How you doin’? I look forward to this day all week long. I love sharing the stories of why we drink what we do. Now that the election is getting closer, I was doing some research on favorite cocktails favored by different presidents. But since we are the poor bastards that are going to have to live with the consequences—just think about the endless political commercials sandwiched between reruns of Dallas Cowboy’s highlights from 1998 and Law & Order—I decided to offer a cocktail for the likes of us—the poor suffering bastards.

The Suffering Bastard is a cocktail developed by a legendary barkeep Joe Scialom—best known for his time as head bartender at Shepheard's Long Bar in Cairo, Egypt—as a hangover cure for those particularly bad mornings the day after. The drink was made famous by its (potentially apocryphal) role in the Second Battle of El Alamein during World War Two.
 
As the story is told, the morning of the battle, the Hussar soldiers in Cairo were caught off guard by Rommel's forces after a night of particularly heavy drinking. The army sent a cable to Scialom requesting an urgent delivery of several gallons of his famous hangover cure, the Suffering Bastard. He delivered, the soldiers recovered, and the Germans were kept at bay. The Second Battle of El Alamein was a turning point in the North African campaign. It ended the long fight for the Western Desert and was the only great land battle won by the British and Commonwealth forces without direct American participation. Go USA!

Ingredients
1 ounce gin
1 ounce cognac
4 ounce ginger beer, chilled
1/2 ounce Rose's lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
 
Garnish: Orange slice and mint sprig
Old-Fashioned Glass
 
Directions

1. Add the gin, cognac, Rose's lime juice and bitters to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well mixed and chilled.
2. Stir the ginger beer into shaker.
3. Pour into a double Old-Fashioned glass—Do not strain.
4. Garnish with an orange slice and sprig of clapped mint.

 
ChefSecret:  Here is a handy Unit Conversions list in case you missed that class in school.
 
1 oz = 30 ml
1 cl = 10 ml = 1/3 oz
1 standard jigger = 1.5 oz = 45 ml
1 barspoon = ~1 teaspoon = ~5 ml
1 tablespoon = 0.5 oz = 15 ml
1 cup = 8 oz
1 liter = ~4.25 cups = ~34 oz
1 gallon = ~3.8 liters = 5 750ml bottles
Juice of one lime = ~1 oz = ~30 ml
Juice of one lemon = ~1.5 oz = ~45 ml
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: Prediction: there will be a baby boom in 9 months, and then in 2033, we will see the rise of the Quaranteens.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.  Thanks for reading.

#SufferingBastard #Gin #Cognac #AngosturaBitters #Cocktails #SecondBattleofElAlamein #HappyHour #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? It’s that wonderful time of the week when we can’t wait to start happy hour—sometimes it’s Thursday at midnight... that's 5 o'clock somewhere, right?
 
Let’s talk a little pineapple and coconut or the infamous Piña Colada. Sometimes the Piña Colada gets a bad rap among cocktail connoisseurs and snobs. For years, it was the stepchild of the blender boom, a symbol of poolside bars, boozy cruises and the poor man’s beach vacation. But the tropical classic—a mix of rum, coconut, pineapple and lime juice—dates back more than a half century, when it was the drink of the day in San Juan, Puerto Rico. If you’re not into blended drinks, this recipe will silence the blender blades and you can use pebble or shaved ice instead, along with and a nice sturdy shake… count it toward your exercise for the day.
 
The Piña Colada is a sweet cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut or coconut milk, and pineapple juice. It may be garnished with either a pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry, or both—a paper cocktail umbrella is a must. There are two versions of the drink, both originating in Puerto Rico. Both are shown here.
                                                     The Piña Colada
                                     
Ingredients
2 ounces light rum, plus a splash more to float
1-1/2 ounces cream of coconut
1-1/2 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
 
Garnish: pineapple wedge
Garnish: pineapple leaf
Garnish: maraschino cherry
Garnish: paper cocktail umbrella
 
Directions

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously (20-30 seconds).
2. Strain into a chilled Hurricane glass over pebble ice.
3. Garnish with a pineapple wedge, pineapple leaf and a tiny cocktail umbrella.

 
                                                 The Painkiller Cocktail
 
A Painkiller is a rum cocktail trademarked by Pusser's Rum Ltd, their signature drink. It is often associated with the British Virgin Islands, its place of origin. Similar to a Piña Colada, The Painkiller is a blend of Pusser's (or any other rum) with 4 parts pineapple juice, 1 part cream of coconut and 1 part orange juice, well shaken and served over the rocks with a generous amount of fresh nutmeg on top. It may be made with either two, three or four ounces of Pusser's dark rum.
 
Why Pusser’s? It is the original Navy Rum as served on board warships of Great Britain’s Royal Navy for more than 350 years from about 1655 to 1970. It was a part of the life and times of Nelson—the Admiral—and the old navy so aptly described in the novels of Patrick O’Brian.  Pusser’s 350 years of Liquid History has become the standard by which other dark rums are measured. Pusser’s was never sold or offered to the public until 1979. Prior to this, if a rum connoisseur managed to obtain a tot or two, it was valued at a high price and for a very special occasion. Pusser’s full, rich flavor is all natural, no flavoring agents are added. It is the only rum whose flavor is sufficiently distinctive to be savored through the ingredients of just about any cocktail.
 
Ingredients
2, 3 or 4 ounces Pusser's Dark Rum
4 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce cream of coconut
1 ounce orange juice
 
Directions

1. Shake ingredients vigorously with ice, then pour into a tall hurricane glass or hollowed out pineapple over crushed ice.
2. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and serve.

ChefSecret:  

• At our ocean front restaurants we served this drink in a hollowed our pineapple with 2 straws. For just under 15 bucks you can add this handy gadget to your bar tools collection and mystify all your guests (assuming we’re allowed to have any).
• The first cocktail to get an umbrella was the tapa punch, in 1959 in California, by either Trader Vic’s or Don the Beachcomber depending on whose history you want to believe. So why were those little umbrellas hanging around? Ladies loved them and couldn’t resist a strong rum drink topped off with a tiny, little paper parasol—they’re so cute and a great keepsake of an even better date. 
  

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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#PinaColada #CocktailUmbrella #Pineapple #Rum #PussersRum #Coconut #Cocktails #HappyHour #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? It’s that magic day of the week and the best hour of the day—Happy Hour. Joan asked me to make a cocktail named after her—so here is, The Joan. Wait a minute, I think she had a Polish Princess Cocktail in mind. Everyone thinks of Joan as the Polish Princess. She has a sweatshirt with Polish Princess emblazoned across the front. So, I looked hard and far to find a suitable beverage for an exceptional lady.

I first had to find a Polish liquor—that was easy—Sobieski Vodka. Sobieski Poland is known as the birthplace of vodka and one of the great vodka-producing countries of the world. While Poland may be better known for its potato vodkas, Sobieski Vodka will show you how great Polish rye vodka can be. Their claim, Just Water, Rye and no BS.
 
There are few vodkas that have a premium taste and remain within a budget-friendly price range—just about $12 a bottle. This Polish vodka is relatively new to the U.S. market (2007). However, Sobieski claims to be the number one vodka in Poland. Now, if people in the country known for its vodka like it, you know it must be good and it is!
 
The story of Sobieski (Sobi) Vodka itself is rather short but its roots are deep in the Polish heritage of vodka. The brand name is taken from King Jan III Sobieski, a 17th-century ruler who is regarded by some as "the last great King of Poland." Sobi has been distilled in Poland since 1864. It uses Dankowski rye from Poland's Mazowse fields as the base. The vodka's water is naturally filtered from Oligocene epoch springs. The vodka is distilled in a continuous column still.
 
This is "real vodka," a pure form of distilled spirit that is relatively tasteless while leaving your palate clean and refreshed. It does not have the heavy alcohol notes found in many of the cheaper brands. Sobi is not afraid to call itself the premium vodka, a moniker typically reserved for those in the $25 to $50 price range, but that description is fitting. Just because it costs less does not mean that it should taste like it.
 
Ingredients
2 ounces Sobieski Vodka
2 ounces coconut water
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce cranberry juice
Garnish: a wedge of pineapple dipped in toasted minced coconut  
 
Directions: 

1. Pour the vodka, coconut water and pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Strain into a tall glass over ice.
3. Add a splash of cranberry juice and serve.
4. Garnish with a pineapple wedge dipped in toasted minced coconut. 
5. Na Zdrowie (Cheers!)

ChefSecret:  Sobi may be on to something with their organic and gluten free vodkas that come in flavors including raspberry, espresso and vanilla.  Summertime is here and refreshing cool drinks are right on the horizon. 
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are also being posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe, be kind and always give thanks to our many first responders on the front lines who risk their lives for us every day. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#PolishPrincess #SobieskiVodka #Vodka #Cocktails #HappyHour #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica
                                                        ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? I hope you are enjoying the summer bounty of beautiful American stone fruit—peaches, nectarines, plums—and berries.  When you are just 80 miles or so from the strawberry growing capital of the world—Oxnard, near Santa Barbara—you can get the most perfect, sweetest, beautiful strawberries ever grown. It’s also pretty easy to make a Costco stop and pick up a whole flat of strawberries, but if you’re not buying for the neighborhood, what are you going to do with all of them before they start to spoil? Infuse, of course!
 
When you are out on the patio soaking up the afternoon sun, doesn’t a nice cool berry spritzer sound great? You might ask yourself--Self, what makes this wine spritzer so special? It contains a 1-ounce shot of homemade strawberry-infused vodka, that’s what!  When you get a waft of the strawberry vodka in your nose, it smells just like a fresh strawberry pie. It smells so good you just might be tempted to sip it straight from the bottle. And, if you do, it’s wonderful, like sweet, perfectly ripe, fresh strawberries… with a little kick! In the spritzer, it blends with the added rosé wine and fresh basil, creating a drink that’s lightly sweet, very aromatic, and so perfect for early summer. FYI… I keep a fresh basil plant growing on the kitchen windowsill for just these occasions… her name is Emily. What? You don’t name your houseplants?
 
Not only does the strawberry vodka smell and taste great, it makes a very pretty strawberry spritzer, too. The rosé and the strawberry infused vodka give it a deep pink blush, enhanced with the basil and crushed strawberries swirling around the ice. This is perfect for warm afternoon happy hours, or a Sunday brunch. So, if you are resolved to a pandemic “staycation” this year, don’t be blue—be in the pink, put on your best blush and enjoy your sunny patio.
 
You will need to plan ahead. The strawberries need to steep in the vodka for up to a week. But once you have the strawberry vodka, you’re in like Flynn and can make all kinds of cocktails—from strawberry vodka lemonade to strawberry vodka tonics and even grown-up strawberry XXX-rated milkshakes—they’re the “berry” best.
                                                    Fresh Strawberry Collins
 Yield:  1 serving
 
Ingredients
1 ounce homemade strawberry-infused vodka (recipe below)
1 strawberry, sliced
2 to 4 basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional—use it if you need it)
3 oz rosé or white wine (Champagne works well also)
3 oz sparkling soda
Ice
 
Directions

1. Muddle the sugar, strawberries, and basil leaves in a tall Collins glass.
2. Add the ice.
3. Add the refrigerated infused vodka.
4. Add the sugar (if needed) and pour in the wine and soda.

 
                                              Strawberry-Infused Vodka
 Ingredients
8 ounces of vodka
1 cup sliced, ripe strawberries, sliced
 
Directions

1. Drop the sliced strawberries into a 1-pint glass container.
2. Add the vodka.
3. Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. It’s okay to taste to make sure it’s done to your liking.
4. Strain the berries and store in an airtight container.

 
ChefSecret: 

• You can easily do a switcheroo by substituting, raspberries, blueberries, boysenberries or even any of the ripe stone fruit in place of strawberries.
• If you store the finished infused vodka in the refrigerator, it will be ready for serving at any time.

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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.
 
Thanks for reading.

#FreshStrawberries #RoseWine #Vodka #Cocktails #HappyHour #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020