Concoctions
I've had weird urges to try different things, over the years. Experiments per se...
Here are things that are awesome.
1. Bacon and ice cream.
- An old internet friend suggested this once upon a time, to the response of "that's insane! And gross!" I was wary of this, at best, but one day the opportunity hit to combine the two things and Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus and He wants you to leave him ice cream with bacon pieces in it. And I know what you people are thinking... "Bacon ice cream?" but let me assure you, it is not like that at all. It is more like "Mmm ice cream.... woah, sweetness with chewy bacon! And ice cream again!" And I stand by the principle that anything that makes you taste ice cream TWICE in one bite to be amazing, and that's not even approaching the wonder of chewing on bacon in the meantime.
2. Jelly and sausage.
- Now, this one isn't so weird. After all, people have eaten sausage biscuits with jelly for years. However, now often do people eat slices of link sausage with jelly spread on top of them? Not very often, I'm afraid, and that seems tragic. Turns out, meat goes really well with fruit. More on that in a second.
3. Jelly in your BBQ sauce.
- My parents make awesome BBQ sauce. And you know what? It's mostly just stuff from the store, plus the SECRET INGREDIENT(s). Those ingredients? A little extra mustard, some brown sugar, and strawberry jelly (occasionally blackberry or, in a pinch, grape). I've told this to people and they balk, thinking it ridiculous to combine blah blah blah. You know what? Turns out a lot of people treat their BBQ sauce preferences like some sort of cultural badge, along the lines of Jews and Muslims not eating pork and hating each other, or Europeans not shaving, or Americans having really strong opinions on everything for no good goddamned reason. My point is that I don't care about these "Kentuckian mustard based" or "Texas ketchup based" or blah blah blah what ever BBQ crap. I just know what tastes good and it turns out it has Strawberry Preserves in it.
4. Sugar in your cabbage
- So, any time one of your friends says "I don't like cabbage" you knock them the hell out for like 2 hours and tie them up so you can make THIS for them. Basically, you just cook the cabbage like normal, EXCEPT YOU PUT ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS OF BROWN SUGAR ALONG WITH SOME BUTTER IN IT. It'll blown their mind, and they'll spend the next several days crying, partly because their trusted friend knocked them unconscious then kidnapped and force fed them, but mostly because they've been hating on cabbage for FAR too long.
And now, the last few... the ones that sparked this entry...
Coincidentally, all are related to bourbon. Go figure.
5. Dr Pepper and Bourbon
- This was shown to me by my sister-in-law's brother about 12 years ago, and I've been grateful ever since. I really don't care what anyone says, Dr Pepper is the absolute BEST soda mixer for whisky. Any whisky. Period.
I've tried Coca Cola.. too tart and dry. I've tried Sprite/7-up... too light. Turns out Dr Pepper is absolutely perfect for mixing with bourbon, until I discovered...
6. High quality orange juice and Bourbon (The Phillips)
- This one surprised me. See, after years of drinking, not once had I (or apparently anyone else, I gather) tried this very obvious concoction. I even looked up the ingredient mix over the internets and did not find even ONE drink that featured these two ingredients! And honestly, I've had quite a few screwdrivers in my time, but THIS is much, much better! Now, I don't know if this would taste as good with cheap OJ, but with the Florida Natural brand it rocked. And that was with quite a high bourbon to OJ ratio (think 1 to 3-4). This was the best drink ever, discovered by me about 3 days ago, until the next...
7. Diet Dr Pepper, Bourbon, and halved and/or quartered fresh strawberries (The Comfort)
- ... discovered yesterday, enjoyed thoroughly throughout the writing of this. It is the best thing I've ever had enter my mouth. That is what she said. I don't even care that I set myself up for that, this drink is amazing, and makes me love life. I urge each and every one of you out there in the world that is of drinking age to try this within the next 72 hours. If you don't, you'll probably die devoid of the happiness given by this drink. Of course, you'll probably still have several of the other kinds of happiness I've never known, but thats a different story...
In any case, BEST DRINK EVER.
And finally...
8. Spinach with just about anything
- I haven't added spinach to the Comfort, yet, but I may in the near future. Turns out that spinach, added to almost any real food (desserts excluded, because they are not real food), is fantastic. The fresher you can keep it, the better. Nothing does spinach a greater disservice than overcooking it. In any case, wrap just about any kind of meat in it, mix it with your pastas, throw it in EVERY SALAD EVER, or put it in a sandwich. Spinach is awesome, and eat it often. I may even try it with ice cream at some point.
Until then...
Here are things that are awesome.
1. Bacon and ice cream.
- An old internet friend suggested this once upon a time, to the response of "that's insane! And gross!" I was wary of this, at best, but one day the opportunity hit to combine the two things and Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus and He wants you to leave him ice cream with bacon pieces in it. And I know what you people are thinking... "Bacon ice cream?" but let me assure you, it is not like that at all. It is more like "Mmm ice cream.... woah, sweetness with chewy bacon! And ice cream again!" And I stand by the principle that anything that makes you taste ice cream TWICE in one bite to be amazing, and that's not even approaching the wonder of chewing on bacon in the meantime.
2. Jelly and sausage.
- Now, this one isn't so weird. After all, people have eaten sausage biscuits with jelly for years. However, now often do people eat slices of link sausage with jelly spread on top of them? Not very often, I'm afraid, and that seems tragic. Turns out, meat goes really well with fruit. More on that in a second.
3. Jelly in your BBQ sauce.
- My parents make awesome BBQ sauce. And you know what? It's mostly just stuff from the store, plus the SECRET INGREDIENT(s). Those ingredients? A little extra mustard, some brown sugar, and strawberry jelly (occasionally blackberry or, in a pinch, grape). I've told this to people and they balk, thinking it ridiculous to combine blah blah blah. You know what? Turns out a lot of people treat their BBQ sauce preferences like some sort of cultural badge, along the lines of Jews and Muslims not eating pork and hating each other, or Europeans not shaving, or Americans having really strong opinions on everything for no good goddamned reason. My point is that I don't care about these "Kentuckian mustard based" or "Texas ketchup based" or blah blah blah what ever BBQ crap. I just know what tastes good and it turns out it has Strawberry Preserves in it.
4. Sugar in your cabbage
- So, any time one of your friends says "I don't like cabbage" you knock them the hell out for like 2 hours and tie them up so you can make THIS for them. Basically, you just cook the cabbage like normal, EXCEPT YOU PUT ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS OF BROWN SUGAR ALONG WITH SOME BUTTER IN IT. It'll blown their mind, and they'll spend the next several days crying, partly because their trusted friend knocked them unconscious then kidnapped and force fed them, but mostly because they've been hating on cabbage for FAR too long.
And now, the last few... the ones that sparked this entry...
Coincidentally, all are related to bourbon. Go figure.
5. Dr Pepper and Bourbon
- This was shown to me by my sister-in-law's brother about 12 years ago, and I've been grateful ever since. I really don't care what anyone says, Dr Pepper is the absolute BEST soda mixer for whisky. Any whisky. Period.
I've tried Coca Cola.. too tart and dry. I've tried Sprite/7-up... too light. Turns out Dr Pepper is absolutely perfect for mixing with bourbon, until I discovered...
6. High quality orange juice and Bourbon (The Phillips)
- This one surprised me. See, after years of drinking, not once had I (or apparently anyone else, I gather) tried this very obvious concoction. I even looked up the ingredient mix over the internets and did not find even ONE drink that featured these two ingredients! And honestly, I've had quite a few screwdrivers in my time, but THIS is much, much better! Now, I don't know if this would taste as good with cheap OJ, but with the Florida Natural brand it rocked. And that was with quite a high bourbon to OJ ratio (think 1 to 3-4). This was the best drink ever, discovered by me about 3 days ago, until the next...
7. Diet Dr Pepper, Bourbon, and halved and/or quartered fresh strawberries (The Comfort)
- ... discovered yesterday, enjoyed thoroughly throughout the writing of this. It is the best thing I've ever had enter my mouth. That is what she said. I don't even care that I set myself up for that, this drink is amazing, and makes me love life. I urge each and every one of you out there in the world that is of drinking age to try this within the next 72 hours. If you don't, you'll probably die devoid of the happiness given by this drink. Of course, you'll probably still have several of the other kinds of happiness I've never known, but thats a different story...
In any case, BEST DRINK EVER.
And finally...
8. Spinach with just about anything
- I haven't added spinach to the Comfort, yet, but I may in the near future. Turns out that spinach, added to almost any real food (desserts excluded, because they are not real food), is fantastic. The fresher you can keep it, the better. Nothing does spinach a greater disservice than overcooking it. In any case, wrap just about any kind of meat in it, mix it with your pastas, throw it in EVERY SALAD EVER, or put it in a sandwich. Spinach is awesome, and eat it often. I may even try it with ice cream at some point.
Until then...