Friday's Drink: Blood Orange Soda

Happy Friday! And happy start of vacation! (At least for me.. I'm living the easy life until the 21st).

If you live in Pittsburgh, you know that the weather has sucked like nothing else this week. Wind and rain leads to floods and power outages.. And a lot of headaches and heartaches. To all my sandbag-happy Millvale friends ('s up, Joe?), hang in there, this too shall pass.

To ward off the bad-weather blues, Alex and I opted for a bright and fruity drink this evening- however our featured slurp is not the booze, but the mixer. Giant Eagle's Market District label makes a Blood Orange Soda that, unlike Crush or Slice, actually tastes like oranges (and isn't so sweet that it overwhelms the drinker). We tried this with both gin and vodka. While Alex enjoyed the vodka-based drink, I much preferred the gin (a little more of that Hendrick's I mentioned previously). Either way, it's great on its own or with any clear spirit of your choice. Cheers!

Friday's drink: Hendrick's Gin

Happy Friday, everyone.

Fridays are often associated with happy hour, clubbing and bar-hopping. However, Alex and I are hit or miss when it comes to these pursuits (with the exception of happy hour); the venues are usually too hot, crowded, overpriced and altogether annoying on Fridays. Instead, we prefer to order takeout, watch an off-the-wall movie or two, and shake up a few top-shelf cocktails of our own.

Tonight's spirit of choice is Hendrick's Gin, a small batch gin that hails from Scotland. If you consider yourself a gin freak, this is something you must try.. but be warned, it's curiously addictive. Distilled with the usual juniper, coriander, citrus and other herbs, this blend also includes Bulgarian rose oil and cucumber. It's not like any gin you've had before, and there's a darn good chance you won't want anything else afterward.

How we're drinking it:

Gin and Tonic

In a lowball glass, pour 1.5 ounces of gin over two ice cubes. Add a liberal splash of lime juice and top with tonic water. Garnish with two cucumber slices.

Sidecar

In a cocktail shaker, combine 2oz gin with 1/2oz triple sec, 1/2oz lime juice, and 1/2oz simple syrup. Shake with ice, strain into lowball glass with two ice cubes. Optional: Add a splash of club soda to cut the sweetness.

On the Rocks or Straight Up

This is the best way to appreciate the nuances of the gin. It's also the best way to get blitzed in a hurry. Cheers!