurants, so backed into a corner by Gina having already ordered and our waitress hovering over me with her notepad, I blurted out, "I'll have the fish."

WHAT!?! Did I really just do that? Did I just order something that wasn't a big steak or burger or something else that I ordinarily thought should have gone with Guinness? Well yeah, I did. And then I had to wait.

When my meal finally came, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the almost sweet aftertaste of the Guinness coupled with its creaminess, in my opinion, complemented the lightness of the fish flesh and the tanginess of the lemon juice and the arugula and tomatoes topping it.

What I had failed to consider when ordering was that the opposing qualities of the food and drink would complement each other quite well. Up until last night I usually drank white wine with fish. Not that I won't do that in the future but now I will be open to experimenting different combinations of food and drink in the time to come.

A word on Guinness by itself:

I realized accidentally that it would be appropriate for me to write about Guinness for my first post because it was the "first" beer I ever had. On my twenty-first birthday, some friends and family took me out for some drinks and karaoke (which is pronounced exactly the way it is spelled, contrary to current colloquialisms) and Guinness was one of the beers I had. I also had Strongbow and Old Speckled Hen that night which are from the UK as well. More on them in the future. Unfortunately though, after belting out and flinging beads of sweat during my air guitar solo on "Free Bird", I came back to my table and spilled half of that beautiful, black beverage. Other than that it was a fun night. :)

Guinness is a stout. Obviously it is an Irish stout, or if you prefer, a dry stout. Stouts are from a family of beers made from roasted malt and roasted barley, and is known for its dark color and and toasty flavor. You can really tell that its ingredients are roasted. Some have an almost coffee like flavor. And like I mentioned before, Guinness has the slightest hint of sweetness lingering long after you set the glass back down. It is extremely foamy and it must be poured delicately in order to ensure a proper head. Cans of Guinness have a little ball inside to aid in this process. When the head starts to solidify while drinking it, I like to swirl it around in the glass (in the same way you would aerate a glass of wine) which loosens it back up and lets you control your foam intake more easily. Plus it leaves less foam at the bottom of the glass so you get more value for your money!

Something I discovered while doing my research for this post was that the process for its brewing includes the use of isinglass. Isinglass is found in fish and it basically cleans out bits of debris from the brewing vat. It is possible for trace amounts to remain in the final product, which has made some vegetarians wary. Fortunately for me, though I am a vegetarian, I am a pesca vegetarian (hence my spontaneous decision to have fish for dinner). Could this be why my rainbow trout went so well my Guinness? Or was it the mashed potatoes?

I am not going to include a recipe for an Irish Car Bomb, because I feel that it is a gross misuse and a shameful waste of both Guinness and Bailey's Irish Cream. And it violates both Joe's and my principle that alcohol should be "chugged". Please take the time to savor Guinness. Invite it into your mouth and let it subtly tickle your taste buds. My goodness.

Disaronno Amaretto and the amaretto sour

To James. From Joe.

The amaretto sour was my first cocktail of choice. It was the first cocktail I associated with an emotion: sadness.

I was very sad the first time I really began to appreciate the drink. I was at home, visiting my parents in my old room. An old flame had just gotten through emotionally tormenting me and I was tired physically and mentally. I went into my parents liquor cabinet to raid it. It isn't well stocked: A bottle of years old Crown Royal I used to sip from, to make me feel cooler, and a year old bottle of Disaronno amaretto. I took the amaretto, and a half empty bottle of sour mix, and crafted a drink I immediately dubbed the Sour Smile.

• Enough amaretto to coat yourself in an amber smile.
• Enough sweet and sour mix to punish yourself for smiling.

The sour became a companion in rough times, mostly associated with women. I would sneak down at 2am, mix the drink, and sit in my room in the dark, watching anime or listening to jazz music and just let the warm, syrupy drink work its dark voodoo on me. And it did. It let me consider the world through misty eyes, the details just slightly blurring at the edges just enough to let me stop caring about them, and focus on the big pictures. The zap of the sour to keep the mind clear, level, and sober. One sour was all it took, and then I'd stop and write, or read, or watch. Even now I rarely have the drink publicly. Onto the spirit itself.

Amaretto is a heavy, almond and apricot pit liquor that has a very syrupy texture and almond color. The most popular brand, Disaronno, is served in a trademark square-ish bottle with a square cap. Disaronno, to me, tastes sweet and bitter at the same time. The bite of the alcohol dances right through the heavy almond flavor when it's served neat or on the rocks, but when it's blended into other drinks it subsides just enough to be noticeable. Being sweet and heavy, I wouldn't use amaretto as a pre-meal imbibe, instead saving it for dessert time. Amaretto is a great flavor to add to ice creams, if you make fresh ice cream yourself. Pour a few ounces into a big ol'batch someday and it makes a perfect after-dinner dessert. There are a few discount/cheaper brands of amaretto, but don't settle. Get two big bottle of Disaronno, one for guests who would like an amaretto sour, and one for you to make whatever you please once the din of the social has died down a bit.

The sour mix is a simple blend of citrus flavor and simple syrup. It's responsible for some of the sweet flavor in the amaretto sour, but are a popular mixer for many other drinks too. Long Island Ice Teas use the mix, as well as the whiskey sour. Sour mix can be bought pre-made and is easy to find at most liquor stores.

Mix the two ingredients together, and you get an amaretto sour:

• 3 parts amaretto
• 1 part sour mix

1. Add the amaretto to an old-fashioned glass with two big cubes of ice in it.
   
2. Add the sour mix
3. Stir briskly for a few moments, then enjoy.

The sour takes that heavy amaretto flavor and cuts right into it with the sour mix. The sweet and sour flavors work extremely well together, to provide a smooth cocktail that is easily sipped and will never make you pucker (from the sour or the liquor!). The sour is a great drink for inside time, with dim lights and intimate company. Or for a little alone time with Dave Brubek and Thelonious Monk. It's a sweet, tangy, tasty drink that will become a quick favorite. Even hardcore vodka and bitters fans will enjoy its change of pace. When you drink it you first taste the sweetness of the liquor itself, right before the sour mix bites you. Once it does, it all comes together, like some sort of alcoholic apology, before you swallow it. Once down, it begins to heat you like a little furnace. It's really quite comforting. I drink them on cold winter nights sometimes to stave off the chill and shivers. It's a drink that gives in layers, like a time-release cocktail of sorts. Unique.

Though this entry started with a sad tone, I hope you come to enjoy the drink for other circumstances, and eventually I did start smiling for real, so don't worry! I guess that's why I don't drink them so much anymore. Drinking for me was never a source of solving a problem or covering one up, and it never should be for anyone. I never got drunk or even so much as buzzed from an amaretto sour. Sometimes it's just a combination of flavors we need to set us down the right path and at that time, it performed admirably. Life occasionally calls for the aid of an apothecary.

Bottom Line: I'm going to review a few more drinks with amaretto in them coming up soon (The godfather and godmother, the Alabama Slammer...etc), and I'm even going to add to this blog when I seriously sit down and sip some straight amaretto for a big picture on it, but the sour is a drink you should have available, and one you should enjoy.

PS: Don't drink cocktails from a straw, it makes you look like a damn fool. If it's in glassware, use your lips. If it's served in a red cup, then maybe the straw is fitting.

One shot: Why blog about liquor?

I did this for Critical Hit, so I'm doing it here too.

I used to not really give a hoot and holler about drink. I was a sober kid all through high school, but even then I began to develop an appreciation for fine cocktails. My father never drank beer, he didn't like it. He appreciated gin and tonics, amaretto sours and the like. At dinners we'd have cocktails and I'd sip them when I could, developing my palate.

As I grew into college I rarely indulged in the binge drinking so popular with the style of college partying*. I was a cocktail and micro-brew man. Don't get me wrong, I love a good beer but a good cocktail is something special. I didn't like cheap, and I didn't like wasteful amounts of booze in a drink for booze's sake. Which brings me to an important point:

Booze: an alcoholic liquid used in/to excess in order to generate a feeling of drunkenness, and/or to loosen inhibition.

Liquor: an alcoholic liquid either blended with other drinks or liquors, or enjoyed by itself and appreciated for its depths of flavor and ability to please the senses.

I drink liquor. I don't often engage in bacchanalian behavior, but when in the midst I usually stick to my guns. "I don't enjoy being drunk, I don't like what it does to me," to quote Remmington Steele, and I agree.

I drink because there's a certain kind of liquid artistry you can't just get from fruit juices and water. Liquors add levels upon levels of mystery and intrigue. Suddenly having a drink involves a process, a recipe. It asks for care, it asks for respect. Having a drink to me means letting the flavors tell their story, and remembering the world around me while the drink is in my hand. Good times, and sometimes bad ones too.

This blog was created so I could share my opinions on what I drink. I want to see on paper how I view the world I've come to respect as an art form, and I want to open some eyes to new and interesting things. Hopefully what Calvin and I write here will maybe get at least one person to try something new, or to try writing about what they do themselves maybe. I chose booze because besides video games, liquor is one other thing that truly and genuinely interests me. So here it is, a blog about drinking. I don't know how to taste all the intricate flavors or describe all the nuances in the meniscus, but I know what I like and I'll try to share a fair opinion on things as I try these new experiences. A fair deal of them will be new to me, so we can share in them together, yes?

On behalf of Calvin and myself, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy our exploits in this little corner of the internet. Be well, be safe, be happy and most of all...drink well.

-Joe

*Always drink responsibly. That should be a goddamn given by now. Nothing makes me frown harder than a platinum haired co-ed stumbling by holding a red cup filled with straight vodka, asking where the bathroom is. Have a little self-respect, and respect for the drink.

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

"Where's the rum gone?" -Captain Jack Sparrow

Rum and me have had a rocky history. I went from loving the spirit as one would love a traveling companion, to considering it 4th or 5th on my choice for a fine drink. There are a plethora of classifications for rum in the rum family tree. Dark, Gold, Silver, Spiced...etc. My roommate, the unflappable John Gosling is related to the brewing family and that is our home's staple rum, thought I admit to only trying a sip or two. It's powerful stuff. I really only drink one kind of rum to date, and that's spiced Rum. Un-spiced light rum is tremendously disgusting to me in most forms. I'm going to concentrate my reflection on a particular spiced rum, and that is the classic staple of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum.

Spiced rum has, quite literally a spicy flavor. "DUH," I hear you cry. Well hear me out. Light rums such as Bacardi silver don't have a whole lot of body to them. They sit more like a vodka once the bite is gone: flying down the throat and working their magic. Spiced rums sit on the palate and dances for you for a while, tickling sweet and hot areas of the tongue while they're there and even for a while after they're gone. Rum is made mostly from molasses, and with the addition of a little spice they suddenly become lovely, golden mystery liquids. I prefer rums on a sunny day, out of doors maybe by water. Rum is great for poolside behavior, or water activities. It is a bit of a stereotypically tropical drink, but for a good reason. That sweet spicy flavor pairs well with hot weather, providing a damn near ethnic kick to keep the mind lucid after or during a particularly hot sunbathing session.

If you're a fan of a quick, easy to make, very sippable and sweet alternative to the cheek-puckering Jack and Coke, give Rum and Coke a shot. 1.5 to 2 oz of spiced rum over ice in a highball glass, Coke to fill. Try it out someday.

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum is publicly known for its aggressive ad campaign. By this point time it's rare to find someone who hasn't had a little Captain in them. The drink is a mainstay in most collegiate drink cabinets (right next to the Jaeger. read: WOOOOOCOLLEGEOOOO!!!). The first time I had Captain Morgan it was my freshman year of college. I was reading up on mixed drinks and feeling saucy, when I ended up coming across a simple recipe for a drink called Pirate's Tea.

• 1.5oz to 2oz of Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
• Coke-Cola to fill
  
• Pulp-free Orange Juice to color
• Garnish with lemon wedge or little-umbrella...or little sword with lemon on it, that's more piratey.

1. Using a highball or collins glass, drop two ice cubes.
2. Add the rum. x1.5 if you're using the collins glass.
   
3. Add the Coke to just below the rim.
4. Use the orange juice to color it a ruddy orange/brown.

The drink turned out to be incredibly delicious and easy to make. My friend Calvin and I spent many evenings drinking amaretto sours and pirate's teas, while playing Karaoke Revolution. The drink was a welcome companion through my 2nd Chicago winter.

Rum can be a very enjoyable, drinkable and affordable beverage. Sticking to the mainstream Bacardi and Captain will save you the green, but give Gosling's a shot the next time a food recipe calls for a dark rum. It's heavy body will add a savory splash of flavor.

Bottom Line: Have it around. People love this stuff, and you probably will too. Main stays: Spiced and Light rums. If you want: Dark and Premium rums. If a bunch of sissies are coming over: Malibu Coconut rum (<-- I can't stand the stuff. Too sweet. "A vice needs to taste like a vice."- Calvin Pohlhammer.)

Dos Equis Amber

I went out to a delicious cocina known as Casa Blanca tonight with my friends Kenny and Clay. We love going to this place for their affordable and well priced Mexican fare. But the one thing that they do well, VERY well, is booze. They make a killer margherita, but I wanted to try something a little less heavy for the evening. I love their ad campaign, they drink it in Achewood...I ordered a tall mug of Dos Equis Amber.

Dos Equis Amber is a smooth beer. I was surprised at first. It's dark color made me expect something with a lot more bite. It was served in a MASSIVE glass mug with a single quarter slice of lime. I squeezed the lime into the mug, wishing I had a 2nd lime. I took a sip, and took another and another. It wasn't quite as zesty as lighter beers (see: Corona w/lime and Miller Chill), but it was damn smooth. The lime slice was welcome, I don't think it would have been nearly as smooth without it, depite the citrus zing.

If you like a little citrus in your beer, you're probably drinking Corona w/lime, Miller Chill, Bud Light Lime or Blue Moon already, but give a mug of Dos Equis Amber a shot. I always prefer beer draught, but if you can only get it in a bottle, insist on a lime.

"I don't always drink beer, but when I do I prefer Dos Equis."

He really is the most interesting man alive.