Friday, March 8, 2013

Miller Time: The Big Apple


Today’s the day that WMM is back and I think we’d all agree that’s an occasion worth celebrating.   Well, except for the teenagers’ laundry and unpacking, but a few shots, bottles, snacks [insert refreshment/ snack of choice here] will help get her, and us, get through any must-do chores.  She might need some flowers too.


I’m posting what I’m stocked up for, one of the first cocktail recipes I ever shared with her (on screen, not in shaker yet, unfortunately, but soon.)  It’s actually a very pretty, sweet yet refreshingly tart (remind you of anyone?) spring not too pink drink that I think would go perfectly with her new J. Crew peony tee – if she picked one up?

But first, a special shout-out to our Wendy for her temporary sabbatical plus vacation loss of sanity (letting me do this and remembering to tag it all.)  Big kudos to all of you for reading!  Thanks more than I can say for loaning me this fun-filled space, everyone.  Here’s hoping I didn’t put you all to sleep. 

Now turn up the music (Broadway tunes, Sinatra, Welcome Back Cotter, The Boss, Coldplay…), sip and speculate about your weekend AND a week of WMM adventures, coming very soon to a screen near you.

“Sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a mighty trip, with…” *sing, hum or whistle along, Wendy would want us to*

 
TODAY’S QUERY: Are you a Ginger, a Mary Ann or a Lovey/Eunice/ Mrs. Thurston Wentworth Howell III?  Do tell.

IN THE PINK
Adapted this from some Brit or Aussie cookery book I flipped though a while back and promise to track down one day in the interests of author acknowledgement.  Probably had a different name but that's part of the evolving charm of cocktails.

1 c. fresh apple juice/ cider (check your produce or organic section)
1 c. cranberry juice
1/4 c. or so vodka
Canada Dry ginger ale

Mix chilled apple, cranberry and vodka in a shaker or electric blender jug until pink and slightly frothy. Top up with ginger ale and a good handful of ice. (You can also throw in a handful of berries or some thin lemon slices if you want to get all fancy schmancy, “but fruit is healthy” on me.)



As you can see, I like serving this in Mason/ Bernardin/ Kilner "jam" jars mostly because the Brit DH somehow believes this is very "redneck".  In that mildly irked but good “we have a whole cupboard of proper glasses darling” kind of way.  You can keep canning jars in the freezer, they frost well.  And, anyway, I know Tabitha gets my “random Americana” cheap and cheerful penchant.  She’ll be drinking out of these and beer cans when she meets up with Kid Rock.

Don’t forget to share your weekend plans….Then drink up – even if it’s just that first coffee or your water quota, we all need to hydrate – and Stay Safe. Cheers!  - GetFresh



31 comments:

  1. Good morning. I have enjoyed your posts this week. Thank you. Saturday I wil garden, garden, garden some more. The weather is suppose to be lovely. Sunday my daughter and I will go through her closet and see "what she needs" for spring/summer. Nothing fancy, just a nice weekend. Guess I'd be a Mary Ann.

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    1. Awh, thanks BB, you've been such a great crew to hang out with. And I have definitely added your neck of the woods to my trip list. How nice to have a DD to share wardrobing with. Happy weekend from another mostly Mary Ann!

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    2. Blue Booby, I read your answer yesterday about the trip to your own region - yes please, my kind of holiday! I laughed when I read about the fried oreos, we do things like that too here, your people are indeed my people a few generations on.

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    3. Tabs, since yesterday I have been wondering if I would prefer the Oreo (crunch) to the classic Scottish Mars dunk (once ate on a dare, only trip to your stomp, sickly)?

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    4. I'm still trying to figure out the deep fried butter. The Oreo melts and is just an gooey mess of deliciousness. Everyone's welcome. BTW, I saw six goats on my property during today's walk...it's always something.

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    5. BB, I know they super-freeze it first and then lots of layers of coating to insulate.
      Just for you:

      http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/cne/2010/08/19/deepfried_butter_latest_cne_treat.html

      I do love a good deep fried pickle.

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  2. PARTY TIME Okay WMM, I've fluffed your cushion and I'm handing over the keys to the clubhouse. Nigel has his coat on and George is back in checking up on Lake Como digs before summer (he left his number, and thanks for the assistance cate). When's story hour?

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    1. Oh Gosh where to begin! Is almost 9 o'clock here and I am ready for one of those cocktails and Barry is off at events this morning and now he needs to buy me apple and cranberry juice!!!! Will do more of a proper thank you tomorrow, but you have done a great job and I know that everyone is now thinking the same thing - get that girl a blog!

      What I am wondering is - what was Nigel doing that he needed his coat off? And are you sure Cate didn't go with George to Lake Como, as I am pretty sure she would and who would blame her?

      GF - we may have to take on blogger road trip! Now that I have met Ema, I want to meet everyone! Tennessee sounds fine right about now!!!

      As for which character I am...sigh... I am pretty sure I am Gilligan. Loveable and slightly klutzy and mean no harm..I LOVED Gilligans Island as a kid. I can still sing the whole song of the Captain playing Polonius when they did the production of Hamlet! Such fun memories!!!! I can't wait to hear what others will be or not be (every pun intended!)

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    2. Clapping welcome back, can you hear me? And yes, make Barry buy you happy juice! Did I ever tell you I played Mrs. Howell in a series of grade 11 charity fundraising skits? Mr. Howell was my first big IRL crush and later good friend. While I badly wanted to be MA, I am glad I did not have to wear her cut-offs in front of 600 people (still would be same.)

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    3. Oh that is awesome! I used to not worry about cut-offs - but I discovered in a dressing room in NYC that my legs and arms are no longer toned! Yikes! Gotta get back at it!

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    4. Ahem! Was I not supposed to keep an eye on George? A job worth doing is worth doing well! Lake Como was mahvelous!

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    5. Good use of the perks cate ;-)

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    6. You are killing me! George is a handful!

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  3. Ha ha, I think it's redneck too, but I'm all for redneck!
    Thank you for entertaining us all so wonderfully.

    Oh I've never seen that show so don't know who I am.

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    1. I try to be a good at-a-pinch hostess, like the stand-ins they have for Oscar seats etc.

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  4. Hi GF, thank you for a wonderful week of posts and for your lovely comments all along. You did a great job!
    I, also, have never see Gilligan's Island, although I have heard about it over the years.
    Tomorrow we drive to Buffalo, stay the night then head off to Tampa; Monday we set sail. My husband is tired of Pearson so we are trying the smaller airport. From the website it seems like they welcome Canadians, so hopefully we will be impressed.
    I'll be catching up like crazy when I get back; in the meantime, a lovely weekend to all!

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    1. I haven't seen many GI episodes either Patricia (did not make the overseas TV rota). But the song was a feature of early family road trips, thanks to my older Canadian and American cousins.

      We do Buffalo airport quite often (my DH can't abide Pearson or "Air Nada" unless absolutely necessary, too much work exposure). The parking is relatively inexpensive and both times we have been there in last year or so line-ups went fast. We'll be thinking of you Monday; good border crossing and sweet sailing...

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    2. Oh, and keep meaning to ask - what ports are you calling in?

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    3. oh Patricia - I am with your husband! We flew Jet Blue out of Portland. When the original plane was stuck in an ice storm in Boston, they brought in a bigger plane and new crew and we STILL left on time! And the staff were nice! SO different than Air Canada!

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    4. Hi WMM, welcome back! Yes, my husband is convinced that smaller airports are the way to go.
      GF - it's a 5 night cruise, stopping at Grand Cayman and Cozumel, with 2 full days at sea. Since the stops will be so short, it really will be about relaxing and taking advantage of all the facilities on board. Should be fun!

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    5. Patricia, the Buffalo airport is great. Much faster to get through than Pearson, and not that much further from home, it seems sometimes! When I lived in NYC, I'd fly to there or fly Porter.

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  5. Hi GF, your cocktail recipe is just in time for our first major party of the season - my husband's "20th anniversary" with his group of friends. I can't wait to try it out, although I will have to serve it up in punch cups as I only have a few Mason jars.

    Thanks for your posts this week, they were so much fun! I hope you will start your own blog!!

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    1. Louise, that sounds like a great reason for a party and a cocktail. Trust your DH, and everyone, will have a fine time! (And my DH would approve of the punch cups - hah!)

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    2. Oh Louise - I love the idea of a 20th anniversary party with friends! That is so neat! I am doing a post on Nars early in the week and would love your thoughts when I do so!

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  6. Thanks for a good week, GF! I enjoyed your guest hosting.

    We always drink out of jam jars :) The kinds that have a plastic lid - for making your own jam - not the ones with threading at the top like mason jars.

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    1. My total pleasure Abby. Really enjoyed thoughts of Zurich etc. And any time you are in the T-Dot do come round for drinks, we'd clink right in ;-)

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    2. I don't have jam jars Anne, but I am all in for buying some this weekend!

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    3. Cheers!

      I'll let you know when I'm in town :)

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  7. Thanks, GF, for a great week. You done real good. To my chagrin, I can recall most of the words of the Gilligan anthem. I'd probably have a few more IQ points were that not the case.

    A toast to GF--bottoms up.

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    1. I will drink to that!!! And Lane - I know them, too! Oh and BTW - Barry and I talked about you while driving home yesterday as we may stop in Ogunquit this summer and he said "we must ask your Maine friend (or was that Main Friend???) about where she would recommend we stay" - we have had a couple of okay places, but would like a little nicer looking at water.

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    2. Cheers right back at you Lane, so glad you are enjoying some down time. (And I know the lyrics if not the show too - doggrel brain drain.)

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