Thursday, May 19, 2011

A Tipple for a Tough Month

Mixing a Drink

Bacardi

Drink with Salad

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.  I’m feeling unsettled these days, unsure of what to do next, anxious about the future.  I haven’t been telling you much about it in this space because I’m not really sure I can say much in a public space without getting myself in trouble.  The alternative, which may be what I’m doing tonight, is to be less than honest, which I hate.  Let’s just say I’ve been thinking about how deep my roots in this town are and whether I want to push them deeper or roll into the wind like so much tumbleweed.

Tonight I must have been feeling inspired by the tumbleweed.  I went for a run in an unusual location, one with no sidewalk, so it demanded more alertness from me.  It was refreshing to take myself out of my routine and to feel my blood pumping again.  It had been way too long since my last run, and I really needed the heavy breathing and the heart pounding.  Even more than physical exertion, I needed the mental clarity that sometimes follows a good run, and tonight I made a decision: I’m going to start looking into buying a home in this area.  Making a decision is the first step, and it was a hard one.

To help me unwind after a long week and a hard decision, I made myself a little cocktail to drink with dinner.  I’ve been trying different drinks at home, trying to find one that I like enough to make regularly.  Tonight’s blend of two fruit juices, coconut milk, and rum hit the spot.  It’s sweet without being cloying, and the coconut milk smoothes any rough edges on the fruit and booze.  The rum is detectable without being overwhelming or harsh.  Altogether, it’s a light, fruity drink that goes down easily.  For those of you who prefer a virgin drink, this one is definitely worth making without the alcohol too.

Tropical Fruit Colada

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts

A few ingredient notes here.  For the orange-mango juice, I bought a jug of Simple Orange with mango, which is 100% juice.  For the coconut milk, I like Silk’s PureCoconut coconut milk, which is a light coconut milk.  You can find it in the refrigerator case.  I’ve been using it a lot in my overnight oatmeal, so I tend to have it on hand these days.

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup orange-mango juice

1/3 cup light coconut milk

1 ounce rum, or to taste

In a glass, stir together all the ingredients vigorously.  Add a few ice cubes if you like, and serve.

4 comments:

Chrissy said...

I hope you feel settled soon, and I'm sorry that you have things you need to hold back from the blogging world (though I completely understand that need!). If you want someone to chat with in email, I'm always available, and if fruity drinks are fixing things, then I am willing to raise one to you in solidarity! :)

Rosiecat24 said...

Aw, thank you for your sweet comment, Chrissy! Yeah, it's weird for me to second-guess myself about how much to share because I think it would be helpful to write about it, and this is my writing space. I can say that I've been feeling really lonely lately because my best local friend is in India and my closest lab colleague moved away. I've also been feeling annoyed that I'm almost 30 and I'm still living in an apartment, which is a consequence of being an early-career academic.

But I think I'm going to try to make some plans with other friends, and I am going to start looking into buying a home. I'm really excited about having my own place! I am so ready for it.

You are such a kind blog-friend! I love our conversations. xoxo

Unknown said...

yeah, there's a fine line in regards to the things I share in a post versus those i may chat about on someone else's or via email :) congrats on making a big decision though!! i'm jealous...

Rosiecat24 said...

Ah, but Shannon, you are living in big, beautiful Boston! I miss city life so much, so I'm jealous of you too :-)