Didn’t mean to be such a Holiday Downer. So here’s a quick recipe for some Holiday Cheer…
Let’s get one thing straight first: When it comes to fine cooking and cocktails, I don’t like recipes. But I will turn to one for inspiration and run with it. For instance … Liz’s theme cocktail at her Christmas party this year was a pomegranate martini of sorts.
I forget the exact name on the printed recipe placed by the ingredients, but I was more than happy to oblige as mixologist for the night and improvised with the following:
- Lemon Smirnoff Vodka
- Pomegranate Juice
- Cointreau
- Fresh Lemon
- Soda Water (Optional)
I proceeded to make a pitcher of mix as requested so we could shake, chill, and serve upon request. I doubled the first batch, but it was way too dark. I mean really, three cups of juice!?
I like to taste the vodka in my martinis. I also left out the soda water, after all it was “optional” and no martini I know of calls for bubbles.
The end result was pretty tasty though … if I were to try and remember how I’d got there – for you recipe minded folks – I’d say start with a couple ounces of vodka, add a half ounce Cointreau, splash with pomegranate juice, rim your glass with the lemon, and save the soda for the morning. My only change might be to opt for Absolut Citron inshtead of Shmirnoff.
Living in a stick house with a well stocked bar, this is all fine and dandy. Believe me, ours was well stocked. But living on the road has it’s limitations when it comes to libations. With a cabinet full of bottles we once enjoyed the variety and choice of rum, vodka, tequila, gin, whiskey, brandy, or some combination thereof.
Living in an RV, we now drink the cocktail of the month. Without room to stock multiple bottles, we now focus on quality over quantity and buy one big bottle of good stuff at a time. It’s either Margarita time, or time for a Bombay Sapphire tonic. In a plastic glass of course. Or this time of year, perhaps brandy and cocoa in a travel mug.
So what am I to do with the large bottle of Bailey’s and two real glasses I got in this year’s White Elephant present exchange? Trying to polish off the sweet stuff by the time we hit the road will have us seeing more than pink elephants!