Friday, July 31, 2009

Upcoming Mixology Monday: Vodka Is Your Friend


After an intensive recovery period from the drunken debauchery at Tales of the Cocktail, August finds us back on track with Mixology Monday, carousing with our old friend, vodka.

The theme of August 10th’s Mixology Monday is “Vodka is Your Friend.” The recent high profile bashings of vodka interspersed with a few weak “yeah, buts…” left me wondering, is vodka the axis of evil, our most dangerous enemy? While it may not be the life of the party, experts agree: Vodka’s obituary does not have to be written just yet.

A lot of people have rules when it comes to drinking cocktails. Some (underprivileged, unfashionable, unconscious) folks don’t like bourbon. Others can’t handle gin. I can’t stomach rum, thanks to my Bacardi-Rum-151-meets-roller-skating incident when I was 14. Vodka can be a “safer” spirit for those who can’t be convinced to take risks.

Vodka also offers a Zen-like simplicity. Because it is relatively flavorless, using vodka as a base of a cocktail means you get to start with a blank chalkboard. Beginner’s mind. What flavor would you like to be today?

I just glanced at our Lounge cocktail menu and realized that more than – yikes - half of our house cocktails are based on vodka. You won’t find a lot of fancy pants drinks on our menu, but you will find concoctions on our specials boards bursting with fresh, local fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Vodka is an excellent neutral base for our locavore infusion experimentations.

The Wall Street Journal might say vodka is passé, but the New York times counters that it ain’t dead yet. Vodka is still your friend. So what do YOU like about vodka? Why do you keep that bottle of Grey Goose on your shelf? What do your customers beg you to make with vodka? What vodka-based drink has stayed in your personal book of beloved cocktails? ‘Fess up.

Here’s how Mixology Monday works:
  • Find or create a cocktail that contains vodka as one of its ingredients.
  • Post your recipe and reasonings on your blog along with a drink photo. Make sure to include a link to Felicia’s Speakeasy (this blog) and Mixology Monday, as well as the MxMo logo.
  • Email me a link to your post before midnight on Monday, August 10 (amelia AT atomicloungeithaca DOT com) –or- post a link to your blog as a comment on this post.
I will post a wrap up on my blog with all of the cocktails and photos on late Tuesday or Wednesday. Za Vas!

Editor's note: It is OK to use flavored vodka, as long as your final cocktail tastes good!

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33 comments:

Paul said...

A question from the crowd: is flavored vodka permitted? I'm a live-and-let-live, sure what the hell kind of person, but I thought I'd leave the answer up to you as our gracious host. You may have something in mind that requires sticking to the pure stuff, and in which case, we'll follow your lead.

So -- flavored vodka, yea or nay?

Who is Felicia? said...

Yes, you can use flavored vodka. I added that note to the post.

Chris W. said...

And I've got my entry posted for MxMo XLI. You can find it at http://urbanenotcosmopolitan.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixology-monday-xli-vodka.html

frederic said...

This is Frederic from Cocktail Virgin and here's our entry:

http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2009/08/sputnik.html

Cheers!

Tiare said...

Hi! my enytry is here:

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/?p=6464

Cheers!

Tiaret

Tiare said...

Hi! my enytry is here:

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/?p=6464

Cheers!

Tiare

Jon said...

Hi,

The ednbrg effort is up at:

http://ednbrg.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/mxmo-vodka-is-your-friend/

Thanks for hosting!

J

Unknown said...

I've got the Japonais posted, over at Cocktailians:

http://www.cocktailians.com/2009/08/mxmo-submission-the-japonais.html

(Should I be worried that the CAPTCHA to post this comment was "palin"? I nearly spilled my drink.)

Christopher Carlsson said...

Maybe not the best post but hopefully you may find it amusing : http://spiritsreviewblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/in-praise-of-vodka.html

Anonymous said...

My highly informative and well-reasoned post is here:
http://drinksnob.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/mxmo-xli-vodka-is-your-friend/

Michael said...

Hello ello.

My post is here.

http://myachinghead.net/2009/08/the-russian-pirate/

I kinda took the vodka out. Feel free to poke fun at me (though I suspect I won't be the only person)

Maria Hunt said...

Hi there:

Happy Mixology Monday. Please check out my blog The Bubbly Girl for my submission, the Rose Guava Pinky.
Cheers,
Maria
http://preview.tinyurl.com/mebu97

Jeff Johnson said...

My post is here:



http://undertakingthebar.wordpress.com/2009/08/10/mixology-monday-the-peppertini/

Thanks!

Herr Grau said...

Uh, my first MxMo and already I'm late... Sorry.

Here's the post:

http://lookalivecontest.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/mixed-feelings-mixology-monday-xli/

Greets,
Herr Grau

scomorokh said...

Hi! My name is scomorokh and I am owner of ScienceOfDrink Blog. I from Ukraine and Vodka (gorilka) is our traditional beverage. For this event I write aboutBlack and White Russian cocktails with somу Magic

Nice to see all there! As we say - Bud`mo!

Jessamyn said...

Well, it didn't work out very well, but I tried: http://www.foodonthebrain.net/2009/08/10/mixology-monday-vodka-is-not-your-friend/

Pantagruel said...

Thanks for hosting, here's my entry:

http://www.wordsmithingpantagruel.com/2009/08/vilnius-nastavnic-and-surrender-monkey.html

Drinkapotamus said...

http://www.alpha-cook.com/2009/08/mixology-monday-vodka-is-your-friend.html

...because i am classy and drink flavored vodka

Cocktail Buzz said...

Here is our post. Thanks for hosting!
- Paul & Steve

http://cocktailbuzz.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixology-monday-xli-vodka-is-your.html

~Sonja~ said...

Here's my post, with a Cucumber Caipiroska. Thanks for hosting - cheers!

http://thinkingofdrinking.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixology-monday-vodka-vodka-vodka.html

wolfie said...

Vodka: here is my main use

http://caskstrength.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/mixmo-vodka-and-one-of-vodkas-4-or-5-uses-channel-knife-training/

wolfie said...

how i use vodka

http://caskstrength.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/mixmo-vodka-and-one-of-vodkas-4-or-5-uses-channel-knife-training/

The Opinionated Alchemist said...

Hi - first of all thank you for hosting another MxMo!

You can find my post about vodka here:

http://www.opinionated-alchemist.com/the_opinionated_alchemist/the_opinionated_bar-log/Entries/2009/8/10_MxMo_XLI_-_Vodka.html

Or just head over to www.opinionated-alchemist.com to find your way to the blog...

Hope I am not too late...

Cheers!

Stevi Deter said...

My post is up! Thanks for a fun topic!

http://www.twoatthemost.com/mxmo-xli-vodka-is-your-friend-the-mike-romanoff-cocktail/

Unknown said...

Here is another one we whipped up using a vodka just up the road from Ithaca:
http://spiritsreviewblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/in-praise-of-vodka-ii.html

Paul said...

Here's mine --

MxMo Vodka -- Wait, what?

Thanks for hosting -- and apologies for the lack of a photo, I'm blogging in from vacation away from the liquor cabinet.

RumDood said...

God, running so late, hope I made it!

http://rumdood.com/archive/2009/08/10/mixology-monday-vodka.aspx

Christopher Carlsson said...

Just correcting my earlier URL Mistake-

Lance J. Mayhew said...

Here is my post. Thanks for hosting this month!

http://lancejmayhew.blogspot.com/2009/08/mxmo-xli-vodka-is-your-friend-kingyo-no.html

the barkeep said...

The Acai Blackberry Cooler

thanks for hosting

Chris Amirault said...

Quite a few ideas over in the eG Forums Spirits & Cocktails topic.

http://bit.ly/iDZCg

Lots of ideas, though no one seems to be feeling the Borscht Belt love....

Cheers,

Chris

Christian said...

no: vadka isn´t my friend but cosmopolitan is ok

http://cocktailwelt.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixology-monday-vodka-is-your-friend.html

greatings from germany :-)

Anonymous said...

Its late, so if it doesn't make the roundup, no worries.

http://bit.ly/MxMoVodka