While visiting the Brown Lantern Ale House (since 1933) in Anacortes, Washington we tried a Razarita. It essentially adds raspberry liqueur, like Chambord, to a margarita. They also substitute Tajin for salt on the rim. It’s a nice variation on a classic cocktail.
What better place to enjoy the first ever cocktail than The Napoleon House Bar and Cafe in New Orleans. Accounts differ, but most experts agree that the first cocktail was the Sazerac, a blend of whisky, absinthe, bitters and sugar. Created in New Orleans in the mid-1800s, Sazeracs still hit the spot. The Napolean House Bar and Cafe occupies the first floor of the Napoleon House, designated as a historic building. The pirate Jean Lafitte helped plot a rescue of Napoleon from exile and then house him in the building but Napoleon died before all that could happen. The bar’s current owners have had it in their family for 100 years and the food, drink, and service are fit for an Emperor. Their Sazerac cocktail is made with Sazerac Rye Whiskey, simple syrup, Peychaud’s & Angostura bitters, and Herbsaint. (Herbsaint was initially named Legendre Absinthe, but Legendre had to remove the absinthe label following government initiative, so the liqueur acquired its current name.)
– Jet Cannon
The Sazerac at Historic Napoleon House Read More »
Mt. St. Helens erupted on this day in 1980. Tragically, fifty-seven people died, 200 homes were destroyed, and 185 miles of road were damaged. All told, the blast resulted in over a billion dollars in damage.
Much of the terrain has recovered after being basically leveled, though the volcano remains active. Thus we celebrate with a Mt. St. Helens cocktail. There are many variations but this one is our favorite. All one needs is a Rainier beer, named after another volcanic mountain in Washington State, and Fireball cinnamon whiskey. How appropriate.
There is more than one way to consume this drink; one can:
What a blast!
– Jet Cannon
Here’s a tip kids. Write it down. When visiting a party city like Nashville or New Orleans, consider starting with a pub crawl tour. The right guide will be a wealth of information noting where to eat and drink and what to avoid. Meanwhile, you’ll learn the lay of the land and maybe pick up some history and interesting facts. We found D.J. Hayes at Ghost Adventures and he packed an enormous amount of fascinating history and useful tips into a couple hours. A self-described New Orleans Tour Guru…. Well he is just that. A Guru. He does Ghost Tours, Swamp Tours, Cemetery Tours, Voodoo Tours, Historical Tours and most importantly for Buzzed Boomers, Pub Crawls. Want to know where the best drinks and bars are? He knows cocktails. If in New Orleans, contact him at [email protected]. You’ll be glad you did, regardless of which tour you select.
Another reason we were so impressed with DJ? Let us share a quote. “Vodka is gin for children.” Couldn’t agree more.
– Jet Cannon
Haunted Happy Hour Read More »
There are bartenders and then there are great bartenders. We often ask the great ones for a favorite drink to make or for a specialty. Head on down to the Voodoo Lounge in New Orleans. It’s not on Bourbon Street which is a plus right off the bat. Ask for a Cool Breeze. (Hope we got that right. Some drinking involved in our research and I don’t remember a drink menu being available. And our bartender’s specialty might not even be on it if they did have one.) Mango Chile Bacardi rum, cranberry and pineapple juices. You won’t be disappointed.
– Jet Cannon
When it comes to health, it’s challenging to keep up with what is good for us and what isn’t. Red wine? Eggs? Butter? So far, experts seem to agree that salt is bad. And Baby Boomers will remember that we once learned MSG, Monosodium Glutamate, was bad. It turns out it may be a healthy way to reduce our salt intake while enhancing the flavor of food. The FDA considers it safe to eat. Atlantic magazine explains this in a fascinating article. Read it here. “One highly acclaimed New York restaurant now serves an MSG martini!”
– Jet Cannon
MSG With My Margarita, Please Read More »
Add one more thing to the many benefits of walking for exercise. It can tone and build muscle. USA Today says it’s true. Read about it here.
– Jet Cannon
When Fortune magazine joins the “how-much-water-should-we-drink” chorus, we listen. Why? Because we’re aspiring to be a Captain Of Industry someday. So how much water? Lots. Except it depends. Find your ounces here.
– Jet Water-Cannon
Take Me To The River Read More »
Praise be to the few restaurants that retain the professionalism of yesteryear. El Gaucho in Seattle is one such establishment. The seasoned staff still don tuxedos. The service is excellent. The food is superb. The drinks are delightful.
We requested that Jay our bartender serve one of his favorites. Gin forward, Lillet, Cointreau, Absinthe and lemon juice. And that’s how we ended up with a Corpse Reviver #2.
Corpse Reviver #2 To Die For Read More »
Vine Pair covered the 50 Best bars awards ceremony in Mexico City. Read all about it here. New York City’s Double Chicken Please bar won top honors. The lower east side lounge offers drinkable takes on classic dishes like Cold Pizza, Japanese Noodle, and Waldorf Salad. Hmmm. They also have cocktails on tap.
No bars in our Jet City (Seattle) made the list. Zero.
– Jet Cannon
Japanese Noodle Cocktail, Please Read More »
It’s Spring! How about some iced tea?! Long Island Iced Tea. In which, there is no tea.
A bartender named Bog “Rosebud” Butt is credited with the creation of this strong but refreshing cocktail in 1972 on Long Island.
Here’s the recipe from Liquor.com
Ingredients
Steps
Add the vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, simple syrup and lemon juice to a Collins glass filled with ice.
Top with a splash of the cola and stir briefly.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Serve with a straw.
Long Island Iced Tea For Me Read More »
The black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy is as massive as some 4.3 million suns. TON 618 carries the weight of over 60 billion solar masses.
If Earth was crushed into a black hole, it would be under an inch across.
Thanks NASA!
– Jet Cannon
Black Hole Will Save Travel Time Read More »
CBSNews.com reported that, “SunnyD is no longer just a sweet orange beverage sipped by kids while they watch their Saturday morning cartoons. The drink is getting a version with an adult makeover – and SunnyD cocktails will be available later this month. The company announced this week that its new SunnyD Vodka Soda drinks will be available exclusively at Walmart. Last year, Coca-Cola announced it was adding Jack Daniels to its soda to make a Jack and Coke canned beverage. Simply Lemonade also introduce a spiked drink and Pepsi announced boozy versions of Mountain Dew. Some existing ready-to-drink and beer brands also got a revamp, with Sam Adams launching a canned margarita version of its Truly hard seltzers and Budweiser releasing Budlight-branded spiked seltzers.”
