COVID Cocktail Hour : The White Lady

 Raise your hand, if like me, you have a liquor cabinet featuring.... you can't remember what's in there!

I have moved twice in the last 5 years and those bottles have been lovingly packed and moved with me. As I pack and unpack I say to myself "I should have a party or something and get rid of these." 

Well, the truth is that parties are out of the question. They have been for a year now and it's unlikely that 2021 will change that in hurry.

Last week, sitting with my friend and neighbor Donnie, having our (what has recently become) Friday afternoon glass of wine together and she mentioned the same thing. She has a liquor cabinet of fun intentions too. Bottles of things one doesn't tend to drink, alone. And by alone, I mean without company, but also without mixers or recipes. 

So right then and there we decided that Friday afternoon wine, would become cocktail hour instead! 

Yesterday was our first effort at being all sophisticated. 

I dug out some Cointreau - contained in a Jameson bottle since I cracked the neck of the Cointreau bottle 10+ ago and had to get creative or throw it out. Absolutely amazing I still remember this considering the nature of the event it happened at, how long ago it was and how cleverly disguised it has been all this time!!! This had to find its way into our first cocktail recipe.

I also found gin, pomegranate liquor, Ouzo, berry schnapps, champagne, vodka, and aged single malt Scotch.

With Cointreau at front and center Mark and I scoured the interwebs for a cocktail recipe that didn't involve buying more alcohol.

Meet the White Lady

Sounds perfectly waspy and privileged and let's be honest, not a big leap from what is happening here!

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounce Cointreau (or another orange-flavored liqueur)

3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
lemon twist, for garnish

1. Add the gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. Fill two-thirds with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until well-chilled, about 15 seconds.

2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Ok, now imagine this; The two of us making cocktails in her kitchen with some new cocktail making gear - because we didn't even own a jigger between us. 

Sitting in the living room on a sunny but chilly winter afternoon, holding freezing cold but VERY delicious drinks... nibbling on cheese and petite toasts... reminiscing about the ol' days.

La-de-da! 

The next Friday, Donnie was in charge of our 2nd adventurous foray into the world of DIY cocktails.

Gin martini, straight up, dirty.

 Tipsy much?  

and then it was my turn again... 

Yep, Friday afternoons are a lot more fun than they used to be.

The Blushing Lady 

2 oz Vodka

1 oz Pomegranate Liqueur (Pama)

1 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice

Garnish: Lemon wedge

Garnish: Sugar rim

Rub the lemon wedge on the rim of the glass and dip it in sugar. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the vodka, pama and grapefruit juice. 

Shake and strain into prepared glass.

Garnish with a lemon wedge.

SERVE!

Hello to the blushing ladies!!!

Friday March 26th: We drank to the shooting victims, their grieving loved ones, shoppers who narrowly escaped and the first responders who will never be able to un-see the events of Monday March 22nd.