"drink" news and stories

I do most of my cocktail inventing around the holidays. The reason for this is twofold. One, I always visit my parents and they possess a liquor cabinet that shames some bars, not only in actual number of bottles, but also in the array of top-shelf and/or rare liquors. Two, when does one find oneself in need of a drink more than the holidays?

Whether it's the merriment of celebration, the release of stress, or simply the desire to take a breather from all the socializing by indulging in a brief respite behind the bar, December is the time for mixing. And also for giving, so allow me to give you my two newly-invented cocktails for 2008: the Ginger-Pear Cocktail and the Nihilist.

We've all been there: You save 20¢ buying generic at the grocery store only to blow $10 on two beers at your favorite bar. Or even more guilt-inducing, you forgo a first-rate happy hour special in favor of a pint of your favorite imported or craft brew. Such examples are especially apt during the U.S.'s recent economic downturn when saving money has become top priority for many Americans.

But don't worry. You're not the only one. As reported by the AP, people are saying: "Recession? Eat, drink, and be merry." Jane Wardell reports that Anheuser-Busch turned a profit despite the rising costs of things such as barley, wheat and fuel. "The company is so confident that consumers won't abandon beer," she continues, "that it plans to increase prices for popular brands like Budweiser and Bud Light to stay ahead of the higher costs." Yikes.

File beer under "affordable luxuries" -- those mini-spending sprees we all occasionally need to keep us feeling sane. Milwaukee's Kate Brozovich said: "I'd rather spend $4 or $5 on quality beer than $3 on hopped up water. It's worth the extra buck or two to get quality." Hear, hear!

Long story short: No need to feel guilty about your beer splurging. Turns out you're just normal. (But feel free to read the long story too.)

Interesting side note: I read a study last year about "jet-setters" (people who own their own jets) that concluded that the average jet-setter spends more on alcohol each year than the median American income. Now THAT is splurging!

[via the Associated Press]

Are you an avid tea drinker looking for a different way to enjoy your tea this summer? A lot of tea drinkers go iced in the warm summer months, some even adding lemonade to their iced tea, but there is an even colder way to enjoy your tea in the summer months if you enjoy green tea: smoothies!

Below you will find the recipe for my personal summer tea concoction, which will require matcha (powdered green tea). Matcha is high in caffeine content compared to regular steeped tea, so you may not want to indulge in one of these smoothies too late in the day.

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp matcha (powdered green tea)
4 oz. cup of fruit-flavored yogurt (Light 'n Fit works well, low in sugar)
frozen strawberries (or other desired fruit)
frozen peach slices (or other desired fruit)
apple juice

France's Environment Minister and Resident Party-Pooper Jean-Louis Borloo is pushing a proposal that will force bars open later than 2 a.m. to administer breathalyzer tests to patrons before they leave the establishment.

The move is in response to a spate of fatal car accidents involving drugs or alcohol.

Some immediate obvious questions: Who will be in charge of administering the tests to everyone who leaves? What happens if a patron argues, or refuses to take the test? Will he or she be chased down and fined?

What do you think? Are mandatory breathalyzer tests a good idea, or an invasion of privacy and a waste of time? Would you agree to take one, even if you'd had one beer, or weren't driving home?

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It's hard to resist a drink that's emerald green, slightly illegal, and known for making 19th century Parisian artists go insane.

Absinthe has always been a hit with a certain, artsy, Bo-Ho crowd. And it's lately been making a comeback, since being legalized in this country for the first time since 1912.

But until recently, finding the good stuff has always been hard. Too much of what's been smuggled into the country tastes like radiator fluid. Indeed, for a long time now, absinthe has been more a party favor than the edgy beverage of sophisticates it's supposed to be.

No longer. A small candy company in (where else?) San Francisco has created absinthe lollipops. According to its website, the inspiration for these grown-up treats came around Halloween last year, "When we found ourselves with a lot of absinthe and no candy."

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