Another week , another cocktail

 

Well we have gone through  a week that saw snow fall, and then temperatures of 12c to be closely followed by one morning of -2, followed by  a morning of 5c. No wonder we are all suffering with colds. Hopefully we can get to some regularity with weather, and how very English to discuss weather when really I should be talking about cocktail hour.

So the cocktail of the hour ( and week) was

Russian Spring Punch

1 measure of creme de cassis

2 measures of lemon juice

4 ttsp sugar syrup

4 measures of vodka

champagne to top up

I put the cassis, lemon, sugar and vodka in a shaker with ice and strained into a glass, then topped up with  champagne.

this has been one of my favourite cocktails this year.

I am just to say say managing to keep up with a cocktail  every week, but need to up my game on  nibbles and photography

And now another week begins, we are edging towards the end of March ( how did that happen??).

Spring is on the way.

Have a great week.

Clearing out ( not china or glasses though)

 

I know that we are well into Lent, but this year as well as giving up sweeties and rubbish food, I also set up a bag which every day I add one item to . An Item that I no longer want or need. This way, just after Easter I will be donating 40 items to a local charity shop.

Its amazing what I have found to get rid of and it also is amazing what I have found and put up for sale.

I actually feel that I am making space.

Yes, yes, yes I know that I still pick up things in the charity shop, but I am more selective now.

My collection of china, linen  and my glasses are the things that I cannot whittle down at all and so for the time being I am keeping them. They are the the 'pretty' things which I love and use everyday. I always think its lovely to set the table.

I now feel that the 40 day clear out for Lent will become a habit, as for the selling, well it is going towards funding my further adventures abroad. so its all a win/win.

Heres to less clutter and more travelling.

Marching into Spring

Well we are now nearly in the middle of March and two cocktails into the month too. The North East of Blighty was hit by snow at the end of last week, which is typical as the crocus and daffodils  were giving such a beautiful show.

The first cocktail of the month wasn't really a cocktail but a lovely glass of white rioja which I love vey much, its ( obviously) lighter to drink than its red brother, but is equally as enjoyable.

Some are lemony with a slight herby touch and some lemony with a hint of melon, or in my case  chilled to perfection and ready to drink. 

 The second cocktail hour of the month started off as a grim day with about 4in of snow and a rotten drive to work, however I was home and and sipping on a 'Champagne Bowler' before I knew it.

Spring is on the way, its just sort of taking a slightly awkward turn back to winter. The mornings and the evenings are getting lighter and that is always a lovely sight.

And with that I am off to finish my working day and head home.

Spring is (nearly ) here.

Last cocktail hour of February

 

Ahhh the best laid plans of mice and men.

I had Friday nights cocktail all planned and set to be made when I got home from work.

One thing that I hadn't taken into account was how long it took to clear up a broken bottle of Amaretto from the kitchen floor. Yes, just as I was about to open it, ( it was brand new), it slipped out of my hands and smashed on the floor.

My steam mop was brought into play and pulling out the washing machine and dishwasher had not been how I had hoped to spend Friday evening, but they were pulled out twice whilst trying to steam up the sticky mess.

So that cocktail was put on hold until I have purchased another bottle of  Amaretto.

I then had to hastily cobble together another cocktail, so opted for a Moscow Mule,

This is a drink that I really enjoy so not an altogether bad substitution.

The ingredients are

Vodka

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Ginger beer

Freshly squeezed ginger

I put the vodka, lime juice and squeezed ginger ( done through a garlic press) into a shaker with ice, quick shake and strain into a glass.

Top up with ginger beer ( or American dry ginger ale if you prefer).

In my case drink this in between steam mopping the kitchen floor.

Have a great week

Cocktail hour is back

 Cocktail hour has resumed since the new year which is something to look forward to at the end of the working week.

So far this year we have been sampling Vodkatinis, Sugar Plum gin sparkle and French Pink lady to name but 3.

Its good to get back into the mindset of preparing a cocktail at the start of the weekend.

Since the new year, I've also  had a trip to Amsterdam, a bout of covid and am still trying to get myself right after that.

There is lots more to look forward to in the first half of 2023.

Over the coming months I will try to post the recipe for the weekly cocktail ( lets see if I can  maintain this discipline).

I am also brushing up on Arabic ( I have a fairly good knowledge of this and mixed with a bit of French can get by in most old Protectorate countries without having to utter a word of English), for up coming adventures.

And with that  I am off to do other things and will be back next week

Its Christmas

 

How quickly does Christmas come around again, this year I have managed to find some Christmas china ( very late to this party as only started at the beginning of December), it will be used by  me on Christmas day, I imagine by next Christmas I will be able ot seat 50 people for a 3 course meal!

I picked up some lovely Christmas linen napkins, which are just perfect and will be ready to go on the table later.

Its been a funny old year, new jobs,  holidays , illness and putting myself first for a change.

And I think that is the way that my life will be form now on ( not any more new jobs!).

Cockktails have been a little scare on the ground due to ill health and giving up drinking for a while, however they will be reinstaed in th new year.

Cocktails and China on tour

 

Well here we are in November and I have been on a bit of a tour. I took myself off to Norway to celebrate my birthday.

The weather was remarkably warm and sunny  ( apparently in Cocktails and china town it was grey, rainy and cold), the last time I was in Norway the same thing happened (unseasonably warm weather!).

Anyhoo I digress, I was staying  in Stavanger in a super modern hotel on the harbour front, 300yards from the 'Flybus' stop and also the Island boat stop (this is a great way to travel around the islands of Stavanger and surrounding area.)

I had a very precise list of things that I wanted to see and headed off to tick of the first, with a detour to the bank to change some money.

1. Banks open at 10am, no matter if you are first in the queue, the Norwegians will make sure they get in first.

2 you take a ticket and wait for your number to be called.

3 you wait............and wait...........30-35 mins, get called, ask to change money and are told that banks don't hold cash in Norway.

4 30 secs later you are directed across the street to a cabin which is the official money changing place.

5 get money and head off to your first port of call.

The Oil and Gas (Petroleum) Museum

And yes I am that geeky, but I bet not many of you have seen a bottle of the first oil to come up ( in a maple syrup bottle as they tried to grab anything to hand).

It was fascinating. I tried on a survival suit when I went into the 'helicopter' and sat through the safety procedure.

I spent nearly an hour in the 'subsea' light installation, which was mesmerising.

It was a great museum, and I am pleased that I decided to put it on my list.

I then walked through the city to the centre lake which in the sunshine was beautiful, everyone was making the most of the November sun.

I then just walked and walked taking in the differing styles of architecture ( yes geeky but I like it), Found 2 Antony Gormley figures from the 23in the city and part of what is known as 'Broken Column' I wish I had found more. 

I  marvelled at how lovely and friendly the people were (despite not using English queuing etiquette 😂),  and 20k steps later I arrived back at the hotel, completely shattered!

Shower, food, wine ( no cocktails were available) and bed.

And then it was my birthday, so I headed down to breakfast with what looked like half of the Italian army and had my granola and yogurt. I had opened all my cards and was busy reading lovely birthday messages.

I set off to go to see Sword Hill which was on my list and had to get a bus out of the city, however Lars on reception ( I was on first name terms thanks to several bars of cadburys chocolate, always good to have on hand) said that if I got the local bus and got off I may have to wait an hour for a return bus and there was nothing else there, so I scrapped that and headed off into the city to do some shopping and go to an exhibition  about hearts ( YES!!! REALLY!!!).

I'd found a Salvation Army charity shop the day before and nearly had to be resuscitated when I converted the prices!, however on my birthday I went in and bought a piece of Norwegian glass I had seen the day before ( I like a souvenir), at £28 it was a bit steep I thought and then saw them in town for £150 so it turned out to be a bargain!

By 1.30pm I was famished but found that most restaurants don't open until 3pm, so I headed into a 'pub'. Here I was told that they didn't do food, but there was an excellent bakery across the road where I could get some food and bring it back to eat in the pub with a pint ( well 0.4 L). So I headed to the bakery, got an avocado and salmon on rye bread and the biggest Danish pastry I have ever seen ( well it was my birthday) headed back to the pub and sat outside with a complimentary  blanket to keep my legs warm.

You don't get that in the UK!!! Can you imagine eating your Greggs in Wetherspoons!!!

I spent a couple of hours wandering around and ended up back at the harbour which had amazing views, and then headed back to the hotel for a quick nap.

I was very tired and as I am still getting myself pulled round from the last few months, decided to eat in the hotel.

I was tucked up in bed by 10pm.

And before I knew it, it was time to come home.

I decided to do the hop on hop off bus before heading to the  airport.

And I saw Sword Hill, 

I had the best time in Stavanger and would definitely go back again.

It had the right amount of quirkiness and geeky things to keep me interested.

Now it time to plan my next birthday jaunt.

Oh and I never got a cocktail, but I did see lots of lovely china, I just couldn't get it in my suitcase!