Strollerderby : cocktail hour

Hitting the Bottle: Mojitos

KeriF — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:11:00 GMT

The last time I had an actual cocktail at an actual bar was, well, I don't remember, so it must have been a long time ago. But I haven't given up on cocktails just because I can't really stay up past 9:30pm any more (what can I say, I have an 8-month-old who likes to wake up with the roosters).

Making cocktails at home is a far better investment anyway, because at a hip bar a Mojito will cost you $12, while the same money can get you a whole bottle of rum and limes and mint (and a whole lot more sloshed).

This is a recipe for the basic Mojito, but you can mix it up with flavored rums (I like raspberry mojitos; just muddle a few raspberries with the mint) or seltzers.

To muddle the mint mixture, use a large spoon (a wooden spoon works well) in an aggressive up-and-down motion. Muddling creates friction to dissolve the sugar and bruise the mint, which is required to release the fragrant oils.

Mojitos

Yield: 4 regular cocktails or 1 big gulp

2 cups loosely packed mint leaves

Juice of 2 medium limes (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 cup sugar

9 ounces white rum

2 cups soda water

In a small pitcher combine the mint, lime juice, sugar, and about 1 cup ice cubes. Using a wooden spoon, “muddle” the mixture about 3 minutes, until the mint is bruised and aromatic and the sugar is completely melted. Add the rum and soda water and serve immediately over ice.

Photo: Leather District Gourmet

Hitting the Bottle: The Boob Biter

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:44:00 GMT

It's been the week of the Boob here at Babble. We've discussed babies who bite, the hospital formula ban, and celebrities who favor bottle over (fake) breast. So it's seems quite fitting to begin the lovely weekend with a drink we like to call The Boob Biter.

The Boob Biter is a spicy milky concoction that will leave you swooning for more. Light it, shoot it, and pray your kid doesn't wake up until morning.

Mix Up:

1 part butterscotch schnapps
1 part Bailey's® Irish cream
1 part Goldschlager® cinnamon schnapps
1 dash 151 proof rum

Float each ingredient over the previous, serve in shot glass and fasten your seat belts!

Hitting The Bottle: The Hello Kitty Martini

Patti — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:56:00 GMT

I have two preschool-aged daughters. My life could not possibly be any cuter. I'm overwhelmed by pink. I spend every morning losing the battle of whether my girls will wear a dress (their position) or jeans (mine) and I spend every evening losing the nightgown-versus-pajamas skirmish. It just isn't a pair of sneakers unless it has glittery laces, it isn't a dinner plate unless it has flowers on it.

Mama can't live on Dirty Princesses alone. Thank goodness for the Hello Kitty Martini. You can tell me domo arigato later.

Hello Kitty Martini

3 oz strawberry vodka
1/2 oz gin
1 1/2 oz peach schnapps

Shake it up and pour into a martini glass, and garnish with a fresh strawberry. Super-kawaii!

Eternal thanks to Hello Kitty Hell, the author of whose life is way rougher than mine.

Hitting The Bottle: the Dirty Princess

Patti — Fri, 18 May 2007 18:25:00 GMT

God, I am sick of them. I rue the day I ever told myself it was a good idea to bring them into my life. By Friday each week, I'm ready to round them up and leave them in the nearest drop box. I speak, of course, of the Disney Princesses. Shame on you if you thought I meant the kids.

Thank heaven for tequila. After knocking back a little, I feel much better about crass commercialism. After knocking back a little more, I'm pretty enthusiastic about it. The Dirty Princess is a little like a margarita, but for people who spent their Cointreau budget on Cinderella nail decals.

The Dirty Princess

a pint or two of fresh (hulled) or frozen strawberries
premium tequila to taste (I like Don Julio and I like to taste lots of it)
Copious quantities of fresh lime juice

Blend, and enjoy. Frankly, I just sip it right out of the blender pitcher sometimes, but fancy people can feel free to pour it into a pretty glass with a sugared rim.

No girlie girls in your house? Sub kiwi fruit for the strawberries and have yourself a Dirty Ninja Turtle. Your kids a little more sheltered from marketing than some? Sub organic vodka for the tequila, call it a Dirty Waldorf Doll. Leave the fruit out entirely and...well, don't forget to drink a big glass of water and pop a few aspirin before you go to bed.

(princess flask credit: kyledesigns.com)

Hitting the Bottle: Big Boy Panties

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Fri, 11 May 2007 19:03:00 GMT

For the first time as parents, we actually ushered in 2007 at a party. With other adults. The bash was fully catered by the hosts and the bar was stocked by all of us overly-eager mommies and daddies of small children. Each couple supplied a drink and my husband, a bartender when we met, was eager to create a show-stopper cocktail for us all to enjoy.

To prepare, we went to the liquor store and the very adept sales kid who looked like he just cleared the 21 mark steered us toward the Absolut Pears that had just been stocked that day. He raved, we bought. Back at home, we devised a kamikaze-inspired pear vodka cocktail and we indulged in a few shakers full of tester drinks.

The pear deliciousness might be labeled by someone leaning on the side of a problem as a "successful drink," as in, It was so successful, we ended up on the dining room floor giggling over...well, who remembers really? It was good fun that night and on New Year's Eve.

Be warned, the Absolut Pears is good. Good and potent. It is not for those cocktailers still in diapers. It is named for our son (is it wrong to name your buzz-on after your kid?) who was delighted at the idea of potty training and the novelty of Thomas the Train underwear but once they accidentally and easily got wet, quickly retreated back to the Pampers. With that, and in hopes that you're ready for some adultified goodness, I give you:

Big Boy Panties

Mix, shake and strain

1-1/2 oz. Absolut Pears or your favorite brand of pear vodka

1/2 oz. Triple Sec

The juice of one lime

Serve straight up by pouring into a martini shell sophisticated sipper.

-or-

Pour over ice in a Collins glass and top with tonic for a fizzy delight.

Garnish with sliced pear or a lime twist. Cheers!

Hitting the Bottle: The Bed Wetter

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 04 May 2007 19:09:00 GMT

It's five o'clock somewhere friends, and there's nothing like a little Summer hopeful pick-me-up to kick off a happy weekend for Mommy and Daddy.

The Bed Wetter

A variation on the good old screwdriver. The only things required are junior's juice, some mint, and the vodka that is gathering dust on the shelf above your refrigerator. In a high ball glass pour the following over ice:

1 ounce Vodka (Grey Goose is extra special, but any will suffice)
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
Fill up the glass with Orange Juice

Pour all ingredients over ice. Stir. Garnish with sprig of mint and serve.

Enjoy!

Ahead of the curve: Cocktails healthy

Melissa Summers — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:34:00 GMT

It's been well established I like the cocktails, even though some people think that makes me an irresponsible twit. It turns out it makes me an irresponsible and slightly healthier twit. My husband and I often have a cocktail made with pomegranate juice in the evenings after he's had a long run (no, I don't run but I need antioxidants too!) and we joke about it's high antioxident content and how it's actually a 'restorative health drink'. But it turns out, we were right.

Researchers found that adding ethanol, the type of alcohol found in tequila, rum, vodka and others, boosted the antioxidant ingredients in strawberries and blackberries. (Come on pomegranate!). Antioxidants are chemicals found in colored fruit or vegatable which stop cell damaging free radicals. People who eat these fruits and vegetables have less heart disease, cancer and some neurological diseases. You fell asleep? Me too. Logan's tried several time to explain the antioxidant/free radical thing but I fall asleep every time. Just get the shaker out.

This study was not funded by me personally. It was accidentally discovered as researchers from Thailand with the US Department of Agriculture were exploring ways to keep strawberries fresh during storage. Now go get healthier!

Hitting the Bottle: Cocktails Anyone?

Melissa Summers — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:04:00 GMT

I love Friday. I love a good cocktail. I love the spring. I love watching the kids play in the yard. I love sitting on my porch. Put all those things together and I've reached Mothering Nirvana.

Last week we served up The Choking Hazard with blue cheese and almond stuffed olives [Swoon]. This week we have a Logan Summers original:

The Time Out

One shot cointreau
One shot vodka
One shot pineapple
Half shot chambord
Half shot lemon juice

In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients and fill shaker with ice. Shake ~~until your wife yells from the other room "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"~~ well. Strain into a glass filled with ice.

You should probably make this a double, it's very tasty and you've got parenting under the influence to do.

Splash of Gin. Drop of Kid. Stir. Mmmm Debate

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 12:30:00 GMT

I've already fed my infant daughter a pint of Guinness and a shot of vodka. It's good for her.

I will never, ever let my daughter near alcohol. It's bad for her.

In a great explore-both-sides post that is already generating debate, Paula Light's Ultrablog offers a conundrum: How do you mix alcohol and kids? (In a big glass?)

Side one, in short: "Parents who drink alcohol should model responsible drinking behavior in front of their children. It's good for kids to see adults have a drink or two, in moderation, and even be offered a sip on a special occasion."

Flip side, in short: "Parents must keep alcohol away from kids. They are not mini-adults, and it affects them differently."

In truth, I have no idea what I'll do when my daughter grows up and asks why mommy and daddy are passed out behind the wheel. of a school bus. carrying nuns. and orphans. But with a long history of alcoholism in my family, I'm pretty sure she'll have to wait a long, long time before her first drink. Besides, the idea that special occasions need to be commemorated with alcohol has always struck me as problematic. Then again, Thursday is pretty neat.

The alcohol and kids debate has popped up a lot recently. And it should be noted that one state has weighed in -- when it comes to driving at least. A new California law took effect Monday, making it a criminal offense for anyone under 21 to have a blood alcohol level of 0.01 while driving. So much for the "It's Nyquil, I swear," defense. Sorry, kids!

For a good debate on the subject, check out Ultrablog and weigh in.

Antidepressants: The Gin Rickey of the 00s?

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 19:08:00 GMT

These days, it seems that parenting (especially mothering) without the aid of anti-depressants is as unusual as parenting without an apron and a cocktail in the 1950s. As use of antidepressants soars (according to some reports, use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors-SSRIs- such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Celexa tripled between 1994 and 2002), and the warnings about the relationship between use of SSRIs before age 25 is linked to increased suicidal thoughts, questions remain about the effectiveness of these drugs. According to some studies, only 30% of people prescribed anti-depressants actually achieve positive results from their first prescription. Since the majority of patients receive their prescriptions from their primary care doctor and fail to combine treatment with exercise and therapy -- as is recommended, it is clear that these drugs aren't the perfect answer to depression they were originally thought to provide.

Leaving aside Tom Cruise's take on the issue (it's the vitamins, stupid), one is left wondering, would we all be better off reinstituting a nice cocktail hour or mandatory daily orgasms and laying off the prescription drugs? I know at first it seems silly and insensitive to propose to address real depression with a depression-inducing substance or a roll-in-the-hay, but I'm talking about borderline cases --- the existential angst of adulthood, versus the can't-get-out-of-bed-should-I-end-it-all experience of depression.

Given the side-effects of most SSRIs (weight gain, listlessness, numbness, sexual dysfunction), are those of us struggling with cyclical, rather than long-term clinical depression, really well advised to take the pills? Maybe the overload of most adult lives -- mortgages, childcare, work, cleaning, laundry -- would be better addressed by more fun and fewer prescriptions.

What do you think, Babblers?