Daddy Drinks: Special Lenten Edition

St. Bernardus, originally uploaded by Dominic Winsor

Although I chose to set aside alcohol for a time, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Some folks think drinking is a sin. Obviously I am not one of them. Generations of Christians have enjoyed drinking beer free of guilt. To condemn it on religious principles would be to thumb our noses at this great tradition.

In fact those paragons of holiness, the monks, are great boosters of beer. During Lent, it was actually a crucial part of their diet! According to Wikipedia:

During the spring religious season of Lent, monks were required to fast. High-gravity Bock beers are higher in food energy and nutrients than lighter lagers, thus providing sustenance during this period.

Trappists in particular are famously known for not only drinking, but brewing fantastic samples of this liquid bread.

I didn't abstain from alcohol because I believe that drinking is a vice. On the contrary, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Since I enjoy it, giving it up is a sacrifice, and after my fast is over I will continue drinking it with gusto.

Daddy Drinks: Fuzzy Navel

The Nave of the Santa Maria Del Mar, originally uploaded by doug.mo

When I was a kid, my dad tricked me by offering a sip of his non-alcoholic beer. It gave me a bad first impression of alcohol.  Shame on you, dad, that was a mean trick. I didn't have a proper adult beverage until that fateful day at an "Italian" restaurant in Hirakata City, Japan. Here's the one that started it all, my very first alcoholic drink, a Fuzzy Navel.

The classic recipe includes peach schnapps and orange juice in approximately equal proportions, poured over ice. More juice can be added to taste. As with any cocktail, there are numerous variations. I couldn't even find two recipes alike for the basic drink, during my three minutes of intensive Google research.

As I was drafting this post, I realized that my first Fuzzy Navel was also the only time I had this drink.  So I mixed myself another one.  It was good!  Do you remember your first drink?

Daddy Drinks: Hot Buttered Rum

° c o f f e e °, originally uploaded by ° d i + m a r s °

Rum and butter are two great tastes that taste great together. If you like both of those things, and you like to have warming drinks from a mug in winter, here's a nice one to keep at hand during the holidays.

3/4 cup Boiling Water
1/4 cup Spiced Rum
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Butter
1 Clove
Nutmeg
1 Cinnamon stick to stir

Boil water and pour into a mug. Mix in the brown sugar and spiced rum (I use Sailor Jerry's). Add the butter and stir until melted. Use a tea strainer or infuser to mix in the clove flavor, then remove the clove. Do not eat the clove. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg and stir with a cinnamon stick. Drink up and stay warm!

Happy Repeal Day!

Vintage Schlitz ad Xmas card, originally uploaded by Paxton Holley

Prohibition in the United States was ended 75 years ago today. The 18th Amendment, which outlawed alcohol, was repealed by the ratification of the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933. This amendment guarantees all Americans the constitutional right to drink.

Anyone can celebrate Repeal Day. It's easy, just add alcohol! Whether it's a Schlitz dinner at home or pints at the local beer hall, there's no wrong way to party.

Today is a day to celebrate freedom. And what will you celebrate tomorrow? Hangover Day, of course!

Daddy Drinks: Gimlet

Gimlet coktail bar, originally uploaded by germeister

I mentioned previously that I'm not typically a fan of gin-based cocktails. A bittered sling is one delicious exception, and a gimlet is the other.

Where the sling is an elaborate concoction that hides the taste of gin somewhat, a gimlet is straight-up simple. All you need to get the party started is four parts gin to one part lime juice. Or, you can go old school and mix equal parts gin and juice. Make sure to use Rose's if possible.

Once you have poured your base, you can get a little fancy, but not too much. Some recipes allow up to one part simple syrup. If you're going to garnish it, a lime slice is your only option. Anything more and it's not a gimlet.

Daddy Drinks: Brain Hemorrhage

Brain Hemorrhage Anyone?, originally uploaded by TangoPango

For a supposedly horror-themed blog, I don't write much about scary stuff. I think I'm still recovering from the terrifying delivery process. You want gore? Ashley's birth was the most horrifying thing I have ever seen.

Anyway, it's time to remedy that shortcoming with a creepy cocktail recipe, just in time for Hallowe'en! This one is fun for the theatrical aspects of its creation, as well as the finished result. Pour 3/4 ounces of Peach Schnapps into a shot glass. Float 1 tablespoon of Baileys Irish Cream on top. Drop 1/2 tsp of grenadine through the Baileys to create the goo spatter.

It looks awesomely disgusting, and tastes (unsurprisingly) like peaches and cream. Not a bad flavor, if you can get past the gummy viscosity of the "brain." If you're looking for more disgusting mixed drinks, Drinknation has an entire section devoted to Halloween recipes. Boo-ttoms up!

Daddy Drinks: Syracuse Beers

I don't travel much for my job, but I recently visited Syracuse. When I'm out of town I love to try new things. Lucky me, this city was chock-a-block with local brew pubs.

On my first night here, I visited the Armory Square district, where there are two microbreweries in one city block. Empire Brewing Company is a very contemporary bar & grill. The dinner menu boasts that they support local food producers, which endears them to me. I had a pint of delicious Amber Ale and chased it down with thick-cut fries.

Syracuse Suds Factory occupies the other side of the building. They had a more sports-bar vibe and their Amber wasn't nearly as good. Across the street at the Blue Tusk, I ordered a pint of IPA (ImPaled Ale) from Middle Ages, touted as a traditional, British style "real ale". Very hoppy and malty. I preferred the more conservative Syracuse Pale Ale.

Finally, down the way in Cooperstown, NY, you've got Brewery Ommegang. I tried a bottle of their Ommegang Witte, a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale. It may be the best-smelling beer I've ever had, and it was certainly tasty, to boot. If I had known that New York was such a paradise for beer aficionados, I would have gone sooner! As it is, I think a return trip is in my future.

Daddy Drinks: Bittered Gin Sling

Blues, originally uploaded by matthew paul

The sling's origins are linked with the invention of the "cock-tail" itself. At the dawn of the 19th century, the two were practically synonymous. The earliest known definition of a cocktail gives a vague description of a mixed drink (liquor, sugar, water, bitters) and notes that "it is vulgarly called a bittered sling."

It has managed to become one of my favorite drinks, despite the fact that I normally don't care for gin (a Gimlet being the other notable exception to the rule). Here's my go-to recipe for this classic cocktail:

1.5 oz gin
0.75 oz sweet vermouth or sherry
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz simple syrup
dash or two of Angostura bitters
Soda water

Shake all but the soda water with ice, strain into a tumbler or highball over ice, top with soda, and garnish with a lemon peel.

St. Paul for under $5

garden, originally uploaded by uberculture

Wise Bread's inaugural "open group write" asks: what are fun events and things to do in your region that cost less than $5? I've been planning a post on this topic for a while now, so I was happy to contribute. Here are some ideas for cheap entertainment in my hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Como Park
During the warm months, our favorite outdoor destination is the Como Zoo and Conservatory. They take donations at the door in lieu of charging for admission, which means that you can visit for a very affordable price of zero dollars. There's also a Japanese garden, a paved walking/biking trail around Lake Como, and free Carousel rides once a month.

Happy Hour at Sakura
Sakura Restaurant in downtown St. Paul is my favorite place to eat Japanese food in the city. According to a comment by EsmeR on Vita.mn, it's even better between 4-6 PM when the price of many appetizers is dropped to one lousy dollar. The discounted items include Edamame, Kappa Maki, and the world's best Vegetarian Gyoza.

Amateur Sports
Tickets for mainstream sporting events are not exactly budget-friendly (even a roller derby bout costs $10). But some games are so obscure that the players welcome any spectators at all. Enthusiasts of these niche sports often compete in public parks or arenas where you can watch for free. Some local groups to check out:

• St. Paul Curling Club
• Robert Emmets Hurling Club
• Minnesota Rugby Union
• MN Freeze Australian Rules Football
• MUSA Kickball
  

Art

The Twin Cities are home to a variety of great museums and galleries. If you cross the river to Minneapolis, the Walker Art Center is free to to all every Thursday evening (5–9 pm) and on the first Saturday of each month (10 am–5 pm). Children under 12 always get in for free, and they never charge for admission to the neighboring Sculpture Garden or Cowles Conservatory.

Summit Brewery Tour
Free beer! The Summit brewery is a St. Paul landmark, and it's open to the public year-round (click here for the schedule). Your visit includes a company history, an overview of the beer-making process, and a tour of the facility that concludes with complimentary samples in their tasting room. That's a cheap date for a beer aficionado!

Daddy Drinks: Moscow Mule

Okay, so you made a batch of ginger beer, and your guests are getting weary of the Dark and Stormy every time they come to visit. Here's another cocktail you can mix up with your homebrew for a bit of variety.

Moscow Mule (pour over ice):

• 1 part vodka
• 1 part lime juice
• 3 parts ginger beer
• dash Angostura Bitters

The Moscow Mule gets its name from the "kick" of ginger, plus the fact that it's built on vodka, a traditionally Russian liquor. And speaking of tradition, it was originally served in a copper mug. You can buy one of these specialty flagons if you want to serve the drink properly, but they cost a ... pretty penny?

Daddy Drinks: Rum and Coke

" Thirsty ", originally uploaded by dibec

First of all, belligerent frat boys may insist that this drink is properly called a "Captain" and Coke. They are mistaken. If you've never tasted a sample of Sailor Jerry's Spiced Navy Rum, then you don't know what you're missing. Time to graduate to a real rum.

Sailor Jerry is an authentic Caribbean-style spiced rum with a 96 proof kick and just a hint of vanilla and cherry. After one sip of this rum, you'll say, "Captain who?" If your love of drinking is exceeded only by your passion for tattoos, then you will also appreciate the packaging on this fine product, tastefully decorated with old-school flash art by the master himself.

Fill a glass with ice and pour in your base of Sailor Jerry. Add Coke. Do not drown out the rum with soda! If you're drinking a premium rum, as you should be, then you want to be able to taste it. I recommend a ratio of 1 part rum to 3 parts Coke. Stir and garnish with lime.

Daddy Drinks: Dark and Stormy

The recipe for a Dark and Stormy is very simple, yet also very specific. Gosling’s Black Seal rum is non-negotiable. Authentic ginger beer is likewise essential. Eric Felten insists on Barritt's. The Reed's brand is available locally, so that's what I use. If you want to go DIY with fresh, small-batch ingredients, Jeffrey Morgenthaler offers a recipe for homemade ginger beer.

Measure out 1.5 oz of the Gosling's and 4-6 oz of your ginger beer of choice, and pour over ice. A lime garnish is permitted, but not encouraged. Keep it simple, and enjoy the subtle nuances of this sophisticated drink.

Daddy Drinks: Scotch Sour

Because every dad deserves a well-prepared beverage to cap off his day, I will be posting a selection of cocktail recipes. I hope to make this at least a semi-regular feature, which I have tongue-in-cheekily titled "Daddy Drinks Because You Cry." Or, for short, "Daddy Drinks!"

Let's start with a basic cocktail that's a little sweet, and a lot sour. To make the Scotch Sour, fill your shaker with ice and then add the following ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Scotch
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1/2 tsp Powdered Sugar

Shake well and strain into a glass. I prefer my drinks on the rocks, but you might serve it another way. Top with a slice of lemon and a cherry, or if your selection of citrus fruits is limited, whack off a wedge of the fresh lime that you used for juicing. Kick back and pucker up!