LIQUOR BLOG - POST #1

Our Home LIQUOR INVENTORY

(Please note – none of this liquor was purchased for this blog entry; inventory was spontaneous.)

On October 28th 2009 I found the following liquor in my home:

Wine – Challis Lane 2007 California Merlot, two bottles of Vanel 2008 French Merlot, blanc de blancs Grandial French brut sparkling wine;

Beer – MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. Lip Stinger farmhouse ale made with peppercorns;

Junmai Ginjo Premium Sake (14-15% alcohol by volume ABV) from Trader Joe’s market, Sho Chiku Bai classic Junmai sake from Berkeley, CA, a few blocks from my home and Koshu Plum rice wine with plum (12% ABV), made in Berkeley California;

Dekuyper Peppermint schnapps, Potter’s Peppermint schnapps, and Bols Butterscotch schnapps, Potter’s Triple Sec, Potter’s Crème de Cassis, Potter’s Blue Curacao;

Martini & Rossi bianco vermouth, extra dry vermouth, and Gallo sweet vermouth for making Manhatten’s, Quarles Harris Ruby Porto;

Hill’s Absinth from the Czech Republic 70% ABV, Swiss Kubler Absinthe (53% ABV) and Trenet Absinthe (with an “e”) (60% ABV) from France. As you may know, Absinthe with an “e” is made with wormwood, while absinth is made without;

Romana Sambuca, both Classico and Black, Irish Mist liqueur, Drambuie, Agwa coca herbal, Austria’s Stroh jagertee liqueur, which Hugh loves to serve to guests blended with black hot tea, Becherovka, a Czech liquor that is also very popular in Slovakia (but I find tastes like eating pine tree sap);

St. Elmo Rum;

Scotch and whiskey– two mini bottles of Tobermory 10 year old, very petey, Laphroaig 10 year old, Glenlivet 12 year old, Glenfiddich 12 year old, Finlaggan Islay single malt, J&B blended scotch, 2 bottles of Jack Daniels, Maker’s Mark, Black Horse Schwabischer Whiskey, Clontarf Irish whiskey, and last but not least my favorite scotch single islay malt 18 year old Bunnahabhain. Currently we are out of Glen morangie – normally we always have a bottle on hand, however it disappears quickly.

Hungarian Slivovitz 3 year old, homemade slivovica form Slovakia bootlegged into the USA a few years ago, homemade slivovica form Slovakia brought to the USA this year, and Maraska Slivovica from Croatia and Maraska Slivovica from Serbia;

Bunratty Potcheen from Ireland. The label on this bottle claims that this liqueur is made in Ireland legally for export only, and is illegal to sell or drink in Ireland. Now this has to be a ploy…. for American sales – like it is too gross to sell in Ireland; they only get the good stuff… this stuff is only good mixed with lemonade;

Hennessy VS, E&J brandy, Domino de Villasanta Cream Sherry (sherry is Hugh’s mom’s favorite go-to drink);

Gross booze – Campari and Villa Massa Limoncello. I should love both of these; I am a huge fan of bitters and lemons. Why I don’t like these two liqueurs is beyond me.

You will note an absence of vodka and gin. Why? One – vodka is my favorite spirit so I drank it all. I usually keep a jug of Stoli in the house. Next payday I will buy a new jug. Stoli is very flexible; it is great out of the freezer straight up, and it also works well in a dirty martini with extra olives. As to gin…. I am not the biggest fan. Please send me your favorite gin and maybe I will be converted to gin.

Next up... drinking accessories....

New Blog Theme

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So I have been to 9 countries in 3 months, and the only country that told me that i had to be searched in a private room and swabbed all the items in my carry-on was the USA, the country i am a citizen, the country of my birth. got my boobs and crotch searched cause i was chosen at random...

Last day on road

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going home to hugh and new cat family!!!

Last day in Odesa

The japanese guy turned up safely. he just spent the nite int he village cause the busses stopped running. not too exciting after all.

today we are going to the opera. i forgot which one - i know nothing about opera. this may be my first real opera, if you dont count andrew loyde webber plays. I have seen cats! I think this is going to be a real and proper opera. (I will be seeing Devo in 2 weeks...)

we leave tomorrow on Czech Air to Munich - i can't wait - i am soooo hugh home sick it hurts.

Life in the Hostel

So since I am sick all I do is hang out in the hostel. We have a small adventure going on here.... The hostel is a very nice flat. Pete and I are in teh private bedroom. The hostess is very nice but a bitye skiddish.

She bakes us an apple cake yesterday, and also made me a home remedy for my flu, a mixture of lemon juice, honey and glycerin drops. It does not seem to be doing anything, but it tastes good.

The adventure is with the other room mates. We have 2 other people in the hostel, a russian tourist and a japanese guy. the japanese guy does not speak russian and does not appear to have friends in the city. he left yesterday afternoon to go to some village 180 km north of Odessa. he tolds the hostess that he was leaving for kiev in the morning,a nd would be back. well. he never returned. his bags are still in the hostel. we have not yet called the police, however the hostess called the owner of the hostel - but he lives in kyiv.... the guy is an adult.... we are not sure what we need to do. call the japanese embassy? the police? I do not want to be a witness to the disapperance of a japanese national in this hostel.... weird.....

Still sick

I have spent the past 2 days in bed.... have bronchiatas and I am coughing up a lung...