Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Longest Night


Because it is the longest night and because I believe in the old adage feed a fever, get a cold drunk, tonight I'm drinking hot buttered rum.

I make this by the glass. Put one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon brown sugar and the juice of half a lemon in a mug. Add 2 ounces of dark rum--I use Meyers. Fill the glass with boiling water.


Monday, December 19, 2011

Ginger Deer


Today I made homemade ginger beer and served it in a reindeer glass. During one minute of exhaustive internet research I learned that currently there is no difference between ginger ale and ginger beer. Both are non-alcoholic soft drinks made with a combination of ginger, sugar and club soda. I wanted something to drink out of my reindeer glasses, so because beer rhymes with deer, I'm calling my version ginger beer.

Just an aside to say one of my favorite things about Christmas is drinking out of my reindeer glasses. Aren't they great?

This is how I made ginger beer syrup:
  • I took a six inch long piece of ginger and washed it off.
  • I ran it through my juicer.
  • I added the juice and all the shredded ginger left in the juicer's waste bin to two cups of boiling water.
  • I added a half cup of blue agave syrup to the mix.
  • I let it simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring often.
  • I strained it into a cute little bottle.
This is how you should make it:
  • Chop ginger up in a food processor if you don't have a juicer. Or just chop it up if you don't have either.
  • Add chopped ginger to two cups of boiling water.
  • Add one cup of sugar to the mix. What was I thinking using agave syrup? Agave syrup is for health nut pussies. It also gave my ginger beer syrup a kind of malty taste. I don't mind it, but sugar would be better.
  • Let it simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. I'm impatient and could only hold out for 10 minutes.
  • Strain it into whatever container you can find. You may not have the foresight to save old bottles like I did.
For the drink pictured:
  • Add one tablespoon of ginger beer syrup to a reindeer glass full of ice. You can use other glasses, but it won't taste as Christmasy.
  • Add club soda, or sparkling water to fill the glass. I used San Pellegrino.
  • Taste and add more soda or syrup until you're happy with it.
Drink up. Ginger is good for you.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Salty Dog

I’m inspired by my friends. They are talented and witty and going places. Trying to keep up with them instead of--I'll just admit it--being jealous of them, drives me to drink.

My most recent inspiration came from @sewzinski. Not only is she an incredible artist (check out her shop on Etsy), now she’s trying to get all healthy. When she mentioned how she was eating grapefruit to infuse her body with grapefruity goodness, I was inspired to make a Salty Dog.

Here’s a little lesson on the Salty Dog:

Vodka mixed with grapefruit juice is known as a Greyhound. I don’t know why. If you add salt to the rim of the glass, the Greyhound becomes a Salty Dog. When I really want to annoy the bartender at The Filling Station (bar in Des Moines with fresh squeezed juice drinks), I order a Screwhound. A Screwhound is vodka, orange juice, and grapefruit juice.

I made the Salty Dog pictured by juicing two ruby red grapefruit and adding some Tito’s vodka. I mixed salt and pink sanding sugar to rim the glass. I garnished with a zest of grapefruit. I feel healthier just drinking it.

Warning: I’ve read that grapefruit has some interaction with anti-depressants and makes it so they don’t work. But who needs anti-depressants when you have grapefruit juice and vodka?