"inauguration day" news and stories

What's that sound? Corks a-popping from shore to shore? No doubt bubbly was the beverage du jour for many folks, but mixologists both pro and amateur took it upon themselves to create signature beverages for the election and inauguration of our 44th President. When tasked with that for a friend's bash, I put some thought into the national origins of each element, so that they might match those of our new Commander-In-Chief. With a bit of tinkering, a new and semi-perfect union was formed -- The Barry O.

The Barry-O

Equal parts cocoa powder and sugar
1 1/2 oz Amarula
1 oz bourbon
1/4 oz Kona coffee liqueur (I like Trader Vic's)

Dampen the edge of a cocktail glass, and roll in a blend of equal parts sugar and cocoa powder.

Shake Amarula, bourbon and coffee liqueur with ice to blend and strain into the prepared glass.

Note: Amarula is an African cream liqueur made from the fruit of the Marula tree. Bourbon is a distinctively American whiskey, named for, and largely produced in Kentucky's Bourbon County. Coffee designated as Kona can only come from the Kona District of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Africa, America & Hawaii - all with a li'l dash of chocolate.


So - whatcha sip to celebrate (or drown your sorrows) this historic night? Share it in the comments.

In honor of Inauguration Day, participating Krispy Kreme stores will be giving out one free doughnut (of your choice) to every customer in order to celebrate the "sweetness" of the new presidential administration. According to Ron Rupocinski, executive chef for Krispy Kreme, they're "taking the inaugural festivities nationwide. We're inviting our fans in cities across the country, including Washington, D.C., to commemorate this historic day with a favorite American treat."

Make sure to call your local Krispy Kreme to make sure they're participating in the special before heading over to claim your treat, as not every location will have free doughnuts.

Source

Tomorrow one of the most historically significant Presidential Inaugurations will be upon us. Whether you're whooping it up or crying tears of sorrow into your glass, we've got ideas for what to drink at your party (or pity party).

If you're celebrating:

The obvious drink of choice is sparkling wine--American, of course. According to Iron Horse Vineyards, their sparkling wines have been served at the White House for five consecutive Presidential administrations, and Iron Horse hopes Obama will do likewise. Their Wedding Cuvee ($38) is a popular choice and widely available, or try the Russian Cuvee ($33), which is slightly richer and sweeter than the regular Brut.

Roederer Estate sparkling wines have also been featured in White House dinners over the years. The Brut NV ($22) is affordable and widely regarded by critics as one of the top sparkling wines in the U.S.

Korbel has been the official sparkling wine for the past six inaugurations, but apparently Obama won't do sponsorship agreements this year and Korbel has to angle for honors with all the other wineries. At home, try Korbel's Brut Rose ($12) or Extra Dry ($12), which, ironically, is a little sweeter.

With any of these sparkling wines, splash in a bit of pomegranate liqueur or blue carucao (but not at the same time!) for the red, white, and blue look.

Another all-American wine is Zinfandel, a big, bold, fruity wine also ideal for celebrating. Try one from Lodi or Paso Robles for even bigger-than-normal flavor (Seven Deadly Zins ($17) is a good example) or a classic from Sonoma like Seghesio ($36).

What to drink if you're not celebrating--after the jump.

Whether you voted for Obama or not, whether Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or etc., I don't think anyone denies this year's Inauguration Day is a historic event. And judging by the record crowds Washington, D.C. is expecting for Tuesday, everyone wants to get in on the celebration. President Bush had to declare a state of emergency to help cover the costs! Well, I'm declaring a state of beer-mergency (achem.) to figure out the perfect Inauguration Day beer. Let's see what we got...

Back in September, I wrote a post on Sixpoint Craft Ale's Hop Obama beer. At that time, I stated, "If Barack Obama wins the presidency, I'm guessing we might see [Hop Obama] for another four years."

Well, maybe those running the Brooklyn-based brewery should have heeded my advice: Sixpoint stopped making the beer after Election Day, and now patrons seeking to celebrate the big-O's big day have created a mini-madness to figure out who still stocks the brew. A few bars with serious foresight stashed their last remaining kegs for Election Day. And some, according to the NY Daily News, plan on charging a pretty penny for it.

Despite being Sixpoint's fastest-selling beer ever, it looks like this "Obama" is actually heading the way of George W. Bush: Don't expect it back anytime soon. With some savvy Google searching, New Yorkers can figure out where to go to get the last gulp of Hop Obama, but for the rest of us, don't dismay: We have options.