I dislike almost all hard alcohol, which is probably a blessing, considering I do love cocktails, entertaining, and pretty drinks. I bet I'd be in big trouble if I liked the full gamut. But, I'm pretty much limited to vodka cocktails (they don't make me gag like rum, gin, and most whisky/bourbon/brandy/scotch varieties do) and then, of course, tequila. Ben and I have done our cocktail experimenting and my go to drinks at home are margaritas and lemon drops. It doesn't leave a lot of variety. Then I read an article about moscow mules and realized that my ginger ale obsession, my love of Crater Lake vodka (it's seriously the best and distilled in Bend, Oregon) and true-love for citrus were all present in one cocktail! Gold. Below is the recipe!
Moscow Mules (makes one)
1.5 oz. vodka
1/2 lime
Ice
Fill a Tom Collins glass (ours were all in the dishwasher, so we used old-fashioned glasses above) with ice and then squeeze in half a lime. You can throw in the entire lime once squeezed for extra flavor. Pour in one to two ounces of good vodka and a bottle of ginger beer and you're set. Ginger beer is not ginger ale, though I bet ginger ale would work in a pinch. We've used Fentiman's, Cock n' Bull and Crabbies (Crabbies is alcoholic - 4.8%) so far and they all lent an awesome, but different taste to the drink.
Fair warning, all, you'll want more than one of these... so buy a few bottles of ginger beer and put your feet up with an episode of Midwives (our latest Netflix endeavor)!
*This recipe is pretty standard but adapted from Esquire and the Cock n Bull bottle.