Essential At-Home Bartending Equipment

There's no reason the casual drinker should have to compromise quality for convenience when having his or her favorite cocktails at home. All it takes is the right equipment, some simple techniques and proper ingredients to get results on one's own that are as good, or better, than those drinks offered at top-notch lounges. Here are some of the essential items for the domestic bartender in all of us.

Mixology is an art of exactness. Professional bartenders use a series of instruments designed especially for the creation of consistently good cocktails. The truth is that you'll only really need a few items to make the vast majority of drinks offered at any bar.

First and foremost, get your hands on a Boston shaker. This an easy-to-clean, durable tin used to make many popular mixed drinks. The Boston variety is sometimes comprised of two tins, one larger than the other. For most purposes, it's just as easy to use a mixing glass to fill the role of the small tin. Except for clear drinks like the martini or any soda-based cocktail, the Boston shaker is going to be the preferred tool for getting a properly homogenized beverage. Simply build your cocktail in the mixing glass, or the large tin in the two-piece variety, and lodge the other piece into the mixing medium tightly enough to allow liquid to pass between them during the shaking phase without leaking out. With a little practice (try with water first), you won't need a strainer. You can just let the liquid pass through a gap between the two loosened pieces once the shaking process is finished.

For many drinks, shaking is preferable if only because it assures that the cocktail will be entirely homogenized, while the ice used in most mixing phases allows for a much more crisp drink. Don't use the shaking method for drinks that are meant to come out clear, though. The result will be a bubble-filled and therefore cloudy mixture that won't really have much difference in flavor. Drinks like the martini use such subtle amounts of flavoring agents that it's unnecessary to vigorously mix them. Also avoid shaking soda-based drinks unless you want a lot of foam and a flat-tasting beverage.

Make sure to have a proper bar spoon for stirring. Bar spoons have rubber tips that make sure none of the metallic flavors from the spoon itself get into the drink, which is especially important for stir-method cocktails that tend to use less powerful ingredients.

One item a lot of at-home bartenders don't tend to use is the pour spout. These come in metal, plastic and rubber varieties. I recommend the rubber, if only because they're more affordable and easier to clean. The pour spout allows a bartender to get the exact amount of liquid necessary for a cocktail. The method is simple: With the opening of the spout pointed directly downward, you will get one ounce of fluid every four seconds. This makes building a proportion-sensitive drink like anything served in a cocktail glass much easier than eye-measuring and much cleaner than using a jigger. The math is simple and intuitive; one quarter ounce of fluid every second of pouring.

It's also nice to have some simple coffee stirrers or even swizzle sticks for simple mixed drinks like vodka and citrus, or rum and cola. These make sure that a nursed drink doesn't separate in the glass.

Bartending at home can be easy and fun. It doesn't take a big investment of money or time to do it right and the results make it well worth the extra effort.

Ten Skills to Master by the End of the World 12/21/12

December 21, 2012 is less than two and a half years from now. Some say that this could be the end of the world due to certain prophecies fortold by the Mayans, the i Ching, and an Oracle at Delphi. Regardless of whether you buy in to the conspiracy theories or end of days armageddon doomsday theories, more than likely it will be impossible for the media to quell a quasi-panic similar to that of the Y2K scare. Unfortunately, if the end of the world doesn't happen, we may have to deal with panic on the streets, rioting, looting, raping, pillaging and god only knows what other kind of atrocities freaked out suburbanites may commit.

In the next two and a half years, what do you plan to do to prepare yourself for what could happen? Do you have the skills that it's going to take to survive in a chaotic cataclysmic world?  Think computer programming skills going to get you through a magnetic pole reversal? Think again. Think trading on wall street is going to be a skill needed when the aliens invade and destroy? Think again. The following are examples of the areas you will want to gain expertise in, the people you will want to emulate, and the things you will need to invest in if you plan on fighting for the future.

10)Survival Skills
First and foremost, basic survival skills are a must. Everything from building a sill and turning your urine into water, to the proper way to amputate your own arm if the occassion occurs. Do you have what it takes to survive in the wild anarchic unknown?

One man comes to mind when it comes to being prepared for survival. Survivor Man.

Watch and learn...

Where to get training:
http://www.primitiveskills.com/
Alderleaf Wilderness College
Earth Connection School of Wilderness

Recommended reading:
http://www.wilderness-survival-skills.com/wilderness-survival-blog.html
http://blog.wildernessawareness.org/
http://www.muddywaterpress.com/linkspage.html 


9)Hunting and Weaponry
In times of a crisis, eating is imperative to sustaining onself. Even PETA members have the survival gene inside of them, and if hungry enough, may need to hunt to save themselves. Regardless on your view of killing, meat=eat, and nothing says hunting and guns like Ted Nugent.
Where to get training:
http://www.royaltine.com
http://home.nra.org

Recommended reading:
www.huntinglife.com
www.buckhuntersblog.com
http://californiahuntingtoday.com/hogblog/ 
http://growthehunt.typepad.com/grow_the_hunt/small-game-hunting/ 
http://www.huntingcircle.com/blog.html

8)Building things
One of the most amazing things about building stuff is the feeling of accomplishment once you have finished. Being a MacGuyver isn't always an inherent skill. More often than not it requires a lot of tinkering and a lot of failure, and ultimately a lot of success.

Where to get training:
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm
http://www.sinlung.com/education/free-open-course-classes-to-learn-how-t...

Recommended reading:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/ 

7)First Aid
So maybe blood grosses you out, but what are you going to do if you or someone close to you is in desperate need of basic medical attention, and you don't know how to provide it? If Kate could stitch Jack up after surviving a plane crash and watching people perish ala Lost, you can do it too!

Recommended reading:
http://www.procprblog.com/ 
http://onlinefirstaid.org/ 

6)Camping
One thing tells me that Paris Hilton and Heidi and Spencer wouldn't survive a minute after a calamity. I have a hard time believing those type of people could rough it off the grid and camp under undesirable circumstances. Camping may be fun and games for kids, but if you have to flee your home and protect yourself out in mother nature, make sure you're prepared....not only with the correct gear, but with all the mad camping skills you can muster.

Recommended reading:
http://scoutmaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/camping_skills/ 
http://mungobah.blogspot.com/
http://ronsprimitiveskills.blogspot.com/ 

5)Gardening
Now that times are tough in this economy, food is getting expensive. If the world comes to an end and everyone is fending for themselves, think about how important you could be to your community if you were the gardening expert. Planting seeds and harvesting isn't a difficult job, if you have the knowhow and basic information on how to get the job done. Just ask Michelle Obama!

Then take a look at Garden Rant, a really interesting blog that seems to be trying to create a paradigm shift and changing people's perceptions of planting, Tiny Farm Blog, and

Recommended reading:
http://www.gardenrant.com/
http://tinyfarmblog.com/
http://sacgardening.blogspot.com/

4)Cooking
Not only are cooking skills great for keeping you alive in a crisis, but they'll come in handy when you can entertain your enemies with a good dish of delectable food. It's pretty easy nowadays to get some easy cooking training. Just turn your TV on to Food Network or Bravo. While foodies may be living the high life now, when electricity fails, you'll have to fall back on the cooking skills you learned from camping. Until then, here's some reading to satisfy your appetite.

Recommended reading:
http://rasamalaysia.com/
http://www.winosandfoodies.typepad.com/

3)Swimming
Apparently there's this theory out there called "global warming" and it proposes that humans are causing the temperature of the Earth to rise. If that happens, it is a possibility that the sea levels will rise and people living in the midwest could have ocean front property. Now, it may not become Waterworld, but swimming may play a vital role in survival in the future. Maybe Michael Phelps won't be able to give you private lessons, but learning how to swim could be the best thing to do this year.

Recommended reading:
http://scaq.blogspot.com/
http://cyboc.blogspot.com/2006/03/swimming-blogs-good-bad-an_11426268599...
http://www.robaquatics.com/

2)Bartering
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Quid pro quo. Call it what you will, bartering is one of the oldest tricks in the book to get what you want cheaply and efficiently. Whether you're a good cook (see skill number 4) or gardener (skill 5), or maybe you can build someone a new lean-to. Whatever your skill may be, someone out there needs it, and may have something to trade you. Now, gone will be the days of bartering your PSP for a new Wii game. No, now you will be bartering hours of hard labor for a few measly beans. I'd learn some skills....quick! ..and I don't mean web design.

Want to start bartering with your current company? www.bizx.com

Recommended reading:
http://gyst-ink.com/blog/?p=383
http://blogdesignernews.com/bartering-to-grow-your-business/
http://www.baggaonbarter.com/
http://www.smarterideas.com/bartercoach/

1)Procreating
You got it! The most important skill for survival into and beyond the 21st century is procreation. You have to get good at finding a mate and making babies. Otherwise we are doomed for extinction. Sure, it'll be a lot easier to hook up with someone when Rapture has happened.... the odds will be good you'll find someone left behind for you. I mean, think of the pickup line possibilities "Hey Baby, want to help me carry on the human race?".... priceless.

Where to get training: your local pub.

Recommended reading:
http://blogs.personallifemedia.com/sex-tantra-kama-sutra/
http://lesbiankamasutra.blogspot.com/
http://davidbdale.wordpress.com/2006/12/02/kama-sutra-for-beginners/

Bartending Stories

I had a few jobs in college. Some were good, some were awful and some were strange. While I was making my bones as a part-time, entry-level copywriter, I also pulled a night shift tending bar in a variety of mostly unpleasant places. I got my mixology certification just shortly after turning 21 and I quickly discovered that even holding a state license doesn't trump experience. Bars have a fairly high turnover rate, but most popular or high-end places won't hire someone for anything better than a barback shift if they don't have a year or two of experience slinging suds and rocks glasses somewhere else. For all the newbies, that first job is almost guaranteed to be somewhere shady.

Take my first regular gig, for example. I tended the bar of a hopeless dive in one of Columbus, Ohio's less savory corners. Most of my shifts were weeknights, so there were never that many customers to begin with. Working a job that relies on tips, this kind of setup is bad news. I spent at least a few nights completely alone in that place, not a single customer coming through. On those nights it was just me on a bar stool, drinking cola shot out of a hose connected to a plastic bag in the back room and watching the horrible reality TV shows that seemed to be ubiquitous in the Summer.

Of course, not all nights were quiet. My customers were not high-caliber people, so to speak. The sad fact of tending bar, especially in a dive, is that at least a few of your regular customers are alcoholics. It can get scary being stuck behind the bar, alone but for the 300-pound rummy who does nothing but pick fights with people. A lot of bars have an emergency button that automatically alerts the police, but that's cold comfort. Knowing what kind of damage this guy can do in thirty seconds makes it neigh unbearable to be stuck in a part of town where the police response time has dwindled to over five minutes on average.

One night during the shift change I took over the aforementioned 300-pound rummy's tab from the afternoon bartender. The register tape was as long as my arm and the rummy's eyes had entered that telltale glaze. When he tried to close out, he was so drunk that he forgot about half the drinks he bought for himself, or for other people when he was in his happy stage. Sure, in retrospect it's funny to think of a man slurring, "You shut your mouth when you're talking to me," but at the time nobody was laughing. A week later, I decided I'd had my last day at that bar.

In my relatively brief time as a bartender, I accumulated a substantial volume of stories. These are the real ones, not the funny, crazy, legendary stuff, but the core of what it means to sell America's favorite poison. Check back every now and then, I'll be sure to post some more.

Bikini Baristas

In the old days, someone like Mr. Roper on Three's Company was forced to either go to beach himself (which I don't really recall him ever doing) or to get out his trusty binoculars to spy on girls in their bikinis. Fortunately for a lot of people in the Pacific Northwest, men don't have to go anywhere but their local espresso stand (for the price of about 4 or 5 dollars) to see a young hottie with a bodacious bod in her bikini or lingerie serving up cappuccinos. Some earnest young Tacoma man has even started his own blog devoted only to these prime girls in their bikinis, publishing locations and pictures of the stands and sometimes even the girls themselves. (actually taking photos of the girls is frowned upon)

In Seattle, on Aurora, which is home to more than one strip club and has the dubious distinction of being the prostitution strip in the neighborhood, I doubt anyone is complaining about the stands ruining the hood. I mean, seriously, Chica Latte, one fine coffee stand is located right next to a strip joint. I wonder if some of the girls work in both places. As far as I know, there are no lap dances at the Bikini Barista coffee stands and very few of the girls, if any, seem to be above the age of 20. While they do risk spilling coffee on themselves, the tips from customers to girls in bikinis are reportedly larger than the average coffee stand. Some customers even buy more cups of coffee.

The biggest complainers about this style of coffee stand are conservatives, the religious right, moms, and not surprisingly, other coffee stand owners who claim that the bikini baristas are taking away all of their business. It also is largely dependent on the neighborhood, too. Moms tend to want to protect their children from this sort of thing. (although how this is different from a bikini car wash I am not exactly sure).

I recommended a friend of mine open up a similar establishment in Milwaukee, WI, which I think would spur a coffee revolution in a town better known for beer than coffee. I failed to consider the fact that Milwaukee is one of the coldest places in the United States. It would be better for nipple action, but I think the frost-bite and hypothermia risks would unfortunately outweigh the gains.

If I had the gumption, I would put up a similar coffee stand up in town, but with men serving the coffee. My target customer would not necessarily be a typical female like myself, but more likely a gay male and the stand would be located in an area such as Capitol Hill in Seattle, which is notable for being a gay-friendly area in Seattle.

Cinco de Mayo Drinks

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican holiday celebrating the victory of Mexico over the globally feared French army at the Battle of Puebla. Who knows why, but we in the United States also like to celebrate this holiday, and we do so in pretty much the same way that we celebrate half of all the other holidays over the course of the year. Namely, we drink a lot and have parties. For your Cinco de Mayo, consider the following drinks. They may be a touch stereotypical, but if you're going to celebrate a holiday even if it has nothing to do with your own heritage, why not enjoy things on the surface level?

The Classic Margarita

I'll admit, I'm not a big Margarita drinker, but there's a good reason for that. Perhaps no drink has been made more corporate than the Margarita. It comes all too often in a bottled mix that flies in the face of everything that makes cocktails enjoyable. Given the simplicity of the drink, I have no idea why the Margarita experienced such a fate. Instead of consuming a neon-colored monstrosity in a silly, gigantic glass, why not try out this recipe instead?

  • 1 ounce of quality tequila
  • 1/2 ounce of orange liqueur, i.e. Triple Sec
  • 1/3-1/2 ounce of fresh lime juice

Tequila is a drink with a lot character. Unlike vodka, the lower quality varieties of which can be masked with potent mixers, tequila is just too flavorful to cover up. Bad tequila makes a bad Margarita, pure and simple. Don't mix a Margarita with a tequila you wouldn't mind drinking on its own.

If you want to add some color to your Margarita, go for Blue Curacao. It has all of the orange flavor plus a nice, azure tint.

Fresh lime juice makes all the difference in the world. The stuff you'll be drinking in a pre-mixed Margarita is colored, sweetened, preserved lime juice, or lime-flavored ingredients. And hey, limes are cheap, so don't sweat the fresh stuff.

As for the salted rim, skip it unless you're just a big fan of salt. There's no need to distract from the taste of bad ingredients if you're not actually using bad ingredients. Also, don't bother with the silly specialty glasses. Serve this drink either on ice in a rocks glass or up in a standard cocktail glass.

The Sombrero

OK, this is just a fancy name for a Kahlua and Cream, but it's fun to say. Just build an ounce and a half of Kahlua or other coffee liqueur on ice with an ounce to ounce and half of milk or cream. It's a low-alcohol drink with a smooth, sweet flavor. If you'd like to party a little harder at some point in the night, it'll be easy to switch to White Russians by adding some vodka and adjusting the proportions.

The Tequila Sunrise

Whether it's during your Cinco de Mayo party or for the inevitable morning after, the Tequila Sunrise is a sweet, gentle juice cocktail with the added benefit of pretty colors. An ounce of tequila, a half ounce of grenadine and a splash of orange juice (fresh preferred) built on ice is refreshing and carries just a tiny bite.

Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone on both sides of the border.

The Martini: A Cocktail for the Ages

In an old New Yorker article Roger Angell wrote a long and exhaustive bit of sophistry about the Martini and its place in American culture. In between name-dropping his stepfather, writer E.B. White, Angell went about tracing the cocktail's iconic stature from its early dominance in the 1950's, to its evolution into the preferred after-work drink of the newly minted suburbanite, to its re-emergence as the drink of the social elite in the 1980's. Angell's article is thought provoking, if not a little ham-fisted in its evocation of cultural stereotypes. The problem is that he never takes the time to ask exactly why this cocktail above all others has such a reputation. The Martini is one of the oldest cocktails in the world. As such, its exact origin is clouded in as much apocrypha as fact. Like so many drinks it has a variety of tall tales associated with its creation, all involving one remarkable individual, a traveler, or an unassuming saloon. The truth is that the Martini is such a simple creation that it's more than likely a development of many parallel circumstances. The only thing that each origin story has in common is the idea of the modern Martini evolving from a much more complicated drink. That part, I'm willing to accept. Early cocktails had a tendency to be full of extra ingredients. Take, for instance, the drink old enough to be called the Classic Cocktail. It's a mish-mash of mulled fruit, sugar, herbs, bitters mix and more gin than any one human ought to drink. It's no wonder it fell out of popularity in the post-Prohibition days. In fact, the Prohibition is the reason many cocktails exist at all. Badly-made spirits have an awful flavor, especially when they aren't distilled or filtered properly. In neutral drinks like gin and vodka (the potential bases of the Martini) this can be especially disastrous. Those earliest versions of the Martini had larger quantities of both sweet and dry vermouth, orange bitters, and sometimes even Maraschino. It was all likely to cover up the unpleasant taste of gin before sophisticated, modern filtration techniques. By the middle of the 20th century, the Martini had its current form: Gin or vodka flavored with just a hint of dry vermouth and a solitary olive. That kind of nuance and restraint doesn't come in the experimental stages of any culinary endeavor. These perfect proportions allow the Martini to showcase everything that's good about its ingredients without overpowering the drinker with any one of them. It is customizable for those who like more or less of any individual part and it also lends itself to substitution. On a hot summer day, I'm personally more likely to drink a Martini with a lemon twist than an olive garnish. My father has been known to mark a special occasion with a vodka Martini on the rocks with an anchovy-stuffed olive. As for why the Martini became the drink of the elite, I imagine it has more to do with the fussy construction and the impressive presentation than the cocktail itself. To this day patrons of bars and restaurants are essentially paying for the fancy glass, not what goes into it. The clarity and crispness of the Martini evokes cleanliness, crystal and diamonds, and more pointedly the extensive kit of bar tools one can use to construct the drink (most of which are entirely optional). In the 21st century the Martini has been somewhat democratized, if not needlessly dumbed-down. There are as many variations as there are bars that serve it. Any combination of vodka and various liqueurs and garnish have been called Martinis. They come and go like all fads. This doesn't mean the real deal is languishing. The past decade has seen the spirits market flooded with new brands of vodka, leading to an emerging aficionado trend and a renewed interest in how to make that iconic drink. My belief is that the Martini survives the tide of cultural development because it's a respectable, honest drink. It retains its bite, it's easy to enjoy whether or not one occupies the elite class associated with it, and it appeals to the perfectionist in all of us. Roger Angell's supposition that the Martini reflects and even influences American values may be a bit of an overstatement, but that doesn't mean it's still not an important cocktail in its own right.

Cream Drinks

Sometimes we get so used to ordering our favorite drinks that we forget they're actually treats. An easy way to remind ourselves of what a nice departure from normal the cocktail can be is to embrace the richness of a good cream drink. By combining the smooth texture and versatility of cream with the potent flavors of spirits and mixers, these cocktails are the grown-up equivalent of a rally around the ice cream truck. White Russian Without a doubt the most commonly ordered cream drink at any bar (and likely the most common home-made) is the White Russian. We'll take this opportunity to talk about the proper way to build any cream drink. As is the rule for all cocktails, the heaviest elements go on top. In this case, that means starting with an ounce of vodka. There's some debate about whether or not cream drinks should be shaken instead of built in the glass. Personally, I don't see why anyone who cares about flavor would build in the glass. No amount of stirring is going to combine the flavors of your drink like a few stout shakes. The reason people have a problem with shaking is because they're worried about watering down their drink. Of course, if you build it quickly the ice won't have time to melt and your drink will stay potent. So, fill your shaker halfway with ice cubes, add one ounce of vodka followed by one half ounce of coffee liqueur, the most popular being Kahlua. Top that off with an ounce of cream and shake no more than eight times. Serve in a rocks glass with ice or up in a cocktail glass. Grasshopper The Grasshopper is, in my opinion, barely a cocktail. It doesn't include any hard spirits. Instead, it's built with two different kinds of liqueur that don't get much attention these days. Start with a half ounce of white creme de cacao, that's chocolate liqueur. Avoid the stuff with coloring in it. Half of the appeal of the Grasshopper is its visual. Next, add one half ounce of green creme de menthe, which is peppermint liqueur. This is where the color is going to come from. The stuff is practically neon green, but an ounce of cream will lighten it considerably. This drink benefits more than almost any other from the froth that naturally occurs with shaking a cream drink. Serve your Grasshopper up in a cocktail glass with an optional garnish of cocoa powder. The Orgasm How could I do an article about fun drinks without the obligatory dirty joke drink? That's not to say that this complex treat is a joke in flavor. The Orgasm is the exception to the rule about shaking. When dealing with this many distinct ingredients, a drink can benefit from layering instead of homogenizing. Start with any tall glass half full with ice cubes. Add one ounce of amaretto because it's the lightest of the three spirits in the drink. Follow that with a half ounce of coffee liqueur, then a half ounce of Irish Cream. Top it all off with your regular cream. It's up to you whether or not you want to stir, but it couldn't hurt to give it a few swirls. You can also start this drink off with an extra splash of vodka to make it a Screaming Orgasm.

Hennessy: Gets in the Game

Valentine's Day is the most romantic holiday of the year and this year it falls on NBA All Star Week-end, one of most male-driven events (not including the groupies) next to the Superbowl-and Hennessy is getting in the game! The sexy liquor brand, marketed to the affluent urbane socialites will conduct a series of programs during the week-end, welcoming celebrities and VIP's to their soiree. However, you must be in Phoenix Arizona to attend in addition to being on the exclusive guest list! On Saturday, February 14th, there will be two events brought to you by the sexy liquid! One of the popular events is ‘The Gentleman's Suite' at the House of Hennessy. The Gentleman's Suite will consist of massage treatments, shoe shines, manicures, hand rolled cigars...even an exclusive pair of Hennessy sneakers. Guest can even participate in an X-Box challenge. I'm sure that the guys will be in their very own heaven as they get to participate in complimentary Hennessy and play with big-boy toys. While in the suite, celebrity guests and All Stars will enjoy the sounds of DJ Rashida & DJ Eque. Confirmed guests include Snoop Dogg, Common, Akon, Keri Hilson; a few athletes including, Keyon Dooling (Nets), Julian Wright (Hornets), Morris Peterson (Hornets) and many more. After indulging in the soulful cuisine of celebrity chef, Maurice Shelton celebrity guests and VIP's will be treated to a red carpet event hosted by the brand featuring a live performance by The D.R.E.A.M. and music by DJ Mick  

Daiquiri: The Real Thing

 Let's talk about the Daiquiri, one of many special drinks that has gone to the dogs thanks to pre-packaged mixes, unnecessary machines and unprepared bars. Sure, a lot of us think we're familiar with this island-born beauty, but the truth is ugly. Say the word "Daiquiri" and you'll probably conjure an image of some half-frozen sludge that looks like a melted Popsicle and tastes like potpourri. After today, let's hope that changes. The Daiquiri has its origins on the island of Cuba, where it shares the name of a beach and an iron mine. Legend has it that some American sailors put the first batch of it together, but like most cocktail legends this is probably apocryphal. Regardless of who named the thing, liquor augmented with lime juice is as old as the introduction of limes to Western people. English seamen were known to flavor their gin with the vitamin-C richness of lime juice to help stave off scurvy. This became so popular that a British Minister of Medicine named Dr. Gimlet officially endorsed the drink. When Europeans came to the Caribbean Sea, they were introduced to rum and rum was likewise introduced to lime. Why all this talk of lime juice? Well, it's at least half the flavor in a real Daiquiri. All those strawberry, peach, and passion fruit disasters that come out of the package are just distractions. So, what's in a true Daiquiri?

  • Two ounces of White Rum
  • 3/4 ounce of lime juice (fresh)
  • 1/4 ounce of simple syrup
  • Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass

That's it. No food coloring, no mixes, not even ice. Sure, you could make a frozen Daiquiri if that's your thing, but it just seems like an unnecessary step that waters down an excellent drink. I know what you're thinking. Simple syrup? Don't worry, it's such a snap to make simple syrup at home it's like nature intended it. All it takes is one part of regular, common sugar for every two parts of regular, common water. For personal use, a half cup of sugar dissolved in a cup of water will do just fine. Bring your water to a boil, add the sugar and stir the mixture until all of the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture cool and then put it in a proper container, like a squeeze bottle, and voila! Simple syrup. A lot of bar snobs will tell you that you should make Gomme Syrup, which is just simple syrup with a little gum arabic added to emulsify the mixture. Frankly, unless you want to make a Daiquiri that you can chew, skip this suggestion. There are a lot of really excellent drinks that have suffered from pre-made mix-itus. The Margarita, the Bloody Mary, the Pina Colada. As time goes on, more cocktails get consumed by the wave of convenience over taste. Do yourself and anyone you happen to be serving a favor; Stick to the real stuff. The recipes are never that difficult but the difference in taste is immense.

Rally Amid Ricin Threat in Seattle

During the first week of 2009, a series of letters from an anonymous individual sent to eleven Seattle area gay bars, as well as the local alternative periodical The Stranger, threatened to poison as many as 5 people in every bar. The writer of the letter claimed to be in possession of 67 grams of ricin, a deadly toxin concentrated from a compound found in castor beans. The letter indicated that the poisonings would happen some time over the month of January. So far, all of the targeted bars have remained open. In fact, many of them are reporting a rally of business since the threats went public. Rather than giving into the fear intended to spread from the threats, Seattle's prominent gay community has shown a healthy sort of defiance. There's already been one organized pub crawl to the threatened establishments, with more on the way. Seattle has been the site of many stunning displays of gay rights activism in the past year. The quickly-organized protest march over California Proposition 8 drew a crowd of over ten thousand people, including some individuals in high public office in Seattle and the state of Washington. Seattle also hosted the 2008 Gay Men's Health Summit this past autumn. The threat letters were very clear in their anti-gay sentiment, the writer saying he or she would "let the deaths speak for themselves" rather than listing the writer's problems with the gay community as a whole. Many people have speculated that the ricin threat was really just an attempt to hurt the targeted businesses by scaring away their patrons. Whether the letters are a false alarm or a credible threat, the responses from the police and from the community would be the same. Seattle police in conjunction with the FBI are treating the letters as a genuine concern, investigating the threat as a hate crime and potential terrorist act. Meanwhile, the community has adopted an attitude of steadfastness, solidarity and safety. This doesn’t mean thirsty Seattleites, regardless of sexual orientation, shouldn’t exercise caution.  Police, bar owners and community advocates continue to stress the importance of mindful, safe behavior, especially in the so-called “targeted” areas. Whether you're in Seattle or not, remember to always follow these tips for a safe, fun evening on the town. Never Accept Food or Drinks from People You Don't Know. It may be a time-honored tradition for a person to buy drinks for someone he or she finds attractive, but there's a safe and an unsafe way to accept this courtesy. If that handsome hunk or lovely lady wants to get your attention, they can do it with an offer and then let you order your drink straight from the bartender. Ricin threat or no, it's just a bad idea to consume something from the hand of a total stranger. Never Leave Your Food or Drinks Unattended. I know it sounds like the warning you hear about your bags in the airport, but this one is just common sense. And no, putting a bar napkin over your glass won't do the trick. If you're alone, stay with your stuff until you're finished. If you're with other people, leave at least one person to "stand guard". Even if it's not a matter of life and death, you never know what nasty stuff can land in your drink in a crowded bar. Party Safe. Even if you're the designated driver, it's a good idea to be mindful of your surroundings. You don't need to be on edge, but keeping your eyes open and your wits about you is never a bad proposition when you're out on the town. Stay safe and keep enjoying the nightlife, Seattle and everyone else.

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