Blinker

Happy end of January! I’m always pleased to see another winter month pass. Lately, I’ve been passing time by making plans for my gardens- ordering seeds, rethinking designs, and creating task lists. I got out in my garden for a few hours last weekend and it felt so nice. I snipped off the dead blooms on the hydrangeas and noticed some green leaf buds forming. Some of the narcissus leaves are starting to push up through the soil. For the most part, though, the garden is still asleep. I’m reading a book called “The Well-Gardened Mind” by Sue Stuart-Smith. It’s a study of how gardening and time in nature positively impacts mental health. It’s been a good reminder for me to take advantage of the dry days and get outside even for a few minutes. It’s easy to slip into a sort of heaviness during the winter months so it’s good to find moments of peace. Pulling just a few weeds will often set my mind at ease. It also gets me excited for spring and I start dreaming of garden parties with my friends! Cocktail hour has a similar effect on me. Taking a little time to make something nice to sip is a good way to mark time. It’s a moment of reflection and gratitude. This evening I’m sipping on a cocktail I read about in PUNCH called a Blinker. Robert Simonson recreated the drink that is thought to have originated in 1934. Made with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, rye whiskey, and grenadine, it’s like a winter version of a greyhound. It’s got kind of a spiced cider vibe. The editors of PUNCH recommended Jack Rudy grenadine so that is what I used. For the whiskey, I went with Bulleit Rye. Overall, a pretty tasty cocktail on this last day of January. Cheers!

Blinker

Ingredients:

3 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

2 oz rye whiskey

1 oz grenadine, preferably Jack Rudy

grapefruit wedge, as garnish

Method:

Combine grapefruit juice, whiskey, and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge or twist.