Tag: branca menta

The World…Reversed

August 21, 2024 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Life is all about learning. Whether you like it or not. In my experience, as important as it is to get yourself a solid basis of knowledge, your education really begins once you are out of a formal school setting, exploring this big, wonderful world and all of its idiosyncrasies. I kind of love that, but then I have always hungered to know more, to understand new concepts and to dig not only into the what, but the how and most importantly, the why of most everything I encounter. The thing is, life is going to teach you lessons, over and over, so you might as well take advantage of the opportunity to learn and turn that experience into a sort of hard won wisdom. So, with a nod to just how much we have left to learn, won’t you join me now as we stand and make, The World…Reversed.

Dark Hedges

December 21, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

The Twelve Drinks of Christmas: Volume 2, Drink 7

I used to know a guy who seemed unable to escape the fact that he was born during, “the darkest days of the year,” as he put it. I suppose that was his particular demon to face. I guess we all have our own. I have never really thought of the Winter Solstice as the darkest day of the year, but rather, as a new beginning. From here forward, every day has a little more light, so it is the dawn of a brighter time. A chance to start over, to get things right this time, or perhaps, more right. So, with an eye on those better days to come won’t you join me now as we stand and make Dark Hedges.

Menthattan

July 2, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Restraint. There is a lot to be said for it. It’s not necessarily one of my strong suits, but I am trying. This is one of the very few areas where I am getting better with age. The older you get that easier it is to let things slide. To be fair, I am way more likely to pull hard on the reins now, when I take them in hand. Of course, that’s just the other side of the same coin, someone has to hold them after all. So, grab some leather and hold on as we stand and make the Menthattan.

Brancolada

June 25, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

I’ve come to the bitter side of the cocktail world slowly. I started out with a preference for sweeter or booze forward mixtures, but the more I experiment, the more I appreciate the other side of the coin. I tried lots of things, but the first of these more herbal bitter spirits that really connected for me was Branca Menta, Fernet-Branca’s lighter, sweeter, mintier cousin. It was my launching point and is still a favorite. I often enjoy tossing half an ounce in my morning latte. So, when I saw this tropical Branca drink, I knew I had to try it. So, with a nod to Kevin Smith and appreciating the bitter and the sweet, won’t you join me now as we stand and make, the Brancolada.

Death By Morning

June 24, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

If you don’t start anything, you’ll never have to finish it. That sounds a bit pithy and wise, does it not? I could probably drop a dash after that and make up a name and folks would think I was educated for quoting someone clever. Sadly, that’s not the case, they are just some words I wrote down while trying to figure out how to start writing. Some days it is harder than others. Like most of my life it is feast or famine. Either I have million things to say and I am having to edit ideas out to keep things on track or I live in an inspirational wasteland. It’s not quite that bad, but I do want things to be good and somedays, well, you can just tell that the good stuff is going to hang there like Aesop’s grapes, just out of reach. So, in the spirit of doing the work, even when you don’t feel like you have it in you, won’t you join me now as we stand and make Death By Morning.

Praying Mantis

December 11, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Keeping with this week’s, apparent, theme of lessons taught and learned, tonight we will look into opinions and one very key, and often overlooked, feature of them. Of course, we could delve into the whole “everyone has one” thing and all of the rhetorical possibilities that lie down that path, but that would be counter to my message. So, I will simply point out that you don’t have to have an opinion on anything that you don’t want to. It is ok to just let things go by without comment. So in that spirit, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make the Praying Mantis.

The Last Menta

December 5, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

We walked up a mountain today, and back down again, just for kicks. It wasn’t a huge mountain, but the trip still put about 9 1/2 miles on the boots today and this old chassis is in need of an oil change and some lubrication. So please join me now as we stand, well, lean and make The Last Menta.

Menta Wray

December 3, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

Today is brain scan day which I will celebrate in the traditional manner, lying very still on the cold table and keeping my eyes closed, as one does. You may have noted that I have mentioned having a headache a few times in the last month or so. You also may not have noted it. I don’t expect folks to read closely, after all there is no test at the end of the course. Not to worry, gentle reader, you will be graded according to the capricious whims of fortune and the insight of your benevolent instructor. Do not fear this fate, it frees you to focus on learning what you wish, taking some lessons and leaving others without fear of reprimand. Not being in control of things can be comforting, if you lean into it and just accept that some things are not going to make sense or be just. To be fair, my attitude is probably affected by my attempt to maintain a zen-like calm as they take a routine look under the hood to make sure that there is nothing more sinister going on in this already not quite normal collections of impulses that serves as my brain. So, in that spirit, won’t you join me as we stand and make the traditional drink of brain scan day, the Menta Wray.

Abstract Speed and Sound

November 24, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

I’m not well and not feeling up to this tonight so it is bare bones. I’m not getting any points for style, so hopefully the effort counts for something. I’ll appreciate your forbearance if you’ll join me now as we stand and make the Abstract Speed and Sound.

Hard Start

July 26, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

I made this “not even a cocktail” earlier today but then I got busy with the important business of life and completely forgot to post it. So, here we are with a nightcap, of sorts. I’ll try to keep it short and sweet, but we will have see how that turns out, brevity being the soul of wit and all. Join me now as we stand and make, the Hard Start.