Another seasonal event is upon us, Hallows Eve. All the little ghouls will be running around collecting their sugar laden loot like a horde of drunken monkeys. The big ghouls will be embarking upon their own adventures at their drinking layer of choice. Much like the little ghouls, the the big ghouls will be partaking in the excess consumption of evil spirits and mind altering sugary substances. These “cocktails” will turn a sane individual into a creature displaying no fear and will temporarily remove all sense of dignity and intelligence from their mortal thought factory. These drinks will make them believe they are superior creatures who are suave, debonair, comedic, indestructible, remorseless and infuse them with boundless energy. However, like all pacts with the devil, these potions only offer temporary powers and as pumpkin hour descends upon them, they will become the the esophageal expelling hordes of regret and embarrassment. What are these intoxicating liquids, of satanic origin, that impart and take away such powers?

Finding grenadine syrup isn’t very hard, but you won’t likely find a decent one at your local grocery store, nor most restaurant supply companies. You may find good grenadine at specialty shops or online. But that leads to the question; Is there such a thing as good grenadine? I’d have to say yes there is, but for the most part they are all very sweet and bright red in colour. So depending on your application, you may decide which is right for your cocktails, because the flavours vary widely and so does the price. Most are artificially flavoured, some are all natural and some are in between.

Every once in a while I get a comment that rubs me the wrong way. I usually ignore them and press the "junk comment" button, sending the offending comment down the proverbial data toilet. But this comment is epic. When dumb people speak, or type, the truth can be found in between the lines. Hell, some of it is spelled out very clearly. This one is supposedly from someone who thinks they are the best thing to happen to bartending since Jerry Thomas. Everything he says in his comment is everything I hate about bartending. Don't get me wrong, I love bartending, but it is people like this that make being a "professional" bartender difficult.

So there I was, lying on the Chesterfield in an unambitious state, on a Sunday afternoon, thinking I should be doing something other than vegetating and watching TV. Mixology Monday, being hosted by the Liquid Muse, was on my mind, because I had yet to come up with a good food and cocktail pairing. True to form though, I always leave my topic for Mixology Monday to the absolute last minute. Procrastination is so rewarding! Anyway, I was watching the Food Network and one of my favorite programs came on, Good Eats. Alton Brown has provided the inspiration for today's Mixology Monday, pretzels. Now I just need a cocktail to go with them.

In the never ending quest to discover what makes a great cocktail, I've embarked upon a study of grenadine. Sure it may seem like a trivial subject, but I've learned that it’s the small things that are often over looked and lead to the downward trend in quality. When we really understand the simple things, it allows us to create more complex creations. In the world of the chef, the study of salt can takes months, or even a lifetime, to be truly understood. A professional chef can use salt to great effect in creating awe inspiring dishes. Good bartenders should know how to use basic ingredients also. Ya, grenadine doesn't have the importance of salt, but a good bartender should also be able to identify quality ingredients. So lets take a look at what makes a good grenadine.

When a girl doesn't know what to order at a bar she will generally default to a handful of drink choices, one of them being the Sex on the Beach. Lately I've been feeling the same way about writing, so I'm defaulting to a default cocktail. This is a simple, but effective, cocktail that seems to please the sugar junky masses. This drink has many variations, but for the most part the variations are related. When properly made, the Sex on the Beach is a descent drink (i.e. better than a Screwdriver), and few bartenders actually screw it up, so it is consistent at least. Also, when the stagette party walks up to the bar, whipping up a dozen Sex on the Beaches is an easy task.

by Caroline O'Neil

Well, I just usurped Darcy's post. It seems that the cold and flu season is now upon us. Currently, I'm taking care of two babies...one little and one big baby. Poor Fionn and Darcy are suffering their first cold of the season. I think that Fionn is a little bioincubator that catches everything out there and brings it home to mommy and daddy. I decided that I better post an article soon before I succumb to the same fate. It appears that the Hot Toddy is in order. Now Darcy made a Hot Toddy last night but just didn't have the energy to write an article. Thankfully I had one too as a preventative measure and so far I am doing okay. I also have a cold but I seem to be faring a bit better than the rest of the house. Of course I was up all night tending to their needs so I'm also very tired. I apologize in advance for anything that seems slightly incoherent.