And Extra Share for the Angels!

Hooray! We have a drinker in the White House again! And he has invited the powers that be over for a Cocktail party! Oh how to a wrangle an invite? And since not one republican voted for the STIM bill, maybe he should have gotten them liquored up before the vote? Loosen some of those republican tight purse strings and high moral hypocrisy.

Last week I was blessed to spend inauguration night with LeNell and friends at Bobo in the Village. We toasted the new president with his blue signature Obamatini (Blue curacao, Vodka, Orange bitters) and danced the night away with a funky and soulful James Brown cover band. And I actually had a drink handed to me by cocktail God Eben Freeman! My heart flutters!

I may not be rubbing shoulders with the stiffs in Washington, but I still got plenty of stiff drinks around me here in NYC. Thank the goddess since this January has been a tough one. And it is still 18 days from Pitchers and Catchers...sigh.

This isn't Bush's White House
[Politico.com]

The Gray Lady tackles the Old Fashioned

The NY Times is clearly feeling the depression. The Dining section sounded more like "Fast Easy and Delicious" recipes from Womens Wear Daily with such tips as, "Turning leftovers to dessert" and "It may sound like pseudoscience, but there are ways to alter wine to get rid of unwanted aromas, including the taint of corked wine." Taint of corked wine? Oh we are drinking that now, NY Times? Things are bad since to mortgaged your new building, eh?

And their Blog on alcohol, Proof, is sooooooo depressing! Its all about quitting drinking. Its like reading about baseball from the guys who couldn't make it to the Show...so sad, Crash Davis! And I am not alone! Look at this recent post from commenter JES:

What’ll I have? A column about drinking by someone who doesn’t have an intrinsic bias against it. Good luck in your recovery from alcoholism, but I’d rather read your thoughts about abstinence.

I concur, JES. But for once the spirits blog looks like it was not written by someone in Alcoholics Anonymous Although I still have a health mistrust for ANYONE who thinks there is a place for Rose's Lime Juice on this planet, much less in my drink! But Paul Clarke takes on one of my favorite drinks, The Old Fashioned. I didn't think there was such drama around how to make one. Are ou still friends after an Old Fashioned? I hope so!

I have a tradition of making a Ginger Old Fashioned (from a now defunct restaurant on Jones St) every year for Thanksgiving. I start in September infusing some bourbon and rye with fresh and candied ginger (bakers ginger from Trader Joes is good). Before turkey day I will use fresh ginger to make some ginger simple syrup. The question of bitters. I like classic old fashioned bitters, but I don't mind playing with some other flavors on top, especially if I am making the drink without soda on top. Now the Fee brothers have recently come out with Cherry Bitters and their Orange biters, while not as spicy as Regans, is pretty good. But I still like to muddle a bit of fruit in the bottom of the glass with the ginger syrup and bitters. Toss in the ginger bourbon and just a splash of seltzer (fresh from a gun would be perfect) and its like Christmas exploded in your mouth! So fresh, tart, spicy and packed with vitamin C!

Are you still friends after an Old Fashioned?
[Proof-NY Times Blog]

Green, Gold and Pink: Fast, Easy and Delicious

[NY Times]

Oktoberfest (Revisited)

Sorry for the lack of posts lately...been caught up in that post-holidaze, rainy day depression. Gosh it is dreary here. And this article on barrel ages beers only served to remind me of the idiot ex who left $100 worth of fancy beer in my backseat in plain view for Christmas Eve thieves..I never did get to try that $35 bottle of Abbey du Saint-Bon Chien. I swear there is not a day that goes by when I don't mentally raise a fist in anger to the heavens at what a dolt I wasted my time with. And its been over a year! Like I said..January can be rough.

But here is some good news! Oktoberfest is coming back to the Bell House this Monday! And so is the absolute darling Alex Meixner! This Grammy nominated artist not only puts on a rockin' show, but he is absolute doll! Look how adorable he is!

I want to squeeze those cheeks!

What a joy it is to down large mugs of fine German beer and polka the night away on a cold January night. So come out and join me for Oktoberfest Revisited and save a dance for me! I'll be the one dressed like the St Paulie Girl.

[Roll out the Barrel, Open your Wallet]
NY TImes

Happy New Year!

2009 Heights Party Punch aka, Tomas Collins
Gin
White Wine
Lillet
Tonic
Grapefruit bitters

Toss in the fishbowl with some ice and stumble downstairs to party with the boys and ring in the New Year!
Lemon sorbet