Okay folks, something totally frivolous today. I’m having a small party and I’m tasked with serving a new cocktail. Seems this group is a little bored with our usual red wines. (Yes, I agree – how could anyone be bored with red wine?) I’m no mixologist, so I did what all modern women do. Right. Turned to Google.
First I searched for Christmas Cocktails. That brought up all sorts of things made with cranberries and peppermint and egg nog. Sounds more like dessert to me.
Next, I tried Cheese and Cocktails. See, I’m also supposed to serve unusual cheese at this soiree. Mostly, I read, one serves wine with cheese. Ha! Tell me something I don’t know! Cocktails with cheese are unorthodox. Oh. Now you tell me. Well, unorthodox isn’t hideous, right?
But I did find a Blue Cheese Martini video, which is just a little too out there for this crowd. And the Diamond is Forever Martini video, at $18,000 was slightly more than I’d planned to spend on my next car.
I checked out a recipe for something a bit cheaper and found Espresso Martinis: Because Sometimes You Need A Little Jitter In Your Glass. Reading the recipes made me jittery.
Another link proclaimed the Modern Drama: Cocktails and Cheese Are the New Trend. Us? Trendy? Is that a synonym for unorthodox? Who knew? But the bad news: choose the cocktail first. Now they tell me. I already bought a refrigerator full of the wrong cheese.
Moving on. Food Network had some great ideas from my BFFs Paula, Giada, Alton, Sandra and more which they assured me were The Best Cocktail Recipes. Here, I found things like the Snowtini, the Christmas Cocktail made with pear juice and pomagranate seeds, and Cider Jack Cocktail. None of which were suggested for pairing with cheese.
Now what?
I’m thinking Cabernet, Brunello, even Malbec and Chianti. Unless I find something perfect very quickly with a little help from my friends…. Any suggestions?
