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

[jcgbigler.livejournal.com]

I developed my appreciation for flavored alcohol (other than beer & wine) from an acquaintance of mine in Toronto, who makes her own flavored liqueurs. She starts with a base of vodka and adds various other ingredients to get the flavors just right.

One evening I was at her house, and she got out her liqueurs. She placed one in front of me and commented that it was one of her best. The flavors literally exploded all over the inside of my mouth. She got out another one and commented that it wasn't as nice--it hit most of the mouth, but missed the insides of the cheeks. I'll be damned if it didn't. Then she got out another one and commented about which parts of the mouth it did and didn't stimulate. Then another, and another. By the end of the evening, besides being comfortably warm & fuzzy, I had a deep appreciation for a whole new way of thinking about flavors and tastes.

Ever since then, regular mixed drinks have seemed rather pedestrian.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I remember your similar descriptions of salsa you'd made.