This rain!

I know several parts of the country are enduring droughts and water shortages, but here in Chicago we’ve had rain, rain and more rain. We are all waiting not-so-patiently for summer’s arrival.

Even with the clouds, there is always a bright side. Last night we turned an otherwise dreary and rainy evening into fun family time at home. Chris made cocktails and mocktails, and I turned on dance music extra loud. A dance party for six!

For the cocktails, Chris made a cosmopolitan for me, kiddie cocktails for the kids, and a manhattan for himself. He used “real” maraschino cherries for the latter two. Conventional ones from the grocery store are loaded with suspicious dyes and ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.   Their neon appearance freaks me out, and I just don’t believe FD&C Red 40 is good for our bodies. So, we splurge on Luxardo cherries – they are expensive, but kiddie cocktails are not an every day treat.

Kiddie Cocktail

7-Up, Sprite or Ginger Ale

Maraschino cherries & juice (click here for the cherries we use)

Add ice to cups and fill with the pop. Drop in a few cherries and stir in a spoonful of cherry juice. Serve to happy kids!

Chris’s Manhattan

2 oz rye whiskey (Chris like Bulleit Bourbon)

1 oz sweet vermouth (Noilly Pratt is Chris’s preferred brand)

Luxardo Maraschino cherries + 2 tablespoons of the juice

Combine whiskey, vermouth and cherry juice in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Serve over rocks and garnish with cherries.

Chris likes to say that the quality of the end product can never exceed the quality of the ingredients. So, don’t skimp on lower quality ingredients!