Skinny Margaritas

via

Ever since I learned that tequila is the liquor with the lowest glycemic index from some of my crazy (and very skinny) friends who follow the Paleo diet, I've been making these at home on a regular basis. They're easy and good and best of all, it's a scientifically proven fact that the more of them you drink the skinnier you get.

One of the keys is using a decent tequila since you will really taste it. Usually that means a silver instead of a gold. We really like Milagro tequila for its smoky flavor. My brother sips tequila neat, but he's always been sort of a general badass.

To make skinny margaritas:
1. Fill a pretty glass with ice. Crushed is best.
3. Fill the glass about 1/3 full with tequila.
4. Add enough sparkling water until the glass is almost full. Flavored is nice, but plain is good too.
5. Add a touch of Rose's sweetened lime juice - about a pinkie finger full.
6. Use lots of fresh lime to top it off, and don't forget a nice cocktail napkin.
If you are a Paleo purist you would avoid the Rose's, of course. You try it your way and figure out what you like.

And here's my brother, the general badass, only instead of holding a glass of tequila he's holding my daughter.

Aren't I nice to send you into the weekend with a new cocktail recipe? Happy sipping.

Windy Reading and a Copper Lantern

I won't forget the snowstorm turned ice storm that hit Atlanta when I was in my early twenties. When the bad weather hit we were lucky enough to have my grandfather, Will Hayes Roberts, visiting from Nashville. He dug up the poem Snowbound (The sun that brief December day/Rose cheerless over hills of gray...) and suggested we gather around the table to read by candlelight. I don't know about you, but my early twenties weren't characterized by a desire to sit around a table reading poetry with my family members, and the poem is very, very long. I think I left the room after the first syllable or so. Nonetheless, something from that day must have resonated with me because when my cousin Hayes sent this over the weekend, it made perfect sense: sit inside, make a drink, and read great literature about hurricanes during a (potential, not so big after all) hurricane.

The Bar at Husk via

Meanwhile, we got out on Saturday night to celebrate an anniversary of sorts. The town was sleepy and the streets empty thanks to the tourists staying home in fear of Irene. We were able to walk right up to the bar at Husk and sample two of their highly raved about cocktails: the Copper Lantern and the Swizzle. I am a sucker for anything retro, and I'm in love with the new retro cocktail trend. While the Swizzle was excellent, the Copper Lantern was the kind of cocktail recipe that will survive for the next 100 years...smooth, honey-flavored, belly-warming deliciousness.

Hurricane Preparedness

When we moved to Charleston less than a year ago we expected we'd encounter a hurricane or two, and now with Irene barreling up the coast it's ON. In our house we like to be prepared, so we're busy getting our hurricane kit ready. Here's what it includes:

2 oz. light rum
2 oz. dark rum
2 oz. passion fruit juice
fresh limes
tall glasses

Directions:

1. squeeze juice from half a lime into a shaker over ice
2. pour remaining ingredients into shaker
3. shake well
4. strain into a proper hurricane glass and garnish with what you like: cherries, oranges, more lime
you can add orange juice, grenadine, or simple syrup to sweeten it a bit.

Of course the original hurricane comes from Pat O'Briens in New Orleans. The drink was developed as a way to use up rum during prohibition when rum was plentiful and other liquors like whiskey were in short supply. To read up about how to host a proper hurricane party, see here.

Now close your shutters, hunker down, and enjoy!