Food and Drink

Booze and Vinyl

Food and Drink, Good Clean Fun, Music, Recipes / By

Remember back in the day when a new album would come out and we’d gather at a friends house to listen to the whole thing?  Both sides.

Booze and Vinyl:  A Spirited Guide To Great Music & Mixed Drinks is a beautiful book by Andre Darlington & Tanaya Darlington that helps us recapture the magic of music and friends paired with mixed drinks.  They’ve selected some excellent LP’s in rock, chill, dance, and seduce categories and suggested a couple of appropriate drink recipes with each.  

For example, Queen – A Night At The Opera is pared with a Coronation Cocktail for Side A and a Bohemian Cocktail for Side B.  The book advises that “Before You Drop The Needle”, invite guest to wear their most heinous sweaters and bring casseroles.  And be sure to queue up the video of Queen at Live Aid 1985, one of the greatest live performances of all time.

Coronation Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz amontillado sherry
  • 1 1/2 oz dry vermouth
  • 1/4 oz Maraschino liqueur
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • Lemon twist for garnish

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  

Bohemian Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz London dry gin
  • 1 oz St-Germain liqueur
  • 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • 1 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Then toast to Freddie Mercury!

– Jet Cannon

A barrel full of monkeys. And Rum

Food and Drink / By

Who doesn’t love a classic game like a Barrel Full of Monkeys? But we’re not sure this is what Milton Bradley had in mind when they introduced the game. “152 rum, light rum, dark rum and fruit juices from the islands.” That’s what you get when you order a Barrel Full of Monkeys at The Warehouse in Marina del Rey. And you get to keep the barrel and the little monkey! Irresistible.

  • Jet Cannon

World Martini Day

Food and Drink / By

National Day Calendar reminds us that June 19th was World Martini Day. Fortunately for Buzzed Boomers, Fathers Day, International Date Line considerations, and the earth being slightly off axis this year, we can still celebrate a day later! So shake or stir or have the kids make you one….. celebrate a classic cocktail with style!

  • Jet Cannon

Crazy Train

Food and Drink, Travel / By

Have you ever felt like you were having a darn good time when you realized other people were having a much better time? We recently rode the Amtrak Coast Starlight train from Seattle to Los Angeles. Between our bar setup in the sleeping car bedroom and the drinks in the observation/lounge car, we were catching a pretty nifty Buzz as the scenery whizzed by. A chance meeting in the dining car revealed that some fellow passengers were having a really, really fun time. Much laughter and the kind of friendly banter unique to train travel led to our introduction to the Crazy Train Drinking Game. The game was much like the games we played as kids on long trips in the family station wagon. Except for the drinking part. The Crazy Train rules were simple. Take a drink whenever one of the following happened:

  • Tunnels & bridges
  • Announcements over the speaker
  • Train stopping traffic at crossings
  • Cameron (sleeping car attendant) walks by
  • People waving at train
  • “Runners” (people racing up platform to catch train)
  • Golf course or casino spotted

With one blank, add your own opportunity, Maserati Mike added “cows”. We learned pretty quickly that you might as well just keep your drink in your hand because there weren’t a lot of resting moments.

We usually travel by plane. Good thing. No cows up there.

  • Jet Cannon

Tea on the rocks, rocks!

Food and Drink / By

AARP Magazine reminded us recently about the benefits of tea and, with summer here, let’s drink it on ice.  Besides the caffeine Buzz, tea has antioxidants that protect against those nasty free radicals that can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.  There are a number of tea varieties and each has their own characteristics.  Green, black, white, oolong, chamomile and hibiscus are among the most popular.  We picked up some matcha which is green tea in powder form.  It has triple the antioxidants of  regular green tea and about the double the caffeine.  Besides making ice tea or lattes the powder can be used in smoothies as well.

– Jet Cannon

Photo:  Healthline.com

Comfort Beer

Food and Drink / By

The Associated Press reports, “A small brewery in Finland has launched a NATO-themed beer to mark the Nordic country’s bid to join the Western military alliance.”  OTAN is the French abbreviation for NATO.  The CEO described the new lager as having “a taste of security, with a hint of freedom.”  We assume one will also catch a nice, mellow Buzz.

– Jet Cannon

Did you just call me a donkey?

Food and Drink / By

When in an Irish pub, we like to start with a Dublin Donkey cocktail.  Why?  Well, it’s just fun to say it!

“Ireland is seen internationally as the home of the donkey; donkey or ass – both terms are correct, the origin of ‘ass’ being the Latin name Equus Asinus.”  This is per the Donkey Society.   And they would know.

Anyhow, a Dublin Donkey is like a Mule except Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey or Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey is the spirit typically used.  Plus some ginger beer and lime juice.

Sláinte!!

– Jet Cannon

Down the Hatch

Food and Drink, Good Clean Fun / By

Our doctor say we’re not getting enough Nuke Waste so we headed back to the Horse & Cow Pub for refueling with Captain Tony and Maserati Mike.  Located in Bremerton, Washington, which is a scenic ferry ride from Seattle, the bar is named for the World War I merchant marine sailors who tattooed a cow on one ankle and a horse on the other ankle to ward off German U-Boats.  Whatever works!  Meanwhile, the pub has an excellent collection of submarine photos and artifacts.

Anyway, Jimmy, the owner, started creating Nuke Waste in a 5-gallon bucket out back a few decades ago until he finally graduated to having his bright green alcohol creation bottled professionally.  It’s now distributed regionally including at the nearby Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

So, down the hatch!! We’re confident that a shot or two will ward off any lurking German U-Boats.

– Jet Cannon 

italian Gin

Food and Drink / By

We recently had the opportunity to try Malfy Con Arancia Gin in a cocktail. Malfy is considered by many to be the leader in fruit-forward gin. The Con Arancia is blood orange flavored. They also produce a gin made from pink grapefruit, sourced from Sicily, and Italian rhubarb. Their Con Limone…. well you can figure that one out. There is also an Originale. We’ve only tried the one but reviews are quite positive noting that the flavors are distinct without being too sweet.

Salute!

  • Jet Cannon

June Bug

Food and Drink, Recipes / By

What a great name for a drink! Mix whatever drink you want and just call it a June Bug. Most folks won’t know the difference.

If you want a real green June Bug recipe, mixthatdrink.com offers this:

Recipe

  • 1 ounce Midori
  • 3/4 ounce Malibu coconut rum
  • 3/4 ounce banana liqueur
  • 1 ounce sour mix
  • 1 ounce pineapple juice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in all the ingredients, and shake until chilled. Strain the mixture into a collins glass over ice.

Point us to the pool!

  • Jet Cannon

All in the line of duty

Food and Drink / By

Roving Buzzed Boomer Correspondent Maserati Mike recently dropped into the Denver area to sample some music at Red Rocks Amphitheater.  While checking out watering holes in Denver’s LoDo area, he literally stumbled into Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar, situated in an old firehouse.  He bravely ordered a 3 Alarm Fire Margarita.  Jalapeño Tequila, pineapple, watermelon, combier and lime.  His last words were, “Spicy Marg”.  There’s been no further reporting. Inquiries are being made.

– Jet Cannon

Photo:  Denver.eater.com, TripAdvisor.com & MM

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Memorial Day

Food and Drink / By

May 30th is Memorial Day, a day to honor not only those who have died fighting wars in the name of their country, but also those who served and survived war.

Meanwhile, it’s a long holiday weekend with concerts and parades and social gatherings.  We checked the InterWeb for cocktail ideas and found more than a few.  Here’s 30.  Use your Google super-computer to find the recipes or perhaps stumble on to something even better! 

– Watermelon Mojito

– Boozy Cherry Bombs

– Happy Pill

– Peach Beer Julep

– Red White and Blue Margaritas

– Honey Ginger Lemonade

– Fizzy Fruity Floats

– Honeydew Margarita

– Watermelon Rum Punch

– East Bayside Cocktail

– Ginger Peach Soda

– Sweet Tea Sangria

– Bees Knees Shandy

– Summer Berry Lemonade

– Honeyed Cherry Daiquiri

– Spiked Seltzer Slushies

– Michelada

– Strawberry Jalapeno Mint Julep

– Blueberry Lemonade Margaritas

– Long Island Iced Tea

– Strawberry Daiquiri

– Rainbow Candy Pops

– Hurricane

– Ranch Water

– Tequila Sunset

– Pineapple Pina Coladas

– Cadillac Margarita

– Spiked Coconut Limeade

– Rum Runner

– Mermaid Lemonade

Nothing sounds good?  Grab a beer from the cooler.

– Jet Cannon

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National Wine Day

Food and Drink / By

May 25th is National Wine Day. We celebrate this day by exchanging gifts or, more accurately, accepting gifts. While in wine country we noticed that one of the wineries was pouring their wines using a slick-looking aerator. We commented on it, got the spiel, and our hosts bought us one! We do know that aerating or decanting a red wine will generally enhance its taste. And pulling this beauty out of it’s little case will surely impress our friends and convince them that the wine we’re serving is worthy and wonderful. For more about the Tribella see www.tribellawine.com.

  • Jet Cannon