It’s 5:00 here in Culinary Confinement, where as luck might have it I came home with a bottle of Lime Absolut and some ginger beer. You can see where this is headed.
If you are unfamiliar with Moscow Mules, you are probably missing out on one of the most thirst quenching adult beverages ever. Period.
A word about the copper mug first. Do you have to use one? YES. Well, I suppose you probably don’t absolutely have to, but if you have one laying around, rinse it out and use it. It is the preferred vessel of the cocktail, as most cocktails have glassware that is unique to them.
The legend of the Moscow Mule goes like this: In the early 1940’s the president of the company best known for its A-1 Steak Sauce purchased a vodka distillery named Smirnoff. Vodka was in its early phases of discovery in America, so he was telling a friend who owned a pub in Hollywood that he was having a hard time selling it. The pub owner seemed to have cases of ginger beer in his basement that he was having a hard time selling. A third person had an excess of copper mugs. Together they brainstormed a drink of vodka, ginger beer, and some lime juice served in a copper mug imprinted with a kicking mule, and it became one of the most popular drinks of the 50’s and 60’s.
The basic recipe calls for half a lime squeezed over ice, 2 oz. vodka, and 4 oz. ginger beer, garnished with lime slices — hopefully served in your beautiful and cold copper mug.
But the variations are nearly endless.
Starting with the alcohol, you can substitute tequila for a Mexican Mule, bourbon for a Kentucky Mule, a Gin Buck (with gin), or a Dark ‘n Stormy, made with dark rum (not big boobs).
You can also add fresh fruit or fruit juices that mingle well with lime. Think cherry, blood orange, pomegranate, and raspberries — or the infinite flavors of vodka on the shelves.
So what’ll you have? Or what do you wish you were having? Maybe it’s not an adult beverage, and maybe it’s not even a beverage. Tell me about it, what are your plans, your hopes, your dreams?
It’s 5:00 here and hopefully it’s 5:00 soon where you are. Cheers!