We're still living minimally even though we're staying put for an extended period here in Maine. Our liquor cabinet, consequently, is all of one bottle (ok, not counting bitters and a vermouth). Before we went full-on nomad, we enjoyed having a well-stocked cocktail bar with all sorts of exotic liqueurs like Batavia Arrack and Old Tom Gin. We also used to have parties where we'd mix up drinks for our friends and prepare all sorts of foods from scratch. Seems like a lifetime ago since we've had friends over. The last party we went to was on North Stradbroke Island in Australia back in February and it was a lot of fun. Actually we went to several parties there during our two week stay, as our host and neighbors were gregarious Aussies. I'm guessing that most people can remember the last group event they attended (and for public health reasons, hopefully it was a long time ago). One day we'll be able to do this again safely. In the meantime, here's a cocktail to mix up at home with a minimal bar. Sam made it for us last night. The Double Fill-Up is from a bar called Death & Co and their cocktail book is full of great drinks. As Sam says, this one is cocktail perfection:
Double Fill-up (from Death & Co.)
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey (we're not picky)
- 3⁄4 oz lemon juice
- 3⁄4 oz simple syrup
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (not hard to find and so delicious!)
- A few mint leaves, saving a few for garnish
Shake everything with ice and strain. Add the mint garnish to each drink.
In other news, since we're not traveling, I've got more time to draw. I've started a companion site to this one where I'm working on illustrating our travels. Here's a link (and you can subscribe to get updates for that one, too, like you can for this site). I'm a big fan of Miroslav Sasek and it's my attempt at travel drawings inspired by him. Check out his work if you haven't seen it!
In historical pandemic news, I read an interesting article in the Smithsonian Magazine about the 1918 pandemic. The article links to several poems written during that time and it's amazing to read some of them as they could be written today. Sam and I are frustrated by the lack of faith in science here and the resistance to taking protective measures (i.e., using masks). But that was the case back then too. Here's an excerpt from a 1918 poem by Jesse Daniel Boon called Spanish Flu Poem (you can read the whole poem here):
Its a pity and it's sad
That a woman, man, or lad
With the warnings they've received
disregarded, disbelieved
All the health boards had to sayOf the best and only wayTo provide against diseaseThat is lurking in a sneeze
From some person who has got this Spanish Flu.
We haven't advanced much in 100 years, but (most) people made it through that horrible time and we will, too.
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| The Double Fill-Up |
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