Staying in a Fugue State With the “dweller of the Fog”
I am currently sitting in the dining room of my friend’s apartment in Red Hook, at a stately and beautiful walnut table that has been tainted with my “productivity” attributes; laptop, papers, books I probably won’t read, broken but still working headphones, crumpled receipts, and a large, partially used paper towel cover – not even torn at the perforated seam – which I refuse to throw away if I it is necessary. I can clearly see the unwashed and disheveled hairstyle in my hair. I’m wearing a long-sleeved New York Knicks shirt that a friend of mine gave me to borrow as the weather got a little colder, and of course, despite the huge Herschel monster that I brought with me on my trip, I managed not to pack in accordance with the weather habit. change. He told me it was a special edition shirt. I nod stupidly. I know absolutely nothing about sports. I thought he was a Metz fan.
Me and this plastic flamingo in front of me have been looking at each other for the last 10 minutes. A lost observer may notice that an inanimate bird’s unblinking, dusty eye appears to convey a more serious expression than the living, breathing object of its gaze. The flamingo has no name (which I know of), but it sits and bends randomly in a spacious flower pot that is home to a large and cheerful spathiphyllum named George.
George has been alive for quite some time and has seen some shit. Moving to Red Hook from Carroll Gardens thirteen years ago; Hurricane Sandy; a neighbor who forgot to water them while my friend was away for three weeks in the middle of summer. Last night, as Ida raged with her devastating and terrifying tirade across New York, George and the flamingos seemed at a loss; their existence has not changed. I could take a page from their book. Meanwhile, the sun is shining now, the sky is blue (the weather and its habit of changing), a car has just passed, and its subwoofers are working overtime; maybe I should take another signal.
But although I also had the absurd luck that Ida left me mostly alone, I am not as calm as my tablemates, and not as mobile as outside. Today I have the hangover of life and the fog is thick.
Mist cutter? How about Fog- Dweller.
I’m sure most of you have heard of the Fog Cutter: the staple of the Tiki cocktail, invented by trader Vic during World War II, in which the cream of sherry floats on top of an unshakable blend of citrus juice, orange, and three different spirits (usually white rum). , brandy and gin). But it would be rude and disingenuous (and exceed the highlighted ingredients for this column) if I simulated any ability to cut through any kind of fog. The blind lead the blind and all that.
So instead, here’s another drink. Let’s call him Fog Dweller. I haven’t had access to a decent aged agricultural rum for two years now, so I intend to use it while I can. It’s the same with the great crushed ice that was given to me at the bar next door. My owner, Red Hook, also owns one of my all-time favorite tiki mugs, a discontinued lava cup that can’t be coaxed into selling me, but will allow me to use it while I’m here. A drink made up of little things that make me feel a little better.
Try it if you like:
- 30 g lime juice
- ½ ounce Giffard apricot liqueur (I must insist that you use Giffard liqueur as it is delicious)
- Ounces of cane syrup (or plain)
- 2 oz Agricole Aged Rum (I won’t push it, but I highly recommend Rhum JM)
- Grater nutmeg.
Place all ingredients (except the nutmeg) in a glass and stir well to combine the ingredients. Fill a mug of tiki (or whatever, work with what you have) with crushed or cracked ice, strain a quarter of the liquid mixture into it, then tamp the ice with the bottom of the glass. (The liquid will melt the ice slightly, freeing up more space in the glass for maximum crushed ice capacity.)
Add more ice and strain the remaining liquid into a glass filled with ice. Sprinkle with plenty of ice on top, then sprinkle generously with grated nutmeg. Make it snow – or fog – this will add drama to the presentation, but it will also help solidify the flavor.