Adventures in Beverage Land

I grew up in a culture where alcohol was one of the deadly sins - right up there with jewelry, dancing, and going to movies. The taboo was strong enough that it lasted long after I left home and ventured out on my own. In fact, except for a few daring sips of wine, I really didn't start drinking alcohol until I was about forty. (Damn. I have just betrayed my age.)

There are two ramifications from this:

1) I'm a ridiculous lightweight. I'm getting better, but for the first few years of my experimentation with drinking, one glass of wine would render me fuzzy and well, sound asleep.

2) Every drink is an adventure. So many different types of wine, so many frou frou drinks with fascinating names and pretty glasses. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

A kid without a lot of money. At least, not money I'm willing to spend. On the rare occasions when I've been to a bar and perused the drinks menu, I've been shocked and appalled. You want me to spend what? For a drink?

I don't think so.

Thus it is, sadly, that I have not experienced many of the frivolous and fascinating cocktails. The Viking does not imbibe, and I don't get out much, so I must confess that mostly I drink alone. The most creative I get with creating my own beverages is pouring a little Grand Marnier in my hot chocolate, or making Hot Buttered Rum from scratch.

Last summer I did have a love affair with Gin & Tonic, a drink I discovered at the house of a friend. This is a beverage for a hot summer day, though, and I'm looking out my window and watching the slow melt of the snow, dreaming of long summer afternoons and an ice cold drink sweating on the picnic table.

My usual drink, suited to drinking at home alone, is wine. At the moment I'm working my way through the reds - loved Pinot Noir, and then Sangiovese, and currently am somewhat obsessed by Malbec.

This makes it sound like I'm much more of a drinker than I really am, so I suppose I ought to make it clear that I seldom drink more than a glass a day, and when I'm On Call I don't drink at all. Not that much really - just one of life's little pleasures. And oh, so pretty in the glass.