The stars of the blogosphere were out Saturday night, shining bright from the Griffith Park area of Los Angeles where they gathered to do what bloggers do best: yap incessantly about politics. And about themselves. And other stuff they think about.  Read more 

Readers?

By a happy coincidence, the SOTU and Drinking Liberally both fall on a Tuesday.

So, I thought I’d swing by and, to honor the latest Oration from His Royal Lieness, induce the bartender to make a frothing wingnut for me (recipe by Shystee).

But I have some questions:

1. Is it normal/courteous to hand a bartender a recipe, and ask him to make it?

2. Do most bars routinely stock cans of Cream of Coconut? If they don’t, is there a substitute? (It seems to me that asking a bartender to make a special drink might fall within normal bounds, but I don’t know about bringing my own ingredients… And besides, if I have to do that, this meme won’t propagate, and this is one meme that deserves propagation.

Readers?

Other than by challenging their assumptions, that is.

Ingredients:

- 1 oz. Frangelico Hazel Nut Liqueur (because they’re Right Wing Nuts, after all)

- 1 whole ripe banana (because they’re bananas)

- 3/4 of a small (8 oz.?) can of Cream of Coconut (because they’re lazy coconuts who want other people to do the work and the dying for them)

- 4 oz. of Gold or Dark Rum. Do yourself a favor and go for some good stuff. Bacardi is the Cuervo of Rums. Yecch. I can’t recommend Flor de Cana, a slow-aged rum from Nicaragua, strongly enough. (because it takes strong drink to be able to deal with them)

- Lots of Ice. (because they really need to chill)

Directions:  Read more 

In honor of the venerable Kentucky Derby, I offer you Mint Julep Blogging Friday, and a little something to go with—a story on making the perfect julep, and a recipe for it as well. First, the recipe: 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups water (branch water is ideal) Fresh Mint Crushed Ice Kentucky bourbon (2 ounces per serving) Make a simple mint syrup by boiling sugar and water together for 5 minutes; cool. (This recipe makes enough syrup for 44 juleps.) Place in a covered container with 6 or 8 bruised mint sprigs. Refrigerate overnight. Make a julep by filling a julep cup or glass with crushed ice well-packed into the cup, then adding 1 tablespoon of mint syrup and 2 ounces of bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost outside of cup or glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and a straw cut short enough so that you almost bury your nose in the mint as you sip.

And now, the story, from a 1937 letter at the Buckner Family website:  Read more