January 2009

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?

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.

Bubbles: The Mimosa

Last week was New Year's. All the holiday festivities got me thinking about champagne, that most famous of sparkling wines. While a good bottle to share with friends and family can be nice on its own, the unique, complex flavor and distinct texture of champagne makes it an ideal candidate for a number of interesting mixed drinks. By simply using champagne in places where you would use another spirit, say vodka, you can make a cocktail that is at once light and stimulating. That's why today, I'm going to delve into the deceptively intricate beauty of champagne's most famous mixed iteration. The Mimosa This is the simplest of all champagne cocktails. Just mix three parts champagne and two parts orange juice (fresh, if you've got it). Now, some recipes call for pouring the orange juice first. I think this is a mistake. Whenever mixing two liquids together for a cocktail, you want to add the heavier of the two liquids to the lighter of the two. It's simple physics.