Grab the celery! It's Bloody Mary time! Dr. D and I are hosting a brunch this Sunday so I thought this would be the perfect time to talk about the quintessential brunch, "hair of the dog" cocktail. As with most cocktails, the origin of the drink is not clear. However, the King Cole Bar that I referenced in an earlier post (where we had drinks before our friend's wedding) is allegedly the origin of the drink in the U.S. It was called the "Red Snapper" because the term "Bloody Mary" was deemed too gauche for the esteemed bar. I know we certainly saw a lot of folks ordering it, even though it was 5 p.m. on a Saturday. And thanks to lifestyle guru, Martha Stewart, I now present their recipe:
Ingredients:
1 ounce Belvedere vodka
2 ounces tomato juice
1 dash lemon juice
2 dashes salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes cayenne pepper
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Directions: Shake. Strain. Serve up.
http://www.marthastewart.com/873593/red-snapper-original-recipe
Very simple. Of course, the best thing about the Bloody Mary is the infinite variations of the cocktail. You can use flavored vodkas (citrus and pepper work best), different tomato mixes (Zing Zang, Mr. & Mrs. T's), and add garnishes such as pearl onions, spicy green beans (Dr. D's favorite), olives, and the ubiquitous celery stalk. The Hotel Monaco bar in Chicago (South Water Kitchen) adds a slice of crispy bacon to its version and serves it with a beer back. When Dr. D tried it last December, he thought he had died and gone to heaven!
But that's the beauty of the cocktail, even when it's at its most simple, it's still delicious. Dr. D and I love to grab one on morning Southwest flights when we go on vacation. It's nothing fancy, just vodka and bloody mary mix/tomato juice, but it really gets us in a great mindset.
Sadly, we have decided not to serve Bloody Marys at our brunch, since the weather is so warm and I was dying to do a DIY champagne bar. I'll have to report back on that after the weekend. So this weekend, get an early start on laundry and yard work and then kick back with a late morning "Bloody." It'll make the upcoming week start a little bit better.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
No Cocktail of Week so let's w(h)ine!
I was so uninspired this week as to what cocktail to highlight so since yesterday was National Chardonnay Day (or as we call it in the Dinks' household - everyday), I thought I would discuss wine this week.
I love wine. Seriously, it's probably not healthy how much I do. The fact is, it just tastes damn good to me. I rarely get a serious buzz from it because I do try to keep the alchohol % low in what I buy/consume. And Chardonnay is my fave. I can rock a Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon once in a while. But Chardonnay is so versatile. It's got a very neutral taste so it can be heavily influenced by terroir (fancy French term for dirt) and oak barrels. That's why Chardonnay can be really fun and really frustrating all at the same time. Most consumers like consistency. Therefore, a little education about where a grape comes from can help you make a good purchase. For example, most Chardonnays from Napa Valley tend to be more full-bodied and heavily oaked. French Chardonnays are leaner tasting, more minerally. It helps sometimes to look at the label; some wines will have descriptions about the process (if it was stored in oak, it will have more of those flavors; if it was stored in stainless tanks, then the flavor will be more neutral). Some vineyards even label the wine as "unoaked." When you can nail down a flavor profile, you'll start to learn that you can expand your wine knowledge. For example, a clean unoaked chardonnay from Mendocino might be similar in flavor profile to a fuller bodied Sauvignon Blanc from Napa. Wine store owners usually are glad to help find something that will please your palate.
The best thing about learning about wine is the process. Drink up! Find out what your taste buds like. Wine ratings are fine but there have certainly been times when I have preferred a lower rated, cheaper wine over a fancy, expensive one. I say that if you like it, and it likes you back (doesn't kill your head), then all is well. And try different varieties; you don't want to get burned out.
Cheers!
I love wine. Seriously, it's probably not healthy how much I do. The fact is, it just tastes damn good to me. I rarely get a serious buzz from it because I do try to keep the alchohol % low in what I buy/consume. And Chardonnay is my fave. I can rock a Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon once in a while. But Chardonnay is so versatile. It's got a very neutral taste so it can be heavily influenced by terroir (fancy French term for dirt) and oak barrels. That's why Chardonnay can be really fun and really frustrating all at the same time. Most consumers like consistency. Therefore, a little education about where a grape comes from can help you make a good purchase. For example, most Chardonnays from Napa Valley tend to be more full-bodied and heavily oaked. French Chardonnays are leaner tasting, more minerally. It helps sometimes to look at the label; some wines will have descriptions about the process (if it was stored in oak, it will have more of those flavors; if it was stored in stainless tanks, then the flavor will be more neutral). Some vineyards even label the wine as "unoaked." When you can nail down a flavor profile, you'll start to learn that you can expand your wine knowledge. For example, a clean unoaked chardonnay from Mendocino might be similar in flavor profile to a fuller bodied Sauvignon Blanc from Napa. Wine store owners usually are glad to help find something that will please your palate.
The best thing about learning about wine is the process. Drink up! Find out what your taste buds like. Wine ratings are fine but there have certainly been times when I have preferred a lower rated, cheaper wine over a fancy, expensive one. I say that if you like it, and it likes you back (doesn't kill your head), then all is well. And try different varieties; you don't want to get burned out.
Cheers!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Senior-itis
I have senior-itis. Not the type that is normally present this time of year. After all, I've been graduated from high school for....well, never mind about that. I've become obsessed with thinking about mine & Dr. D's golden years.
This morning, in the shower, I actually said to Dr. D that we will need to sell our condo in Oxford (you know the one we bought nine months ago!) when we hit our 70s because both bedrooms are upstairs. That's right, I am already concerning about mobility issues and falling and breaking a hip. The truth is I should be more concerned about running down those stairs in flip flops after consuming a bottle of wine. Seriously, I already tripped and scraped my hand going up the stairs taking up laundry. If anything, maybe aging will make me more careful!
It's not surprising, I guess, considering all the hell that we've gone through with his elderly parents lately. They have been so stubborn, not admitting that anything is wrong with them (both have dementia). Whether you have children or not, I think it's important to meticulously plan your future and retirement plans before you get too stuck in your life and habits to truly comprehend what may be the best course of action. Luckily, the concept of "we can't leave our home," and "we don't like change" is one that we are rejecting, at least for now. We are looking forward to retirement and old age as a new challenge and adventure. For me, I would like a place that's walkable to stores, shops and that needs little upkeep. And near a liquor store and restaurant/bar with a good wine list, obviously. Hopefully, we'll be that old couple sitting at the bar that younger couples look to and go, "I hope that's us in forty years."
Gotta run and yell at some kids to get off my lawn. Plus, dinner is only a couple of hours away. Hmmm, does that mean cocktail hour starts at 3?
This morning, in the shower, I actually said to Dr. D that we will need to sell our condo in Oxford (you know the one we bought nine months ago!) when we hit our 70s because both bedrooms are upstairs. That's right, I am already concerning about mobility issues and falling and breaking a hip. The truth is I should be more concerned about running down those stairs in flip flops after consuming a bottle of wine. Seriously, I already tripped and scraped my hand going up the stairs taking up laundry. If anything, maybe aging will make me more careful!
It's not surprising, I guess, considering all the hell that we've gone through with his elderly parents lately. They have been so stubborn, not admitting that anything is wrong with them (both have dementia). Whether you have children or not, I think it's important to meticulously plan your future and retirement plans before you get too stuck in your life and habits to truly comprehend what may be the best course of action. Luckily, the concept of "we can't leave our home," and "we don't like change" is one that we are rejecting, at least for now. We are looking forward to retirement and old age as a new challenge and adventure. For me, I would like a place that's walkable to stores, shops and that needs little upkeep. And near a liquor store and restaurant/bar with a good wine list, obviously. Hopefully, we'll be that old couple sitting at the bar that younger couples look to and go, "I hope that's us in forty years."
Gotta run and yell at some kids to get off my lawn. Plus, dinner is only a couple of hours away. Hmmm, does that mean cocktail hour starts at 3?
Cocktail of the Week: Pimm's Cup
We are finally having some consistently lovely spring weather so I thought it was the perfect time to break out one of my favorite warm-weather drinks - a Pimm's Cup. This refreshing beverage originated in England. James Pimm ran a bar and he developed a gin-based tonic of sorts, call the Pimm's No. 1 Cup. New Orleans has recently brought it back in vogue in the States. One great advantage to this cocktail is that it is low in alcohol, so it's perfect for sipping by the pool.
This is the basic no-frills recipe:
4 oz. Pimms No. 1
1 cup of ginger ale (can also substitute ginger beer)
Slice of cucumber for garnish
Just mix in a tall glass over ice - simple! You can adjust amounts accordingly as to the amount of beverage you want. For example, when I made mine last night, I put 3 oz of Pimms and just topped off the glass with ginger ale.
Pimm's No. 1 is available in most liquor stores.
Cheers!
This is the basic no-frills recipe:
4 oz. Pimms No. 1
1 cup of ginger ale (can also substitute ginger beer)
Slice of cucumber for garnish
Just mix in a tall glass over ice - simple! You can adjust amounts accordingly as to the amount of beverage you want. For example, when I made mine last night, I put 3 oz of Pimms and just topped off the glass with ginger ale.
Pimm's No. 1 is available in most liquor stores.
Cheers!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Sex & the City 2: Did we miss the point?
My trip to NYC and a recent watching of Sex & The City 2 on cable got me wondering why I still want to watch it when its on. Let's be honest, the critical ire was warranted; the movie was a vapid piece of crap. I seriously have to leave the room when the karaoke scene comes on....cringe-worthy.
But deep down, the movie includes some truths about relationships, which I think, minus all the designer clothes, private jets, and movie premieres, dealt with in a real way. Charlotte is freaking out because her child is a screaming terror and throwing a serious kink in her J. Crew perfect life. How many moms have felt guilty when they have enjoyed down time away from their toddler? Or been concerned and jealous that their husband might be attracted to someone younger and more fun because mom is all uptight and moody? I would imagine more than we care to admit.
Being 1/2 of a childfree couple, the scene that really speaks to me is where Carrie tells a loyal reader (and serious judgmental bitch) that kids aren't part of her and Big's plan. It always hits me like a ton of bricks. It isn't the declaration that's so shocking, but the complete disbelief that the reader and her husband experience when being told that not everyone has to get married and immediately expand their family. It boggles my mind as to why people are so threatened by that choice and why they feel the need to attack or make me explain what is my and my husband's personal business. For some reason, it is unacceptable to say, "just because I don't want to." You're branded selfish (I'll give you that one), a child-hater (not at all - Love my friends' kids and Mr. D is actually Dr. D, a pediatrician), or misguided (you're missing out on life's greatest joy - yea...I'm pretty sure my day in St. Martin, drinking wine on the beach would have been greatly enhanced by trying to wrestle a screaming toddler to put on his/her sunscreen).
It briefly went through my mind in my 30s to lie and say I couldn't have children. But I find that to be offensive to those women who really want children, but cannot have them. Plus, then I would get unlimited advice on specialists or special remedies to make me fertile - the most terrifying Pandora's box ever. Poor Dr. D (makes him sound like a rapper!) got it worse than I did being a pediatrician. If a friend says she/he might not want kids, leave them the hell alone. It's her/his decision; they are not stupid. If you can't get it, then maybe that's your issue, not his/hers. And it works both ways. There have been times when I have advised younger people to wait and not rush into having kids; then I realized I was doing the same thing, but in reverse. Putting my values on them. So I get the desire to question or advise, but I have learned to just shut the hell up. It's not my life; it's their's.
Stepping off soapbox now to say that SATC2 had some redeemable qualities, and you can be damn sure I'll be on board for a third movie! [Insert stream-of-consciousness rambling here: Possible plot lines: Charlotte & Harry (& brood) move to CT; Miranda, Steve & Brady deal with health issues of some sort or they kill off Magda (Miranda was kind of useless in the 2nd movie so we need some drama there. What ever happened to Steve's Mom - she in a home? Did she die?); Carrie & Big have money issues; and Samantha is researching which assisted living facility has the hottest senior dudes that she can bang! They need to introduce Samantha's family - maybe she needs another long-term boyfriend. Bring Richard back! If they can bring back that useless fuddy-duddy Aidan, they can bring back bad-ass, cheating Richard. Okaaaay, ADHD moment over.]
"Me and you, just us two" - Amen, Carrie!
But deep down, the movie includes some truths about relationships, which I think, minus all the designer clothes, private jets, and movie premieres, dealt with in a real way. Charlotte is freaking out because her child is a screaming terror and throwing a serious kink in her J. Crew perfect life. How many moms have felt guilty when they have enjoyed down time away from their toddler? Or been concerned and jealous that their husband might be attracted to someone younger and more fun because mom is all uptight and moody? I would imagine more than we care to admit.
Being 1/2 of a childfree couple, the scene that really speaks to me is where Carrie tells a loyal reader (and serious judgmental bitch) that kids aren't part of her and Big's plan. It always hits me like a ton of bricks. It isn't the declaration that's so shocking, but the complete disbelief that the reader and her husband experience when being told that not everyone has to get married and immediately expand their family. It boggles my mind as to why people are so threatened by that choice and why they feel the need to attack or make me explain what is my and my husband's personal business. For some reason, it is unacceptable to say, "just because I don't want to." You're branded selfish (I'll give you that one), a child-hater (not at all - Love my friends' kids and Mr. D is actually Dr. D, a pediatrician), or misguided (you're missing out on life's greatest joy - yea...I'm pretty sure my day in St. Martin, drinking wine on the beach would have been greatly enhanced by trying to wrestle a screaming toddler to put on his/her sunscreen).
It briefly went through my mind in my 30s to lie and say I couldn't have children. But I find that to be offensive to those women who really want children, but cannot have them. Plus, then I would get unlimited advice on specialists or special remedies to make me fertile - the most terrifying Pandora's box ever. Poor Dr. D (makes him sound like a rapper!) got it worse than I did being a pediatrician. If a friend says she/he might not want kids, leave them the hell alone. It's her/his decision; they are not stupid. If you can't get it, then maybe that's your issue, not his/hers. And it works both ways. There have been times when I have advised younger people to wait and not rush into having kids; then I realized I was doing the same thing, but in reverse. Putting my values on them. So I get the desire to question or advise, but I have learned to just shut the hell up. It's not my life; it's their's.
Stepping off soapbox now to say that SATC2 had some redeemable qualities, and you can be damn sure I'll be on board for a third movie! [Insert stream-of-consciousness rambling here: Possible plot lines: Charlotte & Harry (& brood) move to CT; Miranda, Steve & Brady deal with health issues of some sort or they kill off Magda (Miranda was kind of useless in the 2nd movie so we need some drama there. What ever happened to Steve's Mom - she in a home? Did she die?); Carrie & Big have money issues; and Samantha is researching which assisted living facility has the hottest senior dudes that she can bang! They need to introduce Samantha's family - maybe she needs another long-term boyfriend. Bring Richard back! If they can bring back that useless fuddy-duddy Aidan, they can bring back bad-ass, cheating Richard. Okaaaay, ADHD moment over.]
"Me and you, just us two" - Amen, Carrie!
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