Coincidence? I Think Not.

The non-coincidence I'm referring to is that I'm inspired to write about booze + I haven't been to work since late January. Feel free to draw your own conclusions, but I'm just going to make an educated guess, based on my weeks of research, that unemployed people drink more.

But, aren't beverages just as important as foods? Yes. So whatever the inspiration, here are my favorite beverage choices.

1. Beer. I'm totally a beer girl. I like a cocktail when I'm out at a place that makes good cocktails (or has lame beers). My top 3 beers are Guiness, Boddingtons, and Smithwicks. I had my first Guiness at the actual Guiness factory in Ireland. You get a free one at the end of the tour, and I'm glad because otherwise I might not have tried it. I used to be intimidated, but was pleased to find it doesn't really taste as heavy as it looks. It's very smooth- I tend to prefer smaller carbonation bubbles. And it's a distinctive taste that doesn't assault my palate the way some hoppier beers do. Boddinton's is quite similar in texture, but blonder in color. Both Guiness and Boddingtons are available in the can with the widget in it, so that you can pour it at home and it's like a beer on tap. Not that I can totally tell the difference, but I think when you're dealing with a thick foamy head (keep it in context, ladies) it needs to be in a nice glass and not out of a can or bottle. Smithwicks (which I first drank in Kilkenny, Ireland, where it comes from) is also awesome. I don't have the vocabulary to explain why, unfortunately. I would say it doesn't have the hops taste that I know I don't like. I tend to dislike microbrews or certainly any beer that is fruit flavored. There is a kick ass store here in the Roc called "Beers of the World" that sells pretty much every beer ever. And, you can just buy a single can or bottle. I've come across some other British/Irish/Scottish ones that are not offered anywhere else around here.

2. I enjoy a cosmopolitain if I'm at a place that makes them well. There's a spot called Tavern 58 that makes a cosmo in my top 3 of all time. I also like a Lemon Drop- and the best one(s) I've ever had was from The Cheesecake Factory. It's absolutely amazing, and I recommend immediately going to the Cheesecake Factory nearest you to try it. In general, I like a cloudy cosmo because it should have a fair amount of lime in it, it should have ice chips in it from a forceful shaking.
Given that the 2 above mentioned drinks are pretty popular right now and everyone makes them, it's sad that not everyone can make a basically good one. I've seen inappropriately sized garnish (i.e. a giant quarter of a lime in a delicate martini glass). I am still haunted by the memory of the worst Lemon Drop ever. In order to sugar the rim, the "bartender" squirted the whole glass with water, then shook two packets of Splenda all over. It was a sticky and unsophisticated mess, created right in front of me indicating that the dude had no idea what he was doing was a horrible disaster. The drink itself tasted like dishwater.
If a good cocktail is not available but I'm in a cocktail mood, I'll have a gin & tonic. Not many people can screw that up.

3. Wine. Probably the last on my list, but I know enough to navigate a wine list if needed. There's also a kick ass liquor store here, Century Pittsford (owned by the Wegman family coincidence...I think not. I like an Italian Pinot Grigio or an Australian Chardonnay. I am moderately familiar with some of the nearby wineries- Lamereaux Landing made the best Chardonnay I've ever tasted. Sometimes I'll get their Chard- good stuff but that one, which was some type of special reserve, I think, will never be matched. Different NYS vineyards also make different randy-rams which are good. All are available at Century so no need to schlep out to the lakes (although that's fun, too, and should be a birch d reunion location at some point.)
My favorite recent discovery is Prosecco. Century, which is a ginormous space (and they give out samples just like the grocery store!!) stocks numerous brands. My discovery of Prosecco is good and bad- good because I like bubbly but can't afford Cliquot for every occasion, bad because now it's easier to celebrate.

So that's what I generally choose when I'm choosing booze. I don't feel there's any other way to wrap up than to say, "I'm not an alcoholic, I just need it!"