So I ran across this posting about Social Drinking, and it got me thinking about my drinking habits when I get home from work.

Certainly, I’m an avid wine fan, as you have probably guessed by now. And being a certified bartender, I’ve got a pretty well stocked bar, including many home-made liquors of any number of flavours. [actually we just opened the blueberry and peach that have been sitting for about a year and they are DElicious!!]

Anyway…I do enjoy coming home from a long work day, whether stressful or not (and lately it hasn’t really been as stressful as previous jobs which is one of the reasons I love it so much), and flop on the living room chair and have some captain morgan spiced rum and diet a&w root beer. Yeah, I know it’s a wierd combination, but I like to mix it up now and then.

Actually, I have many mixers that I use with the Captain. Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Pepsi Vanilla, Diet A&W Root Beer, ice. Really, pretty much anything goes well with rum.

I think people use alcohol for many reasons. Some to escape from the stress of the day, others to increase their social abilities (especially those of us who are introverts), and others to escape from reality on a more permanent basis. Me…I’m probably in the first two categories. I certainly get a lot more talkative when I’ve had a few glasses of wine. I’m not sure if I’m one of those “Rosy Cheek” people, but my mouth certainly starts going a mile a minute.

Additionally, you will probably learn more about me than you really wanted to know when I’ve had a few glasses of wine. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing…who can say. Depends on how good of friends we are I suppose

I’m not in category three though. I do my best to watch my alcohol limits…I have a pretty high tolerance, and I also have the anti-hangover gene, but I don’t push my luck. I drink plenty of water, and usually try to have something to eat when I drink alcohol. I find it’s best to absorb a nice merlot with an equally nice filet mignon. Do whatever works for you though.

All in all, I’m a huge supporter of the merlots, the cabs, the sauvignon blancs, the pinot grigios, the syrahs, and the malbecs, to end a day with (whether stressful or not). There’s really not much better than sitting in front of a warm fire and enjoying a smooth glass of fermented grape juice.

Well…warmed Dissarano is pretty good too (by the way, the correct spelling is actually Disaronno). And speaking of Dissarano / Disaronno, there are two primary ways to enjoy it. First you can pour it over the rocks and drink it cold. When you’re done sipping, you can pop the ice cubes in your mouth and continue to enjoy the taste, because the high sugar content coats the cubes, and the inside of your glass. But please don’t lick the inside of the glass out, just pour yourself another one.

You can also drink Disaronno warmed. The best way is the bartending way. Get a highball class and fill it 3/4 with HOT water. Put your Disaronno in a snifter and lay it on the highball at an angle and rotate it around and around using the steam to warm the liquid. You’ll know it’s ready when you see just a bit of fog coming out of the Disaronno. This makes a perfect evening toddy.

And don’t forget about vodka. And well, kaluha. Oh, and cointreau (use the Disaronno trick to heat this as well). And we can’t forget peppermint schnapps.