Actually, I don’t mean that. It’s probably a very nice drink. But I’m unable to drink magaritas. I had a bad…BAD experience with Tequila when I was about 17 (think of eyes strapped open scene in “A Clockwork Orange” meets the pea-soup scene in “The Excorcist”)…now I can’t even stand the smell of the devil’s liquid without my gorge rising.
Inspired by Scylla’s World’s Best Margarita thread, I present MY drink of choice, and, as a manly man with hair on his chest, I’m gonna come out of the closet and admit it.
I like Shirley Temples.
There. I said it. Hear me now: I like Shirley Temples and I’m proud of it, dammit.
I like other drinks, I love a good Rhisling, I’m learning to enjoy Port and Scotch, homemade limeade is wonderful, but at the same time, a good Shirley Temple can top them all in goodness.
Get a tumbler, like you’d use for a Manhattan. Chill it: frosting’s unnecessary.
First, take a lime. Scylla’s completely right: The pretty limes with the shiny green skin? Fuggedaboudum. You want ugly, thin-skinned limes. Key limes work, but they’re missing a zing that the regular limes have. Anyway, take the limes and nuke 'em for about 30 seconds max. When you take the lime out, let it sit for 30 more seconds. Cut it open over a glass and, with your hand squeeeeeeeze the juice and pulp out. Use a fork or something to pick the lime seeds out.
You should have a finger or so of lime-juice. Depending on your tastes, put about that same amount of grenadine in.
Get your ginger-ale. And here’s the secret: it must be Canada Dry. Maybe in a pinch Schwepps. NOT Vernors (which is good, but not in this recipe). Not “Outrageous” brand Ginger Ale (which is better than beer for quenching a thirst…but far more expensive). Canada Dry. The subtle smokey undertones mixed with it’s subtle sweetness make it a drink of choice.
And it must be cold. If ice touches this drink, it’ll dilute it, and diluted ginger-ale is only slightly less disgusting than diluted root beer.
Pour about 2/3ds to 3/4ths of a can of chilled Canada Dry over the lime/grenadine mixture. Stir gently. Add a marischino cherry. Sip.
Heaven.
For those who can’t cope with ginger-ale (poor souls) a varient drink can be made by substituting R.C. Cola (best choice) or Coke (not Pepsi: too sweet) for the Ginger Ale, whereupon it becomes a “Roy Rogers” And for those who insist on booze in their drinks, a finger or two of triplesec make a nice addition.
The best thing about this drink is that, in addition to tasting good, it’s the single best drink to have at a party when you’re alone as it’s a perfect asshole detector. If a stranger walks up to you and asks what you’re having and, when told, snorts, chortles or mocks, you know you’re in the presence of an asshole. And it’ll intrigue the best women, as they dig guys who are confident enough in their own studliness to drink whatever the hell they want. Certainly I’m intrigued by a femme fatale who, when I ask if I could buy her a drink, will flout society’s conventions and whisper throatily “I’ll have another Roy Rodgers. Heavy on the lime.”
America’s little sweetheart has America’s greatest non-alcoholic drink named after her. What could be more appropriate?
Fenris
