So. I hate to tell you this, but this blog is not going to be all about cocktails. There will probably be references to cocktails and liquor scattered generously throughout this blog, but their primary function will be as a coping mechanism for the other word in the title: the kiddie. She's only eight, almost nine, months old, but she's shaken up our East Coast liberal elitist hipster wannabe farmer's market bar-hopping restaurant-going life. This is all about how this new little person fits into our new life, as we (well, me) try desperately to cling to the vestiges of the old life.
We're definitely back to our nightly drinks. Oh, believe me, I had a drink as soon as I could after having this baby. It was a Belgian beer, and it was dark and lovely and yeasty and strong. I was more cautious in the early days of nursing, also nursing just one glass of wine a night with dinner. My friend Emmalola says if you're OK to drive, you're OK to nurse the baby, and I believe her because she's not just a nurse, she's a doctor-nurse with the PhD from Yale to prove it, so she must be extra-right. So the husband and I are back to easily polishing off a bottle of wine a night, and inventing cocktails to get rid of the "excess" liquor in our cabinet. We're currently working on some gin, because we had two and a half bottles of it sitting around, left over from an English-themed party a couple of years ago. You see, if we drink the gin, there will be more room in the liquor cabinet for...more liquor! That is perhaps not gin, but maybe some new tequila. That would be nice.
We made watermelon "martinis" with our gin the other night, and had a friend over to sample, and ended up making two batches, and they were kind of strong, but it was hard to tell until later. I probably wasn't really OK to drive, but I did nurse the baby twice during the gin-ebriation. She slept really well that night, only waking up once, and not making a peep otherwise. Fortunately, she did the same thing the next night after I hadn't had anything to drink, so I'm pretty sure I didn't liquor up the baby. It was only a generation or so ago that they put bourbon in the baby bottles to make them sleep, right, so I shouldn't worry, right? Just say yes. It will make me feel better.
And the promised cocktail recipe. Because I know that's why you're here.
SUMMER WATERMELON "MARTINIS"
2 cups frozen watermelon chunks*
1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup water (add more if your blender is getting stuck on the frozen melon chunks; can also add juice of your choice)
2 measures of gin (or to taste)
squeeze of lemon juice
fresh mint or basil (a few leaves)
Throw it all in the blender; pour into martini glasses. Garnish with a mint or basil leaf
*I've tried this with fresh watermelon, and it's just too watery, and the drink separates. Freezing the watermelon concentrates the flavor and seems to make the melon less watery.
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