Back to Basics: Classic Drink Recipes for the Recession

60 Minutes ran a segment on Sunday night on DHL (formerly Airborne Express) and how they will be shutting down their entire US hub in Wilmington, Ohio.  The job cuts in Wilmington alone will result in the lose of 10,000 area jobs.  Moreover, NPR ran a similar story on Microsoft, Pfizer, Home Dept, Caterpillar all announcing job cuts (totaling some 67,000 jobs in a single day!).  

Needless to say, the US is suffering through a very difficult time period (and in my humble opinion, it will, indeed, get worse).  The current national jobless rate is at just over 7% (7.2% to be exact), consumer confidence is low, and consumer and business spending has crawled to a stop.  

For many of us in our late twenties / early thirties, we’ve never seen a downturn in the national economy like we’re experiencing today, yet many of my Gen X/Y peers seem to be handeling the situation well.  Personally, I’ve turned to enjoying our home and the simple pleasures of being with my family and friends.  I’ve been spending more weekends at home planning simple meals, watching old movies, reading forgotten books, and finishing projects in the basement.  I’ve also learned to mix a few new drinks, which in moderation does help one forget about the high unemployment rates (and how low the thermostat is set to save a few bucks)!!  So, here are a few drink recipes to try on a cold, and recession filled, night:

– 2 ounces of white rum

– Juice of 2 limes

– 1 tablespoon of confectionary sugar

Combine the ingredients above in a stainless steel mixer with plenty of fresh ice.  Give the mixture a good shake and pour into a traditional tumber glass.  I love the tartness from the lime juice and mellow alcohol from the rum.

– 2 ounces of red, Martini, sweet vermouth

– 1.5 ounces of Bombay Sapphire Gin

– 2-3 ounces of club soda.

Combine the ingredients in a tumbler and add a handful of ice.  This drink is nice before dinner and you could substitute the red vermouth with Campari for a classic Negroni.

– 2 ounces of Tanqueray Gin

– 1 ounce of dry, Martini, vermouth

– 2-3 green olives

Combine the ingredients (minus the olives) in a stainless steel mixer with plenty of fresh ice.  Give the mixture a good shake and strain into a martini glass.  Add the olives (preferably on a toothpick so you enjoy them while you drink).  You can add less vermouth if you prefer your martinis dry.  You can of course substitute Gin with vodka, but Gin is entirely more appropriate and the classic ingredient.  

The above ingredient proportions are hardly exact, so please experiment with the appropriate amounts that suit your palette.  Cheers!