Homemade Baileys (Recipe)

Sent to me by Steve. I’m not much of a cook or mixoligist, so perhaps one you culinary types out there could try this out and let me know what you think.

Cheers -

• 1 C light cream
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 2/3 C Irish whiskey
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 2 Tbspn Hershey's chocolate syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract

Combine in a blender, on high speed for 1 Minute.

1. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
2. Shake before using.
3. Will keep for up to 2 months, longer if stored in freezer.

Monday Quick Hits Vol 3

Well, recent news has totally overtaken the Monday Quick Hits.

Unless you live under a rock (RANDY!), you are aware that Osama Bin Laden was killed yesterday.

My Celebratory drinks last night were two-fold. At first it was pretty simple, a (several) pint (s ) of Guinness and then later my last Cohiba Cuban Cigar. Ultimately it lead to a new-

The Osama Bin Laden -

• Crystal Head Vodka
• Spicy V8 Juice
• Stirred with Bacon (sadly, only Microwave Bacon, but it was 1AM at this point).
• On ice and served in a highball glass

Congrats to the my brothers and sisters in the Military (and especially Intel). Great Job.

Now, moving on to my other tidbits from the weekend- We have two bars that I stopped by at locally here in Ashland.

First was El Ranchito, located right off of 63/Route Y Exit next to Moser’s. Obviously, but the name, it is a Mexican Themed Restaurant and is one that we frequent quite often, but I have never thought to write it up.

The food there is really good, and the service is excellent. They have a pretty diverse beer list, the highlight being Dos Equis on tap and their margaritas are pretty good. On Saturday, May 7th, they are having their Cinco De Mayo celebrations starting at 10AM. With live music, I could see this being a pretty happening place. Perhaps we will stop by after the Missouri Beer Fest.

I can’t stress though how much I like the wait staff there. They have gotten to know us on sight, and jokingly refer us to our “Regular Table”. They know the foods and drinks we like, and are always willing make a joke. I even learned that in Mexico, there is a bread company called “Bimbo” and they sponsor a soccer team. I have to get Debi one of those Jerseys

The next place I went was Woody’s Pub and Grub. Also off of 63 (easiest access when going southbound), this is your typical Small Town Bar. Excellent Pub Grub (Huge Portions and try the fried pickles) and Guinness on Tap….I only wish Debi liked this place more (she complains of the smoke).

Saturday night I took Richard and James there, and we were able to watch some PPV UFC, play some shuffleboard (James loves it) and have a great meal (even Richard was full). They also have pool tables and darts…even Kino if you are so inclined.

The bar tab was reasonable and people friendly. A good place for a “Guys Night Out” and definitely worth picking up some takeout.

Next, as a preview….I am working on a story regarding Walmart’s Sales Policy on Alcohol and Tobacco products. I was carded this weekend, and learned their policy is 40 (almost twice the legal age). I’ve already interviewed the Asst Manger (and got some great quotes) and am awaiting a callback from the Store Manager today. This could be really interesting and I look forward to putting it all together. Save your opinions for the upcoming report and survey.

Finally, only one week left before the Missouri Beer Fest on Saturday the 7th. Hopefully you have your tickets….I hope to see you there.

Happy Monday everyone

Nature’s Wonder Cocktail (Recipe)–Happy Earth Day

I was trying to think of something unique to do on Earth Day.

I had already blogged about my Earth Day Liquor VeeV, but the night was just starting and I was wondering if there was something I could do to follow it up.

Enter Mother Nature. Today some serious storms came through Mid-MO (and is still going on) and it literally came right down our road.

Of course I was outside, watching how amazing nature can be, and then came the hail.

James and I bagged some up to put in the freezer for his Uncle to see, when I had the bright idea…..lets make a real natural drink.

So, enter my concoction -

Nature’s Wonder

• 1oz VeeV Açaí Spirit
• 2 Pieces of Hail
• Enjoy the thunderstorms going overhead.

Cheers

Tommy Gee’s Hot Toddy Recipe

So for the second part of the week I have had a sore throat, and last night I decided to make myself a hot toddy to drink in the bathtub. Let me tell ya, drinking in the tub or shower is a wonderful experience in and of itself; try it sometime after mowing the lawn. Just take a nice cool corn adjunct lager (like a PBR, Stag, Olympia, etc) into the shower while you clean off. There is nothing quite like it. So along the same lines, drinking a hot toddy in the tub when you are sick is a Dionysian escape from the pain of illness.

When I went to my pantry I could not find my honey--so decided to substitute molasses instead, and I think it made the drink even better! (And when I went to pick everything up afterwards, there was the honey bear staring at me IN FRONT of the empty spot in the cupboard where the molasses was. I had to reach past the honey to get to it! Was it luck or divine intervention that led me to this discovery? Either way I was winning!) My recipe below:

Tommy Gee’s Hot Toddy

• Hot water (8-10 oz)
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• 2 ts molasses
• Lemon juice (one wedge, or a couple of squirts from a plastic lemon)
• 1 oz bourbon

AHHHHH. The pain in my throat went away instantly and all the day’s worries melted from my shoulders. I have to note though that modern medical science does not support treating colds with booze because doctors are annoying little shits who hate happiness. That, and drinking booze leads to dehydration and irritates the throat which I suppose is not so great for you in the long run.

<Ed Note> Interestingly, his Hot Toddy varies from mine (From back in 2009). Molasses, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Alaskan Duck Fart

I want to know who comes up with drink names? I also want to know who does drink videos and complains so many times throughout that he doesn’t like Whiskey?

Oh Well, a great looking “Layered” drink.

Cheers

Just for Tori–Guinness Cookies (Recipe)

Since you don’t like cake….here’s to you Tori

Chocolate Guinness Cookies
Makes ~24 cookies.

INGREDIENTS

Guinness syrup

• 2 bottles of Guinness (12 oz each)
• 5 tbsp sugar

Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 a vanilla pod, scraped)
• 1/3 cup prepared Guinness syrup
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda [NOTE: If you're using Dutch-process (aka pre-alkalized) cocoa powder, you should use baking POWDER instead. Otherwise you'll end up with oven-baked pancakes.]

1 tbsp powdered (confectioner's) sugar for pretty

METHOD

Set out your butter and egg first to allow them to start warming up to room temperature.

For the Guinness syrup, pour both bottles of beer into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. When the liquid hits a boil, lower the heat to a busy simmer and let the liquid reduce to a syrup, stirring more than occasionally but less than frequently. It'll take 20 minutes or more -- you're looking for it to become a rich amber color, and gain the consistency of thin honey or thick maple syrup. Also, it'll begin foaming really aggressively when you stir it (more aggressively than that... wait for it...) and will be almost exactly 1/3 cup in volume.

Take the saucepan off the heat and transfer the syrup to a small dish to allow it to cool down.

Get your oven preheating to 350.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder or soda, and salt) and stir with a whisk to fully incorporate. (This helps break up any clumps and get the leavening agent fully distributed.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine your softened butter (you can just nuke it for a few seconds if, like some authors of this recipe, you forgot to set it out earlier) and your white & brown sugars. Cream them together with an electric blender on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has lightened in color and begun to hold the wavey shapes that the beaters sculpt it into as they pass through it. Add your vanilla, egg, and Guinness syrup, and blend for another minute or so until everything is incorporated.

Put down the beater! You'll want to use a spoon or spatula for this next part so that you don't overwork the flour. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir gently until no dry pockets remain. The dough will be sticky.

Butter and flour a baking sheet (unless it's REALLY high-quality nonstick). Roll a rounded teaspoonful of dough into a ball in your hands and then flatten it slightly before placing it on the sheet, and repeat until you fill the sheet, leaving a couple inches between each cookie. (If you don't like getting your hands dirty, you can drop the dough onto the sheet directly from the spoon and flatten it slightly once it's on there, but I find that they come off easier when you do the flattening beforehand.)

Pop the sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies look dry and provide a bit of springy resistance when you poke them (carefully, folks) with a fingertip. Remove the sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to continue cooking on it for a couple minutes before transferring them to a rack (preferred) or plate (less preferred) to cool.

For the pretty: Once the cookies are cool to the touch, put maybe a tablespoon of powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve and hold the sieve over the plate of cookies. Tap the edge of the sieve to dust the powder onto the cookies.

Tiger’s Blood Cocktail

While watching Charlie Sheen on Ustream (HERE) I started searching for Tiger’s Blood.

<Ed Note- Love the Reds Shirt Charlie>

Here is the best recipe I have found so far-

Directions for your own Tiger Blood cocktail:

• 3 oz. tomato juice
• 1.5 oz. Sake
• pinch of wasabi
• dash of soy sauce
• squeeze of lime

Shake ingredients hard over ice. Garnish with celery stalk, and begin winning

Personally, I like this way better than the P-Diddy concoction of Ciroc Redberry and Cranberry Juice (LAME).  This has nothing to do with my previous thoughts on “Mr Diddy” and his crappy vodka….well, maybe it does.  But it’s my blog and I can choose sides as I want.

Laphroaig and orange pancakes (Recipe)

 

I saw this on Friends of Laphroaig and thought I would share since Simon is telling me TODAY is the true Pancake Day.

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone.

Laphroaig and orange pancakes

Preheat oven to gas mark 325F/170C.
To make the pancakes sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
Then make a well in the centre break in the eggs steady the bowl on a damp tea towel and whisk with one hand (an electric whisk is best).
Then gradually pour in the milk with the other hand until you have a smooth lump free batter.
Halfway through run a spatula round the edge of the bowl to dislodge any lumps that have clogged there.
Lastly add the oil and give another whisk.
To cook the pancakes you need a heavy frying pan not more than 18cm in diameter.
Get the pan really hot and swirl a knob of butter around to coat the base and then tip out the excess melted butter on to a saucer to use when you next need it.
Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the hot pan swirl it round evenly and as soon as it looks golden on the underneath edge flip it over and brown the other side.
Then fold it in half then in half again and place in a shallow gratin dish.
Now repeat until all the pancakes are made; you should get about 12 overlapping each other in rows in the dish.
For the sauce melt the butter stir in the sugar and simmer this for 5 minutes.
Then add the orange and lemon juice and zest and bring all this up to simmering point then add the Laphroaig and simmer for 3 more minutes.
Next pour the sauce over the pancakes it will look too much at this stage but fear not the pancakes are going to soak up and absorb the sauce.
Now place the dish in the oven for just 10 minutes.
If you want to make this in advance you can re heat it from cold in about 15 minutes but do not put the sauce over the pancakes until ready to re heat.
Makes 10 12 pancakes

Stout Beer Chicken Thighs (Recipe)

Ha….that almost sounds like a night out in the UK <Wink>.

Anyway, I wanted to post this, as St Pat’s is coming up and what a perfect time to cook with Stout.

I personally will be in LA for a User’s Conference and don’t have time to try this for a few weeks, but there are some more accomplished cooks out there (TommyG, Marsha, Kendra) that would do this better justice than me anyway.  Will any of you three take up the challenge and give this a try?  Send me your pics and I will post.

Enjoy-

Stout beer makes saucy chicken thighs

Braise them with carrots, mushrooms, peas and bacon.

Most health-conscious cooks focus on boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
It makes sense. This ubiquitous piece of the bird is convenient, versatile and virtually fat-free. But there are other options on the same bird. The more flavorful and just as convenient boneless, skinless thighs really should be near the top of your shopping list. Here's why:
While it is true that the humble thigh is fattier than the breast — about 7 grams per 3-ounce cooked portion — that fat brings with it the extra flavor and moisture breasts can so often lack. Plus, the dark meat of the thigh contains the nutritional jackpot of considerably more iron and twice the zinc of white meat.
That extra fat also means it's harder to ruin a chicken thigh recipe, even with quick, high-heat cooking.
Boneless, skinless thighs are just as convenient as breasts, but they do take a bit longer to cook, which makes them well suited to absorb plenty of smokiness on the grill or flavor from a sauce during a stovetop braise.
This recipe for stout-braised chicken thighs, which is perfect for St. Patrick's Day, combines flash browning over high heat and a quick, low-heat braise. By switching around the sauce ingredients, you can turn this method for cooking thighs into an endless variety of dishes
Here, the recipe calls for 3/4 cup of a stout beer and a single strip of chopped bacon to make a smoky, malty sauce that's balanced by the sweetness of peas, carrots and onions, plus the earthiness of mushrooms.
Serve with mashed potatoes or even an Irish colcannon (potatoes mashed with kale or cabbage) to help soak up the sauce.

Stout-braised chicken thighs

Start to finish: 50 minutes (30 minutes active)
Servings: 4.

• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 slice bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3/4 cup baby carrots
• 4 ounces mushrooms, halved
• 3/4 cup stout, such as Guinness
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup frozen baby peas

In a shallow dish, combine 1/4 cup of flour with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Dredge chicken thighs in flour mixture to coat completely, then set on a plate. In a 12-inch, nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil. Add chicken thighs and cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add onion, carrots and mushrooms and saute until vegetables begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, another 2 minutes.
Add stout and broth to pan and bring to a boil using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Return thighs to pan, nestling them among vegetables. Reduce heat until liquid is gently simmering, then cover and cook 15 minutes.
Add peas and cook, covered, for 5 minutes more. Uncover pan and simmer 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve chicken with vegetables and sauce spooned over top.
Per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 409 calories; 180 calories from fat (44 percent of total calories); 20 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 98 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 2 g fiber; and 397 mg sodium.

Smokes and Booze: Remember the Alamo (a recipe)

First attempt at this- A Blog repost.

On this day in history...the Alamo falls.

Here's to those brave men that stood for what they believed in.

http://www.thealamo.org/


Smokes and Booze: Remember the Alamo (a recipe): "Below you will find a brief story of the Alamo, beginning with this day in History (Feb 24, 1836). So, to commemorate these brave souls..."

Survival Drinking- Coffeepot Beer

It’s actually pretty amazing the odd stuff I run across at 1AM in the morning, and this time I came across an interesting article at Southern Fried Science.

In the article, they describe being on an oceanographic research vessel, and during the long stay at sea….running out of alcohol.

They then go into detail on how to brew beer using ingredients found onboard and a coffee maker.  This is actually pretty ingenious and, even though I am listing the basic steps below, I highly recommend you check out their website for the backstory and full details.

1. Grind up your ‘grains’ (but not so much that it becomes powder).
2. Place your ‘grains’ in coffee pot (not the filter basket, the carafe).
3. Run 2 cups of clean water through coffee maker and let it sit on the hot plate for an hour. This releases all the good chemicals from you ‘grains’ and creates a fluid called wort.
4. Strain the wort through the coffee filter and place the filter full of ‘grain’ into the filter basket. Add the ‘malt’ to the filter basket. Pour the strained liquid back into coffee maker and add 1 cup of water.
5. Run the wort through the coffee maker 5 times, each time adding 1 cup of water.
6. Pour the wort into the saucepan and boil for 45 minutes. Two minutes before boiling is done, add the hops.
7. Carefully pour the wort into the canning jars.
8. Let the wort cool to between 60 and 70 F. Once it is cool enough to touch the outside of the jars without burning, pitched the Bakers’ Yeast into the mixture.
9. Seal jar with a handkerchief and rubber band over the mouth, and let sit for 3 to 5 days.
10. And table spoon of sugar to the jar and seal with the lids, making sure they’re air tight.
11. Store in a cool, dark place where it will not be disturbed for a week

Washington Apple (Recipe and Review)

Ok, this one has been a long time in coming, partly because I lost the napkin it was written on.  I’ve now found it (although it is in about the same shape as the Shroud of Turin) and wanted to pass this along.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Simon and I were in KC in preparation for a staff meeting that week.  We had started watching the game at our Hotel Bar, but we were eventually cut off (That is a whole other Blog Post in itself & I swear we were nowhere close)…so we headed down the street to The Cheesecake Factory.

Now, I knew of the CCF for it’s food, but I had never tried their bar…even though it gets some great quotes in the movie Step Brothers -

Dale- Would it be cool if Brennan and I opened just one present each... ...since it's Christmas Eve?

Robert/Dad- I'm gonna go down to the Cheesecake Factory, have a drink.

Nancy/Mom - But it's Christmas Eve.

Robert/Dad- Merry Christmas.

Next Scene

Nancy/Mom -Well, you reek of Scotch and cheesecake.

Robert/Dad - You know... ...tonight at the Cheesecake Factory was the happiest I've been in months.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

At the downstairs bar, we got to watch the game and met a great bartender named Chad.  He was engaging and funny, which are signs of a good barman, and not once did he cut us off.  In fact, one of my favorite quotes of the night was “I knew you guys were professional drinkers when you called for an Oban”.

I won’t go into all the drinks we had (I don’t think I can remember them all), but I will point out Chad makes a mean Martini and I also wanted to highlight his signature drink –

The Washington Apple

1.5 oz Crown Royal

1.25 oz Sour Apple Pucker

.5 oz Cranberry Juice

2 oz Apple Cider

.25 oz Cherry Syrup

As you can see it’s a layered drink and served over ice in a tall glass.  It really does taste like a Washington Apple and personally give it 5 Stars.

It’s not on the menu (as of yet), but I am sure Chad would whip you up one in a heartbeat.  Just swing by The Cheesecake Factory on the Plaza in KC and tell him Smokes & Booze sent ya.

Ed Note- To the Management of The Cheesecake Factory – I do want to point out that you staff in KC is excellent (not just the food).  If other Restaurants and Bars paid as much attention to the customers as you team did to us, the world would be a better place.  Great Job and keep up the good work.

Guinness Irish Stew - Crock pot

From our friends at 44Stone, some Guinness Irish Stew

Ingredients

• 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds cubed stew meat
• flour, salt and pepper for dredging
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, halved
• 16 ounces of tomato sauce
• 1 can low sodium beef broth (15 3/4 ounce)
• 1 envelope lipton onion soup mix
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces Guinness Stout

Methods/steps

1. Place potato, carrot and celery chunks in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with the bay leaves.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season about 1/4 cup of flour with salt and pepper. Dredge beef in the flour. Brown in the skillet in batches, adding more oil if necessary.
3. Remove beef, set aside.
4. Add onion and garlic the the same pan and sautee for a minute. Add some of beef broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the meat and mushroom to the vegetables in slow cooker. Mix together remaining beef broth,tomato sauce, onion soup mix and seasonings. Pour on top of meat and mushrooms. Add Guinness.
6. Cook 8 hours on low.

Happy Thanksgiving from S&B

I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.  This is the first year I am not doing a turkey ( remember THIS and THIS?), but instead….I am doing Duck.

It should be interesting, as this is my first attempt…..what can go wrong?

Supreme Cut Duck Breast in Grand Marnier

Serves 4

Prep: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Oven Preheat: 350 degrees

Supreme Cut Duck Breast

• 4 Supreme Cut Duck Breasts
• Grand Marnier Sauce
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Orange Zest
• ¼ Cup Sugar
• 1 Ounce Gran Marnier
• 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Season duck breast with your salt and pepper.
Cover wing bone with foil.
Bake in oven at 350 degrees for ½ hour.
Brush Duckling breast with Gran Marnier Sauce and continue baking until done. Internal Temperature should be 140 to 150 degrees.

Gran Marnier Sauce
Heat orange juice, orange zest, and sugar. Bring to boil on medium heat. Add Gran Marnier. Turn down to simmer. Thicken with corn starch. Mix with wire wisk until smooth.

Serving
Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Asparagus

I am varying the recipe by doing a whole duck vs just the breasts.  Should be interesting.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the WKRP TURKEY DROP.  Enjoy and have a great Holiday Season.

 

 

WKRP Turkey Drop - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

A Bloody Debi

HA, that name sounds hilarious….but the end product was really good.

This weekend, Debi was making Salsa.  You see, we focused our garden this year on ingredients to make Salsa and Tomato sauce.  Everything is really easy to grow and both are things that we enjoy (although Tomatoes by themselves are the spawn of Satan).

I digress.

Anyway, one of the by products of her seeding and peeling the tomatoes was all the juice.  This time around, she captured it and strained everything, but what to do with it.

At first she thought Bloody Mary Mix, and I think that was her goal when setting out, however what she made was fairly spicy and so the idea sprung to put Tequila in instead of Vodka.

Thus, a Bloody Debi was born.

Her mix consisted of Garlic, Tomato by product, Hot Sauce (Old Missouri Bushwhacker Brand – General Shelby’s No Surrender_, part of Jalapeño, and salt/pepper (am I missing anything?)….all blended well together.

Add to a glass of ice and Herradura Blanco Tequila (brought to you by some vampire novel Debi likes) and you have an interesting and refreshing drink with lots of bite.

She might swing me to Tequila yet.

Cheers  :)

From Yuengling to Bushwhacker

I would have to defer to my Gulf Coast Expert Tom to see if this a manly drink….but the whipped cream and cherry doesn’t help with the appearance.

President Barack Obama drinks a 'Bushwacker' drink traditionally made with dark rum, coconut cream, creme de cacao, half and half, coffee liqueur, as he makes an unannounced visit to Tacky Jack's, a restaurant, in Orange Beach, Ala., as he visits the Gulf Coast region affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill Monday, June 14, 2010

The Bushwhacker

4 oz cream of coconut
2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur
1 oz Bacardi® black rum
1 oz creme de cacao
4 oz half-and-half
vanilla ice cream

Pour all ingredients into a blender (ice cream optional) with two cups of ice, and blend until mixed. Serve in a hurricane glass.

Whatchoo Talking Bout Willis

 

Today we learned of the passing of a great child star of the 80’s, Mr. Gary Coleman.

With a career that spanned such classics TV Shows as: Different Strokes, Buck Rogers, Good Times and The Jeffersons (and many others)….you think that would be enough of a success.

But Gary wasn’t finished, he went on to appear is many movies, such as: ….well, none of them really amounted to anything, but he was in Midgets and Mascots that has a frontal nudity shot of him.

He met Mohammed Ali, Nancy Reagan and even ran for Governor of California.

Gary lived a full life, and it is a tragedy that it ended so early.

The Folks over at Drinkswap.com have a list of some of Gary’s favorite drinks (he seemed partial to Baily’s), so check that out and do as I am….having an Irish Car Bomb in his memory.

Carbomb Drink Recipe
1/2 shot  Irish Cream
1/2 shot  Irish Whiskey
1 pint  Guinness Stout
Directions
Combine (proportions of 50/50) Bailey's Irish Cream and Irish Whiskey into one shot glass. Drop the shot into a mug of Guinness and chugg until empty.

RIP Gary….and Cheers

$4 bottle of Rum – One of the best I’ve had

Ok, now I know I have your attention…..especially you bastards in the cheap seats.

Today I was prowling my local liquor section, and I saw something next to the Sailor Jerry Rum….a bottle that looked like it was intended to mate with it…..Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum. 

At $14 a bottle, how could I say no? (Ed Note – Sailor Jerry is going for $17 a bottle, so there is not much price difference).

Expecting a Sailor Jerry knockoff…..not only was I pleasantly surprised, but very impressed.

In fact, Blackheart beat Sailor Jerry in every important category.

First, Blackheart has a Hot Pirate Chick on the Bottle…Sailor Jerry a tattoo Hula Girl.

Second, 93 Proof vs 92 Proof.

Third, price is comparable….but Blackheart has a great 2nd time buy incentive (see below)

Finally, the drink itself

Nose- Sweet, light, refreshing.  Hints of fruit (oranges) linger behind a vanilla aroma.

Taste- The vanilla comes out in force (especially when splashed with water) , combined with a nutmeg and oak burn.  Love it.

Finish- Neat, dry oak finish….very delicate and no burn, even when drank neat.

Not only did I come away impressed with the rum, but I think it puts Captain Morgan’s to Shame……Sailor Jerry was just boarded and forced to walk the plank.

I also noticed the hang-tag attached to the bottle offering a $10 mail-in rebate.  Considering that a single costs on $14 (here in inflation driven Boondocks MO), for basically $18 you can enjoy one bottle and stock your bar with another.

In fact, I am currently working on a write-up (augmenting an article) on setting up a bar, and I can honestly say…….if you like Spiced Rum, Blackheart is the way to go…..both Well AND Top Shelf.

If I were to rate this as a non-mixer, but straight (as I do all liquors), Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum is literally a 5 Star Product, and one that I would recommend to anyone.

Pick it up and enjoy a glass…..I know I am.

Cheers.

Skulls and Gimlets

Two things I have written about in the past have appeared in the news and this gives a chance to catch up and also revisit old posts.

The first article involves Crystal Skull Vodka.  As you know, I bought this awhile back and we really liked it.  The bottle was cool and surprisingly, the vodka was some of the best I had tried.

HERE is the original write up.

Well, now it appears that the market has considerably expanded and now they want to push into Canada.  However, they have now been banned by the Liquor Control Board for Ontario (LCBO) due to the fact that “The image of the human skill is the thing that is really problematic for us,” per LCBO spokesman Chris Layton.  “That’s an image that’s commonly associated with death.  It’s especially problematic at a time when there are concerns around binge drinking by younger adults, which in some cases, unfortunately, has resulted in alcohol poisoning”.

The LCBO concerns seem to stop at only the kids, since it has been cleared for restaurant and on-line sales, so once again…a government agency (albeit a Canadian one) punishes the consumers instead of the focusing on punishing the criminals.  TYPICAL.

The second article, “The War of the Rose’s”  is regarding someone’s take on the Gimlet. 

The crux of the page is that bartenders are now using fresh lime juice in their Gimlets, yet that is not what is in the recipe.

2 oz. Gin or Vodka
2/3 oz. Rose's Lime Juice

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and shake.
Serve in a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a fresh lime wedge

There is also an interesting history of Rose’s which is funny to read (to think Rum was the preservative for lime juice cracks me up still).

HERE was my original post on the subject (I was drinking the correct style of Gimlet).

Of course, I endorse both Crystal Skull and Gimlets…..so to see people messing with either irks me.  So, go online and pick up a bottle of Crystal Skull (it’s also available at GrandCru in Columbia) and also raise a gimlet in silent protest.

Cheers

Cinco de Mayo is coming

It’s that time of year again, Cinco de Mayo (5th of May).  A time where Americans look for any excuse to drink.  Much like St. Patrick’s Day, New Years and the 4th…this is a holiday primarily for adults, and a themed reason to drink tequila….yet there is so much more to the date.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a holiday celebrated in the United States and primarily limited to the state of Puebla in Mexico. The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.

Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily. While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States (also voluntarily) and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.  Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, which actually is September 16, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.

In America, this translates to a trip to the local Chi-Chi’s or Mexican Restaurant and another Amateur Night where people who don’t normally drink consume mass amounts of Cheap Tequila (Jose Quervo). 

While I could care less about Mexican Politics (Remember the Alamo), I always love a good reason to drink…so let’s examine some recipes you can use at home.

In the article “Tequila, a Cinco de Mayo must” , there are several good recipies to try:

Margarita

1-2 ounces of tequila

• 1 ounce of Cointreau or triple sec (orange-flavored liquor)

• Almost an ounce of fresh-squeezed lime juice

• Top off with sour mix or soda water

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with margarita salt.

The Rockin' Paloma

Mixologist Alex Straus designed this fresh cocktail for Cabo Wabo tequila.

• 2 ounces Cabo Wabo Reposado

• 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice

• 6 ounces grapefruit-flavored soda

• splash of grenadine

• 1 cucumber

Muddle three cucumber slices with tequila and lime juice. Shake with ice, then add soda and shake more. Strain over fresh ice in a tall glass with a salted rim. Drop a splash of grenadine on top (don't stir it in) and garnish with a cucumber slice.

Blazin' Shooter

This shot could also be called "the mistake."

• 1 1/2 ounce of blanco tequila

• A few dashes of hot sauce

Add a few dashes of hot sauce to the bottom of a shot glass. Add tequila and garnish with a lime wedge.

 

Of course, if Tequila is not your forte….there are several Mexican Beers as well, just stay away from the Corona….it doesn’t get more cliche than that.