If the first day is a good barometer for how the year is going to shape up, then 2010 is going to be a good one.
January one, I woke up beside someone who loves me and feeds me coffee. He gave me the keys to the car, kissed me and said have a nice time.
I meandered out to the Martini Goddess’ place, exploring a few roads that always looked interesting but never seemed to be on the way anywhere. They still weren’t really on the way, but that really isn’t the point of exploring, is it? I put the iPod on shuffle and heard some music that I forgot I had and some music that I have no idea how/when I acquired it. Seriously…when did I buy anything that had a banjo in it?
I arrived bearing gifts, and received gifts (mmmm….Mexican vanilla and a hot pink bra!). We spent the afternoon and evening chatting over martinis. The conversation meandered all over the place, as good conversations do. The martinis were, for the most part, delish. There were a few missteps in the experimentation - watching my cocktail curdle was enough to put me off Amarula for life. As in all experiments, you keep the good, throw out the bad and move on.
We re-created the Black Martini from the now-defunct Wish. Gone is the patio and the killer brunch, but the cocktail will live on.
1 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz espresso
1 oz cream
Shake with ice, strain into martini glass. Garnish with cocoa and espresso beans.
Karen concocted one that tasted like the birthday cake my mom would make on our birthdays, a chocolate layer cake with her home made raspberry jam in the middle.
The It’s My Birthday
1 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz white creme de cacao
1 oz Chambord
Shake with ice, strain into martini glass. Garnish with raspberries. Sip slowly; this one sneaks up on you.
I do love going to Karen’s. I’m comfortable there because I know I can truly be myself. I can say anything and I wouldn’t shock her nor would she judge me, and vice versa. There is a lot to be said for that kind of friendship.
And there is a lot to be said for a day filled with love and laughter, and some pretty kick-ass martinis.
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 7:06 am
Bahhhh!
Humbug!!!
Ok, it is post (uNoWho)mas; so being the Grinch is de classe but then that me — the short description.
You see a Martini is Dry Vermouth and Gin. For many years it was bastardized and the results was a Vodka Martini. That’s almost but not quite allowable as the simple way to add vermouth to cheap vodka.
Calling hootch that deserves being clad in hot pink a Martini goes beyond anyone’s literary license. Cease! Desist! It is as bad as relating SoCo to good bourbon. And, you know what that can cause.
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 9:19 am
Purists are everywhere. IMHO, if it gets served in a martini glass, it’s a martini.
And Ken, for the record, none of the martinis were hot pink. However, my lovely lace bra was hot pink *grin
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 10:59 am
I demand an inspection of both packaging systems based on Truth in Packaging laws.
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I wanna come too sometime . . . please please please can I?
on Jan 6th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Kat is alway free to bring friends for martini taste testing.