Whiskey Sours
This is a good week for a drink. So was last week, actually. And the week before.….I think I need to have a chat with whomever is doling out crazy, difficult weeks. But in the meantime, before I give him or her what-for, drinkies will do.
Serious Eats (which I read) recently noted that in an article in the Wall Street Journal (which I don’t read, and which I won’t bother to link because um, Wall Street? I should take those knuckleheads seriously?), the issue of cocktail mixes was raised.
This brings up a great question. Why do so many people, even people who consider themselves to be serious foodies, think that drinks are so hard to make that you need to buy a mix? Personally, I can’t think of a worse way to make a margarita than with that bottle of radioactive green stuff they sell in stores. What’s so hard about squeezing a few limes? It takes a whopping five minutes to mix a pitcher of real margaritas, and the flavor is light years away from the bottled gunk.
No mixes here. Not never, not nohow. The M.E. has mad bartending skills, and whatever it is -- dacquiri, Manhattan, caipirinha -- he can make it from scratch. So why haven’t we ever gotten around to whiskey sours?
I have no answer to that question. I only know that whiskey sours were quite overdue to make an appearance in our abode. The Barefoot Contessa reminded me with her delicious-sounding recipe. So I threw some extra lemons and limes in the grocery cart, and put in a request to the head bartender.
(Yes I know, that’s bourbon. Don’t panic. It works very nicely in this recipe.)
Never one who needs to be asked twice to perform such a critical task, he was off and running.
Lemons, limes, booze, simple syrup. The presence of simple syrup in this recipe is not an excuse not to make it. The least-cooking-enabled among you can concoct this. It’s simple: Equal parts sugar and water. Like, say, a cup of water and a cup of sugar. Bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let it cool. Keep in the fridge and use it in drinks.
Oh, and a maraschino cherry. Pretty, yes?
Bliss. Tart and sweet and wonderful. Trust me, these will tide you over until Sarah Palin gets sent back where she belongs.
My parents used to have little packets of cocktail mix they put in the blender. There was one called 'pink pussycat' I have no idea what it was supposed to taste like or if it was inspired by any actual food like lemon or lime.
Posted by: mary lou | October 09, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Looks...headachy...'cause I'd be sure to drink too many.
Have you seen Sarah Palin's Debate Flow Chart?
http://www.ruralvotes.com/thebackforty/?p=410
Posted by: Guinifer | October 05, 2008 at 04:22 PM
To quote Rene Zeilwegger - "You had me at whiskey"!!
Damn - it's only 11:45 on Sunday morning and I want a whiskey sour so bad now I'm licking the screen.
Posted by: deb | October 05, 2008 at 11:50 AM
That looks so good, but if I drank that, you couldn't wake me for two days. lol. But I DO like a freshly mixed drink versus one that comes in a package, yes!
Posted by: del | October 04, 2008 at 04:22 PM
I do not drink whiskey but these do sound good.
Going to have to put in a request for these.
Posted by: setembrina | October 03, 2008 at 09:24 PM
Why didn't I see this earlier in my work day? My day could have been so much better. :)
I don't get the trend for any mixes. Pancake mix? It's flour, baking soda and salt. How hard can that be to combine?
Posted by: Carrie K | October 03, 2008 at 07:10 PM
Hee hee, ah I remember whiskey sour days....delish!
Posted by: bezzie | October 03, 2008 at 05:25 PM
Want one. Now.
Posted by: Amy | October 03, 2008 at 01:43 PM
Oh... but sadly I cannot use the maraschino cherries. DH will not permit them after having worked on a cherry farm and seeing how they're made, and all of the toxic chemicals that are used in the process. I really need to come up with an alternate garnish.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | October 03, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Oh, thank you! I hate using cocktail mixes. Although if I must, the Stirrings brand at least has real juice and not just chemicals. I do like whiskey sours, but hadn't really worked out a good made-from-scratch one yet. I'll be sure to try this one soon. Like tonight, after I get back from the grocery store with lemons (already have the limes). And of course, I always have simple syrup in the fridge.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | October 03, 2008 at 11:34 AM
I don't drink anymore but when I did, Margarita's where my choice- love the sweet sour salty combo all at once. When I quit drinking, I use to crave one,(enough to kill somebody!) so I'd get limeaid and put salt on my glass rim and pretend!
Posted by: olga | October 03, 2008 at 10:19 AM
I hear ya on getting past these difficult weeks! Your own sour mix... yum.
Posted by: Chris | October 03, 2008 at 09:37 AM