Liquor and one of CJ's mental blind spots

[cjsmith]

Sometimes when I'm out with friends I'll have a mixed drink from a bar. My latest favorite isn't a very complicated drink, but drinks in general are something I mostly just don't grok, so I only have stuff like that where there is a bartender and a well-stocked bar. I figure those are trained professionals who know how to deal with a glass containing multiple alcoholic things.

Today I was helping friends declutter for a move. Among other things, they let me raid their liquor cabinet. I now have a small handful of random kinds of liquor. Naturally I came home and had no clue where to put these things, as I've never owned liquor. I started to think that maybe if we have a party I could get really bold and buy the ingredients for some mixed drinks people like. Surely people who attend parties like that sort of thing.

It took several more hours for me to realize I could buy the ingredients for a mixed drink I like. I imagine they sell such things in stores. It's weird to realize that stores don't sell only things that other people like. They probably also sell things I would like.* All I have to do is go there and pick out something with myself in mind.

What a concept.
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* Well, some stores. I admit, not many. I'm not entirely insane for not having thought of this before now.

Comments

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

Ok, the burning question: What mixed drinks do you like?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I don't even know enough about them to know which things I like are technically called mixed drinks. Is a margarita a mixed drink? I like strawberry margaritas. I have once had, and didn't loathe, a sloe gin fizz. My current favorite is buttery nipples -- the simple kind, two ingredients in a shot glass. I like fuzzy navels. Sadly, despite the names, the two do NOT go together. I like a thing I had once at a restaurant called "sand in your shorts" (or "sand in my shorts" -- can't remember). I know from college I used to ADORE amaretto and some of the things made with it; now that I have a big bottle of that I will research those again.

Basically, I like things with strong flavors other than alcohol. :)

What mixed drinks do you like? Maybe I should collect ideas!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I'll bring the butter. :)

(Had I been able to do both the dog park and helping declutter, I'd have been there with you, but I really had to choose and the dogs were threatening to eat our heads in our sleep.)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh OK, then I'll bring the... Hey! ;-)

Yeah, I hear ya. Dogs need to play!

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

I like margaritas too - both strawberry and regular. My other really favorite mixed drink is the Mai Tai, which I think you should try if you haven't yet. I like gin and tonics - they've got sort of a sharp, piney flavor, which is nicely complimented by the lime. If you don't care for martinis you may not like G&Ts - I wouldn't recommend them. Let's see - bourbon with Sprite is very tasty.

Bailey's with coffee is very good with a chocolate-y dessert.

I have very limited mixed-drink experience. I stick with what I like, pretty much. I have never tried buttery nipples.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I've never tried a Mai Tai, or a gin & tonic, or a martini. Given your descriptions I'll try the Mai Tai first. :)

Buttery nipples are creamy and sweet. A very girly-girl drink. But the name is rather embarrassing!

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

I love fuzzy navels too, but only if done with decent orange juice (ideally fresh, but Ceres, or failing that Tropicana will do as well). Hereabouts bars tend to use tinned, which is nasty :-/ Give Midori a try - that's one of my favourite things to mix into stuff (if you like margaritas, try a lime margarita with midori and cointreau).

Coffee with liqueurs in it is very nice too - Kahlua and Baileys is a standard but lovely combination. Tia Maria is sadly way too expensive to put in coffee (or even to buy very often) but you owe it to youtself to try a shot of it at least once :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh ick. Bars I've visited have never used tinned. That really changes the taste...

Tia Maria, eh? I'll keep an eye out. :-)

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

If you like SweetTarts, try an amaretto sour. I love them. I also add amaretto to hot chocolate.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

[google]... Will have to try that some time. I have all the ingredients now ('cept for the garnish).