RPI: Bourbon with a side of bourbon...

While we may be very popular = no real time to make RPIs, it doesn't necessarily mean Haydn and I are being invited to "attend all of Victoria's most highly acclaimed art shows, movie premieres, and backyard barbecues".

Unlike Haydn, I have no quarrels with the art world so if we were attending acclaimed art shows, I'd actually be a pretty happy girl - hello, free alcohol. And movie premiers in Victoria? Yeah. Right. We live in hippie-ville Canada and I darn tootin' love it! Backyard BBQs though? Heck yeah - I've been on that train. Choo Choo! My point? Yes, we are busy. But not doing anything you'd find remotely interesting. Except the barbeques - those are pretty rad.

Also unlike Haydn, I got into the serving industry because I genuinely love it. Well, loved it. I get paid to socialize, meet new people, be around quality (or not) food and drink, and basically run my own business. And you know what? I'm damn good at it.

Fast forward 10 years later though: I hate people. No I don't.  But I do dislike working nights, I don't enjoy having to be "on" 30 or more hours a week, and I am awfully sick of seeing the worst of people - rudeness, crudeness, and general crankisorus-rexs. I'm over the serving industry - unless I can wiggle my way into management, I have no interest sucking up to enjoyable and non-enjoyable customers alike.

I have come into contact though with some pretty rad people, dishes and drinks. And while Haydn focuses on the history of the cocktail a little more than I do, I adore the art of the cocktail.

The love and care and creativity that goes into actually mixing and preparing drinks - be it wine, beer, spirits or a culmination of any of the above. It's still very new to me but the chemistry of making a good drink is very similar to that cooking - it's all about balancing flavours and making it pretty. Because as they say in food, you eat with your eyes first. Drinking is no different.

My current fixation? The Old fashioned. As I said @ Gastronomical Sovereignty yesterday, there's something just so rugged and burly about this drink...and me when I'm drinking it. Garnish it with some bourbon soaked cherries, and you've got a happy, happy girl... though that could be the bourbon talking.

The Old Fashioned
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
Serves One

2 Oz Good Quality Bourbon (i.e. Maker's Mark).
Three Swigs of Angostura Bitters.
Three Swigs of Orange Bitters.
1 Oz Organic Cane Sugar Simple Syrup.
1 Huge or 2 Large Ice Cubes.
1 Small Strip of Lemon Zest, pith free.
1 Slightly Larger Strip of Orange Zest, pith free.
3 Bourbon Soaked Cherries.

What to Do:

To make simple syrup: Place 2 C water and 2 C organic cane sugar in a heavy bottom pot. Heat over a medium-low burner, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves completely. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and if you like, add a Tsp of pure vanilla extract. Pour into a large glass mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. It will keep quite a while.

In a rocks glass, combine the bourbon, bitters and simple syrup. Add the ice and stir for a good 45 seconds to a minute - this allows some of the ice to break down in the drink making it much more palatable. 

Squeeze and twist the strip of lemon, drop it in the drink. Do the same with the orange strip but rub it cut side down along the rim of the glass before tossing it in. 

Skewer the cherries on a metal or wooden toothpick and drop in the drink. 

Let sit for a minute or two. Sip.

Enjoy.

 This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday;  Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Foodie Friday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday.