Dry January is a great idea. Especially if you’re hung over. No alcohol for a month. Ramp up that exercise program. Maybe lose some of those holiday pounds.
That said, do what I say and not what I do. I’m keeping my Zoom Friday Happy Hours with the Beer Boys. The rest of the week, more exercise, healthy eating, mocktails, and perhaps a little weed. For those of you who go cold turkey, more power to you!!
– Jet Cannon
When breaking out the bubbly, it’s fun to have the appropriate glassware. A proper glass for your Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine shows off the bubbles. The proper vessel is also the ticket for beer, wine, martinis, mules, margaritas, shots, highballs, and lowballs. It’s nice to have the right tool for the job. That’s a lot of glasses, granted. But, hey, it’s worth it. Presentation is important! Cheers!
– Jet Cannon
As years go, 2020 sucked for so many people. So much sadness, and worry, and loss of life here and around the world. And the lives of the famous were lost as well. To name some:
Chadwick Boseman
Charlie Daniels
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Diana Rigg
Kobe Bryant
Sean Connery
Kelly Preston
Olivia De Havilland
Alex Trebek
Gale Sayers
Bill Withers
Little Richard
Kirk Douglas
Fred Willard
Helen Reddy
Eddie Van Halen
Brian Dennehy
Trini Lopez
Bonnie Pointer
Irrfan Khan
Wilford Brimley
Ja’net Dubois
John Lewis
Carl Reiner
Regis Philbin
Jerry Stiller
Kenny Rogers
John Prine
Mac Davis
Ian Holm
As we finally say goodbye to 2020, take a few moments and send thoughts, a prayer, or a toast to all of those we lost…. Famous and not famous.
– Jet Cannon
Variety is the spice of life and Buzzed Boomers are blessed with a gazillion choices when it comes to vices. There are around 2500 beer brands in the US (not counting imports), over 8500 wineries, around 2000 distilleries, hundreds of hard cider and seltzer brands, and weed is legal in 15 states (medical marijuana in 35). No need to get stuck in a rut. Plus changing the Buzz scenery, combined with moderation, could help Boomers stay healthy so as to Buzz another day.
I’m starting to rotate more marijuana into the mix so that I drink less. Lots more choices at the weed store. Getting advice from a twenty-something was entertaining. Weed was less complicated back in the last century and also illegal. But the free market has taken over. Lots of edibles and liquids. Oils. Buds. It’s a bit overwhelming.
I’m being cautious. My friend gave some marijuana brownies to a couple he knows. They might have eaten too much. They reported their best sex ever but then got so paranoid they called 911.
– Jet Cannon
Holidays and a little bubbly? Pull out the Champagne glasses. It’s Mimosa time!
Like any good fruit-based drink, fresh ingredients are key. If possible, start with fresh-squeezed orange juice. And, hey, if you’ve got fresh-squeezed OJ, you might just want to stop there. But if you’re adding a bubbly Buzz, don’t pull out your best Champagne. It’s not necessary after being mixed with OJ. Prosecco might be a better choice. Ratio-wise, at least half should be sparkling wine. If anyone is watching, I like to add a drop or two of Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Garnish with fresh berries like cranberries, strawberries, or raspberries to complete the holiday pageantry. Finally, schedule your afternoon nap. Cheers!
– Jet Cannon
A Festivus for the rest of us! Get out your meatloaf, aluminum pole, and be prepared to air your grievances. Or make your own traditions. That’s the beauty of Festivus.
While no alcohol was served in “The Strike” episode of Seinfeld, Georges boss drinks from a flask at the Festivus dinner. I’m saying that’s Scotch. Hennigan’s. From the Red Dot episode. “No smell, no tell, Scotch.” Cheers.
In an earlier post, I bragged about my plan to make eggnog from scratch, or more precisely, from eggs. A bit later and before I gathered the eggs, I noticed some Trader Joe’s Eggnog Liqueur in the fridge. Wife must have bought it. Okay.
Last Saturday, our son called in a pre-Christmas Zoom call. They were opening some of our presents early…. Long story. I grabbed some glasses and the Trader Joe’s to get into the early Christmas spirit. I poured some of the creamy liquid over ice and held the bottle up the the screen. Buzzed Boomer! Day drinking! My son remarked that he’d bought the eggnog liqueur last year and never drank it. Well it tasted fine to me. Eggs are safe for this year.
– Jet Cannon
It won’t be long now. Safe, indoor social gatherings. And what better place to have a get-together than your ManCave or basement pub? For me it’s time to clean up the cobwebs, check the liquor supply and take a fresh look at the space and it’s attributes.
If you don’t have a Mancave, they’re fun to plan and assemble if you’ve got the space. Mine is in part of the garage! Barplan.com and other sites have great ideas for big budgets and not so big budgets. Definitely read up for ideas and tips while you do your planning.
Obviously, your choices should reflect what you like to do. Most folks don’t have the space for everything so pick your favorites. Cards? Pool table? Darts? Watch sports? Listen to music? Drink? Pinball? Foosball?
Get ready to enjoy and entertain! A safe spring and summer is coming.
– Jet Cannon
If your friends were coming over, those cool layered shots would be a natural crowd pleaser. Visually dazzling, sweet and tasty. And most anyone will try one, as opposed to tequila or vodka shots. But your friends aren’t coming; over or at least they shouldn’t be.
So you need to go all out for your own birthday cocktail. The best glass, the best ingredients, and the best presentation.
My friend Joan just turned 60. She’s a Baby Boomer who understands how to celebrate an event and host a great party. But not this year. Therefore, I insisted that her husband make her a proper celebratory drink to commemorate the event, though belatedly. There are a number of cake cocktail recipes online if you want to go extravagant.
Here’s a simple recipe for martini lovers or chocolate lovers and those of us who love both:
2 oz vodka
1/2 oz hazelnut flavored liquor
1 oz chocolate cream liqueur
Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and pour into a chilled martini glass. Add whipped cream to glass and decorate with a candle, sprinkles or other birthday decorations. Of course, you can substitute most any drink in the glass. It’s the decorations that are key!
As a test, I made an espresso martini with lots of whipped cream. However, my numbers were too heavy and kept sinking so more testing was necessary. Then more tests. More whipped cream. More tests.
– Jet Cannon
While visiting a wonderful basement pub in Vermont, the host showed off his collection of stainless steel cocktail shakers. He had big ones that could make cocktails for five or six people and small single serving shakers and sizes in between. Very impressive. I’ve not found the big one online but I have learned that those cool looking shakers are not a friend of mine. I have had them break open while gallantly and ceremoniously pouring into a guest’s cocktail glass more than once. You’d think I’d learn to hold it together during the pour. In the same session, I found myself using all my strength to pull one apart that was stuck together, then running it under hot water and finally giving up and grabbing another shaker.
There is always the option of using a strainer on a pint glass or on the bottom half of the stainless steel shaker. It’s just a shame, though, that the coolest-looking shaker has issues.
There is a better mousetrap. Oh, they cost a little more but they’re worth it. Rubber gaskets keep the lid on tight while you pour but then the lid easily comes off afterwards. Some are insulated so your beverage stays nice and cold until it’s completely drained.
Pouring a cocktail for a guest should not end in embarrassing failure. And pouring a cocktail for yourself shouldn’t require feats of strength. With the right equipment, those issues go away and the stainless steel collection will look great just sitting on the bar.
– Jet Cannon
A legend passed away. A man’s man. When he wasn’t flyin’ he was hunting’ or fishin’. He had the right stuff all right.
Worthy Buzzed Boomers know at least a little bit about Chuck Yeager. Most notably, he was the first to fly faster than the speed of sound. To learn more, read or watch The Right Stuff. Or read his autobiography. He was one of our heroes growing up and one of those who didn’t disappoint as the years went by.
To raise a toast, there’s a Jagermeister and pineapple drink called a Chuck Yeager. Get it? Pronounced the same. But I think when Chuck was winding down at the Happy Bottom Riding Club he was drinking whiskey. Whisky from his home state of West Virginia if he could get it. But any whiskey if he couldn’t. Probably not true but that’s what I’ll be tossing back in his memory. That’s what test pilots in that era did when the sun went down. Tossed a few back. Fly high, Chuck.
– Jet Cannon
Is red wine good for your health? Keeping up with what’s healthy, and what isn’t, is entertaining. Remember when eggs were bad for your cholesterol? Now maybe not so much. I used margarine for years. Now butter is maybe not so bad.
So red wine? Short answer, like most everything else, taken in moderation there may be benefits of red wine to your heart. But, of course, don’t start drinking to improve your heart health as alcohol obviously has some health downsides.
Of course there’s a whole red wine world out there with no shortage of choices. As alcohol choices go, it’s probably a pretty good preference to have.
I can finish off a bottle of wine myself and really enjoy it ….. until the next day when I don’t feel so good and the scale barks at me because of the steak dinner that paired so well with the wine. Best not to polish off a whole bottle unless you’re sharing. To keep the wine in good shape overnight or longer, put it in the refrigerator and then warm it up to drink. Use an inexpensive vacuum pump to slow down the oxidation. Those two things will keep the wine tasting good for a week or more.
One of the best things in my mind about red wine is to read the reviews. “Blueberries, black-plum and red-raspberry flavors are fresh and tangy on the nose of this red. The palate starts tart, but lengthens to show fresh fruit flavors and high acid, with a touch of lavender coming through on the finish.” Memorize some of these. Impress your friends.
THC/CBD beverage reviews seem more straightforward. “Super tasty with major muscle relaxation”. More on those beverages later!
– Jet Cannon
Tony retires today. Fondly referred to as “The Captain”, Tony hangs it up after decades of brilliant engineering. At least he says it was brilliant. I’m not even sure if it was engineering. Regardless, we honor him with a nautical cocktail. Happy Retirement, Captain!
Captain’s Cocktail
1/2 oz of spiced rum
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 oz of lime juice
1 oz of white rum
1/2 oz port
For the rest of you skippers out there, check out Sex with the Captain recipes on the interweb!
– Jet Cannon
