tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49582513506840260782024-03-05T08:55:14.173-08:00Searching the CosmosOur quest for a cocktail made the way it ought to beMary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-50366379976150534532013-11-22T16:59:00.002-08:002013-11-25T16:45:23.302-08:00Color Us Confused<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI4lGGfpf83G3wlC4Q1fXsnlic6j1EwuSS1VS5ZEpW1HtoZkMacjEhhhCOYjRY5hNNMVKwrgAru8XMTJDl_rEE8c3d-xRQY_B3GMF3YNFCIOIFJYlcy_VqftWN8ElO9C3cx2fNs5IaFyM/s1600/11-21-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI4lGGfpf83G3wlC4Q1fXsnlic6j1EwuSS1VS5ZEpW1HtoZkMacjEhhhCOYjRY5hNNMVKwrgAru8XMTJDl_rEE8c3d-xRQY_B3GMF3YNFCIOIFJYlcy_VqftWN8ElO9C3cx2fNs5IaFyM/s400/11-21-1.jpg" /></a>
We knew aviators were supposed to be blue, and I had in fact seen a blue one with my own eyes at the Flatiron Lounge. It tasted exactly like ours, and from what I knew had the same ingredients. So why were ours purple, and theirs were blue?
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Cosmo Searcher Illustrator Barbara, acting on a tip from Reader Barbara, watched a video about how to make an aviator (or aviation, which I think we may have to start calling them). The bartender (who mispronounces maraschino, but whatever) put everything in a cocktail shaker, including the crème de violette, and shook. (Our method had been to add the violette after the other ingredients had been shaken and poured into the glass, which is how I had seen it done somewhere else.) The result is a beautiful blue drink! So now we are shaking all. (The recipe on the video also includes some simple syrup, which Barbara used in our drinks last week. I would just as happily omit that in the future. The sweetness didn’t add much except another step.) We’re hoping some of the scientifically inclined readers will tell us why stirring yellow and purple results in a violet-colored drink while shaking the exact same ingredients gets you one the color of the wild blue yonder.
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In other aviation news, Bottle Bargains in Northport now carries maraschino! That is BIG news, because it’s been very hard to get. Even stores in the city who seemed to carry it must have had only one bottle, because after I went back after my initial purchase, they didn’t have it for months. Maybe the article in the Huffington Post is responsible!
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Here’s a link to the video: http://bit.ly/1amNaBL.
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It mentions Aviation Gin as the inspiration for the drink. I think we’ll have to get some.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-3377984900670486952013-08-09T09:15:00.003-07:002013-08-09T12:24:36.973-07:00You Say Potato, I Say Mar-ra-SKEEN-o<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruwdS-YVM-5B78MiJ46z4lOwY7PKQ1saJzBs5phtpM74yVcC8MTbKuR8v4JXbud3E5uIpR7dDoXeEagitqnyBCAzLXjOPzOG_Ciaqg4y8N8rtJZtm3gKfhN7e4B-O5YBDfpKfWkmJtxoy/s1600/coloraugust8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruwdS-YVM-5B78MiJ46z4lOwY7PKQ1saJzBs5phtpM74yVcC8MTbKuR8v4JXbud3E5uIpR7dDoXeEagitqnyBCAzLXjOPzOG_Ciaqg4y8N8rtJZtm3gKfhN7e4B-O5YBDfpKfWkmJtxoy/s400/coloraugust8.jpg" /></a></div>The last post inspired me to buy the audible.com version of <i>The Great Gatsby</i>, read by Jake Gyllenhal. It was excellent, but I was irritated by Jake’s pronunciation of coupe. When talking about Tom Buchanan’s blue car (not to be confused with Gatsby’s yellow one) Jake says, “coo-PAY.” Since confusion over the cars is a key plot point, the word comes up a lot. As it turns out, Jake’s pronunciation is the way coupe would have been pronounced in the 1920s, although after WWII it changed gradually to the one used in the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe,” so I guess it’s acceptable. (Totally unacceptable was his pronunciation of claret. He rhymed it with his pronunciation of coupe, and that was not right in any time or place.)<p/>
Which brings us to maraschino liqueur, a key aviator ingredient. It’s pronounced mar-ra-SKEEN-o and has as much to do with neon-red maraschino cherries we’re familiar with as neon-orange Cheez Whiz has with a wheel of Brie. <p/>
The liqueur is produced by Luxardo and according to the company site, it’s one of the few liqueurs produced by distillation. I don’t know what that means, but it’s responsible for being “fine and well amalgamated without any aggressive note.”<p/>
The Luxardo site is fascinating. The company has been around since 1821, founded in a city on the Dalmatian Coast. To read the “About” section is to get a crash course in geopolitics and Italian-Croatian-Austro-Hungarian history as written by the vanquished. It’s intense and recommended. <p/>
But back to the cherries: Maraschino liqueur is made from marasca cherries, a small, dark, sour cherry grown in the coastal region of Croatia, northern Italy and that area. When preserved in Maraschino liqueur, marasca cherries were called maraschino cherries. Back in the 1800s, they were a delicacy for royalty and the wealthy.<p/>
Jump to the turn of the 20th century in the US: After experimenting with different flavors of cherries and flavorings for a home-grown version, American producers land on the sweet, light-colored Queen Anne cherry, bleached and then brined, and over the next decades perfected the preserve solution to its present-day recipe of food coloring and sugar syrups. (Interesting sidebar: A few years ago, Brooklyn beekeepers were alarmed to find their hives filled with red honey, only to learn that the bees had been hitting the sweet effluvium at Dell’s maraschino cherry factory in Red Hook.)<p/>
Any connection to the original marasca cherry is in name only and even then only as written, not pronounced. Speaking of which, how will we move forward when talking about it? Will we be correct and have people think we are wrong, or will we go with the accepted pronunciation and inwardly cringe, as when we order "bru-shet-ta" while knowing full well the second syllable should have a hard "k"?
We will discuss this evening over an Aviator.<p/>
PS: It's JILL-en-hall, at least in this country. Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-36488652325865413482013-07-04T15:30:00.000-07:002013-07-19T14:15:33.159-07:00Off We Go into the Wild Violet Yonder
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My father was an airline pilot, and back in the ‘60s, one of his uncles used to refer to him as “my nephew, the aviator.” Being an airline pilot was a prestigious job held by men (exclusively) who were treated like celebrities (I witnessed it many times), but they weren’t usually called aviators, except by Uncle Max. Aviators were of a different time and place, with a different allure. Yes, there was romance to commercial air travel (something it’s hard to remember as you’re standing barefoot on line hoping your underwire bra won’t set off the metal detector and wondering if you’ll walk away without your retrieving your laptop, again), but it was in a cool, mid-century Mad Men kind of way. Absent was the derring-do of early pioneers like Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes, who really were celebrities. In other words, more Leonardo DiCaprio in The <i>Aviator</i> than Leonard DiCaprio in <i>Catch Me If You Can</i>. <p>
And it’s those early days of flight that the name “Aviator” conjures up. Like the Cosmopolitan, the Manhattan, the Martini and the Singapore Sling, it brings to mind women in bias-cut gowns and men in dapper suits sipping out of cocktail glasses in soigne Art Deco speakeasies. In other words, Leonardo DiCaprio in <i>The Great Gatsby</i>, not Leonardo Di Caprio in <i>What's Eating Gilbert Grape.</i><p>
In everything I’ve read about it, the Aviator, created by the head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York in 1911, is called one of the all-time classic cocktails. That’s surprising to me, since no one I’ve mentioned it to has heard of it except my daughter Clementine, who saw it on the menu in a Brooklyn cocktail lounge. She and I were at the Flatiron Lounge last week, and it looked like the kind of place that would serve Aviators – landmark building, vintage Art Deco interior, historic mahogany bar, cobalt mirror from the 1920s. Our order was received without a bat of the eye. When our drinks arrived, they were a beautiful shade of purple. Purple!<p>
As it turns out, the original Aviator (or Aviation, as it is also called; more on that next time) included a splash of crème de violette, a liqueur that disappeared from the Savoy Cocktail Book’s recipe for the drink in the 1930s, and then disappeared from US liquor stores in the 1960s until 2007, when it was imported again. I found a bottle at Flatiron Wine & Spirits, a store halfway between where I work and the Flatiron Lounge. Barbara and I will be experimenting with our own recipe tonight. Check back for details.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-21076962557305702222013-06-21T07:36:00.000-07:002013-06-21T07:39:50.002-07:00The Cosmos Has Spoken: Welcome to the Summer of the Aviator
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It started on Barbara’s birthday back in May when her friend Dave gave her the fixings for a cocktail neither she nor I had heard of: the Aviator. Under his guidance, Barbara made a batch, we tried it, it was fine, and then she and I went back to our Junos. For those who don’t remember what a Juno is: http://searchingcosmos.blogspot.com/2011/07/name-that-cocktail.html <p>
On my birthday a week later, Barbara and I split an Aviator during a weekday lunch. Without the Juno distraction we gave it more consideration, and we really liked it. A tart, sharp taste, different from a Juno, but with the similar bite. A nice change of pace.<p>
We each had our own a few days later, and walking back from Barbara’s I thought that maybe we had found our next drink for if not forever than at least the summer. I wasn’t sure, though. <p>
That night, I logged on to Netflix and saw one of the “Top 10 for Mary” picks was The Great Waldo Pepper, a movie about a post-WWI biplane pilot—or aviator, if you will. (I first saw it on a plane, an odd choice for in-flight entertainment since it includes not one but multiple plane crashes.)<p>
I laughed at the coincidence. I decided to not watch a movie but to read a book I had just picked up from the library, TransAtlantic, by Colum McCann. I didn’t know what it was about and had only chosen it because I liked the author’s previous book, Let the Great World Spin. I settled in and looked at the jacket copy: “Two aviators set course in a modified bomber for Ireland… . “ Ha! <p>
I read for a bit and then turned on the TV. What came on? The movie Airport, on a channel I’m sure I didn’t even know we had. And that—seeing Dean Martin, the Rat Packer who was known for always having a drink in his hand, as an airline pilot—clinched it. The cosmos was trying to tell me something. <p>
We’ll have more about this classic cocktail in the coming weeks. But for now, welcome to the summer of the Aviator. Happy Solstice. <p>
<b>The Aviator</b>
<i>(also called the Aviation)</i> <p>
2 ounces Gin<p>
½ ounce lemon juice<p>
½ ounce Maraschino liqueur<p>
Add ingredients to ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Flamed lemon twist for garnish.
Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-57819148437911721252011-11-15T18:08:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:09:42.605-07:00Fire and Ice: Taking the Juno to Extremes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s been a while. The writing has been sporadic, but the search has been on-going, spanning continents and states of matter. To wit: <br />
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While on a business trip to London, I ordered a cosmo at the bar in the Sanderson, a swanky 5-star hotel, and was surprised when the bartender set it on fire. Actually, it wasn’t the cosmo per se that he lit up, but the orange-zest garnish. Before putting it in the drink, he squeezed the peel and ignited the oils as they burst forth. <br />
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The reason to light the zest before putting it in the cosmo is to add caramelized oils to the surface of the cocktail, which I know because I just watched a video about it at http://bit.ly/clUUN. <br />
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But I would have to think that whenever something is flambéed in a bar or restaurant, it’s also for dramatic effect. Yet the only reason I saw this dramatic flourish was because there was a mirror behind the bartender, whose back was toward me as he squeezed and lit. Why bother to light something on fire if the customer can’t even see it? The cosmo was pretty good, though. <br />
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On the opposite end of the thermodynamic spectrum, this summer Barbara experimented with frozen cosmo/junos, or frosmos. The inspiration was the purchase of a Magic Bullet Blender, a handy kitchen device that she swears by, as opposed to my old-fashioned home blender that I just swear at because it’s annoyingly inconvenient to use and it leaks. The thinking was that if a frozen margarita works, why wouldn’t a frozen juno? <br />
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We don’t know, but so far it has not. The resulting drink it just a very cold, watery juno. Also, the Magic Bullet isn’t quite powerful enough to make a true slush; probably we need a professional blender or something for that. But we’re also wondering if the proportions of alcohol to ice need to be different? I just looked at a frozen margarita recipe versus one on the rocks, and the alcohol content seems to be the same. Or maybe if we froze the lime juice and cranberry juice before making, that would help? <br />
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If anyone has any thoughts or experience with juno fire or juno ice, let us know.<br />
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Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-43460888369341327962011-07-21T12:48:00.000-07:002013-05-20T10:07:07.994-07:00Name That Cocktail<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">“As every man has his genius, every woman has her juno.” </span><br />
—<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bulfinch's Mythology</span><br />
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Several months back, this blog announced a scheme to rename our favorite drink, and we pledged that 2011 would be “The Year of the [New Name for a Cosmo Made with Gin].” <br />
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We’re ready to fill in those brackets. <br />
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Next time you’re out, shake up the bartender and order a Juno. <br />
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Perfect, right? <br />
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I can say that because Barbara came up with the name Juno. She thought it paid tribute to juniper (the berries of which give gin its distinctive flavor) while echoing the sassy sound of Cosmo’s final syllable. <br />
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She didn’t pick Juno for any connection to the Roman goddess by the same name, but that is a fitting connection. From the exhaustive reading I’ve done (in the last ten minutes), Juno is a complicated goddess, often called “Optima Maxima,” meaning best and greatest of the goddesses. She is the goddess of women, kind of a female guardian angel. Roman women called their souls or guardian spirits “juno” (corresponding to the “genius” of a man) in her honor. So is there a better name for what we think is the best and greatest of cocktail, one that is (with apologies to the men we love who enjoy it), a woman’s drink? <br />
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Barbara and I recently attended a mixology class sponsored by Cointreau. The lesson plan included Cosmos, and of course Barbara and I had to tell the class that we make ours with gin. The bartender/instructor wanted to know if we had a name for it, and we told him Juno. Barbara had made up some cards with the recipe for a Juno on the back. <br />
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The class introduced us to some very tasty drinks, recipes for which we’ll be sharing in the coming days. But the most exciting part of the evening was introducing Juno into the world. Interestingly, when the very lovely Cointreau representative, who was fascinated by the idea of making a Cosmo with gin, emailed the recipes a few days later, “The Original Cosmopolitan” recipe called for 2 oz. Vodka (or Gin for some). Emphasis mine. <br />
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Now we have to start spreading the word. Readers, go out and order a Juno. Express surprise when the bartender doesn’t know how to make it. “Really? You’ve never heard of it? It’s like a Cosmopolitan, but it’s made with gin. And it must be made with Cointreau, not triple sec.” Let us know what happens.<br />
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The Year of the Juno has begun. Long live the Juno.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-29532059816945972962011-04-29T05:43:00.000-07:002013-05-20T10:07:33.565-07:00What’s Shaking in the Cosmos/What the Cosmos Are Shaking In<br />
As previously discussed, the allure of cocktails in general but cosmos in particular is largely about the accoutrements (a cosmo quaffed out of a sippy cup instead of a martini glass is just not the same), one of which is the cocktail shaker. The ones Barbara and I use most frequently are slightly different versions of the classic stainless steel shakers, which look great but have faults. Like, after you shake them, there is no way to remove the top cap without losing some of what’s inside. We try tilting the shakers, shaking the shakers so that the contents of the top falls back into the body of the shaker, but it’s virtually impossible to not lose half an ounce or so before we even pour.<br />
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So Barbara got me a flip-top shaker, thinking that would solve the problem. If it had solved the problem, I would have enjoyed using it even though the visual aesthetics don’t quite measure up to the classic. But no, it leaks too. So we were thinking of getting a vintage shaker where you pour the drink out of a spout on the side, but many of the ones I see are made out of a material I don’t care for (some look like they’re aluminum, with wooden handles. Plus they look like they would be hard to clean. <br />
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Looking at cocktailshaker.com, I found a lot of shakers that look great, but I don’t know how they pour. I love the way the zeppelins look, and even though I thought I didn’t like glass shakers, I found myself really liking the pink elephant shakers. They have a pour top, but in the cap not the body and so easier to clean; might be just what we need. If anyone has thoughts on shakers (or a pink elephant shaker they want to get rid of), let us know.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-22891642602722458742011-04-01T07:02:00.000-07:002011-04-01T08:56:12.864-07:00Gin Rummies?I saw my brother-in-law this past weekend. “I love your blog,” he said, “but it really makes you two seem like lushes!” I laughed, because we really aren’t, which he knows; it’s just that whenever Barbara and I do have a cocktail, I write about it. <br /><br />I laughed even harder when I saw the photo Barbara sent me to illustrate this week’s blog. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8VNfYodmBOvWAdbuu-ujx-4v_3IEqYi4GBQyNT-mNhViF_gv0Dn-h0xD5oQ6ewsGYytl6ac7Cue5V04oxquLJ7-zG5nVPIVcNYpYIg7USf0tlMmAU4VuVhLEuTCMC54iieWRIUZlJux9/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8VNfYodmBOvWAdbuu-ujx-4v_3IEqYi4GBQyNT-mNhViF_gv0Dn-h0xD5oQ6ewsGYytl6ac7Cue5V04oxquLJ7-zG5nVPIVcNYpYIg7USf0tlMmAU4VuVhLEuTCMC54iieWRIUZlJux9/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590626403903922178" /></a><br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />We are NOT a couple of lushes. What we are is a couple of dedicated taste testers. In addition to the tests we’ve already conducted – fresh lime juice versus Rose’s, Rose’s versus Key Lime, Cointreau versus Triple Sec, to name just a few, we will be testing crushed ice versus cubes, wide-flange shallow glasses over more narrow ones and the merits of a glass cocktail shaker over stainless steel. We're practically scientists, when you think about it.<br /><br />So when Barbara wound up with six different gins in her cupboard, we went to work.<br /><br />Beefeaters, Bombay, Tanqueray, Miller’s, Q and Highgate were each used to make one cosmo per brand. We then took sips from each glass, cleansing our palates in between with crackers and water. We only finished the ones we liked best, which for me was Bombay (which I don’t think I’ve ever had before and never thought I’d ever try, after a bad experience with its Sapphire variation) and for Barbara was Tanqueray (not a surprise, since we know we liked that). But we agreed the differences between Beefeaters, Bombay, Tanqueray and Highgate were so minor that any one of them would be more than acceptable.<br /><br />Q had a very different taste that we liked, though it would not be our first choice (nor second, third nor fourth). But Miller’s has a definite taste that we definitely do not like. I know it’s not cheap (like Highgate is) and has some good reviews on line. But it’s way too floral for either of our tastes.<br /><br />Before all the discerning gin drinkers get up in arms about the travesty of including Highgate on that list, let me say that Barbara and I are not discerning gin drinkers, apparently. And I think the difference that might be apparent in a martini or a gin and tonic are less obvious when you start adding the other three cosmo ingredients. And then it wouldn’t be a cosmo. Or a [new name here]; still debating how to rebrand our drink of choice. As I’ve said, I think we have a winner….<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Correction:<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> The original version of this article erroneously reported that Barbara's favorite was Tanqueray; in fact, it was Highgate. Which means Mary is a bad reporter and Barbara is a cheap date.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-89317719705853265902011-03-24T08:58:00.000-07:002013-05-20T10:08:39.332-07:00Fat Cosmo<br />
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Barbara hosted a belated Mardi Gras party a few days after Ash Wednesday. Of course she wanted to have an on-theme cosmo; I was invited over on Thursday night before the party for a taste test of her new concoction.<br />
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I should have guessed what the secret ingredient was from the first pour, because the drink looked exactly like V-8 Splash. It tasted like V-8 Splash too, and as soon as I made that connection I could stop yelling out random guesses (“Crayfish broth!”) and just say, “Tomato juice! How clever!” Though the cosmo was good in a bloody-maryish kind of way, we decided it wasn’t really a success and dumped it.<br />
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Barbara wound up serving Cajun Cosmos made with fruit punch instead of cranberry juice, to give it a Hurricane-type flavor. For a garnish, she used the plastic babies I had leftover from a bag of them I bought for my king cake. Some sank to the bottom, some floated bottoms up, which was much more appropriate. Oddly, the baby I put in the king cake did not appear to be in anyone’s slice of cake. Since I definitely did put a baby in the cake before it was baked, there are only a few explanations for what happened: either someone unknowingly ate it (unlikely), or someone saw it in their slice but didn’t want to admit it (also unlikely), or it was thrown out when the plates were scraped of unfinished cake. That is of course the most likely explanation, but Barbara refused to do garbage forensics, so we’ll never know. Next year, I will make a cake big enough to hide a Barbie in to avoid a reoccurrance of this mystery.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-44519566398659751922011-02-10T08:10:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:09:24.043-07:00Age Quod Agis, Abe<br />
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Do what you are doing, even if what you’re doing is drinking. Barbara and I recently discovered, separately and then together, that having a cosmo while we’re doing anything else but having a cosmo is a waste of gin. To have one while preparing dinner for a crowd is to drink it in distracted sips until, before you know it, the drink is gone, and you didn’t even enjoy it. <br />
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I bet Abraham Lincoln would have practiced mindful drinking, if he drank. And the reason I mention it is because Barbara asked me to write something about Abraham Lincoln so she could do an illustration of him. From what I've read, Lincoln was a teetotaler, and in fact spoke against it at a Washington Temperance Society gathering early in his career. But that did not stop him from saying, when informed that General Grant drank whiskey while leading his troops, "Find out the name of the brand so I can give it to my other generals." He also said, according to a magnet I saw in a bookstore, "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." Which is why when Barbara and I get together on his birthday to have a quiet cosmo in his honor, I'll know he'd have approved.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-82730643351426081812011-01-17T17:55:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:01:24.165-08:00The Museum of the American CocktailIf there can be a Museum of Sex (and there is, a few block north of my office in the Flatiron District), why can't there be a Museum of the Great American Cocktail? It's in New Orleans, and I believe it was the first stop Barbara and her husband made when the went to New Orleans last week. They're still there (in New Orleans, not the museum) (although maybe the museum too). Some pictures from their visit: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTTznTKC4yI/AAAAAAAAAWc/sFOYERBkWBs/s1600/photo-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTTznTKC4yI/AAAAAAAAAWc/sFOYERBkWBs/s200/photo-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563339296192258850" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTT0JLvFvcI/AAAAAAAAAWk/wlHSI0VnO7Y/s1600/photo-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTT0JLvFvcI/AAAAAAAAAWk/wlHSI0VnO7Y/s200/photo-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563339878315703746" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTT0UsJfq8I/AAAAAAAAAWs/GX04fbrdYx4/s1600/photo-3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TTT0UsJfq8I/AAAAAAAAAWs/GX04fbrdYx4/s200/photo-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563340075994950594" /></a>Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-88087332505253593442011-01-09T12:55:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:12:17.694-07:00Our 2011 Initiative<br />
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Happy New Year. I’ve already broken one resolution, which was to write at least once a week. Perhaps we’ll post twice this week to make up for it. <br />
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Readers of this blog are familiar with these two facts:<br />
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1. Barbara and I are gin snobs. That is, we think gin is the superior spirit, and we turn our noses up at martinis made any other way. Not that we drink martinis; we’re just against the vodka revisionism on principle. What principle, we don’t really know. But we very firmly stand by it. Except when…<br />
2. ...we clearly violate it every time we make a drink that calls for vodka and, without compunction, we swap out the vodka for gin. Then we celebrate our hypocrisy on a blog! <br />
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Barbara’s solution: rename the drink. Stop calling it “a cosmo made with gin” and call it something else, as if it were a different drink, which it is. <br />
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She off the top of her head came up with a Metropolitan, or Metro for short, which would have been perfect if there weren’t already several drinks by that name; most involve brandy, sweet vermouth, bitters and simple syrup, but I found a few that were cosmo knock-offs – orange vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice, for example. So we couldn’t use that. <br />
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Then just as fast she came up with a Gizmo. It’s very clever, but to me it had an electronic tech-y connotation. I also felt the name lacked sophistication. “So do we,” she replied. But at least we can <span style="font-style: italic;">pretend</span>, can’t we? <br />
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I suggested the Pierpont, after the Brooklyn family who had the one of the first gin factories in New York City, but that was quickly shot down (not by Barbara; in fact, this may be the first she’s hearing of it) by my husband, who thought it sounded too masculine and self-consciously arcane.<br />
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We have not given up. In fact, we’ve made a pledge that 2011 will be the "Year of the [Insert New Name for a Cosmo Made with Gin Here]." Readers, if you have any thoughts on the matter – even if not a name itself, then perhaps a direction we should go in – we would love to hear them.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-25676838273470565692010-12-28T05:58:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:12:35.819-07:00The (Cosmo) Girls with Kaleidoscope Eyes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7gBcNXOZPY8WGb45zeiXu7LGVzck7bCQGok98I0acVpwaCzcyOWBcq-foqBYsEXMEeIKufT0Ckrz-AwdetKmDtg3UmXanfW91hYDPu1jgdakd_1dkp_1FX36RpmB3fEQMRMMNlitHoai/s1600/dec-1.27.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555733553409918754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7gBcNXOZPY8WGb45zeiXu7LGVzck7bCQGok98I0acVpwaCzcyOWBcq-foqBYsEXMEeIKufT0Ckrz-AwdetKmDtg3UmXanfW91hYDPu1jgdakd_1dkp_1FX36RpmB3fEQMRMMNlitHoai/s320/dec-1.27.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 285px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Among a cosmopolitan’s many appeals is its rosy hue; what other color would such a girly drink be? The ones Barbara and I have been enjoying lately are not the traditional blush-tinted ones; because of the industrial strength Trader Joe’s cranberry juice, they’re more of a vibrant fuchsia. Still in the pink family, though. Still lovely.<br />
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During this holiday season, we had occasion to explore a whole new color palette, with surprising results. First, I was gifted with a bottle of blue gin. Magellan, it’s called; “Precious Distillation, Imported from France.” When I showed Barbara, we both thought it was the bottle that was blue, the way Bombay Sapphire is, but then we poured out a shot and found that the actual gin is blue, from iris flowers, which was exciting because pink + blue would equal purple, and we thought that would be kind of fun. <br />
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But no, the resulting cosmo looked exactly the same as one made with normal gin. <br />
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Then on Barbara’s Hanukkah-themed Christmas Eve, she had grape juice along with pot roast, latkes and kugel, and mixed up a batch with the deep purple juice instead of cranberry juice. Once again, the resulting drink looked exactly the same as the regular ones. <br />
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We may have to add color theory to our list of experiments, because I want to see what a cosmo made with white cranberry juice and blue gin would look like. Although I think I already know: despite not having one pink ingredient, it will look pink because apparently drinking cosmos makes one view the world through rose-colored cocktail glasses. Or something like that. <br />
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Happy Holidays from Searching the Cosmos.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-78710379234345186632010-12-05T18:30:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:12:44.984-07:00It's Never Too Late to Become a Cosmo Girl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50WPymJWLdqNZB9GYsLiB5D3MhqWFGMsl1xz9YjLYW5S3nI7W-0ru7Xi9i34NMbQdrp32mfVJM4CKCQolYbc9u1bn-HcXPZlsDPMNrOAMS2SNdkaOeCh_TK7v8EYfTtOu5KE9HyCB1IFy/s1600/Min+cosmo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547391422437381858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh50WPymJWLdqNZB9GYsLiB5D3MhqWFGMsl1xz9YjLYW5S3nI7W-0ru7Xi9i34NMbQdrp32mfVJM4CKCQolYbc9u1bn-HcXPZlsDPMNrOAMS2SNdkaOeCh_TK7v8EYfTtOu5KE9HyCB1IFy/s320/Min+cosmo.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 179px;" /></a><br />
After all this cosmo talk, my mother-in-law, Min, wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Actually it was her daughter Jean who wanted to know, but Min was curious as well. So on a visit to Connecticut this past summer, I brought all of the ingredients plus the cocktail shaker and some glasses. <br />
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As you can tell from the attached photo, Min liked it. I like the way her shirt matches her cocktail. <br />
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Trying something new is nothing new for her, by the way; she lives for it. She’s talking about taking flying lessons, for example. Although now that I think of it, that’s not new because she had a license 70 years ago, when she and her mother were part owners of a Piper Cub. <br />
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Here’s to the newest cosmo girl in my circle, on the occasion of her 87th birthday today. Cheers, Min!Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-20294812318392728172010-11-25T09:34:00.000-08:002013-05-20T10:12:58.991-07:00Have a Cosmopolitan Thanksgiving<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkEskUFuQK3VDJEBAWZj2E58fw2zzHGjA8HaSjgAXxpNa_TWsgs5LgbUXMCCL6RReL79ryTDtXjDwOmJU4crHE-oF8pzQZ4HVeD5VBeCw4gchG2MsDe4nTzMV_szrOKpldG111bJzsG0y/s1600/thanksgiving.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543543038782764498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkEskUFuQK3VDJEBAWZj2E58fw2zzHGjA8HaSjgAXxpNa_TWsgs5LgbUXMCCL6RReL79ryTDtXjDwOmJU4crHE-oF8pzQZ4HVeD5VBeCw4gchG2MsDe4nTzMV_szrOKpldG111bJzsG0y/s400/thanksgiving.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 344px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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After writing yesterday about how a particular cranberry sauce reminded me of a cosmo, I realized that the same thought must have occurred to someone else....<br />
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Happy Thanksgiving,<br />
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Barbara and Mary <br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">From Epicuriou</span>s: <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Cosmopolitan Cranberry Sauce</span><br />
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This vibrant condiment takes its inspiration from the popular cocktail the Cosmopolitan. The alcohol heightens the sauce’s flavor, but for kids and nondrinkers, the recipe can easily be made nonalcoholic by substituting orange juice for the water and deleting the vodka and liqueur.<br />
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1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup vodka<br />
3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec [or Cointreau]<br />
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In a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, combine cranberries, sugar, and ½ cup water. Bring to boil, stirring often to dissolve sugar, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened and reduced to about 3 cups, about 15 minutes.<br />
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Transfer to medium bowl and cool, stirring often, until tepid, about 30 minutes. Stir in vodka and liqueur. Transfer to serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 2 hours. (Sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated.) Serve chilled or at room temperature.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-88141711269205229912010-11-24T06:23:00.000-08:002010-11-29T07:52:23.870-08:00Karaoke and Cosmos, Texas-Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2vu3Frugb7EdGmjMCyAcbRSJzNI46y0Jji2eToCmBg_OpG8UApWxjK564Wyl_lyklqUqUPodtS88urnF02pkcksB_Jvv5cUTCWKtHqZ37w45XBg4kSdpwYeQ8jVUlFrazJfOqgG4lNbG/s1600/11-22.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 353px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2vu3Frugb7EdGmjMCyAcbRSJzNI46y0Jji2eToCmBg_OpG8UApWxjK564Wyl_lyklqUqUPodtS88urnF02pkcksB_Jvv5cUTCWKtHqZ37w45XBg4kSdpwYeQ8jVUlFrazJfOqgG4lNbG/s400/11-22.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543122310232485954" /></a><br />Everything is bigger in Texas. How much bigger? When I made cosmos for my sister Laura’s 8th annual karaoke party earlier this month, instead of using a shot glass I used a measuring cup.<br /><br />Traditionally, Laura only serves beer, wine or soda at these events, but last year she served a pitcher of margaritas to go with the chili that was on menu. I was the bartender and wound up making two or three small pitchers of them, at most. But Laura still liked the idea of a signature cocktail for this year. Because cosmos are alliteratively compatible with karaoke, in addition to being delicious, was the cocktail of choice. <br /><br />I made up a big batch starting with six cups of vodka. (Even though Laura, like I, prefers gin, we agreed that many people do not, so we went with the traditional recipe.) When I was done, the decanter was too full to add any ice too and would have been to heavy to shake even if I could have, so we stuck it in a giant tub of ice. <br /><br />That decanter held about 32 drinks, and there were about 32 people coming. Everyone would have one, or some people would have none and others would have two. Either way, we figured we’d have plenty. <br /><br />What we did not figure on was the need to send someone out for more ingredients. <br /><br />The cosmos were more popular than Laura’s rendition of “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” and that is saying something. Except for the guy who returned his for being not cold enough (which, frankly it wasn’t right then — he got the first one poured), people loved them. <br /><br />Was it the cosmos or just coincidence that long-established permanent audience members (that is, enthusiastic boosters who never sang) found themselves onstage, microphone in hand, for the very first time? One of those people says she was just holding the microphone and mouthing the words, but it was still something the crowd never thought they’d see. <br /><br />As great as my trip to Dallas was, there were two cosmo-related low points. The first came when I realized that during the post-party cleanup a quart of cosmos got poured down the sink. (Yes, I do remember dumping half a pitcher of margaritas last year, but this was totally different because those were margaritas and these were COSMOS, two of which I intended to drink when I got back to Laura’s — I was driving and so not drinking during the party.)<br /><br />The second incident came the night after the party when a group of us went to my favorite barbecue restaurant, Smoke, for the second time in three days. Since I wasn’t driving, I ordered a "Real Deal" Cranberry Cosmo: vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime, cranberry juice and grenadine; I replaced the vodka with gin. Served in a large Tom Collin’s glass, it didn’t look anything like a cosmo, or taste like one either. I didn’t even bother to drink it. <br /><br />So actually, I didn’t even really get to have a Texas-style cosmo. What would that be, anyway? Maybe it should involve jalapenos? I made a roasted cranberries with jalapenos dish last Thanksgiving that reminded me a little of cosmos. Hmmm. Maybe next year.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-25907067256774532822010-11-10T12:53:00.000-08:002010-11-10T13:00:54.195-08:00When Life Gives You Lemons, Make...Gin and Tonics?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TNsHV8N_C2I/AAAAAAAAATE/SNB1ecfirxE/s1600/nov%2B10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TNsHV8N_C2I/AAAAAAAAATE/SNB1ecfirxE/s400/nov%2B10.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538028240305589090" /></a><br />The official drink of the group who gets together to watch <span style="font-style:italic;">Project Runway</span> is not cosmos even though Barbara and I are the charter members. It’s gin and tonics, because one really hot night a few summers ago when Barbara came over to watch the premier of the third season, even though it conflicted with Lost. Having a cool cocktail seemed like the thing to do. I filled up a 16-ounce glass with ice, tonic, added a short shot of gin and a slice of lime and called that a gin and tonic, though it was really gin-flavored tonic, which seemed appropriate for a weeknight when there was work or 6 a.m. swimming practice the next day. <br /><br />Before too long, the P-Run group had grown to include Barbara M., another Mary S. plus Sue and Carol. (I always say we need a Linda and Debbie to round out our “born in the 50s” names.) The big-gulp-sized gin and tonics were a big hit. We did taste tests with three different tonics (Schweppes won, with Seagram’s second and Canada Dry last) and later added diet tonic to the menu. As for gin, sometimes the bottle is green, sometimes it’s clear, sometimes it’s clear plastic. We don’t really care. <br /><br />But we must have limes. If whoever is hosting doesn’t have limes, a panicked email goes out requesting that someone bring one. The result is an abundance of limes, because everyone brings one or two rather than risk doing without. If we didn’t have limes, I don’t think we’d bother with gin and tonics. <br /><br />Which leads me to <span style="font-style:italic;">Little Bee</span>, by Chris Cleave.* One of the characters is a bit of lush whose drink is gin and tonic with lemon. Lemon? At first I thought it must be a misprint. Bad editing. Then I thought maybe the preference for lemon was an idiosyncrasy of this one British character that would horrify the rest of the people in a country known for their love of gin and tonics. <br /><br />So I checked and found this in a London newspaper blog: “Only lemon properly complements a gin and tonic.” <br /><br />That’s the headline of a post at the <span style="font-style:italic;">Telegraph</span>’s site by Gerald Warner, a “author, broadcaster, columnist and polemical commentator who writes about politics, religion, history, culture and society in general.” An excerpt: <br /><br />“Gin and tonic with a slice of lime, sir? Leave it out! And I really do mean, leave it out. Of all the proliferating evidence that the world has gone to the demnition bow-wows, the most incontrovertible is the pervasive practice of poisoning gin and tonic with slices of lime. Ugh. Is nothing sacred? A proper gin and tonic is served with a slice of LEMON.”**<br /><br />He goes on to point out that an enforced consumption of lime juice provoked mutiny on the “Bounty,” and says one can see Fletcher Christian’s point. <br /><br />The letters to the editor about the post are heavily pro-lime, but that could be because the smug pro-lemon contingent finds addressing the issue as distasteful as the lime itself. There is plenty to read in support of both sides, and while I’m inclined to stay with limes, you never know. <br /><br />P-Run ladies, another taste test is in order. When does season 9 start?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Literary footnotes: <span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><br />*I loved <span style="font-style:italic;">Little Bee</span> until the end, which was also true of the book I read before it, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Story of Edgar Sawtelle</span>, and after, <span style="font-style:italic;">One Day</span>. Three in a row where my enthusiasm lasted until the very last pages. For <span style="font-style:italic;">Edgar Sawtelle</span>, that was my own fault – the book has themes out of <span style="font-style:italic;">Hamlet</span>, how did I think it was going to end? – but for the other two I hold the authors responsible.<br /><br />**“The world has gone to the demnition bow-wows” is apparently a quote from Charles Dickens, who used the word “demnition” a lot. I’ve never heard it before, and it took me a while to find a definition. It means “hot.” The one source I finally found says it’s American, which makes me wonder how the dickens Dickens knew it and I did not.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-56772729854644164472010-11-03T09:49:00.000-07:002010-11-03T16:30:55.685-07:00Searching Like Scientists Search<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TNGsUBWMFWI/AAAAAAAAASw/2-gpanJ6Q5k/s1600/Nov+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TNGsUBWMFWI/AAAAAAAAASw/2-gpanJ6Q5k/s400/Nov+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535394876973913442" /></a><br />The Scientific Method is a process for experimentation used to explore observations and answer questions. It follows laws of logic first defined by Aristotle. It was used by Watson and Crick to determine the double-helix structure of DNA. And it was what Barbara and I used to uncover some insights into the cosmos. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step One: Ask a Question</span><br /><br />Since Mary will not get off the Triple Sec train, how can we use Triple Sec to make a cosmo Barbara will like?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step Two: Background Research</span><br /><br />Sweetness is Barbara's issue; we looked into elements of the drink that impart sweetness and thought about how to counterbalance that. We researched what kinds of bottled lime juice would provide the convenience of Rose's without the added sugar and investigated unsweetened cranberry juice. We found unsweeted key lime juice and, as Barbara had previously discovered, a tart Trader Joe's cranberry juice. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step Three: Construct Hypothesis</span><br /><br />If we use no-sugar-added Trader Joe's cranberry juice and either fresh lime juice or unsweetened bottled key lime juice to mitigate the sweetness factor, then we'll have a just-tart-enough version of the classic Rose's-Cointreau version. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step Four: Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment</span><br /><br />We filled one cocktail shaker using a recipe involving two shots of gin, one shot of Triple Sec, a shot of fresh lime and a short shot of unsweetened cranberry juice. At the same time under the same exact conditions we filled another shaker using the same recipe, but replacing fresh lime juice with bottled key lime juice. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step Five: Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion<br /></span><br />The hypothesis was false. The distinctive taste of ReaLemon that makes it an unpleasant substitute for fresh lemon juice is also found in bottled lime juice and was present and overwhelming in the drink. Fresh lime juice was better, but both drinks were mouth-puckering tart almost to the point of being undrinkable. Of course we drank them, in the interest of science. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Step Six: Communicate Your Results</span><br /><br />That's what this blog is for. <br /><br />Clearly more work needs to be done. We are laundering our lab coats and getting ready for the next round.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-67284934326691283382010-09-29T13:24:00.000-07:002010-09-29T13:32:47.459-07:00Searching the Cosmos, Circa 2050<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TKOiJ3MaAlI/AAAAAAAAARA/TBVAIkvSN5s/s1600/sept+28+yr.2050.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TKOiJ3MaAlI/AAAAAAAAARA/TBVAIkvSN5s/s400/sept+28+yr.2050.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522435858404868690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">I've mentioned that I started drinking late in life; here's proof. When Barbara sent me this drawing last night, I asked what all the glasses were for ("Are we having a taste test??") and wondered what she was throwing in my drink.<br /><br />Beer Pong. Who knew? Sure I've heard of it, but I've never played it or seen it played. I better learn the rules and maybe start practicing, since apparently Barbara and I will be playing the Cosmo variation of it during our porch-side cocktails hours in our golden years. I kind of can't wait. </span>Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-22353795668268332102010-09-19T16:51:00.000-07:002010-09-21T07:12:28.758-07:00What Price Cosmo?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TJaj-2qgIGI/AAAAAAAAAQc/zUjbfJSZxGc/s1600/september14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 357px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TJaj-2qgIGI/AAAAAAAAAQc/zUjbfJSZxGc/s400/september14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518778693610119266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Barbara and I have for months been talking about figuring out how much, exactly, we’re spending on cosmos. A few weeks ago I did some quick calculations in my head and estimated that they cost about $11 each. Barbara thought that sounded high and suggested I try it again, with a calculator. </span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A regulation cosmo — that is, one that’s half the size of the ones Barbara serves — costs $1.48. So the ones we’ve been drinking cost us $2.96. Still a bargain, compared to the $10 (minimum) they cost on Long Island and the $15 (or so) they cost in NYC. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Cointreau is the most pricey ingredient; $1.68 per big drink. To save some money, I decided to revisit triple sec. It costs 12 cents per drink! And I like that it’s not as strong as Cointreau. The resulting cosmo tastes fine. Cosmo lite. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">But Barbara isn’t having any of it. That is, she doesn’t agree in theory (“How much do we drink, anyway?? It’s not like we’re buying bottles of Cointreau every week or even every month!"), and she refuses to practice what I’m preaching (extreme austerity and weaker drinks in preparation for Christmas overspending and indulging). So I will buy a bottle of Cointreau to use to prepare her cosmos when we have cocktails at my house; it’s only right. But I’ll be using the triple sec for myself until it’s gone or Christmas, whichever comes first. </span></span><br /></p>Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-63807573303662436302010-09-07T11:17:00.000-07:002010-09-20T07:28:28.660-07:00How We Spent Our Summer Vacations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TIaFsw_mB8I/AAAAAAAAAQU/8qmhJw8pvnY/s1600/sept+07+10+.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TIaFsw_mB8I/AAAAAAAAAQU/8qmhJw8pvnY/s400/sept+07+10+.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514241797874124738" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">We're </span>back. As you can see from Barbara's illustration, it was an eventful summer. (Barbara can actually do a forearm stand, whereas I am still working on learning how to ride a unicycle. If anyone has any tips — or a unicyle, for that matter — please let me know. It was just a notion that I mentioned over cocktails a few weeks ago as something I wanted to do, and, now that Barbara's drawn it, feel I must do. As soon as I get a unicycle.)<br /><br />Looking back over the summer, it's worth noting that in three months of weekly cosmo sessions, not one glass was broken. The reason: stainless steel. I gave Barbara a pair from Target for her birthday. At first they made me think of what a cocktail party in prison would be like, if prison had cocktail parties — I can practically hear the clanging as inmates demanded Cointreau, not Triple Sec — but now Barbara and I like them, both for their indestructibility and the nice job they do keeping a drink cold.<br /><br />By the way, the cartoon caption comes from a comment Jan from Newport made via email several monts ago. What she actually wrote was, "It's comforting to know you will never fall victim to scurvy," which I misquoted when I reported it to Barbara. But the point is made.<br /><br />This post marks the resumption of our once-a-week (at least) publishing schedule that we will stick to until next summer, at which point I will no doubt slack off again. But until then, please continue to check in (and comment!) as the search continues.Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-87061106827908327112010-06-20T18:19:00.000-07:002013-05-20T10:14:09.255-07:00Pinkie Power<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8H_45CHcjpB0pAyuK4RcIJV1eGvceaToBUBhOTAAGeGZ-WvWTAv2JxS7Cfb1gJhKOiTZKu6fUbaLtLUf6V4my6kohLENn6tv-_NmjrJ4yTky1zwwl88JZgYJUdfEMf0JwKuT3RmCk_7e/s1600/DSCN1733.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485033264627826722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8H_45CHcjpB0pAyuK4RcIJV1eGvceaToBUBhOTAAGeGZ-WvWTAv2JxS7Cfb1gJhKOiTZKu6fUbaLtLUf6V4my6kohLENn6tv-_NmjrJ4yTky1zwwl88JZgYJUdfEMf0JwKuT3RmCk_7e/s400/DSCN1733.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 300px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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As Barbara M. put it, “If we were 18-year-olds in bikinis, we wouldn’t have had our picture taken more than we did in our pink shirts.”</div>
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Team Cosmo rode the Ride to Montauk yesterday — 30 miles (or so; Laura’s bike computer showed 33.77), four kinds of pie (apple, cherry, blueberry and for one lucky Cosmo girl who got the last slice of it, strawberry rhubarb), lemonade (purchased from the enterprising boys of Jeffrey Lane in East Hampton), one lost bus driver and more questions and comments about the Searching the Cosmos shirts than we can count.</div>
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Everyone wanted to know what it was all about, from a professorial-looking couple at the ride start in Babylon who asked if we were astronomers to the woman at the finish line who said she’d like to join our cycling club and when told by Barbara K., “We’re not a cycling club, we’re a drinking club,” said, “Even better.”</div>
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We’re not really a drinking club, of course. Though we certainly have our share of cocktails when we get together, the ties among us are stronger than one of Barbara’s cosmos. And if you’ve ever had one of Barbara’s cosmos, you know that’s saying something. </div>
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<o:p> Let the 18-year-olds have their bikinis. I’d rather wear the pink jersey of Team Cosmo. Long may we ride.</o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Jersey designed by Barbara K.; Photos by Judy (top) and some nice stranger (bottom).</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI9O8UZvZ2DhoslmBw_ibW_-S-zODgys8b_iHvlFYI_e2GTeUTR_go0_eYUUZOj_8n0wH2iTn-rR5GTts9ogcvlN9tJw1LRsAckNULx4DiHC1BfAcg4JsCaHsCwERLjXdO2WV7nlo1CCq/s1600/tee+shirt+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI9O8UZvZ2DhoslmBw_ibW_-S-zODgys8b_iHvlFYI_e2GTeUTR_go0_eYUUZOj_8n0wH2iTn-rR5GTts9ogcvlN9tJw1LRsAckNULx4DiHC1BfAcg4JsCaHsCwERLjXdO2WV7nlo1CCq/s320/tee+shirt+art.jpg" width="288" /></a></span></i></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-34584640001750655452010-06-12T18:26:00.000-07:002010-06-13T19:17:47.015-07:00Turks & Cosmos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TBRQvSsB_uI/AAAAAAAAAN8/Yc6j-OFPwww/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-06-12+at+8.55.40+PM.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TBRQvSsB_uI/AAAAAAAAAN8/Yc6j-OFPwww/s200/Screen+shot+2010-06-12+at+8.55.40+PM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482095419817328354" /></a><br /><div>Just back from Point Grace, a Turks & Caicos resort where rum cocktails were poured freely, and by freely I mean I didn’t have to pay for them, yet I opted for cosmos on a couple occasions; that’s how devoted I am to continuing the search regardless of economy or geography.<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> A brief introduction to my friend and Turks & Caicos traveling companion, Ilene: She and I have been friends since high school, good friends who see each other maybe once every few years, but good friends nonetheless. A few years ago she was at my house for dinner. I had cooked an Italian meal, with olives, focaccia and hunks of Parmasan cheese to start, all accompanied by a good bottle of red wine, which was my drink in the days before cosmos. It fleetingly crossed my mind that she might not like red wine or might not drink at all, in which case I wouldn’t either. I offered her a glass and she said, “No thanks, I can’t really drink red wine anymore, it gives me a headache.” Before I had time to process my disappointment, she continued, “Do you have any vodka?”</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Anyway, cosmos are Ilene’s drink. We each had one at Point Grace with dinner on our first night here, hers made with vodka, mine with gin, and both were very good. Fresh lime juice and Triple Sec, instead of Rose’s and Cointreau, but in the exact right amounts, very cold, nice glass – a 9.0.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>The next night we went for cocktails at the Gansevoort, a brand-new luxury resort down a mile or two down the beach from us. We walked there at around sunset, only to find that the main restaurant and cocktail lounge were closed for a private wedding. We sat at a small outpost where I had the worst cosmo ever. It was warm and had no bite at all. It didn’t taste like there was any alcohol in, nor any juice. It tasted like water. We sent it back, but the replacement was not much better. Shocking, for a place as groovy as the Gansevoort.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Later that night we crashed the wedding, just to dance, but after making some friends and being served wedding cake we felt okay about ordering a cosmo at the bar inside, again for research purposes. That cosmo was better, but still not great. I didn’t notice what gin was involved, but I’m thinking maybe it was a brand that just does not work for cosmos. At least twice Barbara and I have had cosmos made with a very expensive gin, and we didn’t like the results. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>The fourth cosmo was at Point Grace on our last full day, and I micromanaged it. I requested Tanqueray gin and Cointreau. It was delicious. So were the free rum drinks we had most nights. I’m not going to start a blog about it or anything, but rum punch sipped poolside does have a certain Caribbean flavor. And after my first trip down there, I can say that it’s a taste I quite like. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-60563427284583133332010-06-08T11:54:00.000-07:002010-06-12T18:29:37.498-07:00Barbara Thinks She's So Clever.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TA6S_w4cxjI/AAAAAAAAANM/cszvtoaNBgQ/s1600/IMG_0066.jpg"><span><span></span></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TA6S_w4cxjI/AAAAAAAAANM/cszvtoaNBgQ/s400/IMG_0066.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480479420707554866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TA6SmLrRx7I/AAAAAAAAANE/URClMN8liC8/s1600/6-7-10-4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 375px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TA6SmLrRx7I/AAAAAAAAANE/URClMN8liC8/s400/6-7-10-4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480478981223466930" /></a><br />Barbara did a drawing of what she imagines I must look like sitting around the pool in Turks & Caicos in my full SPF 50 regalia. <div><br /></div><div>Is it me, or is she WAY off the mark?</div>Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4958251350684026078.post-57481480728346189772010-05-31T18:51:00.000-07:002010-05-31T18:55:10.517-07:00Yankee Stadium Drought Is Over<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TARoGnqumaI/AAAAAAAAAM8/HFEudjSi2Co/s1600/Unnamed.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 120px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_de0FDDioOdM/TARoGnqumaI/AAAAAAAAAM8/HFEudjSi2Co/s400/Unnamed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477617509726067106" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">On a recent rainy Tuesday night, I went to a Yankee game with tickets my non-baseball-fan boss had won in a raffle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The seats were not under an overhang, so during the one-hour rain delay Mary O. and I wandered around looking for some place to sit down. A Yankee employee took pity on us and gave us passes for the Audi Yankees Club, a fancy membership-only bar and restaurant. We scored a table near the window overlooking the field to sit out the rain delay and wound up watching the first few innings of the game as well. Despite my previous experiences with ballpark cosmos, I decided to try one, and it was delicious —made with Triple Sec, so not perfect—but ice cold, just the right amount of lime and cranberry juices, and served in a nice glass.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It never did stop raining, and the Yankees wound up blowing a five-run lead. But in general, May was pretty good for the Yankees. Mark Texiera came to life. And Nick Swisher hit four home runs in the Bronx, versus zero in April. The Yankee Stadium dry spell is over, for Nick and for me. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Photo credit: Mary O. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Mary http://www.blogger.com/profile/12721113922490611685noreply@blogger.com0