#88: Apricot Sour

2 oz Apricot Brandy
Pour into a tall glass with ice, fill with sour mix, and shake
Use an orange slice and a cherry as garnish

This was a little on the sweet side, but still delicious. That could have been because I had recently switched over to store-bought sour mix, rather than making my own. The store-bought stuff seems basically like thin orange syrup, so I think I am going to go back to the homemade stuff, using the recipe in the book, after this.

The tartness of the sour mix was blunted by the sweetness of the apricot brandy. But it was still light, refreshing, and basically was a burst of sweet juicy flavor.

The orange slice sure looked nice, but I wasn't sure what it actually added to the drink. The cherry definitely was a good addition. On top of the contrasting color, it was a welcome flavor addition when it was finally eaten.

Overall this was a good drink. I would actually order this in a bar. The "apricot" part might sound girly, but anything with "sour" in the name has got a little toughness to it.

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Hope springs eternal, especially for baseball fans. Those of us who have the fortune to root for (or live and die by, as the case may be) small market teams that have never one the World Series, take special interest in this time of year. For a little while, even the Cubs can be atop the standings. At least until next week.

Another baseball season is upon us, so I thought I would put up a nice photo of my favorite ballpark, Petco Park, where my beloved Padres play. If you look closely, you won't see me in this photo.

#87: Aprés Ski 2

1 oz Brandy
1 oz Apple Brandy
Fill with hot apple cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick

I wrote about the origins of the name in yesterday's post, but this was much more like what I expected from a drink with this name. Now this was what you would expect to be served in a ski lodge, if you didn't want any hot chocolate.

A nice cinnamon smell wafted from the glass and filled the room. That, along with the brandy, mellowed the apple cider quite a bit, making this into one smooth drink.

This was very warming, like cuddling up with a friendly St. Bernard. I have to say that this was one of my favorite drinks that uses brandy in any significant amount. It was also one of the sweetest drinks so far, but not in a cloying or overpowering way.

I would definitely order this after a tiring day on the slopes.

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Are these the coolest salt and pepper shakers ever? I think they are just a concept. I could only find this photo on the web, but I couldn't find anywhere i could buy them. Oh well.

#86: Aprés Ski

1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
1 oz Coffee Liquer
1 oz White Créme de Cacao
Combine in a short glass with ice, and shake

Aprés-ski (French for after skiing) refers to going out, having drinks, dancing, and generally socializing after skiing. It is popular in the Alps, where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. The concept is similar to the nineteenth hole in golf.

The term après-ski is also being increasingly applied in a derogatory sense, to describe those whose interest in snow sports is mainly confined to image, such as expensive prestige brands of equipment and seasonal ski-wear fashion.

Well, the peppermint flavor was strong, but it complimented the Créme de Cacao chocolate tones nicely, and the added coffee notes from the Coffee Liquer made the sum greater than the parts.

I thought that this would be good as a warm drink, the thought being that you would imbibe this one at the ski lodge after a day on the slopes. Imagine my surprise when I could find no evidence in the recipe regarding heat of any sort. This was made with ice, and after tasting it, I believe that the idea is to remind you of those days, even when you can't make it out there to actually ski.

It was bracing (the peppermint) like a cold brisk day, and the other flavors reminded me of a ski lodge, all warm and comfy by the fire. So I guess it all makes sense now. Actually one of the more appropriately named drinks yet.

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I found a cool website, PerpetualKid.com, that has all kinds of fun stuff (their motto is "entertain your inner child"), and they have this awesome OCD Chef Cutting Board:

I may have to get one!