The Mix ~ Aboard the ms. Statendam

One of my favorite places aboard the ms. Statendam was The Mix.  A lounge bar with a wonderful bartender named Rex.  

Rex ~ The Mix ~ ms. Statendam

Rex was a really nice guy and his girlfriend, Vanessa, worked in the Crow's Nest.  I would stop to see Rex around 8:00 each night to listen to Theresa, the guitarist, and have a drink, before heading upstairs to the Crow's Nest.  Rex would send Vanessa messages through me. A coupe of nights Mina and I met for a drink.

Me, as I get ready to go see Rex.

I would challenge Rex to find me a new drink each night with the following rules: had to have hard liquor and could not be sweet.  By the end of the week Rex was starting to sweat it and was doing research before coming on shift to see if could find something new for me.  A couple of nights he had it easy because the special of the night would suit me, but then they started being sweet drinks. 

One night Rex made me a drink that they drink at parties below deck called a YingYang with 7 liquors.  It was good but a little too fruity.  

The last night of the cruise was my favorite.  My first drink was a daiquiri, then a margarita with a little extra tequila.  I then went up to the Crow's Nest, but before the evening was over I went back to see Rex.  I wanted another drink, but something different.  He decided to make me something with champagne, but when he put a sugar cube in it I became suspicious.  He added a few more things and I tried it but not very enthusiastically.  I did not like it at all, and it didn't take long for Rex to realize it.  He started laughing. He then made me a grapefruit cosmo.  I will admit to having four before going back to my room.  Good thing I didn't have this drink at the beginning of the cruise.

Pink Grapefruit Cosmos

2 Lime Wedges
1/8th Grapefruit

Hand press the fruit with a muddler and add ice
Add the following:

1.5 oz Vodka
1.5 oz House made sour (1 part fresh lemon juice, 1 part fresh lime juice, 2 parts simple syrup. Simple syrup = 1/2 cup sugar to 1 1/2 cups water).
1.0 oz Cranberry juice

Shake and strain into martini glass
Garnish with grated grapefruit zest over top of drink

I told Rex I would "miss him most of all."

'Tis the Season 17

A lot of my friends are doing their holiday baking.  I used to do a lot of baking during the holidays for parties, Raymond's work buddies, neighbors, etc., but it seems most of my friends are on diets or restrictions for health reasons, so I just don't bake at all now.  

My mom baked up until the last couple years of her life.  She baked on a weekly basis. When my brother and I were growing up there were certain recipes mom only made at Christmas.  Two of those recipes were her Mexican Orange Candy and New Orleans Pralines.  I don't like pralines of any kind, but I loved the candy.  

Her recipes were in several cookbooks in KY.  I think I will share the two above here:

New Orleans Pralines
2 c. white sugar
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 T. white syrup
2 c. chopped pecans

Boil sugar, milk and syrup to soft boil stage.  Add pecans, butter, vanilla. Beat until creamy. Spoon onto waxed paper. These spoonfuls will form a small disc, so allow room in between.  You can top with half a pecan in the center of each praline.  

Mexican Orange Candy
3 c. granulated sugar
Grated rind of 2 oranges
1 c. nutmeats (black walnuts or pecans)
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c. rich sweet milk
1/2 c. butter

Melt a cup of sugar in a large kettle (6 quart capacity).  Scald milk in a double boiler.  When sugar is melted to a rich yellow, add hot milk, all at once.  Keep stirring.  Mixture will boil up quickly, so you must use large kettle. Add 2 cups of sugar to this mixture stirring until dissolved.  Just before it is done, add orange rind, salt, butter and nutmeats.  Beat until it is creamy; pour into a butter pan to cool.  

(The recipe doesn't say, but I remember a 9x13 pan and once it is cool you cut the candy into squares)