Happy Repeal of Prohibition Day, Everyone!

How did you celebrate the holiday?  Geez, I forgot to send out cards this year. 

Maybe it was a little early, but I celebrated the holiday in a fashion (an Old Fashioned?) on Saturday in Mixology class.  Yep, I’ve been dabbling in the art and craft of mixology.  Now this is a class you wouldn’t mind studying for, would you?! 

Scotch and Irish Whiskey were the stars of Saturday’s class…who even imagined Scotch any other way but on the rocks?  And Irish Whiskey?  Why, you put that in coffee, don’t you?  But only on St. Patrick’s Day, right?  Wrong. 

With Scotch, we mixed up a Whiskey Daisy and a Scotch Sour.  Both were yummy, but the best cocktail concoction of the day?  An Irish Whiskey Peppered Carrot.  Sweet with fresh carrot juice and black pepper simple syrup, tart with fresh lemon with a zippy finish of freshly ground pepper! Served in a martini glass…it was gorgeous, too!  (I’ll share the recipe very soon.)

What a fun way to spend an afternoon and learn something, too….and the drinks are on the house.   

Oh, and I “studied” so hard I actually earned my certificate for the first series.  (Bring on the next series!)  And now I think I’ll go raise a toast to celebrate the end of Prohibition.  Cheers!

Here's my Italian Bloody Mary recipe to raise that toast!

Italian Bloody Mary

• 1/2 lemon -- juiced

• 1    shot  basil-infused vodka (I infuse my own with basil from the garden in the summer), healthier shot if you wish (and I wish)

•  dash  granulated garlic (smoother than fresh - no bite)

•  dash  Italian seasoning

• 1    basil leaf -- fresh

• V-8® vegetable juice -- Hot and spicy kind

• buttermilk -- a splash

• ice

In a pint Mason jar:

Muddle the lemon juice, fresh basil leaf, granulated garlic and Italian seasoning until the basil is bruised.  

Add a shot (or more to taste) of basil-infused vodka (if you don't have the infused vodka, use regular vodka and muddle an extra fresh basil leaf or two into the mixture). 

Add ice, fill glass almost to top with V-8 and finish off with just a splash of buttermilk. And, yes, the buttermilk MAKES this drink!!
  

Garnish with a wheel of lemon, a basil leaf and a pepperoni slice.