Thursday, May 26, 2005
Drinking Improv
So here I am working on work stuff at 11pm. Since I'm writing, I decide I need to be drinking at this hour in honor of my author-heroes who wouldn't be caught dead without a drink at this hour--especially if they were writing.
I knew I had some rye, I bought some Old Overholt recently as part of my authentic plan for drinking. That is, if you're going to drink, you may as well drink the stuff that better drunks before you did. Rye has a mystique that's rare in American culture--it's very American but sometimes difficult to find. Ok, canadian whiskey is often close enough for subsitution but when I think of rye, I think of old, southern white guys with frayed cuffs on their work pants held up by suspenders; I think of the song "American Pie;" I think of the manhattans, old fashioneds and straight whisky drinks that my grandfathers generation drank. These thoughts rarely involve Canada so I make it a point to try and stock rye when possible. The urge for it is rare but when it comes, you ought to be prepared.
So anyway, there I was, just 13 minutes ago, thinking I really wanted a manhattan on the rocks. I went down to the liquor cabinet, poured the liquid ingredients (I make mine perfect: big shot of rye, splash of both dry and sweet vermouth, dash of bitters) and went to the fridge for the ingredient that pulls everything together--maraschino cherries. Well, wouldn't you know it, we're out.
I'd gotten this far, I wasn't willing to walk away without a Manhattan. I toyed briefly with the idea of raiding the Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream for a cherry when I remembered I had some dried cherries I use in my oatmeal and occasional pan sauce. In went a couple of those and I have to say, not bad. It'll put more hair on my chest than I originally intended but I kind of like it. The dried fruit adds something familiar but different enough to make you aware. Without the sweetness, you appreciate the rye flavor a bit more and that's something I don't mind.
Next time, I'll check for cherries first but for now, this'll do. Now I just need to stop blogging and continue working...
I knew I had some rye, I bought some Old Overholt recently as part of my authentic plan for drinking. That is, if you're going to drink, you may as well drink the stuff that better drunks before you did. Rye has a mystique that's rare in American culture--it's very American but sometimes difficult to find. Ok, canadian whiskey is often close enough for subsitution but when I think of rye, I think of old, southern white guys with frayed cuffs on their work pants held up by suspenders; I think of the song "American Pie;" I think of the manhattans, old fashioneds and straight whisky drinks that my grandfathers generation drank. These thoughts rarely involve Canada so I make it a point to try and stock rye when possible. The urge for it is rare but when it comes, you ought to be prepared.
So anyway, there I was, just 13 minutes ago, thinking I really wanted a manhattan on the rocks. I went down to the liquor cabinet, poured the liquid ingredients (I make mine perfect: big shot of rye, splash of both dry and sweet vermouth, dash of bitters) and went to the fridge for the ingredient that pulls everything together--maraschino cherries. Well, wouldn't you know it, we're out.
I'd gotten this far, I wasn't willing to walk away without a Manhattan. I toyed briefly with the idea of raiding the Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream for a cherry when I remembered I had some dried cherries I use in my oatmeal and occasional pan sauce. In went a couple of those and I have to say, not bad. It'll put more hair on my chest than I originally intended but I kind of like it. The dried fruit adds something familiar but different enough to make you aware. Without the sweetness, you appreciate the rye flavor a bit more and that's something I don't mind.
Next time, I'll check for cherries first but for now, this'll do. Now I just need to stop blogging and continue working...
# posted by Yossie @ 8:08 PM 
