The election is near and the chatter is non – stop.  Need a break? Try one of these strong cocktails and unwind.

Local and national politics seem to be sucking up all the energy in the room. Unity seems to be a bit short and everyone is on edge. What the people need is a little break and maybe a drink and these strong cocktails will help forget politics and perhaps aid in making a few friends, or at least common ground with the bartender!

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Long Island Iced Tea

This drink has been the introduction of hangovers to many a college student. Slow and go is perfect for the Long Island Iced Tea. There are competing thoughts on the invention of the drink, but what is clear – it was invented in Long Island. Flavor rich, this drink is best served with a snack.

Ingredients

• ½ fluid ounce vodka
• ½ fluid ounce rum
• ½ fluid ounce gin
• ½ fluid ounce tequila
• ½ fluid ounce triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
• 1 fluid ounce sweet and sour mix
• 1 fluid ounce cola, or to taste
• 1 lemon slice

Create

1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice
2. Add vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, and sour mix over ice
3. Cover and shake.
4. Pour cocktail into a tall glass
5. Top with splash of cola or tea for color
6. Garnish with a lemon slice

Manhattan

A classic drink with a nod to the days of back room political deals, the Manhattan is a classic – the brown water version of the martini. The legend of this drink is it was born in an election. Said to be developed at the Manhattan Club by Ian Marshall for a dinner hosted for presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden. The host, Winston Churchhill’s mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, the former American Jennie Jerome.

Ingredients

• 2 fluid ounces rye whiskey
• ½ fluid ounce sweet vermouth
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 maraschino cherry

Create

1. Combine whiskey, vermouth, and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass
2. Add ice and stir until chilled
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass
4. garnish with a maraschino cherry

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La Louisiane

Another gift from New Orleans, the best drinking city in the US. It was a house cocktail of the late restaurant La Louisiane. The eatery was famous for their bouillabaisse, strong drinks and sad demise.  But this cocktail is a toast to good times.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/2 ounce Benedictine
• 3 dashes absinthe
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 1 maraschino cherry

Create

1. Add the rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters into a mixing glass with ice
2. Stir until well-chilled
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass
4. Garnish with a maraschino cherry

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The Chicago Cocktail

The history of this cocktail is unknown with early versions showing up in London, Chicago and the South of France. What is clear, Chicago has a long history with politics, so what not imbibe in a drink to make you leave it behind.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz brandy
• 1 dash of Grand Marnier
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Splash of sparkling bubbles

Create

1. Combine all ingredients in pitcher
2. Add ice and stir well
3. Strain into cocktail glass rimmed with superfine sugar
4. Top up with sparkling wine

May you muddle through through the rest of the election season with the cocktails.

Fall is football season which means it is time for tailgate parties!  Maybe you should add hemp to the buffet!

Football season is here – and whether college or professional, tailgating is a thing. It takes place around sporting events, festivals and concerts. There is usually food, drinks, music and a good time. But, should you add hemp beverages to your tailgating? While marijuana is slowly becoming legal across the national, some big football states aren’t there. But hemp is legal and even some deep anti-marijuana states are embracing it. Texas, a huge football state, has hemp beverages sold at local and national chains. Hemp beverage can be seen as taking a bite out of the White Claw market, yet a bit healthier.

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The nemesis of marijuana, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is proud of his blocking federal progress, but he has ensured hemp has a green light. Hemp beverage have become a billion dollar market. Wana Brands, a leader in the cannabis industry, has rolled out 3 beverages.  Bayou Beverages out of Texas has taken the state by storm with products in Total Wine and convenience stores around the state. Hemp is sold like alcohol with restrictions on age and how it is sold.

Hemp or CBD drinks are created by infusing hemp extract, derived from the cannabis plant, into a liquid base. The most popular hemp-infused drinks include water, juice, tea, and coffee. One of the big differences between marijuana and hemp drinks is the “high”. With  Delta-9 hemp, consumers tend to have a more intense experience and comes on faster than THC. It is a euphoric high when altered sensory perception and a sense of relaxation.

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California Governor Newsom is supporting emergency rules to curb sale of hemp products with potent high.  The state is struggling with their cannabis industry, high taxes and allowing the black market to run free have hurt mom and pop businesses.  While consumers have been high, the states oversight has been driving them to hemp and to the marijuana black market.

A staple of neighborhoods for meats, fresh vegetables and more – will California add in marijuana?

About 12% of people browse and potentially shop a Farmer’s Market on a regular basis.  Usually they are pop-ups in a neighborhood with everything from local meat and fresh vegetables to vintage clothing and handcrafted products. Now the question is will California let marijuana be sold at farmers markets? A bill is going through the state legislature to allow small batch farmers and producers to sell at these venues.  It could be an another step in fixing the chaos around their cannabis market.

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The California cannabis industry has been struggling. With high taxes from state, regional and local governments, the businesses are burdened with high operational costs. Additionally, the state has done little or nothing to reduce the black market. This has lead some companies have gone under. Despite consumer use growing. While there has been lots of talk, this is one of the first major action. When legalization first started sweeping the country, California was the largest market. But with New York slowly getting their act together after chaotic rollout of recreational, they may lose out of being the top market.

This summer, the state legislature developed a bill to allow small producers to sell at local markets. This would be give some of the mom and pop more opportunity to reach consumers. They would only be allowed to see at markets in places like San Francisco where cannabis events are allowed by local governments. It would also cut overhead and the purchase price for customers, potentially reducing the huge black market in the state. The bill was forwarded to Governor Newsom, who is pondering whether or not to sign it and make it possible.

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Governor Newson is a seasoned politician who is always looking to the future. This could be the first step in helping a popular, and for the state, profitable industry. Newsom was elected governor of California in 2018 and has stewarded the government’s action toward the industry, this could help provide some much needed relief.