Submitted Friday, 05FEB2010

This is an open thread.

Happy TGIF Blogmocrats! Another week has been put in the books, Obama is still failing in the polls, the Right is gaining, and the Saints are in the Superbowl. I know, the Colts are there as well, but the real story is the Saints. We also have a massive snowstorm for the Eastern Seaboard, FEET of snow are predicted in some areas. We are going to get 8” where we live and we have a tradition when it does this, we BBQ. On the left are the ‘snowbirds’ smoked and spiced chickens, on the right are two brisket flats (butcher was out of the big cuts). One of those brisket (briski?) will be cubed super small and use in chili. I am a Yankee Smoker(c) so I use cherry, apple, and maple wood.

So, back to the topic, making great drinks and ‘happy hour’ food in your home. Good booze is not rocket science, nor does it have to be expensive. A very small amount of prep time, a little attention to detail, some creativity, and bingo: cocktails after work for you and yours, or you and your friends.  You will need, the right equipment, yummy finger foods, and some great drinks. The internet is replete with recipes and methods so I wont bother here. Don’t let terms like muddle, strain, and garnish intimidate you. An orange can be garnished and made into ingredients in seconds. If you screw up a drink too badly, it can always be tossed out. (that was a difficult sentence to type)

The equipment is easy, a nicely equipped bar need some shot glasses, a strainer, a peeler, a sharp knife, a spoon or two, a large shaker, and some BIG ice cubes, little and commercial ice melts too fast and waters down the drink, you paid for booze, and booze you shall receive. Shaved ice is for margaritas, not martinis. BIG ice doesn’t melt as fast and cools the drink much quicker. The ice and the shaker are the trick, alcohol-forward drinks like martinis should be ‘stirred’, or the ice should be gently swirled around in the shaker. If you shake the hell out of a martini, the ice slams up and down and shatters in the shaker and dulls the drink. If the drink is citrus based or sours some gentle shaking is in order, but don’t shatter the ice and water down the drink. A little agitation with BIG ice will do the trick.

The booze will be determined by what recipes you like. I will add this bit of advice. Cheap booze is just plain bad. Top of the line booze, is usually too expensive and really not that much better than the above average stuff. I like to get average vodka like Smirnoff or Danaka and infuse it with chilies or cinnamon or pepper corns. The chili and the pepper vodka are great ingredients in a Bloody Mary. If you are going to make a James Bond style, no-flavorings vodka martini, use the best vodka you can get. If you are making Screwdrivers, average vodka will do. Same goes with whiskey, gin, rum, und zu weiter. Don’t wreck the expensive booze with heavy mixers.

The food does not have to be extravagant either. For example, most grocery stores carry some very nice cheeses that may get overlooked as ingredients in main dishes. Washed-rind cheeses with capers on stout whole wheat crackers are nice with whiskey based drinks, aged Gouda or simple Vermont Cheddar on thin slices of toasted baguette are great with fruity drinks. Now, with martinis I prefer a Pecorino or Chihuahua (the cheese, not el chupacabra’s avatar)  with a little anchovy on toasted baguette. If that’s not your style, plan ahead a little, make your own pizza dough ahead of time and make individual pizzas to order; cook wings and let your guests make their own sauces or spice powders, or better yet have them bring their favorite topping.

The possibilities are endless if you just take a little extra time to plan and make yourself experiment; If you are in the mood for wine, try a malbec or some type that you have never had instead of your house vino, try that cheese that you never heard of, randomly select a drink and make it. Get out of the rut and try to do something new.

With a little effort, anyone can make a great drink.

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