Tag: gin (Page 6 of 9)

The Grey Fizz

September 9, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

I am a sucker for almost anything made with earl grey tea. Like Captain Picard, I’ll have my Earl Grey, hot; or iced or lukewarm for that matter, with a little lemon, please. Earl Grey marshmallows? Yep. Macarons? Absolutely. Chocolate? I said yes already, to all the things. You want to make some macaroni with earl grey tea and throw some cheese in? I’ll try it. So, when I saw this recipe I immediately moved it into the “have to try” file. So, pinkies up, as we stand and make The Grey Fizz.

Earl Grey MarTeani

September 6, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a monkey in possession of a fine teacup must be in want of a drink. Pretty sure Jane Austen said something like that in one of her early drafts. Mommy Dearest suggested I use one of these prewar beauties for another chapter in our saga of teacup cocktails and what could a loving son do but oblige her. So please, join me now as we stand and make the Earl Grey MarTeani.

Aviation

September 4, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 3 Comments

Managing expectations is hard. I don’t know how often I have gotten all excited for something and then been disappointed. How many times I have not even been able to remember why I wanted something in the first place, when I finally got it. You know how it is, you wait months and months for that movie to come out or for the next season of a show and when it arrives, it is definitely not all that. I kind of feel that way about todays drink. When I see it on a menu I often order it, only to be mildly disappointed and remember that it is always the same, but I persevere, thinking that some day I will finally find the perfect one, even if I have to make it myself. So, please, won’t you join me now as we make the classic Aviation.

The Bluebird

August 30, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Lyle Lovett says “it ought to be easier,” he’s right, of course. That’s how it goes sometimes, easy tasks end up complicated and things you dread turn out all right. The thing is things are rarely as you expect them to be, so there’s no point in worrying about them. Trust me on this and please join me now as we stand and make the Bluebird.

Easy Street Fizz

August 27, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

In these unprecedented times, my usual role as a captain of industry has expanded. I also find myself the bus driver, lunch monitor, docent, principal and sometimes teacher in our one room schoolhouse in my office. Liam had been a virtual student since day one this year. This meant he was already totally accustomed to online learning when the rest of his school was forced to join him just three weeks later. I lost my bet on how long it would take for his school to shut down, I figured they’d make it two more weeks. Of course, the outbreak of Covid-19 only shut the doors of the school temporarily, allegedly. Either way, since everyone has spent the better part of this week trying to learn the technology and his role has mostly been to help others, he’s been on Easy Street. So won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Easy Street Fizz.

Sunflower

August 26, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

Late summer is such a wonderful time. It is not my favorite, I’m a fall guy, but I do love it. Cooler nights, a bit of crispness in the morning air. The end of the harvest coming on. There are still tomatoes on the vine, but fewer. You can feel things winding down, which is when the sunflowers take the stage. That may or may not be true, but I saw some beautiful sunflowers on the side of the road today, so we are going with it. Won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Sunflower.

Gin Basil Smash

August 16, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Summer hasn’t given up yet, but you can feel things beginning to change. A little crispness to the air at sunrise. A few leaves drying out and floating on the breeze as another summer storm blows in. I’m trying to make sure I don’t miss things this year. You’ll see what I mean if you will join me as we stand and make the Gin Basil Smash.

The Written Word

August 2, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

It is Sunday afternoon again, what Douglas Adams called the “long, dark teatime of the soul”. I really should be mowing the lawn, being productive, working on that novel, etc. but my heart just isn’t in it. Let’s make a drink instead! Please, join me now as we stand and make, The Written Word.

Pink Lady

July 14, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 2 Comments

I like old movies, a lot. There are whole periods of my life when I didn’t sleep much and mostly spent my nights watching them. Not just the classics, but the mid-range stuff too. Hours spent learning how to be a fella from Bogart, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Jose Ferrer. It is crazy how much influence movies and books from your formative years have on who you become, or at least who you try to become. There are a handful of these films that are truly old friends. Those few ragged VHS tapes that traveled with me, always ready to keep me company at 2:57 AM. Liam has “a thing” with 3 minutes later than that so I had to change the time to mollify him. One of those came to mind the other night as I was thinking about drinks, so join me as we stand and make the Pink Lady.

Chin Up

July 11, 2020 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

There are lots of things in life you aren’t prepared for. Hell, I haven’t been ready for most of the things that have happened to me. One of the things I most admire in a person is the ability to pull things together and face whatever challenge comes to them, especially when they aren’t prepared or don’t feel up to it. It is a whole lot easier to beg off or ignore what needs to be done or just say no. Saying yes and deciding to do the thing, knowing the responsibility and that you can’t let people down, that is hard. Let’s raise a glass to the folks who turn their faces toward the wind and sail on, weather be damned. So, join me as we stand and make, the Chin Up.