IN THE GARDEN

 

After the last few weeks and weekends being gone, I finally had a weekend to myself before things get socially busy again with trips and vacations and had to time to spend outdoors in the garden to tend to some things. Amazing how quick and flourishing they are. My Cassia or popcorn plants as they are nicknamed, are just about up over the fence at this point! And the datura are yielding blooms every week. It's been a swell weekend being outdoors, I even had my morning breakfast of iced coffee and fruit outside today, before doing the dead heading of things. While watching the fine flurry of the feathered ones.

This is what became of the tree stump from the Eastern pine I had cut down. Next year, I want to add more pots to the stump. Around the tree stump the wildflower garden is coming and finally blooming...the borage is going nuts.

I can't recall the name of the wispy phallic looking thing.

Borage

Herb garden doing good. Last week I even used some chives, basil and parsley for my deviled eggs

We now have Brown Thrashers!!! A bit menacing looks but do they sing beautiful!

Butterfly bush now blooming. Three butterflies were on it today. And the Cassia below is doing great. I've already collected some seed pods for the fall to plant.

Another favorite of butterflies and the hummingbirds...coneflower

I couldn't believe to see my first dahlia blooming already!!! This is the smaller variety. The dinnerplates don't bloom till closer to autumn.

As per usual, with the summers here, the Fushia, one of my favorites, all but gasped their last breath before dying and becoming sticks. Much to delicate I suppose to have here in the summer.

A butterfly moth in the begonias. 

The potted gardens flanking the back porch are doing just fine.

I'm awaiting three friends for a sit in the shade of the garden for some dish and Pimms Cups and cucumber sandwiches later. Refreshingly good on a hot day. The last of my harvest of Blueberries and mint from the garden too. 

And for good measure some Soft Tempo Lounge.

SET THE BAR

 After spending any time here at the Casa or being around the Mistress, you know I am fond of a good tight and neat stiffener. By far, I'm a gin connoisseur. Right now I have about 9 different gins, contrary to rumors from Anne Marie, saying I'm having it sent in by tanker. That only happens once a week!!!! Currently at night,  I enjoy either a gin or tonic or two, or a white or blush wine...and the days bring a British favorite, a Pimms Cup.  But I do enjoy may libations. I also think it you entertain, it's good to have a proper bar set up. The  one above replaced three floating shelves that housed my bar wares, but I out grew that right quick. I found this refinished Provincial cabinet I bought a couple years ago,  for a mere $218 at a marketplace. It has worked perfect for my home bar in my pied de terre.  When I use to have men in before the pandemic for , huh, well... pillow talk, I always offered a good stiffener, before he gets the good stiffener,  before getting down to business. I was raised right damn it.

A home bar doesn't have to be a headache: Invest in basic equipment, stock up on varied essential liquors, a little bit of everything to cover your bases,  and you can have a spread that will impress amateurs -- and even make professionals nod in quiet approval. At any given time I have several gins, rums, vodka, whiskey, bourbons, wines and some liqueurs. The only thing I don't touch is vodka really. Most of my hootch in the bar is in the middle for easy viewing.

Liquor will keep for a long time, particularly in a cool place away from direct sunlight. The lower the liquid level, though, the more quickly you should consume the liquor, as the air in the bottle will leach out the flavors. Vermouth, however, is a wine, and should be refrigerated and drunk fairly quickly, as do some liqueurs.

The equipment needed to mix a cocktail is simple to master, and you don't need a lot of it. I currently have pictured here,  a bottle cap remover, Ice tongs, cock-a-tail shaker, a strainer and a bar knife to get seeds out of citrus fruit, and a also have several jiggers. The pink jar is a steal I just found recently,  and it holds my straws. I do have one decanter, and while they are pretty, you will have to consume the liquor much faster in my opinion. An ice bucket is also useful but mine  is located elsewhere in the kitchen.

For everyday use in your home bar, you only need four, six or eight of each of these three basic types: a old fashioned short glass, a highball tall glass, and a stem. If you plan to serve wine at your parties, invest in eight to 12 basic stemmed wineglasses, either a single shape that is appropriate for both red and white or separate sets of glasses for each.  My old fashions and highballs are kept in my kitchen cabinets along with another staple, the brandy sniffer glass which are required for whiskies, bourbons and the such to capture the experience of the libation.

The smaller wine glasses are up on the top shelf, with the martini glasses off to the right. The wine glasses with the gold rims were my dad's grandmothers and require a hand washing because of the gold leafing.

These are  my huge balloon glasses for red wines, which I enjoy more in the autumn and winter, as red wine tends to take your body temps up.

These cut crystal cordials I found a year after the bar in the same marketplace. The set is perfect for shots, or for a night cap of a nice liqueur before bed. I bought the whole set of 6 for $12.

 There is ample storage space in this cabinet which is another reason I wanted it. The first drawer organizes my cock-a-tail napkins and coasters. That's right henny, I'm one of those queens who likes a napkin under my drink. And if my gentleman wants to take his drink to the boudoir whilst having sex, last thing I need is a drink ring on my nightstand!!!!!!  For cocktail parties, allow for a pound of fresh ice for each guest, as well as three drinks,  and three  fresh napkins per person for a two-hour party. 

The next drawer down is a double drawer and not so much bar related, but houses all my bar and tea towels for the kitchen. Yeah, I like my towels. There are probably about 30 in this drawer. It's nice to have one handy for clean up or spills.

This side door houses my extra flower vases and a serving piece, while the door on the right houses my over flow of liquor and various cookbooks. 

My big ice bucket is currently housing my utensils I use on a regular basis, since I don't use it very much, and being clear, I can see what I'm looking for. I think any grown up home should have a grown up home bar, and doesn't have to be a whole set up like I have. I have helped clients use console tables, bookshelves and credenza already and they turn out fabulous. Or you can invest in a bar cart if you have room. On the  menu today was my first Pimm's Cup of the season! Pimm's is a bi-product of the gin making process...shocking right? But it makes for a lovely day drink when it's scorching hot out...so refreshing.

Pimm's Cup

Fill a high ball with ice. Pour almost half way with Pimm's, a quarter with a lemon lime soda, and finish off with iced tea. Garnish with fresh cut cucumber, blueberries and strawberries.

Cheers bitches!!!!

There now....Are we all lit???

HOLIDAY WEEKEND...A PIMM'S PARTY

 

I know what your thinking. What, the Mistress is stepping out with someone other than Gin?!? Why yes I say. What with the Memorial Day Weekend about to commence and the welcoming of summer, what better time for one of my other favorite drinks....PIMM'S! And it's gin based, why of course.

 

I came across these fascinating archives of vintage adverts showing the birth of the so-called 'Pimm's party' that emerged to mark the launch of the drink's first new flavor in 190 years. The adverts date back to the 1950s when the economy took a nosedive after the Second World War and many people socialized at home to save money. It is thought the marketing team behind the gin-based drink realized this and launched the idea of a Pimm's party as a way to encourage sales of the beverage.

The company sent out leaflets in 1950s to the 1960s which included top tips for the perfect social gathering. The marketing campaign worked and The 'Pimm's Party' soon became popular. Party suggestions included games such as Flipping The Kipper,(we have our own version of this at the casa which takes place in the pool) where guests were instructed to race paper fish by flapping them with cardboard. Another was the Match Box Race, in which two rows of people passed a matchbox from their nose to another person's, but DON'T ASK how we play this at the Casa!!!!!

 

Pimm's soared in popularity because it cost just around $12 a bottle which served 14 half pints when mixed with lemonade. Even today Pimm's is still cheap, I got several bottles today, at around $18. The drink was deemed a perfect accompaniment to small snacks at parties because it was initially invented as an aperitif. The recipe for Pimm's was created in the 1840s by James Pimm, who was a fishmonger and owner of an oyster house. He came up with the secret concoction of gin, herbs and liqueurs and served it in a small mug known as a Number One Cup as an aid to digestion. There were also other variations of the drink made with rum, scotch, brandy, rye, and vodka, but they were later discontinued.

 

I myself find it to be a wonderfully refreshing summer beverage, which I will be making today later when I have the Lad and four of the clan coming, and staying over tonight before we head to a mountain retreat for the holiday weekend, quite a change from the usual beach kick off.

I make mine with a good dose of Pimm's, mixed with plenty of ice, lemon -lime soda, and add a nice lime wedge and cucumber slice!!! I can't tell you how refreshing these are and go down like mother's milk!

 

I can't think of a better way to kick off the summer then with some of these cool drinks, a simple and cool luncheon, and some good friends for some debauchery.