Classic Southern Beverages

Whiskey Cocktail (Old Fashioned)

It would be irresponsible to start any list of the Most Important Cocktails without first mentioning the OG classic, the Old Fashioned. As early as 1806 there are references to the “Bittered Sling”, a morning tippler comprised of spirit, sugar, bitters, and water, a combination that would span centuries and be among the first to bear the name “cocktail”.

The first documented appearance of a recipe that we would recognize was introduced as the Whiskey Cocktail in How to Mix Drinks or the Bon Vivant’s Companion by Professor Jerry Thomas. This original incarnation would curl the modern mixologist's moustache in all the wrong ways, as it was shaken and served up in a wine glass. But this was only the beginning. This combination would evolve into the Improved Cocktail, which used posh European ingredients, such as chartreuse, maraschino, and absinthe to get fancy. This might have been fine for youngsters like your great grandfather, but real gentlemen, like your great-great grandfather were more comfortable ordering their whiskey cocktails in the old-fashioned way, which gradually morphed into the more recognized recipe at the end of the 19th century.

As Robert Simonson mentions in his book, The Old Fashioned, this recipe is the “embodiment of the cocktail” and in the “many variation that have followed, there is liberty and invention.” In the world of cocktails, what other recipe can hold a claim to that?

The Whiskey Cocktail
3 or 4 dashes of gum syrup
2 drops bitters (Boker's)
1 wine glass of whiskey, and a piece of lemon peel.
Fill one third full of fine ice; shake and strain in a fancy red wine glass.
Taken From Jerry Thomas’ How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon Vivant’s Companion 1862

source:  http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/the-history-of-cocktails-whiskey-cocktail-cosmopolitan-mai-tai

Hello out there......

I have not been on this page in years.  I should be here more often.   When I come back to it I uncover memories I had forgotten about.   

Someone is looking here though.   With 24 page views Last month alone with the most reepcent post from 2011!     Now, that's not sponsor worthy, but gee....there must have been a reason!   So, let me know if you were here or what you were looking for......

Christmas has passed and we look forward to 2015 and New Years this coming week. My goal last year was to take better care of myself  and I did that.   It's hard for me but I have learned that I am a much better person when I do.    So, for 2015 I plan to continue that and add BODY AND BIBLE to the goals.  I take better care of my body and exercise faithfully and read the Bible through this year.   The years are going by fast.  I don't want to blink and regret anything.   .......

Who is out there......?

Tribute to Gladys E. Andrews

An except from 'A Stepmom's Say", a blog I read frequently. I cannot say this any better than this writer.

While History provides many examples of loving, involved, non-biological “parents”, the reality is that these people never get their due. To be sure, when they fail miserably at taking care of someone else’s children, this fact is paraded with as much publicity as can be mustered, but when a stepparent is truly good at what they do, we hear nothing of it.

And maybe that is as it should be.

As I try to find my place in this whole messy business, I realize that when it comes to Stepsons, I am supposed to be the shadow—the thing that is always there but rarely noticed. The thing that is so assumed to always be there that it is many times forgotten. Most days I am perfectly happy with this role, but other days I want to scream: “What about me?!!”

But it isn’t really about me, is it?

Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

1 package Pillsbury cresent recipe creations
1/4 plus 1/8 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 TB plus 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 TB melted butter
2 cups Confectioners Sugar
2 TB milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, salt and butter. Pour mixture onto rolled out cresent dough. Roll up from the short end loosely (the mixture will seep out a little bit).

Cut into 10 equal pieces. Place into a 9" round cake pan and bake for 12 minutes.

While baking, make the glaze mixing the Confectioner's Sugar, Vanilla and milk to desired consistency. Add more milk or more sugar how you like it.

Spoon the glaze over the rolls when removed from the oven.

Got Kid?? Got Prayer??

Either I am learning to speak 'kid' or Little One is growing up...or perhaps the answer to a much prayed prayer. Maybe it's a combination of the both of us. Loveable as he is, we just go head to head sometimes....we are both stubborn maybe. But...MAN....he is having the best time in school this year and even told me tonight "I like school." I did a double take to make sure I didn't in advertently bring home someone else's kid today from the school pick up line! He did his homework WITHOUT COMPLAINT, ate all his dinner with GOOD manners, went to karate practice and had his usual blast time, sat quietly through the HOA meeting tonight and is now sitting at the bar drawing and coloring while I finished up the dinner dishes. WOW!!! So this is what it's supposed to be like!!

I prayed really hard about 3 weeks ago and just came to tears in church that day. I HAD to let go of my aggravation and frustration on a situation and just asked God into my heart, to make me more like Him, to Love and not hold anger in my heart. Since that day, I have clicked with the boys like never before. My anger was not directed at them, toward them, in any way. I cannot control another person's actions, but I can sure control mine and my attitude. So, maybe I am learning to speak 'kid'...or just maybe I am growing up a little. Even Older One commented the other day on my new found language fluency.

Boys are getting so big...I just love them dearly.

God is good....all the time.

Last of the summer....

This has been the MOST amazing summer...EVER! Between my wedding schedules, our work schedules, totally great cruise vacation to Key West, Belize and Mexico, trips to the beach, sailboat/boat charter and now the purchase of another boat....wow. Older one worked with DH all summer at the office and earned some really decent money for his bank account. I am so proud of him. Younger one spent great time with me and I think I am finally getting out of my wicked SM role (self imposed...I hope).

Younger one is happily doing his pre-assignment of drawing a picture of himself and filling out a worksheet about himself. School starts day after tomorrow and we might go out on the boat again tomorrow. So, wow....was it easy to get him to go ahead and do his 'homework' today and not wait until tomorrow! OMG....maybe it's a break through. Perhaps he has finally grown mature enough to understand timing and responsibilities. He has fought it the whole way, but gosh...he seems so much older and more mature this summer now. Older one has long since been done with his pre-work for the summer including a reading list and memorizing the periodic table of the elements. GEESH...we never had summer work to do. Oh well....We also didn't get out an hour early on Wednesdays. It's all good...

DH remains amazing...I am so blessed to live my life with him.

We took the new boat out yesterday and had 2 blowouts on the trailer. Angels were all around us. The first one blew right at the most amazing long paved circular driveway that allowed us to pull off the road. The 2nd one blew in Brooksville and we pulled into an abandoned gas station to the awning at the gas pumps....as it started to rain. We had already used the spare on the 1st blow out and were just hoping to get to Brooksville to get to a tire shop. The 2nd one blew 1.5 miles from Goodyear that had 5 tires that we needed. We bought the spare, returned to the boat to place the new spare and then limped to Goodyear the 1.5 miles hoping the remaining 2 tires would last, plus the spare. They did and we now have 4 nre tires, plus a new spare. We made it to the Gulf long enough to spend 2hours on the water and got to enjoy our first trip out on this boat. Everyone remained in good spirits while we changed 2 tires, sat in the tire shop, barely went swimming, etc. What a good family I have!!!

I will miss this summer...it's been a good one.