24 September 2006

Tippling

I didn't start drinking til late in life. I really never drank alcohol until after I was of legal drinking age - how odd is that?

My bar drink has always been gin and tonic. It seemed like a grown-up drink, wasn't too fussy, didn't involve a blender, and never caused bartenders to snarl at me when I ordered it.

(Unlike my friend Tom at an NYC bar. Tom is from California. Tom: "I'll have a strawberry daquiri." Bartender: "We ain't got no strawberries." Tom: "Then a plain daquiri will be fine." Bartender: "We ain't got none of that, neither.")

My dad drinks gin while out on the town, too. We go to Applebee's for lunch and he orders, in his subsonic growl, "Beefeater rocks." This inevitably puzzles the young server, who looks like a deer in the headlights.

"Pardon?"

"BEEFEATER ROCKS," he barks. I want to point out to him that saying "Beefeater ON THE rocks" might help with their comprehension, but for my dad to insert the extra two words would be for some reason tantamount to him saying he loves to have his nails done and owns Brokeback Mountain on DVD. Ain't gonna happen. Nev-ah.

After a 20 year flirtation with Pinot Noir, I have recently begun drinking gin and tonics as my adult beverage of choice at home. Tanqueray and tonic, specifically. With a lime. Yes.

A couple weeks back, Trader Joes ran out of Tanqueray, so I switched to Beefeater. Cheaper ($16.99 a liter instead of Tanqueray at $16.99 per 750 ml) but not nearly as tasty. Sorry, Pa.

The last time I went shopping, TJs had the highly-regarded Hendricks Gin ($24.99 per 750 ml - if I am ever to become a serious lush, I had better find a cheaper beverage), so I gave it a whirl. I am not a fan. It lacks Tanqueray's lively juniperness and is a bit of a disappointment.
Today I read the little tag on the bottle that tells you how wonderful it is. Its recipe for gin and tonic calls for serving it with a slice of cucumber instead of a lime.

CUCUMBER?? Heresy. While they're at it, why don't they tell me how great it would be to listen to some cover versions of Sinatra tunes? And that chocolate is something you can put in cheesecake. Feh. They have lost my vote. Gimme a Tanqueray and tonic. With lime.

Neglect not your Linkateria

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL! Acutally a cucumber is a nice compliment to gin. Gin is my poison as well. I can drink *cough*A LOT*cough* and never even feel the effects. Heh.

Anonymous said...

Gin and cream soda... That is my signature creation as a bartender and probably why the Holiday Inn became a bar-free convenience hotel here. Of course I never tried it (bartenders were not allowed to drink) , but it looked good.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Suebob!

Ya wanna know what I like about your writing?

Well, do ya?!?

Fine, don't answer. I'll just tell ya:

You have the right (write?) balance of straight-up-stay-the-hell-out-of-the-way storytelling and wordplay. You marble a good yarn with just enough wit so that it doesn't encumber a story...or in this case, encucumber a story.

Regarding likker, I don't drink much and generally avoid bars. I figure if a person can't sleep with me/talk to me sober, they don't have sufficient wherewithal to be sexy/beguiling. But, as I struggle to finish a couple big manuscripts, I also struggle to sleep. And I shared this with a man I recently interviewed.

"Try drinking," he suggested.

"Oh, yeah," I said, "that's worked real well for writers through the years."

So, I rarely drink, for in the boudoir, soberness is sexy, and at my desk, soberness is essential.

Anonymous said...

T&T (Tanqueray and Tonic). It's sublime.

Anonymous said...

I don't believe I've ever had Tanqueray. Now I feel as though I haven't really lived...and I'm ashamed.

Anonymous said...

I've been a vokda lush as of late.

Dirty martini's to be exact. Something about green olives make me sooooooo very happy.

My first, young drunk experience was gin. Haven't been able to drink it since.

Suzanne said...

If I must have a drink, I like the sweet stuff. Amaretto sours work nicely. You know things are pretty bad if I am having a drink, though.

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

I have a hard time with the hard stuff, myself. But everyone tells me how wonderful a gin and tonic with lime is. Perhaps I should give it a shot?

(btw, Goldie's picture is up at Dog Gone Blog along with some linky love for you.)

Mignon said...

I too would be a G&T junkie if it weren't for the aftertaste. I can't abide by gin breath. Makes me feel old and dirty. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and vodka on the other hand makes me feel fresh and perky. And drunk!

Anonymous said...

I am such the opposite. I don't like Gin & Tonic or Rum & Coke.

I DO like the fussy drinks. I like them so much I don't even know what they are. I love the sour series (Midori Sour, Amaretto Sour, Cherry Vodka Sour). I also like to order drinks by describing them: I want it pink and fruity, and I want liquor in it, but I don't want to actually TASTE the liquor.

I'm one of THOSE.

Anonymous said...

I had never ever had a gin & tonic until BlogHer, when I found the fixings on our bathroom counter! That Friday afternoon, when it was getting really, really overwhelming, and I came back to the room to relax, and you made me that G&T with the fresh lime? Lady, that was one of the best moments of my LIFE right there.

And I had one of those "pink and fruity" drinks with Jes at BlogHer, which is why I missed all the morning sessions that Saturday. Beware the drinks that don't taste like liquor!

Anonymous said...

Oooh, see, I like Bombay and tonics. And I didn't drink until I was 29. Not even a mormon or nothin', either. Just... didn't feel like it. Now I am entirely a beer, straight tequila with lime, or pinot grigio girl.

Bamboo Lemur Boys Are Mean To Their Girls said...

This is a great post. I love how it read. It was so smooth and tasty. I occasionally have a Gin and Tonic with J as she drinks them. I don't like. But I think if you and I had one, it would be divine.

super des said...

I'm not a big gin fan. Tastes like Pine-Sol to me. I'm a rum girl. Barring that, vodka. With juice. I don't like to be able to taste the alcohol.

TJs in NYC doesn't sell alcohol. Beer. but definitely not gin. I don't even have any alcohol in my house since I moved here, since it is so much easier to go out. I'm looking to change that, though.

Anonymous said...

Kyle used to drink Tanqueray and tonics. I developed an aversion to gin long ago and have never gone back.

But you're right - always good to have a drink that you can order without sounding too high maintenance.

SUEB0B said...

KG - well, I will take your word for it. Kinda. Because I don't think I have the fortitude to try it.

Laurabob - and they let you keep your bartender license?

Holly - blushing! Thanks. Now help me get another job.

Wendy - I will meet you in the bar.

WordGirl - it kind of tastes like mouthwash - but really GOOD mouthwash.

Q of S - Mr. Stapler makes a mean dirty martini. With good vodka, too (KetelOne). You're invited.

Suzanne - you are so cool you don't need any chemical alteration.

Mrs Chicky - next year at Blogher. Yes, saw Goldie over there, commented but my comment disappeared...

Mignon - now I either have to be self-conscious about gin breath or drink enough that I forget to be.

Jes - I love you anyway.

Elizabeth - let's do it again next year.

Meg - mmmm tequila. Pinot Grigio. Much better than most chardonnay IMO

Gandhi - Gosh, thanks. You don't have to drink the gin to hang around me, you know.

SuperDes - I can see the Pine-Sol resemblance. But I WANT my innards to be shiny clean.

MGM - Yeah, some bartenders just don't WANT to muddle mint for mojitos. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

Ah-- sweet, sweet Tanqueray and Tonic. One of my favorite drinks. And of course it has to have a lime-- what is this cucumber craziness? Why mess with a classic?

Grr.

As my friend Virg used to say, "Drink Gin. Makes you mean."

Krisco said...

I was a Tanquerey and tonic gal myself. I liked the way Tanquerey sounded. Also liked the drink okay. Sounded fine, tasted fine. Worked for me.

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