So nice, what they do together in your mouth

Been doing the waking-up-early-for-work thing quite a bit lately; and it's really been cutting into my drinking time. My increased climbing schedule puts a damper on things too. Frig. To clarify: knowing that I need to wake up early the next day or that I've stayed at the climbing gym 'til 10pm puts a damper on my enthusiasm for putting back a few on a random night.

That said, I still indulge in the old favorites and some new niceties -- of the beer persuasion -- on occasion. And, well, I haven't forgotten how to mix up a good drink.. it's just that I do it a lot less often then I used to.

In any case, I got to flex my, um, mixology muscles for a few friends at a zucchini-and-basil-themed dinner last weekend. So, may I present to you, so easy, so nice, the Basil Caipirinha:

Muddle 6 lime quarters with 4t table sugar and ~3t julienne'd basil leaves. Add 2 dashes of orange bitters and 4 to 6oz of cachaça or a superlight rum; shake vigorously over ice. And voila!

Makes two drinks! (And as such, make sure that each glass has 3 lime quarters, equal amounts of both ice and basil pieces.) Garnish with a long piece of sugarcane, if you got it. With the strong lime flavor and gratuitous rum use, the drink is vaguely "tropical" and therefore "summery".. but, really, make it any time you, ah, feel it.

~~

And while I'm in the tippling mood, let me divulge another one of my favorites.. The Last Word. It's as-easy or easier to make as the previous cocktail: equal parts gin, lime juice, Maraschino liqueur, and green Chartreuse; shake over ice and strain into some sort of glass -- like the venerable martini or old-fashioned glasses. If I'm indulging at home (vs. a friend's place), I'll pour this delicious concoction into a pair of perfectly-proportioned cordial glasses.

If you're wondering about how much of each liquor to use, give 1oz of each a go; but if you're really thirsty or wanting to make 2 cute little drinks, just put a shot -- in the US, this means 1.5oz -- of each into the mix.

The result is something both herbally and sweet/sour.. in the best possible liquid incantations of those words. I'm not sure what alchemy goes into shaking three liquors -- that are strongly and uniquely flavored on their own -- with a bit of lime juice to make something so tangy and delicious.

What I'm saying is that even if you don't like any of the four ingredients on their own, you gotta try what they do together in your, um, mouth. Hmm.. ignore that last sentence if it reminds you of the text on the back of a DVD case you would find *behind* the curtains at your local video store. Otherwise, drink on!

Hotwell mix: Dang-a-lang-a-lang

Yeah, I know. This is going to be totally out-of-character. But!

Please allow me to indulge -- for this one mix anyway -- in a minor obsession of 90's/00's male-vocal'd R&B and Neo-Soul. So, if you can (and you really *must*), turn the lights down low, pop in these jamz, and see what happens..

01. Shai - If I Ever Fall In Love video
02. Keith Sweat - Nobody video
03. Blackstreet - Before I Let You Go video
04. R. Kelly - Bump N' Grind (Old School Mix) blog
05. Tyrese - How You Gonna Act Like That video
06. Bobby Brown - Roni video
07. Jodeci - Come and Talk To Me video
08. Mint Condition - Breakin' My Heart video
09. Hi-Five - I Like the Way video
10. Jaheim - Put That Woman First video
11. Mario - Let Me Love You video
12. Robin Thicke - Would That Make U Love Me
13. Trey Songz - Can't Help But Wait video
14. Ne-Yo - Because of You video
15. Usher - You Got It Bad video
16. Prince - Call My Name video

If you play this for/on your next date and things start, um, flowing (as freaky as you wanna be), well.. don't say I didn't warn you. And, as always, if you'd like me to mail you a physical copy -- the CD is not dead!, nor is getting something nice in the mail -- let me know.

~~

By the way, how many Hotwell mixes do you own?

Hotwell Mix: All That New Art (that I've been talking about)

So this latest mix turned out a little less dancey than I had intentioned at first. But, really.. I'm not sure why I think I'm going to end up with a mix of bangers or of dirtydancers when my general listening taste leans towards shimmery French disco house; ha! Still, it's great music for the background of a party or for the middle of a great roadtrip. See for yourselves..

01. Ghosthustler - Someone Else's Ride blog
02. MONARCHY - Gold in the Fire blog
03. Boy Crisis - Fountain of Youth video
04. Miami Horror - Sometimes video
05. Prince- I Would Die 4 U video
06. Rihanna- Rude Boy (Cosmic Dawn Remix) video
07. Kris Menace & The Dream - Walking on Lightning (U-Tern Blend) blog
08. Tommy Sparks - Miracle (Grum Remix) blog
09. Erik Hassle - Don't Bring Flowers (Plugs Remix) blog
10. Donkeyboy - Stereolife myspace
11. VISITOR - Los Feeling (Rough Mix) blog
12. Van She - (Don't Fear) The Reaper blog
13. Deep Dish (Featuring Stevie Nicks) - Dreams video
14. Queen - Radio Ga Ga video
15. Chromeo - I Can't Tell You Why blog
16. Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard (Passion Pit's Summertime Radio Remix) blog
17. Bill Murray - More Than This wiki!

Enjoy!; and, as always, salud! If you'd like me to mail you a homemade copy, let me know. I'm starting to crank out a few in the ol' homeofficefactory (which means that I'm cutting up old cardboard boxes to make CD mailers and drawring badly on blank CDs with a black Sharpie). ;)

~~~~~

ps. I still love Lost in Translation; it's true!

Treasure blown in by the Country Breeze

As a general rule, I love beer. And I'm a big fan of cocktails.

Ignoring the range of options within those large categories for a moment, I've vacillated between the two ever since I started drinking "regularly" in my mid-20's (before that, I was something of a teetotaler.. of the non-preachy kind, of course). ;)

And so, for the past couple of months, I've definitely found myself in the beer-loving camp, having a single 12oz or 22oz bottle, say, a couple times a week with dinner or shortly thereafter. Think: Red Rocket Ale from Bear Republic Brewing or Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing. Think: delish (if you think in words so fey; haha).

But recently, I've had the excuse to break out the ol' cocktail shakers (which, as it so happens, spent their previous lives as Bubbies Sauerkraut jars before finding themselves as implements of my home bar shaketastic effervesce). And while I mostly stuck to some old favorites, like The Aviation -- with an exceedingly *light* touch of crème de violette -- and the Vesper (certainly, monsieur), I threw a few new ones in the mix, so to speak. My guests were game.

The surprise winner -- and it "wins", insofar that it will make regular appearances in my cocktail lineup from here-on-out -- of this informal contest-that-wasn't-really-a-contest was a simple, sweet delight called the Country Breeze, a lovely mix of apple juice, gin, and crème de cassis:

2 1/2 oz. Apple Juice
1 3/4 oz. Gin (works well with a London Dry)
1/2 oz. Creme de Cassis (French, all the way!)

Play with the ingredients a bit, but the ratio above made a lovely nightcap. Crank up the gin if you want something with more bite; or let the apple juice flow more freely if you'd like something lighter in body. No matter how you make it, pour over ice and and add garnish of sliced apples and/or blackberries, if available.

(Liquid) treasures abound; there is always something new to learn! Salud!