The Speakeasy Preview

Today in my ever ridiculously busy schedule, I am working on a piece for my upcoming Vintage Life Magazine deadline. I actually have some time before it's due, but since I'll be submerged in the Caribbean on that day, I figured I had to get a head start.

As many of you know, I'm a cocktail hound. I love cocktails, especially vintage cocktails. If someone held a gun to my head and made me choose a decade that I loved the most in history I would have to say it was the Roaring Twenties. I can't quite put my finger on why, maybe I lived a previous life during that era, or maybe it was the political atmosphere - women gaining the right to vote, the blatant disregard for puritanical laws by practically everyone, or perhaps it is because it laid the groundwork for who we are as a nation today. But the more I think about it, it's none of those, simply put, it made being bad classy.

Enter the speakeasy. An air of mystery surrounded the basement, and attic, hooch parlors, making them inviting to practically everyone. Police, judges and politicians were all misbehavin'; even housewives became corrupted by the allure of banned liquor served in teacups, cigarettes and Jazz music. Bottom line, there's just something so good about being bad.

So, without giving away too much of my upcoming piece, I'll share with you only this. I painstakingly (sarcasm injected) performed my research for this piece at PX Lounge in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia...just outside of Washington, DC. If you're in the area, make a reservation and go...you will not be disappointed. Oh, but be sure to expect a hefty bar tab...fresh made bitters and expert mixologists don't come cheap these days.

A Vague Definition of Vintage

Most of us think of vintage as things that happened in the 20th Century. In my case, when I think vintage, I think of the 1920's and 1940's respectively. But, since the word "vintage" can mean a different things to each of us and a few different things by definition alone, I wanted to take a moment to share with you an awesome find that is definitely vintage by definition, yet a couple of hundred years prior to most of our vintage fantasies, in limited supply and worth the shipping cost.

With origins dating back to the 1700's, Art in the Age's, "Root" takes us back to the 80 proof version of what we now call "Root Beer." I'll save retelling the details here and let you take a look at their site.

But I have to say, 1/4 cup pour of Root from the old-time medicine bottle, mixed with a bottle of cream soda will quickly, and deliciously, take you where you want to go.

Enjoy!

http://www.artintheage.com/spirits-aita/

It's 1:30am??

Where does the time go? It's now 1:27am on Saturday morning...I think I've made it beyond "tired." Fortunately, I think I've done some of my best writing. Well, I hope I have...we'll revisit this tomorrow and see.

Tonight I'm revisiting my evenings spent with vintage cocktails. It's amazing the memory the body has for those rougher nights. Yet the Mary Pickford and Clover Club still sound pretty good. Raspberry syrup and, surprisingly, an egg white make a nice combination with gin and lime juice. Don't knock it 'till you try it, folks...the sweet taste and fluffy texture are a perfect combination. Well worth the ingredient purchase. Now where's the chocolate?

The Mailbox

It came today! Jammed into our tiny mailbox was my very first book of vintage cocktails. Almost 100 pages of cocktail history and recipes...what a great end to a rather uneventful day. Thank you Mr. Postman, perhaps you should join us for a drink!

About Last Night

Last week I got the greatest news. Vintage Life Magazine offered me my very own column in their "Food and Drink" section of their online magazine! So, of course, my thoughts were anywhere but my day-job. But who cares? I have my very own column!!

It has become my quest to research and report on all food and drink vintage. Where to start? Well, cocktails are the perfect way to start out the evening...so I decided that there was no better place to start my research. (I'm sure that most of you would agree.) Off I went...to the Internet to out-of-print booksellers. Yes folks, I wasted no time in researching cocktails from yesterday and planning a night with my husband to test out each one. Well, last night (more like yesterday afternoon), we did just that.

"Take notes," I told myself, as I took out the cutting board and the shaker. My little shot glass was poised for action...ice was grinding out of the freezer, gin, bourbon, cut lemons, brandy and a splash of heavy cream...it all became a blur. A really BIG blur. My husband let out a few short, but loud, "Wooo's" after each sip of what might have been some sort of battery cable cleaner once all of the ingredients combined. I believe he called that one "White Lightenin'." I remember saying, "this one tastes like winter" and "this one tastes like summer." The winter cocktail stung my tongue, but warmed my cheeks differently than my usual glass(es) of wine. The summer cocktail was cool. It didn't have the same bite. It was smooth and could be dangerous once a couple creeped up on you. The other drinks were, let's say, strong...but after a couple of sips, I started to grow fond of them. That was no real surprise. Let's face it, I was hammered. Fortunately, I'm a happy drunk...I laughed at my husband's honest, yet humorous, reactions until I was doubled over in front of the stove...saying "Stop it! I've gotta pee!!" I think it was about 5pm in The Rockies at that point.

Last night was the first time I went to bed with a hangover, but woke up feeling just fine this morning. Except, this morning I did find my notes stuck to the counter, inscribed with hierogliphic evidence of an afternoon spent with vintage cocktails.