The How and the Why

My husband and I returned from a trip to Malaysia and Singapore on March 3, 2020. Within days we were self-isolating and soon after that, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Our trip to visit our daughter and son-in-law was called off, along with proposed travel to visit our other daughter and who knows when we will be able to continue to camp again or take our planned trip across Canada and into the U.S next fall.

The years of travel, finding good things to eat and drink with friends and family, exploring speakeasies and trendy bars are over, at least for the time being, Even our weekly "Thirsty Thursday" at Dog Island, our valued local craft brewery has come to an end.

To amuse myself, I started creating cocktails made of odd ingredients from my bar- things we have picked up over years of travel, concoctions from craft distilleries in western Canada and the U.S., weird garnishes, and homemade syrups and infusions.

You don’t need a fancy bar!

A good stiff drink does wonders to take the edge off the horrific coronavirus news and the loneliness of self isolation. Even our Chief Medical Officer of Health is in favour of a drink now and then. And on the plus side, there is no danger of drinking and driving.

FAQs

When is "Happy Hour"?

The hour prior to lunch and the hour prior to dinner was referred to by American drinks writer G. Selmer Fougner as "the most enjoyable moment of the day." According to Philip Greene in his most excellent book A Drinkable Feast, in France in the 1920s, "l'heure d'apertif" -or what Americans might vulgarly call "happy hour"-was an institution, if not a sacred ritual".

We've all heard the saying "the sun is over the yardarm somewhere in the world," meaning it is a good time to drink somewhere so it's a good time to drink here. It's a nautical term referring to the time the sun went over the yardarm on a ship (ie.the horizontal spar on the mast of a sailing ship) in other words noon, when it was permissible for sailors to have their first tot of the day.

Jokes about day-drinking aside, generally in our house, any time after 4 p.m. is time for a drink. Although I’ve had one as earlier. Like when we’re having a virtual dinner party with the UK family.

How much alcohol goes into a cocktail?

My cocktails generally have one and a half two ounces of liquor. One and half of a base hard liquor and a half ounce of whatever else. Syrups, water, ice, soda, water and tonic extra. Occasionally we will have a bit more depending on the alcohol content of the liquor and the recipe. We never mix more than enough for a drink apiece at at time. If we want another, we will mix it separately. And really, you should not mix more than a drink at a time. It will get warm before you drink it.

How many cocktails should I drink?

• We have one. You could have more but really, one pretty much always does the trick.

What goes with a cocktail?

Not every appetizer goes with every cocktail. I try to complement the drink with the snack. You don't want the overpowering taste of an appetizer to ruin the subtle taste of an exquisite drink. To my mind, smoked oysters go well with a martini, cheese goes with everything, and after that I don't have any rules.

• Cheese and crackers
• Smoked meats
• Smoked oysters and crackers
• Nuts
• Deep fried stuff
• Frozen appetizers

Do I need fancy glasses and stuff?

Short answer: No-but they make things look pretty.

Here is what you need:

• Cocktail shaker
• old fashioned glasses (6-10 oz)
• highball glasses (12 oz)
• cocktail glasses (the ones that martinis come in) (4- 8 oz)
• coupe champagne glasses (4- 8 oz)
• Margarita glass
• a juicer