We're Not Big Drinkers

We're not big drinkers, but one of our favorite things before the pandemic was going out for a nice meal, if lucky, once a month. Our preferred destination for one of these special occasions was one of the many burgeoning foodie-farm-to-table-scene restaurants in Milwaukee. The food was the main event, but the special ambiance began with a craft cocktail. The drink altered the noise of the regular harried life and introduced a palpable tone that spoke sweetly, "relax, enjoy, this is a special moment to be savored."

The pandemic rearranged more things than just our ability to enjoy what Milwaukee's foodie scene had to offer. We began working from home, or as one of my colleagues put it, "living at work." The attention demands shifted heavily toward screens, which was utterly exhausting, and the amount of physical activity that I was accustomed to plummeted. No more teaching the classroom, walking around, waving hands gesticulating wildly and passionately about my favorite subjects. No more walking down the hall to say hey to a friend and colleague, walking outside across campus for a meeting, no more...

What there was more of, and still is, are virtual meetings after virtual meetings. Sitting in front of screens, the same screen. Butt in seat. Hands on keyboard. Eyes on screen. Ears resting under headphones. Days already flowed into weeks and months with amorphous astonishment, but the cocktail beckoned as an important marker. The cocktail means it is time to disconnect from the workday and settle back into other senses: of taste buds, of emotional connection to our family unit, of our human bodies apart from the labor apparatus.

Gin is a favorite spirit of Bonnie's, not just for the flavor, but for the physiological effects and the lack of negative ones. Alcohol that produces heat--bad--causes inflammation and rashiness. Tequila, forget about it--worst allergic reactions have been combos of sun, tequila, and spices like those from jalapeno peppers. Gin cools, especially in combination with tonic and its active ingredient, quinine, (somewhat ironically in these times) was originally used for its anti-malaria properties. Most cocktails you see here, for that reason, are gin-based, though I'm personally more partial to whiskey oriented spirits.

Around cocktail hour, Bonnie will request a drink. I will ask "What do you want?" She inevitably responds, "something with gin." Then the search for a recipe begins. "Something herbaceous." What herbs are available in the garden or fridge? What citrus fruits and juices are on hand? What liqueurs adorn our cabinets? I am the chief mixologist, though sometimes our son, mixologist-in-training, ala Sally Draper, will participate in preparations. The drink is served. "Ahh, beautiful!" Then the photos, and the social media posts. Performed jealousy ensues online. In person, without screens, "delicious, thank you!" Gratitude. Enjoy!