Help! Help!

I'm changing the direction of my Cocktails column to be more timeless. My original mission was to provide cocktail recipes suited for holidays, celebrations, and other fun events that occur every day throughout the year. That's too dated for today's search engines, though, so I need to come up with some ideas that are evergreen.

I'm stumped. My experience in the food and beverage industry is long and it's always been focused on events and occasions so this old dog is having a hard time learning this new trick. Writer's block is taking over my brain!

Please drink about my request for a while and post topic ideas here. I welcome each and every one.

Thank you all!

Sandy, when we were planning our fantasy trip to the Moon last year, you came up with some cocktails for that. I think astronomy themes would have a lot of scope for creative cocktails - planets (Mars is red, Neptune is blue), nebulae (some lovely colors), supernova (probably would be accompanied by a hangover remedy!), stars & galaxies. A comet cocktail? Maybe round ice cubes in some of them, though slushy ones would be good for the cold places.

Hello Hello Hello there - are we allowed to get silly?

How about a taste test team (made up of a group of mates in any pub anywhere) being given a drink in a specially designed tall glass with three or four divisions into which are poured three or four concoctions served with short straws and crushed ice and creamy tops and so on.

The taster has to try and guess what is in each of the compartments or glasses for that matter.

The drink is called a Curiosity.

Yep, that could be fun ...

Cheers now!

Lestie, you are so whimsical. You always make me smile or giggle.

Hi Sandy,

I have not had time to read through all your articles so maybe I am calling for some things you have already covered but I wouldn't mind an article or so on the following - some could be connected more closely to your forum, others stand alone.

Anyway,

* getting your members to make up Trivial Pursuit style questions then running a monthly competition where first Prize is coming first AND getting to join the Hemphill Hall of Fame. With more thought this could be turned into a new project for you. Make up a 'learn your cocktails' game for an eager audience.

* Cocktails and recipes for Sofisti-kids (and other non-alcohol drinkers)

* How many ways do you know how to make Sangria?

* A look at bottle labels and design.

*Many do not want to make their own cocktails today and would like to buy them ready made and instant etc. I think there is lots to write about this, maybe could be?

* Wine-based cocktail recipes. We cook with wine so why not make cocktails with it? Add Port and other fortified wines and Sherries.

* Update a cocktail for today as in what you put into a Harvey Wallbanger? A whiskey Manhatten? Etc etc and so on

* The use of liqueurs in cocktails.

* Famous characters in life or fiction and the drinks associated with them - a potted history for cocktail time chatter. I think artist Gaughin was famous for Absinthe? But I am not looking it up and could be totally wrong.

* Article/s on the art of flinging cocktail bottles around as in the movies Cocktail for one, Coyote Ugly another. I read somewhere that James Bond has changed his drink from a Vodka Martini to something else ...

*The history of bottle shapes ... Galliano etc. Is there one - a history I mean. What about coloured bottles, why etc. Who were the designers?

* Bottle miniatures?

* RUM only cocktails/VODKA only Cocktails/BRANDY only cocktails/ CREAM only etc etc and so on. Here I mean articles with recipes where these are the main ingredients. Yes it is back to the recipes again but sometimes when you are entertaining and that is all you have left in your drinks cabinet, then how can you gussie it up or stretch etc?

* Deadly cocktails as used by the Medicis (or supposedly!)

* The BBC-Food ran a really nice series on cocktails - please look it up, I am sure there will be many ideas there. These guys had to have a memory for all sorts of drinks and be able to make them in little time and also make up a cocktail given 5 ingredients. It was a major competition and I remember really enjoying watching it.

* How to be a smart or good or clever cocktail waiter/waitress; cooking schools state by state that offer tuition? Is it a career option?

* Each of the States in your United has a state flower, bird, emblem, motto, claim to fame etc how about an article on each state then connect to bits and pieces of historical interest along with forum suggestions for the state cocktail?

* Interviews with famous Barmen/Ladies. They value their knowledge as chefs do - I bet they have an a tale or two to tell about famous watering holes, pubs and all around the country.

If you made up a questionnaire with the cocktail theme there could be another book in it for you?

* August 16th is right on the door step and is National Rum Day ... good for an article or two about both white and dark rum ... history of rum, uses in medicine (?) Pirate days and smuggling, literature etc. More research will turn up other days that have been dedicated to individual drinks month by month. Maybe this could spark off some ideas and dislodge some writers block?

Okay then, it is sleepy time for me know being after midnight by far so off I go to zzzzzz. Now what cocktail could be called that '... Barman, Please can I have two zzzzzizz', thanks

Hope the above gets some ideas going for you even if some/most are a bit naff as my mate says!

Cheers now

Hi there,

Well I have decided that a ZZZ is cocktail alternatively named


wait for it ...

here is the drumm roll drdrdbrbrdrdrbrbr followed by
a clash of cymbals

A MILKY WAY. It is served in a bowl-style drinking glass of full cream milk (room temp or slightly warmed) flavoured with real vanilla seeds and a splash of ground cinnamon or freshly ground flash or two of whole nutmeg.

To be calle a ZZZeeZZ; it is also served with a home made choc chip cookee and served before bedtime.

This serious cocktail is suitable for all styles, shapes, sizes and ages of kids and grow'd ups (including Father Christmas and his bunch).

Sadly only those who are lactose intolerant or who can't drink dairy etc will not be able to partake ... and of course will include those who are on the milk and cookies diet - you know, the one where you can have anything you want to eat and drink in any quantity at any time of day and for any reason - that is except milk'n'cookies!

All Moms are specialist Bar-Moms when it comes to serving Zzzes.

...don't mind if I do.

Cheers

Wow, Lestie, what a lot of ideas! I'd know who to ask if I had an ideas block. (Fortunately, with the whole universe to write about, there always seems to be something.)

But this ZZZeeZZ . . . How would you pronounce this? The Brits pronounce "z" as "zed" but that would get your tounge tied in knots, I think. Or there's "zzz" showing a buzzing sound. ZZeZ could be zee-zee-easy, but some would try to say zehz.

I'd be quite happy not to say it at all and go straight to the consumption, especially since it involves home made choc chip cookies. Chocolate is, of course, one of the essential food groups so this adds to the nutritional value. (Alas, also adds to hips and midriff.)

Was a bit disappointed to find the milk'n'cookies diet didn't involve having an occasional day of having all the milk and cookies you wanted rather than not being able to have them at all.

Hey Sandy - I like the consumption bit! What about a reinterpretation of the Milk'n'cookies diet. Could be that for a day or so or so that is all you eat while frantically doing product reviews for sports equipment? I mean a girl needs her strength not so?

Zed Zee or the buzz. I would go for a sort of combination as in ZZZeeZZ said a "Buzz easy" ZZZeezzee as in Z'easy or spelt Zeezee ... or maybe that's just a bee with hiccups? Oh well, whatever, its the cookies we are really after and the snuggle that comes specially at bedtime?

Pleased if you get some ideas going as a result of the top post, the mind works in magical ways and suddenly all will start to flow again. 'Don't fuss and all will fall into place' - quote from my writing tutor from a course I did last year.

Cheers

I'd be happy if I could find someone to make me a ramos gin fizz (with orange not lemon)