Dog On A Root

  Moscow Mule - jim Young Autumn may be officially just around the corner but that doesn’t mean we won’t still be able to enjoy a few more sunny days of sitting in the backyard enjoying some fun summer drinks. For something just a little different, why not try a Moscow Mule? From “Chapter 5: Common Cocktails” of my new book “Belly up to the Bar, Cocktails for Two” , the Moscow Mule isn’t really that common but it’s quick and easy to make. In addition to cocktail recipes, as you will read below I try to provide a bit of the background of the origins of the cocktails along with some personal anecdotes and family stories. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of “Belly up to the Bar” , it’s available on Amazon or you can contact me at dogonaroot@gmail.com for more information. Moscow Mule (1.5) Stuff You’ll Need: 1½ oz Vodka ½ oz Lime Juice Ice cubes 4 oz Ginger Beer 1 Lime Wedge Do This: Add all of the ingredients except for the lime wedge into a highball glass and stir to mix...

An Open Letter To My Children… I’m Dead - jim Young, “To begin with, Marley was dead… dead as a door nail.” - Charles Dickens It’s been almost 10 years since my sister and I were charged with settling our parents’ estate. Some of the challenges are still fresh in my mind. And just as I wanted to avoid the mistakes my parents made in raising me when I became a parent, so too do I want to avoid the mistakes my parents made with the instructions they left me when they left this world as I prepare now to follow them. My children deserve new and better mistakes on my part and damn it - that’s what they’ll get! So the following is an open letter to my children in the hopes it will make the challenges they will one day face a little easier. If you’re reading this, I’m dead. Well not necessarily “this” . If you’re reading “this” it just means you’re reading something I’ve published online or in the Great North Arrow or something like that. So thanks for following me and reading my stuff. I’...

 

 

Free Is Fun - jim Young “I don’t care how much money you have, free stuff is always a good thing.” Queen Latifah I am proud of my Scottish Heritage. And at the risk of perpetuating a myth let me just say “Free” is my second favourite four letter word. It seems there was a lot more free stuff when I was young. Post-war manufacturing growth and the new medium of television brought about inventive marketing strategies to combat fierce competition. This ultimately resulted in free giveaways and mail-in prizes to encourage brand loyalty. The brand loyalty concept didn’t really work on me though. As a youngster during the 50s and 60s my only loyalties lay with whatever flashy give-away toy caught my eye as I followed my mother down the aisles of the grocery store. And there were a lot of them to choose from. One of my favourites that comes to mind was the small plastic submarines that used to come in boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. After filling them with baking soda and dropping them into a...

 

  The Harvey Wallbanger - jim Young This recipe is from “Chapter 5: Common Cocktails” of my new book “Belly up to the Bar, Cocktails for Two” . In addition to cocktail recipes, as you will read below I try to provide a bit of the background of the origins of the cocktails along with some personal anecdotes and family stories. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of “Belly up to the Bar” , it’s available on Amazon or you can contact me at dogonaroot@gmail.com The Harvey Wallbanger was a popular cocktail I discovered in bars in the 1970s when I first came of drinking age. It’s too bad that it’s not as readily available as it once was, but there’s no reason you can’t make them at home.  Harvey Wallbanger (2.5) Stuff You'll Need: 1 oz Vanilla Liqueur 1½ oz Vodka Chilled Orange Juice Slice of Lemon Do This: 1. Pour Vodka and Vanilla Liqueur over ice cubes in a highball glass. 2. Top with Orange Juice. 3. Gently stir. 4. Garnish with a slice of lemon. The Harvey Wallbanger wa...