Mother's Day Tipples

I was looking for something light that wouldn't trash my Greatest Generation mom this Sunday. It should be noted that Mom could probably still--in her late eighties--drink most people under the table. You'd expect someone of her venerable years to like the World War Two era highballs when she's indulging, but around the time she turned 80, one of my mom's old friends got her onto apple martinis--a total club-kid drink. She enjoyed them mightily for a few years--seldom more than one, but those things are quite strong. One is plenty. We still have a bottle of that neon-colored apple pucker stuff in the house. Fortunately, it's gathering dust. It's odd and fakey. More suited to the cocktail bar scene in Star Wars than anything else.

This Fall, when my Dad (who's 90 in a couple of months, and tack-sharp still) was briefly in the hospital, Mom stayed with us, and I introduced her to a cocktail called a Presbyterian that I think I've mentioned in this blog and on the show. It's essentially a highball: ginger ale, bourbon, and fresh lime juice. A little less extreme, and she found that one of them suited her end-of-the-day desires just fine. Dad's just fine, too, by the way. I know. I'm lucky.

I'm thinking she may want only a glass of champagne with her brunch on Mother's Day (Mom LOVES the bubbly), but if she wants a mixed drink, I found this recipe that is light, refreshing, and good if you're going to be bad and have a drink with a festive mid-day meal.

Gypsy Punch

1 and 1/2 oz. light rum

1/4 oz. real grenadine (make your own, or buy a brand that uses pomegranate juice and no corn syrup)

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon bar sugar (to taste--or you could add a titch more granadine)

Shake the above ingredients in an iced shaker, strain into a highball glass filled with ice, and fill with seltzer. Grate a little fresh nutmeg on top. Serve with a straw.

Crushed ice is nice in the highball glass, if you have the patience.

Happy Mother's Day! See you at Randoradio.com at 4 Eastern--and stay tuned for our big switch to Area 24 Radio--SOON!