Tag Archives: Cocktail Corner

Cocktail Corner – The Last Sip

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Looking at the last meals of death row prisoners can be a fascinating exercise. With that in mind, I thought I’d put together my own final feast. I didn’t want to make it an open-ended buffet, so I limited how many items I could pick in each category. After many hours of agonizing over the options, here’s what the Sip Advisor would prefer to be munching if my ultimate indulgence was due:

Mains (3):

I decided to break this down into three categories, each one satisfying an entrée I particularly enjoy. First, in the Asian food phylum, I went with a poke bowl over items such as chow mein or fried rice with any number of proteins. I find the ingredients of a Poke Bowl to be so fresh and satisfying. Like I’m eating well for a rare occasion. Speaking of proteins, it’s a tough decision to select what would be the feature of my bowl, but I think I’d have to go with salmon over tuna. Second, I needed to have some sort of sandwich, opting for a club sandwich (fried chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato), complete with pickles. The sandwich narrowly beat out selecting a burger. Third, a true top dish needed to be picked and I went with lobster tails. I’m not sure there’s a more decadent dish on earth than buttered lobby!

Sides (4):

This was the most difficult category to figure out. Some of the indecision came from figuring out what exactly qualified as a “side”, as well as enjoying many accompaniment dishes. My criteria for being a side was whether the dish generally appears on the starter or appetizer section of menus. I also used this category to make amends for some of the items that got squeezed out of the mains group. Curly fries poutine and Caesar salad were no brainers, followed by sliders to make up for my neglect of burgers above. The final addition I’d make is gyoza, which have become a favourite appy dish of mine in recent years. Missing the cut was chicken strips, as despite being an all-time favourite starter of mine, I’d get the crispy chicken portion settled in my club sandwich.

Snacks (2):

Truth be told, I created this category so I could slip a couple more side dishes into the meal! My 40th birthday party was potato chip themed, so you better believe they would play some role in my last meal. If I had to narrow down which flavours I could have, that would be a tough choice, but I’d be happy with a mix including Pink Himalayan Salt, All Dressed, Sour Cream & Onion and Barbecue being among the chosen options. One final note on the chips, they must all be ripple/ridge/wavy or I would send them back! I’d also like to have a bowl of Trail Mix on hand, comprised of Smarties/M&Ms, peanuts and cashews. I guess you can throw some raisins in the mix, but not nearly as much as companies overfill their bags with.

Desserts (3):

The Sip Advisor loves completing any meal with something sweet. My first choice would be some Chocolate Chip Cookies, preferably made by Ma Sip, who has been providing me with amazing baked goods since I was a wee little sipper. Next up would be something I’ve only been introduced to in recent years, Chocolate Babka. Lastly, I’d want some sort of chocolate bar, but narrowing which one down is incredibly difficult. Among my all-time favourites are Snickers, Twix, Wunderbar, Peanut Butter Oh Henry, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Let’s take all those preferred choices and melt them into one super bar! A couple European faves, Black Forest Cake and Raspberry Danish, fall just outside being selected.



Beverages (2):

This was perhaps the easiest category, as I don’t regularly drink a large variety of things. Therefore, my first pick would be my favourite simple cocktail, the one I’m synonymous with and drink regularly with friends/family, Spiced Rum and Dr. Pepper (aka The Sip). My second choice would be an easy drinking Amber Ale, which pairs perfectly with a number of the food items I’ve curated. Narrowly missing the cut is plain ol’ water, which as much as I love, isn’t what I’d want to go out sipping.

Sauce/Dips (Unlimited):

I’m a big sauce/dip guy and I feel like this is the one category where infinite selections is okay. A few I’d definitely want on my palette include Ranch, Honey Mustard, Hotiyaki (mix of hot sauce and teriyaki), Sesame-Soy, Truffle Aioli, and Honey Garlic.

Cocktail Corner: The Last Sip

  • 1.5 oz Spiced Rum
  • 1 oz Root Beer Schnapps
  • Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
  • Splash of Honey-Yuzu Lemonade
  • Garnish with a Lime Wedge

Where the hell I would put all this food, given I typically eat half of my meals and save the other half for the following day, is anyone’s guess. My stomach would just have to find the space. The interesting thing about this Sip Advisor original recipe is that the inclusion of Root Beer Schnapps is an homage to the first soda I ever enjoyed. The rest of the ingredients are adult favourites of mine, making for an all-encompassing Sip Advisor experience!

Cocktail Corner – The Sip

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One of Girl Sip’s school projects this year was making a Me Museum, filled with items that exemplified who she is. That got me thinking – don’t worry, it doesn’t happen often – about what would comprise a gallery constructed about me. Here are the artifacts that would be included in my Me Museum:

Jewelry

I don’t wear many pieces of jewelry, but those I do don are very important to me. The watch Mrs. Sip gave me for my first birthday we celebrated as a couple also came right before she left for England for a year of school. As a teenager, the gift meant to me that she saw a future in our relationship, which was about to become long distance, otherwise she wouldn’t buy me an expensive watch right before leaving. I have worn this watch for 20-plus years now, through countless battery changes and other repairs. My wedding ring would also go into the museum for obvious reasons. Lastly, the chain Ma and Pa Sip gave me for Christmas many years ago would finish the exhibit, an item I feel represents my bonds with family.

Dating Mementos

For a time, I collected all the tickets from movies, shows and events Mrs. Sip and I went to. Perhaps most important among all those pieces of history was the stub to the movie Panic Room, which we saw on our first ever date. Afterwards, we went out for dessert and I kept the spoon from that occasion. Just kidding… that would be kind of creepy!

First Date

Collection of Best Articles

At one time, the Sip Advisor pursued a career in journalism and did a pretty good job, if I say so myself. Some of my more memorable articles would include my first paid piece, stories for major chains/websites and articles featuring famous folks, such as professional wrestling legend Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. Basically all the items I would have highlighted in my portfolio, had I continued to chase the writing for a living dream.

Sip Advisor Business Card

In the very early Sip Advisor site days, Mrs. Sip and I decided a business card was needed to promote my site and work when we attended various events. We crafted a neat card and had a bunch of copies professionally printed. Then, I quickly learned I wasn’t very good at self-promotion, preferring others to laud my work than myself. So, many of these cards still sit in our liquor cabinet. That will make it easy to pull one out for the Me Museum.

Canucks Paraphernalia

For better or worse, I’ve been a lifelong Vancouver Canucks fan. This is exemplified in jerseys I owned as a youngster and adult. As a youngster, I was gifted a Cliff Ronning jersey, as the player was of diminutive size, like myself. I even attended Ronning’s local hockey school in back-to-back summers while he played with his hometown NHL club. Years later, Mrs. Sip presented me with a Trevor Linden jersey, the Canucks icon becoming one of my favourites for the way he played the game.

Business Card

Air Fryer

I use my air fryer daily, if not multiple times throughout the day. It has become a close family member and I cherish it more than my wife and kids. Okay, maybe not to that level, but I definitely hug and kiss it more often. The only sadness I’d experience while loaning the device to my Me Museum would be the fact that I’d now be without an air fryer.

Disneyland Annual Passes

I first purchased a Disneyland annual pass on the trip when I met Mrs. Sip and asked her out. Many other annual passes would follow, as the resort became a popular vacation spot for us, especially given its connection to our relationship. Disney in general has played a large role in our lives, before and after meeting, something we have since passed down to the Sipplings, who are also now enthusiastic Disney and Disneyland fans.

Passports

As Mrs. Sip turned me into a world traveler, my passports quickly filled up with stamps and a few entry visas from around the world. Thanks to her inspiration, I’ve visited over 50 countries and counting. These would be great to show off in the Me Museum, perhaps along with countless photos from the Mrs. Sip Collection of all our adventures.

Air Fryer

Hole-in-One Golf Ball

A good golfer, I am not. However, I did score an ace on hole 15 at Sunshine Woods Golf Club at only 14 years old. Peaking in golf at such a young age, I practically gave up the game after that. The round was crazy, as someone else in our foursome achieved the same hole-in-one feat earlier in our round. As for my own triumphant tee shot, I thought it had skittered across the green and into the rough behind. As I searched for the little white ball, I was informed it was actually in the hole, perhaps having hit the flag pole and dropped.

Liquor Bottles

No museum for a dedicated liquor man would be complete without a collection of some of their favourite bottles. My preferred selections would include my Jameson Distillery Reserve from when Mrs. Sip and I visited the company’s facilities in Midleton, Ireland; my 1.75L bottle of Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum; and the Lagavulin 16 Mrs. Sip bought me for a Father’s Day gift. You could also include my preferred jigger and the flask from my wedding (I got each groomsman and usher a custom engraved one) in the liquor wing of the Me Museum.

Kids Birth Announcements

The good times of my and Mrs. Sip’s child-free days had to come to an end eventually. While we aren’t as carefree as we once were, we’ve managed to continue having fun… just a different type of fun. As a way to honour the Sipplings, I would include each of their birth announcements, which we mailed out to friends and family across the globe.

Birth Announcement

Princess Cruises Cards/Medallions

A big part of my and Mrs. Sip’s travelling life has been taking cruises. Princess Cruises is our preferred line and we have many room cards and medallions to show for our efforts. Another cruise souvenir that means a lot to me is the little trophy I received for winning Cartoon Theme Song Trivia. It was a tense experience, with me and another contestant going to a five-question overtime round, after tying with identical 39/40 scores. In that bonus round, I went five-for-five, while my competitor slipped on one question, earning me the win and admiration of absolutely nobody… seriously, not even Mrs. Sip was proud of my achievement, but I acted like I’d won the Stanley Cup!

Wedding Same-Day Edit

Every museum needs an audio-visual component and I think my and Mrs. Sip’s same-day edit video from our wedding would be perfect to project. Set to the U2 song ‘Beautiful Day’, the video captures many of the memorable moments from our nuptials.

Cocktail Corner: The Sip

The Sip

  • 1.5 oz Spiced Rum
  • Top with Dr. Pepper
  • Garnish with a Lime Slice

I have no doubt I didn’t create this cocktail, but I have been making it for myself since at least the start of this project in 2013 and perhaps even longer. It has since become the go-to beverage for me and a best friend whenever we get together, as well as been shared with others I meet along this winding road of life. Therefore, it is a perfect choice for inclusion with my Me Museum. I recommend the Me Museum exercise to all. Mrs. Sip and I spent a fun night on our balcony discussing what we’d include in each of ours. What would you include in yours?

Cocktail Corner – Peanut Butter & Jealous

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Thankfully, the only thing the Sip Advisor is allergic to is bee stings, and I believe that’s a mild allergy, if anything. It would really suck to have a serious allergy, one that forced you to avoid some of the best things life has to offer. Here are the worst allergies a person could possibly have, as far as this liquor pusher is concerned:

#5: Dairy

Given I don’t like cheese (unless it’s melted on pizza or nachos, etc.) and don’t drink milk as much as I did as a youngster, I think I’d be relatively okay with this allergy. That said, replacements for dairy, such as soy, are absolutely terrible. Plus, while I don’t consume it regularly, not being able to enjoy the odd serving of ice cream would be downright tragic.

complain-allergies

#4: Seafood

Had I remained the picky eater I was as a child, this one probably wouldn’t bother me that much. Now that I’ve acquired a taste for lobster, crab and all things shellfish, I selfishly wouldn’t want to lose the ability to eat these creatures. Living right on the Pacific Ocean, it would be heart-breaking to miss out on some of the freshest fish available.

#3: Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the five basic food groups, as far as the Sip Advisor is concerned. A day doesn’t go by where I don’t have at least a nibble of the sweet stuff. My German blood simply won’t allow it. I can’t imagine a world where having some chocolate would put me at risk of breaking out in hives or worse. What’s the point of living through that?

allergic-to-all

#2: Gluten

While some debate how serious gluten allergies are, all I know is there’s gluten in beer and that’s enough to make me fearful of any allergy to the stuff. Sure, there are some gluten-free brews out there (along with a growing list of products designed for those sensitive to the substance), but the market is fairly small and I can’t put my faith into them.

#1: Peanut

Without peanuts, say goodbye to the best chocolate bars on store shelves. You’d also have to be cautious around non-peanut products that could potentially be produced in a factory where contamination might occur. What scares me about peanut allergies (and allergies in general), is how they can develop later in life and how severe the consequences can be.

Cocktail Corner: Peanut Butter & Jealous

Peanut Butter & Jealous

  • 1.5 oz Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey
  • 0.75 oz Raspberry Liqueur
  • Top with Half and Half
  • Garnish with Peanut Butter Cups

A bonus entry would have to be pet dander. While Mrs. Sip and I don’t own any pets, not being able to ever get cuddly with kitties and puppies would make me very sad.

Cocktail Corner – Cold Comfort

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We all have memorable stories of being sick. They become part of our own folklore. The tales can be sad, inspiring, funny or combos of many feelings. Here are some of the Sip Advisor’s most unforgettable illness anecdotes:

The Bad Kind of Shot

To get immunized against Hepatitis B, students in my neck of the woods received a series of shots in grade six and again in grade nine. Following each of the shots delivered in grade six, I became very ill. We’re talking delirious dreams, high fever, chills, the whole gamut. The family theory is that my undiagnosed kidney issue was to blame for times when my body was also working through the immunizations. After having my failing kidney removed in grade seven, I never experienced any issues during the grade nine treatments.

Double Hatty

On another occasion, I was feeling sick enough to not go to school, but missing sport commitments was another thing. That season, I was chasing the league lead for goals and points in roller hockey and nothing could stop me from suiting up that night. In the end, I managed to score six goals, pushing through all the symptoms that were affecting me. Following our game, it was back to bed rest, completely spent.

Hat Trick

Travel Troubles

One of the worst times to get sick is while travelling. When Mrs. Sip and I were in Egypt in 2008, I fell ill on the day before our week-long tour was set to leave. I spent the rest of that day downing water and sleeping, trying to flush whatever ailed me out of my system. It mostly worked, but I spent the rest of that trip being apprehensive about what was safe to eat and always cognizant of where the nearest bathroom was located.

What Happens in Vegas…

In a similar vein, when Mrs. Sip and I spent New Year’s Eve 2009 in Vegas, I caught a case of food poisoning that hit when I arrived home. Somehow, I survived the plane ride back, but knew something was up. Both ends were affected by this bug, which was made all the more funny/embarrassing when I discovered late at night, while trying to switch bathrooms, that I wasn’t alone in my parent’s home, as I had originally believed, my brother and his girlfriend also at the abode.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

In 2010, Mrs. Sip and I were celebrating our first Christmas while living together. It was going to be that much more special, as I had planned to ask her to marry me on Christmas morning. One problem: we both felt terribly sick with colds on Christmas Eve. We retired to our bedroom early that night, taking doses of various medications. This was during the brief time we had a TV in our room and decided to watch Babes in Toyland. You want to talk delirious dreams!? I considered bumping my proposal, but everything was already set in place, so I soldiered ahead. By the end of the day, which included telling both our families of our big news, Mrs. Sip had completely lost her voice and we were both running on fumes.

Christmas Engaged

More Than All-Inclusive

Sadly, I’ve become ill on a few of our all-inclusive getaways and not from over-indulging. In Cabo (2013), the Dominican Republic (2014) and Mayan Riviera (2023), something did not agree with my system and I was forced to spend a day or more recovering. A true highlight of these occasions, was when I arranged for a special romantic multi-course dinner to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s 30th birthday, but was unable to eat any of the amazing food offered to us. When I raced to the railing of our gazebo setting to be sick, our server thought I was simply suffering from heat stroke and dumped a pitcher of cold water over my head. It was hilarious and humiliating all at the same time!

Covid-iot

2020 saw a great change to everyone’s lives, as the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. The Sip Advisor was finally afflicted by the disease in July 2021 and man did it knock me on my ass. Mrs. Sip and I were to attend an adult waterpark event the first day I felt ill and in an attempt to get my body right, I cracked open a vodka soda after my work day finished. Well, not even that could cure what ails me, so Mrs. Sip suggested I take a Covid test. Sure enough, it was evident very quickly that I was positive. I missed four days of work, completely glued to the couch. Even when I returned to work, I needed midday naps to get me through the shift.

Cocktail Corner: Cold Comfort

Cold Comfort

  • 1.5 oz White Rum
  • Splash of Lime Juice
  • Dash of Honey Syrup
  • Garnish with a Lime Wedge

Thankfully, I’ve never suffered from any serious illnesses, kidney removal aside. Hopefully this trend continues for your friendly neighbourhood Sip Advisor!

Cocktail Corner – Dilemma

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A couple years back, I did my first article on great debates. Since then, I’ve come up with more subjects to be examined and decided. Of course, I will play the role of judge, jury and executioner. Let’s get on with the matters at hand:

Candy vs. Chocolate

While I dabble in the candy world from time to time, I’m much more of a chocolate fan. What’s funny is that Girl Sip seems to prefer candy, while Boy Sip is more like his dad and leans towards chocolate. Clearly, Girl Sip isn’t my child.

T vs. A

While Mrs. Sip has much to offer in both areas, I’ve always been a backside guy. In the end (literally!), I think we can all appreciate the female form in all its glory.

TA

Movies vs. TV Shows

I have some friends who refuse to watch movies and others who steer away from TV shows. I like both and Mrs. Sip and I change things up through any given week, when we’re given the chance to sit back and watch things for ourselves. Sadly, our decision to have kids has greatly limited viewing time.

Too Cold vs. Too Hot

Would you rather be too cold or too hot? Both extremes can be uncomfortable. I feel the majority of women would definitely side with preferring hot over cold, but I feel the gents would be split fairly evenly. I think I have a slight lean to preferring cold, but room temperature is ideal.

Burgers vs. Hotdogs

The great B-B-Q deliberation! At any barbecue, the question inevitably comes up: do you want a burger or a dog? Now, you could be one of those folk that goes for one of each, but the Sip Advisor’s tummy just can’t handle more than one burger or two dogs. This is probably because I’ve already consumed a large portion of alcoholic beverages and potato chips, but I am there to party, after all. I also tend to go a little heavy on salads – potato, macaroni, coleslaw, Caesar, etc. – so, I just can’t find room for both on my plate. When pressed, I will often side with whatever I haven’t had most recently.

Hamdog

Staying In vs. Going Out

The Sip Advisor is a homebody, through and through. The occasional outing is okay, but let’s not make it a regular thing. Mrs. Sip often pushes for more time out of the house – and typically wins any argument on the subject – but my preference would be to stay in.

Christmas Eve vs. Christmas Day

I’ve always favoured opening gifts and having a family meal on Christmas Day. We have so much to do to get things ready for the kids on Christmas morning, to be followed by a busy day of family visits, that I’d rather take things easy, get in a few more Christmas movies and TV shows, and put together those last minute tasks on the 24th. Another Christmas argument to decide is whether dinner should be highlighted by turkey or ham. I’m going turkey all the way!

Disneyland vs. Disney World

I suppose this one gets split a bit depending on what side of the continent you live. Mrs. Sip and I are on the west coast, so have grown up with Disneyland and only made a couple visits to Disney World over our lifetimes. We prefer the manageability of Disneyland Resort’s two parks that are walking distance from each other, compared to the very spread out four parks and other attractions that comprise Disney World, necessitating the use of shuttles that have long service gaps. No, I’ll take my short walk from hotel to resort any time, allowing for midday breaks (and drinks), especially with younger children.

Disney Vacation

Early vs. Late

This great debate has led to more fights between Mrs. Sip and myself than any other issue in our relationship. I was raised to be ridiculously early for things, often arriving before anyone else for a function. Mrs. Sip’s family had a very laissez-faire approach to start times and routinely showed up well after things got underway. As a result of being pulled in these two very different directions, I’ve strived to arrive at bookings as close as possible to the actual time. Not too early, never late.

Cities vs. Suburbs

Having lived in both, I can say each has their own set of pros and cons. When Mrs. Sip and I lived in Downtown Vancouver, I loved being able to walk everywhere, while having unlimited options at our disposal. Now, in New West, we live a quieter existence, but sometimes it’s a little too quiet. I think we can all agree that rural settings are the worst!

Cocktail Corner: Dilemma

Dilemma

  • 0.5 oz Raspberry Liqueur
  • 0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
  • 0.5 oz Cherry Whiskey
  • Garnish with a Strawberry Slice

Do you agree with my choices? What great debates have I still left undecided? Naturally, we can discuss over a beverage or two!

Cocktail Corner – The Blackbeard

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Sometimes, already great things can be improved with a slight twist or tweak. Here are some of the Sip Advisor’s favourite enhancements:

Curly Fries

Curly is the best of all fry variations and there is no point debating this fact. Don’t even try coming at me with lattice style… I’m not building a garden!

Ripple Chips

How do you make awesome potato chips better? Simple, you make them rippled. These are so much better, in any flavour, if you plan to use dips or put toppings on.

Salted Caramel

Caramel is already a pretty wicked sweet treat. When you add a sprinkle of salt to it, though, we’re talking whole.nutha.level!

Salted Caramel

Milk Chocolate

While I’ve been told dark chocolate is better than milk, I would argue milk is, in fact, the heavyweight champion of chocolates. It wears that belt proudly in some of the tastiest chocolate bars ever produced.

Honey Mustard

A little bit of honey takes the bite out of your typical mustards and is among the best dips for all things crispy chicken.

Crunchy Peanut Butter

Crunchy adds some much-needed texture to smooth. It takes you on an adventure through your PB&J or whatever else you’re spreading it on. Even Reese’s and Oh Henry! chocolate bars are enhanced when going with their crunchy recipe.

Peanut Butter

Garlic Bread

Momma didn’t raise no dummies! Even my picky eater kids know garlic bread rules. The mess of crumbs on the floor tells the whole story.

Spiced Rum

The Sip Advisor has long been a pusher of spiced rum. It is the most constantly restocked liquor in my vast collection, with me sometimes buying for quantity, not quality, just because I go through the stuff so quickly.

Cocktail Corner: The Blackbeard

The Blackbeard

  • 1.5 oz Crème de Cacao
  • 1 oz Spiced Rum
  • 0.5 oz Fernet Branca
  • 0.5 oz Stout

Since I highlighted spiced rum above, I decided today’s cocktail had to use the liquor. I went with this recipe, minus the optional squid ink. I also subbed Unicum Zwack in for the Fernet Branca, as it was the product I had among five substitution ideas. What are your favourite enhancements? Also, feel free to let me know if you disagree with mine!