What I'm Drinking: Moscow Mule

Beat the summertime heat with a refreshing Moscow Mule. 

I have so much to talk about, but not enough time to write a full blog post. Let's see – we lost our power for over 24 hours last weekend due to storms that rolled through the area (that was fun!), we also put our new chicks out onto pasture last Sunday, and, perhaps most exciting, we brought home four new piglets to the farm on Saturday. They are the cutest. (You can judge their cuteness for yourself by following our farm on Instagram (@orangedogfarm) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/orangedogfarm/). 

Plus work deadlines are insane, I've taken on a small freelance project, and did I mention all the farm chores? Long story short, things are crazy busy around here.

And it has been hot. Like, capital H-O-T hot. Luckily we seem to have a little break in the weather today and it's nice and cool this morning. But that doesn't mean I'll be putting away my copper mugs for Moscow mules anytime soon!

Moscow mules – made with fresh lime juice, ginger beer, and spiked with vodka, are a perfect afternoon cocktail on a hot summer's day. Which, wait, is today, right? Happy First Day of Summer!

Moscow Mule
makes one cocktail

1/2 ounce lime juice
2 ounces vodka
4 ounces ginger beer
ice
lime slice, for garnish

Add the lime juice and vodka to a copper mug. Fill the mug with ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime slice (or two) and serve.

What I'm Drinking: A Dark and Stormy

The sun is shining, a warm breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and most importantly, the snow is melting. I think this good news (and the fact that it has been a looooong work week) calls for a cocktail. My favorite local natural foods store had ginger beer on sale, so I picked up a four-pack the other day. A little Internet sleuthing led me to the Dark 'n Stormy, a cocktail that is actually a trademark of Gosling's Rum. Since my version doesn't include Gosling's rum, let's call it a Dark and Stormy, shall we? The dark rum I opted to purchase at the liquor store was Kraken Black Spiced Rum (partially because it was between that and Captain Morgan's and, well, the label/name was pretty awesome. Yeah, I totally judge my liqueur by its cover...). This cocktail is an amalgam of spicy, sour, and sweet flavors, and more importantly, it's just what the doctor order after a hectic work week. Bring on the weekend!

Dark and Stormy (printer-friendly version)
makes one cocktail

ice
6 oz ginger beer (I used Reed's)
2 oz dark rum (I used Kraken Black Spiced Rum)
lime for garnish (if you like, add in a bit of lime juice to taste)

1. Fill a highball (tall) glass with ice. Add the ginger beer, top with the dark rum, and garnish with a lime wedge. Then drink!