Category: Weekly Whet (Page 15 of 16)

Let’s face it: The holidays are a time of over-indulgence for many people. It’s easy to get caught up in the festivities when you’re surrounded by friends and family members, and then before you know it, you’re a few too many drinks deep, and you can see tomorrow morning’s hangover speeding toward you like a freight train.

While I’d love to tell you that the old English saying, “a hair of the dog that bit you” is true, and a hangover cure is one bloody mary away, it would be scienifically irresponsible for me to do so. What I can tell you is that one bloody mary may give you just enough of a buzz to get you through the dreaded morning-after chore of cleaning empty bottles, cans, and other party-trash (who ordered pizza?)

And so friends, I bring you this recipe for a classic bloody mary with the hope that it might ease you into the New Year.

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1/2-2/3 cup tomato juice
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Worcestershire sauce to taste
• Tabasco to taste
• 1 celery stick for garnish
• 1 lemon wedge for garnish

1.) Combine the vodka, tomato juice,lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and about 1 cup of ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.

2.) Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

3.) Shake the ingredients thoroughly and strain them into a tall glass filled with ice cubes.

4.) Garnish with a celery stick and lemon wedge.

If you like to go out, play pool, and have a few drinks with friends once in awhile, living within walking distance of a great bar might be as much of real-estate perk as say, a pool or a roomy carport.

Well, friends, I’m happy to say that my new residence is literally a few hops, skips, and one big wall-jump away from a great bar: Stray Cat Bar and Grill. Dim lighting, pool tables, karaoke, and a rather adorable bartender sporting a Santa hat reassured me that I was in for a good night. I bellied up to the bar, introduced myself to the bartender (his name is Josh), and asked him to make me his signature drink. He cheerfully took my request and moments later, presented me with an “Orange Dreamsicle”. I took one sip and decided that it’s probably a good idea to call my realtor and thank her.

Orange Dreamsicle

Ingredients

• Whipped Cream Vodka    1 1/4 oz
• Hazelnut Liqueur                1/4 oz
• Milk                                  3/4 oz
• Orange Juice                      3/4 oz

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a glass and enjoy.

Stray Cat Bar and Grill

2433 E University Dr. Tempe, AZ

(480) 967-1040

Nothing says “closing time” like the smell of coffee brewing and the return of harsh lighting. Generally, this sudden return to reality yields a mixture of terror and discontent–terror from the people who see what they were about to go home with, and discontent from those who just want to finish their brews and shots in the cave-like atmosphere of the dive-bar.

I think it’s high-time that we stop associating coffee with negative things like hang-overs and “closing time” and include it in the festivities! Coffee doesn’t have to be the geeky, hall-monitor of the drink-world. Add some liquor to him, and I’m sure he’ll drop the clipboard and whistle. Try this one on for size, but please walk–don’t run–to the liquor cabinet:

Ingredients

• 1/4 oz coffee liqueur
• 1/4 oz orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier)
• 1/2 oz Brandy
• ~6 oz Coffee (more or less to taste)
• Whipped Cream

Add liqueurs and brandy to coffee. Mix well, and top with whipped cream.

For a fancier look, serve this mixture in a Brandy Glass rimmed with sugar.

As always, enjoy responsibly. Cheers!

Find more great cocktails like this one at www.thatsthespirit.com

I will begin this “weekly whet” with an apology to all of you nuts out there who are well on your way to completing your holiday shopping: I’m sorry. I’m sure you would have appreciated this week’s drink recipe at 5 AM.

Alright—you’re not crazy—just proactive! While you’re kicking back listening to the fire crackle (or insert other picturesque holiday scene here) on December 24, I’ll be running around the mall, cursing myself for sleeping in on Black Friday. But for now, I’ll push that imminent stress aside and enjoy my Chai iced tea from the comfort of my bed while you are out sucker-punching your fellow shoppers.

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tablespoons of Ceylon Tea Masala Chai (see their link on the site) placed in tea ball or other straining device, or substitute 1 tea bag
• 1 Tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 Cup hot water

Pour hot water over the tea bag or ball and allow tea to steep to desired strength (2-5 minutes). In another glass, mix sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Fill the glass with ice and add the tea (NOTE: The melting ice will dillute the tea, so you may want to allow it to cool quite a bit before adding it to the glass with the ice and milk). Stir the tea into the sweetened condensed milk and sugar and top it off with a little more milk. Enjoy!

I love me some Thanksgiving! I know that many people find it stressful to cook that huge dinner while keeping their guests entertained (and Uncle Hank out of the liquor cabinet), but I think a lot of holiday stress is self-imposed. I mean, how often do you actually look back at a Thanksgiving meal and critique the food? Granted, there are some exceptions–grandmas who bake mean pumpkin pies or moms who seem to have stumbled upon the holy grail of gravy recipes–but mostly, it’s the gatherings themselves we remember.

Whether it’s tossing the football around the backyard, listening to the gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) bickering between family members, or secretly “sampling” the goodies on the dessert table before the big meal, these are the memories that will stick with us.

The turkey’s dry? So what?! The mashed potatoes are cold? Find a microwave! We’re out of beverages?….*crickets chirp*…

Stick this in your punch bowl and drink it! Just make sure that your punch bowl is located on a high countertop, and all the sneaky teenagers are thoroughly engrossed in their dramatic text message conversations when you serve it to your guests.

Cranberry-Sauced

Serves 20

• 4 cups cranberry juice
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 cup rum
• 8 cups chilled ginger ale

Combine all ingredients except ginger ale, chill. Add ginger ale into bowl to serve.

by Emily King

The buzzed hostess graciously accepts even the most bizarre gifts like “chile-prickly pear jam” and fancy packages of table-water crackers, which, like twinkies and cockroaches, could out-last all living beings in the event of a massive, world-wide disaster.

Of course, in addition to enjoying yourself, it’s always fun to impress your guests with a jazzy-little cocktail, so give them something that they will remember! It also might encourage them to ditch the crazy jam-collection for a more sensible gift next time like…wine.

(NOTE: Here at intotheSoup.com, we do not discriminate against male dinner party hosts so please, embrace “Hostess with the Mostess” for its rhyme and rhythmical properties…seriously–we LOVE guys in the kitchen).

Our friend, Gordon Parlova, contributed this recipe which I have nick-named:

The Hostess with the Mostess (Moscato D’Asti with French Vanilla Ice Cream)

Ingredients: