I will have all of the sangria, please

I am so done with rosé, and never really did get the appeal in the first place.  But sangria is definitely something I can wrap my brain around...a crisp white wine (go with something cheap), made more interesting with fresh fruit and maybe fortified with a little sweet liquor--what's not to love? 

"Orangey"
1/2 cup (1 to 2 oranges) freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup (3 to 4 lemons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine (anything but Chardonnay)
1 bottle (10 oz.) soda water
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced

"Grapefruity"

1 750 mL bottle riesling
1 750mL bottle prosecco
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup simple syrup (optional)
1/2 cup club soda
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 grapefruit, cut into chunks/slices

"Cucumber-Melon"

4 cups honeydew melon or canteloupe, cubed
1 cup sliced English cucumber
1 750ml Prosecco
1/2 cup white grape juice
1 cup fresh mint leaves

"Skinny"
1 bottles of crisp white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio...)

1 bottle of sparkling white wine (Vino Verde, Prosecco)
2 ripe peaches, sliced
1 pint raspberries
2 kiwis
several sprigs of mint
Stevia or other sugar substitute to taste

I often skip the additional sweeteners, but for something a bit more like soda pop, you may elect to keep them in.  Whichever recipe(s) you try, plan ahead so that it can sit in the fridge for about an hour before serving.  You can also substitute any amount of fresh fruit for frozen.

Covering the rest of the herb garden in food and booze...

Last week I gave you some suggestions for growing and using basil, cilantro, and some other stuff in your herb garden this spring and summer.  Here's the rest of the alphabet...


Parsley
Jalapeno & Parsley Sour Martini
Makes 2

1/2 C sugar
1/2 C water
2 jalapeños, sliced, plus more for garnish
1 small bunch parsley
4 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
6 oz. vodka

Start by slicing jalapeños. If you don't like super spicy and want more of a jalapeño flavor with less kick, definitely remove the seeds.In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, throw the jalapeños in and lower to a simmer. Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Strain mixture into a bowl and put in fridge to cool.

In a cocktail shaker, add parsley, lemon, and lime. Muddle together. Add ice and pour in vodka and about 4 oz. of the jalapeño syrup. Shake together and pour into a martini glass with a prepared lime-sugar rim if you choose (just rub a lime on the rim and dip glass in a plate of sugar). Add in some jalapeño garnish if you like.

Parsley is also a must in this fast, delish fish piccata.

Sage
The Wise Bee's Knees

Makes 1

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce honey syrup
3 fresh sage leaves
ice

For the syrup, bring equal parts honey and water to a simmer in a small saucepan until honey dissolves. Let cool to room temperature before using.

Combine gin, lemon juice, syrup, and 2 sage leaves in a cocktail shaker and stir to dissolve honey syrup. Fill shaker halfway with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, about 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Smack the remaining sage leaf between your hands over the glass, drop into the drink and serve.

Try sage in this Italian Rice Casserole, my lazy-girl cheat for risotto!

 

Tarragon
Strawberry Smash with Tarragon
Makes 4

For the tarragon simple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
For the cocktails
10 large strawberries plus 4 for a garnish sliced
1 lime cut into wedges
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup vodka
3 tablespoons tarragon leaves chopped
2 tablespoons tarragon simple syrup

To make the tarragon simple syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tarragon leaves, off the heat, and steep for 10 minutes or more. Strain, and store in a glass jar in the fridge.over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tarragon leaves, off the heat, and steep for 10 minutes or more. Strain, and store in a glass jar in the fridge.

To make the cocktails, combine the strawberries and all but 2 of the lime wedges in an ice-filled shaker. Use a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon to smash the berries and limes into a chunky mixture. Pull out the smashed limes, and then add a couple handfuls of ice, the lime juice, vodka, and tarragon simple syrup. Shake. Pour into ice-filled highballs. Garnish with strawberry slices, a lime wedge, and a sprig of tarragon.

Tarragon is also an essential ingredient in bearnaise sauce, which I make with avocado in this recipe. 

Thyme
Meyer Lemon and Thyme Gimlet 

Makes  2

4 oz gin
1.5 oz Meyer lemon juice
1.5 oz thyme simple syrup
For the thyme simple syrup:
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup sugar
handful thyme sprigs

To make simple syrup, bring sugar, water and thyme to a low simmer in a small pot over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let sit 30 minutes or overnight for a more intense flavor. Strain. Cool.

In a cocktail shaker add ice, gin, meyer lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake well. Pour into two small chilled glasses and garnish with sliced Meyer lemons or zest. Serve immediately.

Thyme is excellent in this red beans and rice recipe (vegetarian or not).

Cooking (and drinking) with herbs

It is full-on spring here in the Rockies (sorry, East coast friends, but it'll come someday) and my perennial herb garden is about to pop!  It's still too cold here to plant basil and cilantro, but I've got mint, sage, parsley, thyme, and tarragon all being brave little troopers about the occasional dips below freezing at night.  I am writing this post to a) encourage you to grow some fresh herbs of your own and b) give you some ideas for using them.  I promise they will make your meals oh-so-much better, and they're a fun addition to cocktails, too.

I'll cover the first half of the alphabet today, the second half next week. Skipping the obvious choices like tabouleh (parsley) and mojitos (mint), though I love them so, here are some things you may not have considered yet, along with helpful links to growing your tasty new herbs this spring and summer (here's a general one from the CSU extension website).

Basil
Basil-Lime Cooler
Makes 1

For the Basil Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
6 basil leaves
For the Cocktail:
1 ounce basil syrup
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime
1 1/2 ounces vodka
3 basil leaves
2 to 3 ounces seltzer
Garnish: basil sprig

For the Basil Syrup: Combine water, sugar, and basil leaves in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat until boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Basil syrup will keep for one week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

For the Cocktail: Combine 1 ounce basil syrup, lime juice, and vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill a collins glass with ice, then strain the cocktail into the glass. Add extra basil leaves to the glass, top with seltzer and stir gently. Garnish with straw and basil sprig.

...and chop some to stir into your BLT Rice Salad when it gets too hot to cook!

Chives
Chive martini
Is it cheating to use the flowers?  Chives are a little onion-y, but the edible flowers are not only beautiful, but a more subtle version of the stems.  So swap out the boring old cocktail onions in your classic vodka martini with chive flowers instead!

Chives also have a starring role in Crawfish Monica, the official dish of the New Orleans Jazz Fest!

Cilantro
Cilantro Margarita

Makes 1

Kosher salt
2 ounces triple sec
1 tablespoons sugar
1 lime, juiced
3 sprigs cilantro
2 lime wedges

Add kosher salt to a small plate. Lightly dip the rim of your glass in water and dip in the kosher salt to create a kosher salt rim.

In a shaker add all ingredients. Using a muddle or wooden spoon, slightly bruise the cilantro to help bring out the flavor.

Add ice, top the shaker and shake until very cold. Pour into the prepared glass and garnish with lime wedges and more cilantro.

I also love adding cilantro to this fast, easy lentil salad with cheese.

Mint
Tea and Whiskey High Ball
Makes approx. 8 (you could serve it in a pitcher or punch bowl)

For the tea:
2 oranges
2 quarts water
8 teaspoons or 8 tea bags black tea
For the mint syrup:
1 bunch fresh mint, ends trimmed
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
To serve:
2 cups Scotch or bourbon
Ice
mint sprigs, for garnish

For the tea:Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the oranges in wide strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Set half of the zest aside for steeping and refrigerate the remaining half in a zip-top bag or other airtight container for garnishing.

Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat, and add the loose tea or tea bags and the orange zest set aside for steeping. Let steep for 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a 3-quart heatproof container; discard the solids in the strainer. Refrigerate the tea until cold, at least 3 hours. Meanwhile make the mint syrup.


For the mint syrup: Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; discard the solids. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


To serve: When ready to serve, stir the Scotch or bourbon and half of the mint syrup (about 1 cup) into the tea. Taste and add more syrup as needed. Fill 8 highball glasses with ice and add several strips of the remaining orange zest to each glass. Pour the tea mixture over the ice, garnish with a sprig of mint, and serve.

Mint is also de rigueur in Thai and Vietnamese food; try it in this Brussels sprouts dish!

Spooky Cocktails

Hey, what are you guys doing for Halloween?  I 'm going to dress up as pregnant Kylie Jenner (the one who wears sweatpants and eats candy) and lay around on my couch drinking.

Black Magic Margaritas

Makes 2

1/3 c. black sanding sugar
2 c. ice
4 oz. silver tequilla
2 oz. triple sec
1/2 c. lime juice
red food coloring
blue food coloring
green food coloring
lime slices, for garnish

Rim two glasses with a lime slice and dip in the black sanding sugar. Divide tequila, triple sec, and lime juice between two glasses and stir to combine. Add food coloring until desired black color is achieved. Add ice and garnish with a slice of lime. Serve.

Embalming Fluid

Makes 2

1½ oz. mandarin vodka
½ oz. sour apple mix
½ oz. lime juice
4 oz. gingerale
2 drops green food coloring, optional

Mix all ingredients except ginger ale in a shaker over ice. Shake and pour into highball glasses, then top with equal amounts of ginger ale.

El Diablo

Makes 1

1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila
1/2 ounce​ creme de cassis
1/2 ounce​ lime juice
6​ ounces ginger beer

Pour the tequila, cassis, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer.

"Pairs well with..."

Alright, this is my last one before I get my shit together and start packing for the National Flute Association annual convention.  Stay tuned next week for all the non-flute highlights from my stay in Minneapolis. I do find that whiskey gets me in the right frame of mind for these things...



Pineapple Whiskey Sour

Makes one drink

4 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. whiskey
1/2 oz. lemon juice

Put all ingredients and shake over ice until your hands are cold. Pour over some fresh ice.



Pairs well with...

Quick Zucchini Tacos

Makes 8 petite tacos

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped white onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 medium serrano chile, minced
8 corn tortillas
Possible toppings: sour cream, crumbled goat cheese, sliced radishes, sliced avocado, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, lime wedges

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium and add the onion, garlic, chile, and zucchini. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper and saute until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Serve with warmed corn tortillas and all the toppings you desire.

"Pairs well with..."

It looks like I've created a mini-series of alcoholic drinks paired with snacks.  I'd like to dedicate this one to long-suffering American hero, OJ Simpson. P.S. He totally killed his wife and America is OK with that.



Classic Tequila Sunrise

Makes one drink

2 oz. tequila
3 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz. grenadine

Pour the tequila and orange juice into glass over ice. Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom and look all sunrise-y. Do not stir. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve.

Pairs well with...

Heidi Swanson's Avocados and Mustard Seeds
Yields about 1 cup 
1 ripe avocado
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/4 cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
1/2 small yellow onion, mined
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Indian curry powder
1 small serrano chile, minced

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, and most of the cilantro. Mash the avocados a bit with a fork, but don't overdo it-- you want the mixture to be quite chunky. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the mustard seeds. Keep a lid on hand because the seeds will scatter as they pop. When the spattering stops, after about a minute, stir in the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and chile. 

Count to ten, and then remove from heat. Stir in the avocado mixture, but just barely, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature with crackers or tortilla chips. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

Too much eating, not enough drinking

I noticed that this blog is called DrinkFoodTravel, but it's always about food lately.  Stay tuned for some travel next month, but for now, the least I could do is mix it up with some drankin'...

It is very hot here, and we just put shade sails (TM) over the patio, making it the perfect place to hunker down with a thermos full of cocktail to share with friends.  Or myself. I like to keep things simple so that I don't have to do too much work before I plop down in my lawn chair, so I'm limiting myself to three ingredients per cocktail for the next couple of weeks...

Old-Timey (at least I think it is) Gin Buck

Makes one drink

Juice of half a lemon
Ginger ale
1.5 oz. gin

Stir together in a glass and guzzle.

Pairs well with...



Dill Pickle Dip

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

12 oz cream cheese
5-6 tablespoons pickle juice
1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickle
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Mix cream cheese with pickle juice, chopped pickle and fresh dill. Serve with celery sticks.

The best coffee-lime-rum martini you will ever drink

This cocktail comes--with slight modifications--from the wonderful family-run Backwards Distillery in Casper, Wyoming. I have tried their gin and rum, and they are both amazing--the gin is the most interesting I think I have ever tried. I am not a paid advertiser, just a huge fan. So, without further ado...

Buzzed Martini (originally called "The Perky Daiquiri" from Backwards Distilling)

Makes 1 drink

1.5 oz rum (their's is called Sword Swallower  and it's delish)
2 oz cold coffee
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz coconut milk
1/2 oz simple syrup

Shake all that shit up with some ice and pour into a glass. Try not to drink it too fast...

Boozy Cherries for your Old Fashioned and Manhattans

These are terrifically easy and delicious, and besides topping drinks, they make a great snack before board meetings...just kidding! Use any cheap brown liquor you have laying around...dark rum, bourbon, brandy...and get to work!  (I would avoid particularly smoky whiskeys or scotches as the flavor will be weird, but you probably want to keep that stuff for sipping anyway.)

Boozy Cherries

1 1/5 cups dark rum, bourbon, etc.
1/3 cup white sugar (maybe a little less if you're using a sweet liquor like brandy)
2 cups pitted dark cherries

Bring the rum and sugar to boil in a small saucepan, whisking to completely dissolve the sugar.  Turn off heat and leave it for about 15 minutes while you pit this cherries.  I don't have a fool proof method for this, but I tend to favor a chopstick.  The guy in this tutorial is also adorbs. Stuff your cherries into a jar, pour the liquid over the top  to cover, and twist the lid on tight. Will keep in the fridge for about a month, if they last that long. If you have any leftover rum syrup, use it to make last week's banana daiquiris!

Now, what are you going to do with them?  May I suggest two classics?

(I'll Take) Manhattan

makes 1 drink

2 oz. rye whiskey
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
dash Angostura bitters

Put 2-3 cubes of ice into a cocktail shaker. Add bitters, vermouth, and bourbon and shake. Strain into a martini glass and sink a cherry or two in there.

Old Fashioned

Makes 1 drink

1 1/2 oz Bourbon or Rye whiskey

2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 

Sugar cube

Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters, add a dash of plain water. Muddle until dissolved. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey. Garnish with orange slice, and a cherry.

Banana Daiquiris are my summer spirit animal

Don't think a lot about it. This recipe is quintessential 1950s camp in a glass, and perfect for a casual gathering on your patio this weekend.

Frozen Banana Daiquiri of Your Dreams

Makes 1 drink

2 oz. rum of your choice
3/4 oz. lime juice
3/4 oz. sugar syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to water)
1/2 frozen banana

Blend with 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cracked ice until smooth. (If you like a thinner consistency, use closer to 1 cup.) Pour into the corniest glass you can find, and top with Angostura bitters and a float of dark rum.

Cocktails for These Political Times: so, do we still have healthcare?

I was trying to remember when the whole Trumpcare debacle happened, and although it seems like at least thirteen controversies ago, it was just on March 24!  And I didn't even make a toast! So, this one's for all of my self-employed friends, many of whom are entertaining you with their amazing music/art/acting/dancing skills, teaching your children self-esteem and pride in a job well done, and making absolutely no contributions to the destruction of this world.  For the record, I always believed you deserve medical care.  Congrats on keeping it a bit longer. I added some juice for extra vitamins.

Healthcare, Hell Yeah!

Makes 1 drink

5 ounces unsweetened blueberry juice
2 ounces plain vodka
sugar to taste
ice
fresh blueberries
coarse sugar for rim of glass

Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with vodka. Place coarse sugar on a plate, rub the edge of the glass with sugar to coat. Taste your blueberry juice to see how sweet it is. Add ice,vodka, blueberry juice & sweetener (if needed) to a martini shaker. Shake & strain into sugar rimmed martini glass. Float fresh blueberries on the top of the cocktail.
* You could totally replace the vodka with sparkling water (in which case, don't shake!) if you're scared you're about to lose your health insurance.

Cocktails for These Political Times: And also for the broken hearted

I never gave much credence to Valentine's Day, but I do vaguely remember that it served as a not-so-friendly reminder of my alone-ness whenever I was alone on that stupidest of holidays in my youth (which was often, surprisingly!). I think that's kind of what the Trump presidency feels like so far: I see photos of Justin Trudeau being awesome, and Angela Merkel being a grown-up (reminder: she's got a PhD in physical chemistry), and I just feel so...alone.  Bereft. Totally fucked.  So, I'm going through my Valentine's Day favorites to cope this week.

Just Go HERE.  I can't even.

Cocktails for These Political Times: rated R for language

It's hard to come up with a Supreme Court-themed cocktail, you know? But I am your humble servant, and so I try...


GET TO KNOW Neil Gorsuch, Supreme Court nominee. Born in August 29, 1967, this silver-haired fox and virtuous Virgo wants you ladies to ask permission before doing stuff with your bodies (you will be told no), and you truckers can just sarcastically freeze in your trucks, I guess. He is also a steadfast hand-shaker. Get to know what else he stands for with this Denver Post cheat-sheet and drink away your fears with the ...


Rocky Mountain Mother F*cker

Makes 1 drink

1/2 ounce amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 ounce whisky
1/2 ounce lime juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice and chill. Strain, pour into a shot glass, and serve.

Cocktails for These Political Times: Ode to the ACLU

I went through the ACLU's Lobby Training Day in Denver Tuesday, and it was so eye-opening.  We had a brief meeting followed by a morning of wandering around the state Senate and House of Reps offices bugging politicians (and often their aides) not to torture incarcerated minors and to protect free speech  on campus.  In all of my years, and multiple civics classes I was required to take but never took seriously, I never learned so much about how bills are introduced, amended, and voted on. And after seeing up-close how many people are working tirelessly to go through every piece of legislature with a fine-toothed comb to ensure American's civil liberties, I have a renewed sense of appreciation for the ACLU (as do many of you; in Colorado alone, the number of volunteers jumped from 30 before election day to 1700 after their first legislative battles with the so-called Muslim ban).

The ACLU is a non-partisan group invested in calling everyone, on both sides of the aisle, on their bullshit. And if you can't get behind that, then you don't deserve this drink or any other except maybe prune juice.

The Black and White

Makes 1 drink

Ice cubes
2 fluid ounces heavy cream
1 fluid ounce vanilla flavored vodka
1 1/2 fluid ounces chocolate liqueur
Chocolate swizzle sticks, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the cream and vodka. Cover and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Slowly pour the chocolate liqueur into the center of the drink to make a layered black and white cocktail. Lay a chocolate swizzle stick across the top rim of the glass. Serve. (Stir the layers together with the swizzle stick before drinking.)

Cocktails for These Political Times: Ladies and Health Stuff

Damnit, do I really still have to do this, America?  Alright, fine...

1. You're all about to lose your healthcare, if you haven't already.  Contact the honorable Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah to find out what kind of trade-in for services you can get with your iPhone.

In the meantime, you may want to start drinking healthier.  But you also need some vodka to drown your salty, salty tears in, so...

The 2017 Healthcare Gimlet

Makes 1 drink

2 oz, Vodka (keep it cheap, as you're going to have to pay for your own surgeries in the future) 2 oz. pineapple juice 

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1 sprig fresh tarragon (optional)

Place vodka, pineapple juice, lime juice, and agave nectar in a shaker with plenty of ice.  Shake until you can't stand it anymore, then strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with tarragon, which is supposed to be good for you or some shit (but not as good as free preventative medicine).

2. There was a Day Without Women strike yesterday, because apparently we still need to remember that we all rely on women sometimes, like say for our very existence. I was working along with a kick-ass woman composer in Laramie, but I did wear red. 

The #drinklikeagirl 

Makes 1 drink

1 oz. Rye Bourbon or Scotch 

1 oz. grapefruit juice 

1 oz. pomegranate juice* 

1/2 oz. of ginger simple syrup

dash of orange bitters

brandied cherries** and orange peel for garnish

Place all ingredients except garnishes in a shaker with ice. Shake until you are world weary. Strain into whatever the hell glass you like and garnish with brandied cherries and orange peel. 

* ginger simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 12 oz. fresh sliced ginger, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding ginger. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

**brandied cherries: it's a lot of words.  just go here. 

Cocktails for these Political Times: Mississippi Edition

I'm in Mississippi this week (stop by if you're in Starkville, Oxford, or Columbus!) giving some concerts and master classes across the Northern expanse of the state, and I'm enjoying learning about local political woes here (well, enjoy might be the wrong word).  Like Coloradans, they had to just go ahead and have a town hall meeting last weekend without their Representative, Steve Palazzo.  But the ugly bill to kill funding for the Mississippi Arts Commission has been killed (yay), and if you're in the area, you can join the good people of this state at the March 4 March on Mississippi to end voter suppression AND their Women's March for Progress April 22. Like so many places these days, it seems the citizenry is far superior to their elected representatives. You guys deserve some punch!

Mississippi Riverboat Milk Punch

Serves between 1 & 6

6 cups any kind of milk you want
1-1/2 cups bourbon
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla
Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

In a pitcher, whisk together milk, bourbon, sugar, and vanilla. Freeze until slushy, 3 to 4 hours. Stir before serving in glasses, finished with a few gratings of fresh nutmeg.

(Urgent PS--you know that little victory for the arts Mississippi just enjoyed? It's meaningless if the NEA, which funds large portions of each state's arts budget, is done away with.  You can sign this fun and easy petition to help see that it isn't!)

Cocktails for These Political Times, part 3

There is so much news every week, most of it bad or crazy, coming out of the White House, and I feel like we all need a little break (from news, but not from drinking). I think it's time for a little positivity. So, this week I've decided to feature some of the fights one of my favorite (sadly, not mine) senators has been picking. This week's Cocktails for These Political Times salutes Minnesota Senator Al Franken, because he kicks ass. And a congratulations to you Minnesotans on your good taste. Check out his formerly awesome hair here.

Hot topics:

Net Neutrality

Overturning Citizens United (here's the petition if you want to sign)

Putting an end to LGBT Bullying (watch the interview here)

Supporting refugees against the Muslim band



There, do you have a crush on Al Franken yet?

It says that the Minnesota state drink is milk (of course), so here we go...

Red Wine Hot Chocolate

Serves 2, if you want to share

1 1/2 cup milk (non-dairy is fine, but keep it plain)
1 cup cheap, fruity/dry red wine (like a South American Shiraz or Merlot)
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and chocolate chips. Whisk constantly until chocolate is melted into milk and you have a thick and creamy chocolate milk. Pour in red wine and heat until everything is hot. Pour into 2 mugs or 6-8 smaller glasses if you think you can't handle it. I totally think Franni would be able to pound this, though.

Goes with: whatever the fuck you want, because Al Franken thinks you are beautiful and he would never tell you what you can and can't eat. 

Cocktails for These Political Times, part 2

Well well well!  So much exciting stuff happened this week!  Michael Flynn quit, Andrew Puzder withdrew his name as Labor Secretary, and despite the DeVos confirmation, the literacy rate still seems to be the same (not great, but still...).  We've got so much to celebrate!  We are still in Russia's back pocket, but we'll save that for another time.

One topic that has become near and dear to me is that of the town hall meetings.  You may recall (or maybe not--who can keep up with all of the drama?) that several GOP senators returned home in the last week to some rather hostile crowds demanding answers to a wide variety of basic questions regarding healthcare, Russian hacking, business conflicts, and the like.  Here in my home state of Colorado, we have yet to hear any news of prodigal first-time senator Cory Gardner's return, although some of my clever fellow Greeley residents sent him a heartfelt Valentine this week to tantalize him. Many of us have also signed this helpful petition reminding him of our existence.

Perhaps he's afraid to see a repeat of what happened in Salt Lake City when Jason Chaffetz, chair of the oversight committee, got solidly slammed for sucking at his job, which is actually to represent his constituents' desires. Those desires apparently include investigating corruption in the White House. Who knew?

Chaffetz was a brave boy for facing the angry townspeople (braver, so far, than Gardner), but he did imply that those were paid protesters afterward, continuing a tired theme started by Trump himself. So, this week, TWO drinks: one for the great people of SLC for their righteous indignation (I know you probably don't drink, but Jello is your state food, right?), and one for keeping your strength up as you troll your senators on Facebook late into the night.



Fancy Jello Shots for SLC (non-alcoholic)

Makes about 12 double shots

1/2 cup boiling water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 1/2 cups sparkling juice or cider (chilled)*
optional: berries, cherries, or gummies

Sprinkle the 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin over the boiling water and let soften for a few minutes. Whisk to dissolve completely and to get rid of clumps.

Pour the sparkling juice or cider gently into a mixing bowl or large measuring cup with a spout (try to pour onto the inside of the bowl to minimize carbonation loss). Pour the gelatin mixture into the sparkling juice and gently stir to combine.

Pour the liquid into stemmed glasses or other containers you wish to use for serving. Add berries or gummies to each glass.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving or until jello is firm enough to eat.

* Trade the cider for sparkling wine/ champagne if you want.



#notapaidprotester 

Makes 1 drink

1/3 cup tomato juice
2 ounces tequila
juice of half a lime
Ice
Hot pepper sauce, (I like Tabasco or Tapatio)

In a large glass, combine tomato juice, tequila, and lime juice. Add ice and several dashes hot-pepper sauce, and get to work demanding revolution!

Announcing: cocktails for these political times

This is a food and travel blog, and with the exception of this plea to donate to your favorite artistic endeavors, I have avoided sharing my political opinions thus far since the apocalypse slowly began. But whether you voted for Hillary or Trump, you've got to admit our shiny new President is breaking a lot of the valuable china right now, and our elected officials are either rendered powerless or too dumbstruck to act. Well, you don't have to admit that, but if you don't see it, please tell me what particular brand of powerful mind-numbing drugs you are taking, because I would very much like in on that. And also, goodbye and thank you for following this blog until today (I'm assuming).

Because drinking has definitely increased at my house and many of my friends' houses since inauguration day, I have decided to start a new Thursday night series called "Cocktails for These Political Times". Every week until the madness ends, I will touch upon some of the spectacular shittiness of the week with links to helpful resources for fighting back, and will dedicate a cocktail to someone on The Hill who really needs it. I hope this series doesn't run for very long, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to start getting a whole lot more creative with gin this year.

This week's biggest disappointments as an American include:
the appointment of Betsy DeVos as the country's last Secretary of Education, the appointment of KKK-loving Jeff Sessions to the incredibly important position of Attorney General, and poor Senator Elizabeth Warren's silencing by the Republicans for trying to read a letter by Coretta Scott King during the Dem's filibuster (a letter which, by the way, was then read by four different male senators without punishment).

While it's over for this round of fights, there are so many coming up, including

• the decision about whether to protect national parks
• a battle over the next Supreme Court judge
• the sanctity of NATO

So, I invite you to watch these issues closely, contact your representative (maybe we can wear them down if we annoy them with our pesky opinions enough?) and read this article on making necessary political harassment a daily part of your schedule.

This cocktail goes to Senator Warren, whose treatment by Republicans reminds us that it sucks to be a woman senator at all, let alone a (gasp) liberal one. Liz, I don't know if you drink, but Imma have an extra one of these for you. Every damn day.

The Monkey Wrench

Serves 1, but honey, just double it if you want...

2 ounces light rum
4 ounces grapefruit juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry, to garnish

In an ice filled old-fashioned glass, combine the light rum, grapefruit juice and Angostura bitters.
Garnish with the maraschino cherry, and serve.

Goes with: the salty tears of your enemies. Also salt and vinegar chips.

Bonus cocktails for your winter cold

I've spent the past few weeks fighting an on-again, off-again cold and bargaining with myself to only drink "healthy" cocktails, because abstaining completely is not bringing me any joy (so, no Drynuary for me, thank you). These current political times call for comfort of any kind, so eat your Jalapeno flavored Kettle Chips, watch your terrible Netflix cue, and make one of these drinks, which each have some healthy components when separated from the alcoholic content.

Salty Bulldog

makes 1 drink

2 oz. gin
1 oz. cranberry juice
1 oz. grapefruit juice
dash Angostura bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a glass. Salted rim, extra.


Most Perfect Hot Toddy

makes 1 drink

2 oz. rye whisky
4 oz hot water
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon

Stir all ingredients together in a mug until honey is fully incorporated. Drink.