Friday, November 26, 2010

Friday Happy Hour: Egg Nog

Happy post Thanksgiving ... and, we hope it isn't too early to say ... Merry Christmas! On this day after Thanksgiving, as we burn off those extra calories from yesterday as we dash through the stores at door buster sales, or maybe by cheering on the team while watching the game on TV, let's think about a signature seasonal taste, egg nog. This will be the perfect drink to have while we're putting up those Christmas decorations. Egg nog can be made for the whole brood, as we see in the recipe above which serves 10, or for the individual, as we'll see further down. Here's another recipe, which serves 20:

As we can see, the basic elements for egg nog are eggs, cream, milk, and some spices. Of course, we punch it up with some "extra" ingredients, too! In the first recipe, they included both whiskey and cognac, and in this recipe, they call for only whiskey. In the next recipe, they contemplate both whiskey and rum:

And, by the way, does that look like a party or what? Certainly, these are some interesting recipes to experiment with. Of course, we won't be snobs -- yes, you can go ahead and get egg nog from your local grocery store and mix it up as you like! These recipes are intended to inspire your own experimentation! What if you'd like to explore single servings, though? Consider these options:

Some excellent suggestions, there. Egg nog is an old, timeless, and classic beverage, and uniquely associated with Christmas! We won't mention the threat of calories. This is no time to be thinking about that stuff. Enjoy -- and cheers!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

November 25 in Chicago history

Mayor Harold Washington dies suddenly of a heart attack on November 25, 1987.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

This year's Thanksgiving, sponsored by Pepsi-Cola

All the best this Thanksgiving, to you and yours!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A word from our sponsor, circa 1975

Happy Thanksgiving, from your local Jewel!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Friday Happy Hour: Happy Thanksgiving!


Turkey: check!
Candied yams: check!
Family warmth and togetherness: check!
Hungry kids: check!
Waiting for the turkey to finally finish: check!
Old family baggage starting to bubble up to the surface: check!

Well, not that Thanksgiving needs to be about the stresses, as well as the joys, of family. Nonetheless, isn't it nice that Seagrams has put out such a nice spread for Thanksgiving in this circa-1980s tableau, complete with drink options to dull the edge of any family strife that might erupt? Looks like a Thanksgiving to remember! Cheers!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friday Happy Hour: Thanksgiving Special

Having returned to Standard Time, and having survived Halloween, we can't help but acknowledge that winter is settling in. But, the bright side of that is that we have the holiday season to enjoy! In the holiday spirit, we bring you the Thanksgiving Special, which is a drink you truly will give thanks for. What's vexing about this drink, however, is that there is scant information on how this drink got its name or how it is associated with Thanksgiving. The drink is featured in all of the vintage recipe books, yet it isn't a drink many have ever heard of. Here's the version from Mr. Boston's 1979 edition:


Now, if you look up this drink in virtually any comprehensive recipe book, you'll most likely find a version very similar to this (if not identical to this). Alas, this probably explains why this venerable old drink is consigned to the dustbin of memory. Quite simply, this recipe doesn't make for a very good drink. But, these ingredients seem like they'd match up very well. Good news! They do match up very well, but in slightly different proportions. Here's a recipe that makes this drink sing: This is a drink you can bring to your Thanksgiving feast and wind up being the toast of the party! We suggest that you start practicing mixing this drink right away, and you'll have it mastered by the time Thanksgiving rolls around in less than 3 weeks! Cheers!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November 10 in Rogers Park history

The Adelphi Theater, at 7074 N. Clark, opens on November 10, 1917.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Friday Happy Hour: Golden Cadillac

This Friday, we're taking another guilty nip from Grandma's liquor cabinet, as this creamy confection of a drink brings both sheer enjoyment and shame. Our drink is #14 in the veritable line-up of guilty drinks above. Taken from Galliano's "Welcome to Galliano's World of New Tastes" (circa late 1960s), here's the recipe:

Actually, the spread pictured above constitutes Galliano's suggestions for "after dinner drinks." From the looks of the candles, the romantic mood is burning brightly! Here's another version of the drink from "The Bartender's Guide":

This, obviously, trades out creme de cacao for triple sec, for a more "orangy" taste. The Golden Cadillac is the kind of drink you'd find on a bar menu in a supper club or old restaurant that hasn't been updated in 30 or 40 years. And, yes, they'll probably make this drink in a blender. Here's the "You Are What You Drink" take on this venerable cocktail:

Suppository fashion?! Well, anyway, cheers!

Monday, November 1, 2010

November 1 in Rogers Park history

Ground is broken for the construction of the art deco Mundelien College skyscraper on November 1, 1929.