The Good, The Bad and Margaritas

Lots of things were happening this weekend in my neck of the woods.

First the Bad News:

Someone tried to set off a car bomb in Times Square.

If you are a regular reader you know I visit NYC frequently. In fact, I was in NYC last Sunday, and the Wednesday before that too. Right there. In Times Square.

This is frightening to me. Truly frightening and disturbing. Frightening because someone wanted to KILL people. Innocent people. Disturbing because as the police were clearing Times Square, people were crowding the barriers and taking pictures. Have people learned nothing about personal safety? I mean, if I had been there I would have been running, YES RUNNING, in the other direction.

WTF on both counts. WTF to the deranged maniac who parked an SUV with a home made bomb in the middle of Times Square and WTF to the tourists who milled about waiting to see what was going to happen next. I just don't get it. Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm getting old.

Now the Good News:

No one was hurt and I wasn't there.

And TBHITW and I went to an Uno de Mayo Party on Saturday night. Yes, we know it's Cinco, but we are way to old to party on a work night.

Margaritas were plentiful and very, very good.

There are a lot of Margarita mixes on the market but if you want a really, really good one you have to make it yourself, from scratch. Both events of this past weekend called for a double batch. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

A Perfect Margarita: (makes one, but can easily be doubled, tripled, etc)

1 1/2 ounces Tequila

1/2 ounce triple sec or Cointreau if you are feeling rich

1 ounce lime juice

Pour all three ingredients in a shaker with crushed ice. Shake vigorously.

Slide a lime around the outer rim of your margarita glass. Dip the rim in salt (optional). Strain drink into glass.

Salud!

And where ever you are, be safe.

Party Shoes and Cocktails

Most days my daily footwear is dictated by the weather.

My shoe of choice is my trusty Birkenstocks. I've been wearing the same style for almost 20 years, I replace them every other year (a standard B-day gift from The Best Husband In The World) because they are worn to the cork.

When the weather turns cold I add socks. Geeky right?

Early morning dog walks have me wearing these.

Unless it's raining, then I wear these.

When I am working (cooking) I wear these.

But every now and then

I wear something like these.

They are the perfect accessory to these:

Cosmopolitans: makes 2

1 cup vodka of choice (I LOVE Tito's. A small distillery out of Texas. If you can find it, try it!)

1/2 cup Cointreau

Juice of 1/2 lime or splash Rose's lime juice

1/4 cup cranberry juice

Crushed ice

Fill a shaker with crushed ice. Add the vodka, Cointreau, lime and cranberry juice. Shake vigorously for 30 shakes. It HAS to be 30 shakes. Really hard. The perfect martini has tiny slivers of ice crystals floating on top. That keeps it cold from the first sip to the last.

Put your party shoes on and strain into two chilled martini glasses.

Repeat as necessary.

A Cook's Notes: There's more to The Good Cook than just food!