September 8– Double Jeopardy

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Come on Down

Not surprisingly, today’s drink turns my mind towards game shows. I’ve always been a fan of game shows… at least until they became what they are today, involving little talent or skill, where all you have to do is select a briefcase or have your car repossessed (actually, I really like Repo Games!). Here are some of my favourites in a two-day tour from childhood to present day!:

The Price is Right

My favourite show when I was younger and I was home from school when feeling ill or I was enthralled with all the joys of summer. Bob Barker is a friggin’ legend and Happy Gilmore knows all about messing with Barker’s beauties! Games like Plinko, Mountain Climber, and Hole-in-One (or Two), were among my favourites. To have your name called at the show would be a sure highlight and spinning the big wheel would be even better!

Family Feud

Good lord some of the people the producers ask to answer their polls are stupid… and some contestants are even dumber. No game show gets me shouting at the TV screen more than Family Feud, except perhaps Jeopardy, but in that case I’m calmly and educationately (yeah, I know it’s not a real word) answering queries. Mrs. Sip and I even bought a home edition of the game to give it a shot… I lost!

Kidstreet

I actually know two different people who appeared on this Canadian game show as youngsters. It was similar in fashion to the Newlywed Game, although you were teamed with your sibling and the final round was Classic Concentration-like with a rebus puzzle to be solved. The greatest draw for any child watching was the prize wall they teased the contestants with. Winners got their pick of all these toys and gadgets, which left a young Sip Advisor drooling.

Jeopardy!

While I prefer the Saturday Night Live Celebrity Jeopardy clips over the real show, it isn’t that bad on its own. I feel that I’d be a decent Jeopardy contestant, as I usually do well playing from home, but I’m really not the brightest bulb due to my lack of desire for reading and learning important information, so I probably wouldn’t be able to pull off a Ken Jennings-type run of 74 consecutive victories.

Fun House

I remember bits and pieces of this show from my childhood. I think every kid wanted to take a trip through the “Fun House,” grabbing tags that would correspond with various prizes. It always looked like kids on the show were having fun thanks to the outlandish games played. There was also an adult version of the show, titled College Mad House that would have put to shame any frat house kegger!

American Gladiators

Staying up late as a youngster is very memorable. I remember sleepover birthdays at the age of 24 (just kidding, I was probably 7 or 8 – we are talking about the original Gladiator series and not the revival, although I enjoyed that version, too) where we’d watch American Gladiators. The mini-games played on the show were eye-opening and I would have loved to get tossed around by any of the muscle-bound Gladiators or tackled the feared Eliminator obstacle course!

Guts

American Gladiators for kids (although they actually had that as well – Gladiators 2000), which climaxed with a trip up the Aggro Crag, a fake mountain, which challenged kids with lighting and smoke effects as they had to hit a series of checkpoints, while racing to glory. Even if you finished last, you walked away with a bronze medal. Too bad there wasn’t a home edition of the Aggro Crag handed out as a consolation prize, as well!

Beat the Geeks

Putting nerds in their proper place as stars! This show pitted contestants against “geeks” in a certain field (TV, movie, music) as well as a guest geeks from popular culture of the time, including South Park, wrestling, Friends, and even the ‘Nudity in Movies’ geek. I swear I could have been the Wrestling Geek on this show… sadly I’ll never know, unless he’s up for a good ol’ fashion mat duel. The fact there even was a wrestling geek was cool enough, as it is.

Drink #251: Double Jeopardy

1 oz Frangelico
1 oz Black Sambuca
Splash of Milk
Blend with Ice
Garnish with Peanuts

I loved it when Mrs. Sip’s parents had a satellite dish and we were able to watch the Game Show Network together. Seeing all the new shows mixed in with some classic footage was one of the reasons I stayed with her as long as I did!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3 Sips out of 5):
This drink wasn’t all that bad. I was curious about how the Sambuca would taste with all the other ingredients. Vanilla Ice Cream is supposed to be part of the recipe, but sadly, ours had gone kind of fuzzy and funky, so I just went with ice to get the frozen cocktail done. Galliano may have made a nice alternative in a pinch!

July 18 – Rasputin Cocktail

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Idol Worship

Throughout my life, I have found myself fascinated by certain individuals. People whose life stories intrigue me and make me want to actually “learn” more about them and their history. I wouldn’t say that these people are idols of mine, but they are extremely interesting folks, with tales that tend to captivate the masses.

Steve Jobs

While I’m not the biggest fan of Apple and its products (seriously, how annoying is the iTunes interface and non-compatibility?), I find Steve Jobs, the company’s founder and later saviour, to be a captivating case study. He lived a short life, but made the most of his time on earth. We can credit Jobs with so many innovations, from home computers, virtually every device with an ‘i’ in front of it, and even Pixar movies, the company he grew between his Apple stints.

Walt Disney

As a massive fan of Disneyland, I pay much homage to the man who first imagined the concept and then put his dream into work, jeopardizing everything he had built to that point, from reputation to life savings to his studio to his physical well-being. Every time I’m privileged to be in one of his parks (and particularly one that serves alcohol), I’m sure to say a little thanks to the legend and have a drink in his honour.

Ric Flair

For those who read my blog regularly, by now you should know that no Sip Adivsor list would be complete without a wrestling reference. This man styled and profiled his way to wrestling greatness and in the process lived the extravagant lifestyle of his on-screen character. Flair has been married (and divorced) four times and suffered great financial losses from bad investments, legal issues, and a lifetime of partying. Still, the ‘Nature Boy’ keeps ticking, making occasional appearances in the ring and still delighting fans with his over-the-top charisma and energy.

Rasputin

The amazing story of the assassination of Grigori Rasputin is one that first caught my attention in my high school history class. Now that I’ve actually visited Russia and been inside the room where his murder took place, I’m even more enthralled with the legend. For those who don’t know the details, Rasputin was poisoned, shot, stabbed and beaten, before being thrown into the frozen Neva River. Evidence later showed that water was in his lungs when his body was discovered, meaning he was still alive when thrown into his watery grave and likely succumbed to drowning.

Jimmy Stewart

Did you know that the It’s a Wonderful Life star was also a highly-decorated United States military pilot (the only actor to receive a higher ranking was Ronald Reagan, when he became president of the United States and commander-in-chief)? So, not only is Stewart one of my favourite actors, but you have to respect a guy that went to war throughout an acclaimed acting career.

Drink #199: Rasputin Cocktail

2 oz Russian Vodka (I used Beluga)
1 oz Frangelico
Garnish with Lemon Twist

One more person who fascinates me, is myself. I often ponder my own existence and I’m blown away with what I’ve accomplished and continue to achieve. I’m a wrecking ball of awesomeness, steamrolling the lame, and making this world a better place, one cocktail at a time!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
I didn’t think I’d like this cocktail as much as I did. The Frangelico was nice and not overwhelming. I split half of the Vodka portion of the recipe between Plain Vodka and Raspberry Vodka and that accentuated the entire cocktail.

June 1 – Procrastinator

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Distraction Guaranteed

The vast and wondrous internet is about more than just free porn and Facebook follies. There is unlimited entertainment out there on the wild, wild web, which a procrastinator such as myself can fall into for hours at a time! Here is some suggested viewing:

Epic Meal Time

These Canadian boys sure know how to do food right. Their videos begin with the team gathering various ingredients (usually from fast food restaurants like KFC, McDonalds and Burger King) before they unite to make a meal of epic proportions… hence the name. The EMT crew love their bacon (who doesn’t!) and they also feature Jack Daniel’s Whiskey in a bunch of their recipes. Sip Advisor Favourite: Fast Food Sushi – so many sauces!

Everyday Drinkers

I really like this guy and his videos on how to make a number of different cocktails. His laid back and common man approach puts you at ease and he shows that everyone is capable of making these multi-ingredient drinks, regardless of mixology acumen. My bar collection is pretty sweet, but the Common Man cocktail slinger has a stock of liquors that would make anyone envious. Sip Advisor Favourite: Too hard to narrow down, just check out the guy’s work!

LOLCats

It’s common knowledge that I’m a cat guy and have featured them favourably and heavily on this site. The LOLCats mix fun images of kitties messing around with any number of hilarious jokes. The quality ranges from mediocre to downright brilliant, but you won’t be disappointed after a visit to this site. Sip Advisor Favourite: Probably the “I Can Has Cheezburger” series.

Angry Video Game Nerd

What’s best about the Angry Video Game Nerd’s videos is that they take you back to a simpler time in your life, when your little world revolved around Nintendo (and other systems) and your difficulties in beating various games from its library. The guy is also pretty funny in his review of difficult or craptacular games. For anyone who enjoys watching others play at the arcade, these videos are for you. Sip Advisor Favourite: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – difficult, but classic game…

Between Two Ferns

Hosted by Zach Galifianakis, these interviews (if you can call a host ignoring and degrading his guest an interview) are good for a few laughs. Some of Hollywood’s top names have visited Galifinakis’s little set, including Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Bradley Cooper, Conan O’Brien, and many more. In typical Galifianakis style, you never really know what he’s going to say, but you know it will be awkwardly funny. Sip Advisor Favourite: Bruce Willis because of the line from Galifianakis, “Did you know that some actors turn down roles?”

Addicting Games

This site got me through a large portion of my college years, messing around and trying different games. While I’m an ardent fan of the match three genre, there are many other casual games I enjoy giving a whirl. Sip Advisor Favourites: Cursed Treasure, for the tower defense fans out there and, of course, Kitten Cannon, where you launch a kitten out of a cannon and see how far it will fly. (No animals were harmed in the making of this post).

Botch-A-Mania

For the wrestling fans out there, you have to check out the Botch-A-Mania videos on YouTube. They let you relive some of professional wrestling greatest screw-ups (affectionately known in the industry as botches). Some of these are so funny you’ll be rolling on the floor, laughing your ass off. For bonus wrestling fun, check out WrestleCrap for the craziest in squared circle coverage. Sip Advisor Favourite: Probably when Booker T dropped an N-bomb on Hulk Hogan!

Drink #152: Procrastinator

Rim glass with Caramel Syrup and Skor Bits
0.75 oz Frangelico
0.75 oz Honey Whiskey

Of course, you could also spend countless hours on this site, enjoying all the Sip Advisor has to offer. Thanks to the fine folks above, I’ve wasted numerous hours of my life. While Mrs. Sip might wish things were different, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3.5 Sips out of 5):
You can also make a Procrastination Martini with Gin, Dry Vermouth, Limoncello and Green Chartreuse, but I preferred the shooter recipe. This is a pretty strong shot, but it tastes good. I had trouble constructing the Skor Bit rim, having to resort to Caramel Syrup as an adhesive to make those suckers stick. Any chance I have to use Honey Whiskey is one I’m going to take!

May 17 – PB&J Martini

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

After yesterday’s debacle of a cocktail, I’m happy to follow it up with this treat. Like a professional athlete in need of a bounce back effort, here I am scoring the game winning goal, destroying the walk-off homerun, hitting the buzzer beater… you get my drift. While I’m a big fan of liquid lunches, I have to say that my heart flutters for sandwiches, as well. Here are some of the best ones:

Grilled Cheese

I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of cheese. That said, I’m bizarrely a fan of grilled cheese sandwiches, providing they’re made with a white cheese like mozzarella or swiss and not the processed American cheddar slices that are synonymous with the meal. With a side of potato chips and a dollop of ketchup to dip your sandwich into, I’m in kid-like heaven.

BLT & Club

When I was younger, I was a picky eater. A BLT, though, was a favourite of mine and a regular order at restaurants. As my tastes evolved, the club sandwich largely replaced the BLT for me and it doesn’t matter whether that extra meat is turkey, chicken, ham, or all three… they’re all going to the same wasteland known as my stomach! You have to remember, my little sippers, bacon is an essential item on nearly every sandwich, so don’t be stingy with it.

PB&J

The classic that I make better than most everyone else on the planet (if I don’t say so myself)! Now that I’ve also conquered the liquid form of this marrying of peanut butter and jelly, you might even say that I’ve become a god among men. There aren’t many tag teams out there that can compare with peanut butter and jelly. Ham and pineapple gave them a run for their money once, but it was an uphill battle.

Ice Cream

The first draft of this blog did not include the scrumptious ice cream sandwich. For that, I have repented my sins and after considering whether or not my best days were behind me and it was time to retire from the writing game, I have decided to carry on and work at redeeming myself. The best ice cream sandwich I’ve ever had is the Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie one, which used to be infinitely better before meddlesome folks began their crusade against junk foods.

Beef Dip

Not a lot beats a nice soft roll, stuffed with thin slices of roast beef and a delicious hot au jus to dip the sandwich into. Flavouring a meat in its own drippings seems cannibalistic, but nobody’s on trial here, so go ahead and do your worst. Destroy that sandwich with the ferocity of a natural predator and don’t feel a moment of remorse. If you are not of the carnivoristic variety, then go on your merry way with your *chortle* salad.

Pulled Pork

I love barbecued meats, especially pulled pork. I could eat this stuff on the reg and never get sick of the deliciously shredded substance. If you throw a little creamy coleslaw down on that sammy, brother, your head will be spinning into orbit. You don’t trust the Sip Advisor? You know, I’m not a one dimensional cocktail jockey… I hate other skills to go along with my liquor awesomosity.

Now that is a beautiful sandwich!

Philly Cheesesteak

I had never really tried a cheesesteak sandwich until an American Cheesesteak restaurant opened up close to my home. I have to say, that I was completely blown away. My order of choice is The Cowboy, which includes shaved prime rib, crispy onion straws, barbecue sauce, bacon mayo and aged white cheddar (which by now, you know is disqualified from my order). It’s a delicious meal that I don’t indulge in often enough.

Meatball Sub

Make sure to have your pens and paper ready because I’m about to reveal to the world my typical Subway order, now famously referred to as ‘The Advisor’. I start with a 12-inch meatball sandwich on Italian herb and cheese bread (yeah, I oddly like cheese in my bread, but not on my sandwich). I elect to not have it toasted and then I add the following condiments: lettuce, tomato, pickles, black olives, green olives (if I’m at one of the rare Subway’s that carries this delicious addition) and topped with mayo. My order is rarely modified because consistency is an art form.

Drink #137: PB&J Martini

Rim glass with Peanut Butter and Jelly
1.5 oz Chambord
1.5 oz Frangelico
Top with Milk

I bet after reading this, every single one of you are hungry for a good sandwich! In writing this post, I realized that I’ve never really had a true Sloppy Joe before. I will have to give this a try and see if it cracks the list above. My money is on it making the list… anyone else care to enter a wager!?

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
A tasty drink made all the more better with a very fun rim job. You can also turn the ingredients into a shooter, if you remove the milk proportion. I’ve wanted to try this drink for some time and I was finally able to put it all together. It actually tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, minus the bread and with a little more booze flavour than the lunch has. You won’t be disappointed if you try it yourself.

May 11 – Wedding Cake Shot

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

The Wedding March

TV show weddings are an event unto themselves. They usually feature the uniting of two characters we’ve watched fall in love together and their relationship blossom. Usually saved for season finales and in some cases series finales, the wedding episode is often an extremely important occasion. Here are some of my faves:

Andy & April/Ben & Leslie – Parks and Recreation

Parks and Rec has hosted two very memorable wedding ceremonies. First, Andy and April surprised their friends and family with their impromptu nuptials during a housewarming party. The pair had only been together a few months, but they were a very compatible match. Later on in the series, Ben and Leslie made their relationship official, in another spur of the moment ceremony, this time in the Parks and Rec Office with the help of all their friends.

Zack & Kelly – Saved by the Bell

As a huge fan of the show growing up, it broke my heart to see Kelly Kapowski finally tie the knot with Zack Morris. Why not me, I constantly asked the TV? Receiving no reply, I eventually made peace with their relationship (after years of intense psychotherapy, of course). We always wanted to see Zack and Kelly get together, even during the season where Kelly disappeared and was replaced by biker chick Tori. Some things are just meant to be!

Jim & Pam – The Office

While they were able to slip away to privately tie the knot on the Maid of the Mist boat near Niagara Falls – a ceremony that Michael Scott couldn’t ruin – both of their weddings were beautifully done. Based on the British version of The Office, you always knew that Jim and Pam would eventually fall in love… it just took three seasons and a few other twists and turns before all viewers could let out a sigh of relief and happiness.

Howard & Bernadette – Big Bang Theory

The first Big Bang Theory wedding – if you don’t think we’ll eventually see Leonard and Penny wed or even Sheldon and Amy, you’re out of your mind – went to Howard and Bernadette. The most touching moment of the entire episode was when the camera zoomed out to space (the couple wanted their nuptials to be captured by the Google Earth satellite) to show that the group had decorated the rooftop to look like a heart with an arrow through it from high above.

Niles & Daphne – Frasier

Niles lusted for Daphne for years on the show, but the two never seemed to be in the right situation to come together. First, Niles was married to the ice queen (and never seen) Maris. Then, as his marriage crumbled, Daphne was dating and later engaged to Donny, prompting Niles to move on and marry Mel. Things came to a head when Niles and Daphne ran away together just as Daphne was to be married. That’s some tale to tell the grandkids one day.

Ross & Emily – Friends

This wedding turned into quite the train wreck when Ross slipped up and said Rachel’s name during his vow exchange with bride-to-be Emily. Although they finished the ceremony, Ross and Emily split up soon afterwards, even though Ross and Rachel didn’t get back together immediately either. Sure there were other, more successful nuptials during the run of Friends, but this one may have been the most memorable.

Cory & Topanga – Boy Meets World

These two lovebirds were destined for each other and it was clear all along that someday they would walk down the aisle together. From jungle gyms to wedding bells, there were very few moments when the couple wasn’t romantically linked. This was another sad day for your faithful Sip Advisor. As much as I liked Cory, I always hoped Topanga and I would have a chance – it was not to be…

Homer & Marge – The Simpsons

In one of the series’ many flashback episodes, we become privy to the shotgun wedding of Homer and Marge. With Homer lacking a good job and not much money saved up, the couple had to do a quickie wedding at a small chapel and spent their first night as man and wife at Marge’s mother’s house. The series has enjoyed such longevity, that we’ve even witnessed multiple weddings for Homer and Marge, as well as the odd divorce mixed in there for good luck!

Jesse & Rebecca – Full House

If anyone else out in Sip Nation remembers Jesse and The Rippers big hit “Forever”, then your childhood was amazing. I’m willing to bet all you little sippers think I’ve lost my marbles again. Pretty hard to do that when I never had much of a collection (lost many a cat’s eye playing with the wicked Marbleworks set I had as a kid). Uncle Jesse finally settled down and quit his wild ways when he met and fell for Rebecca, Danny Tanner’s Wake Up San Francisco co-host. Jesse even had to jump out of a plane to make his ceremony on time… Oh, TGIF!

Drink #131: Wedding Cake Shot

1.5 oz Cupcake Vodka (Devil’s Food Flavour)
1.5 oz Frangelico
Garnish with Sugar-Coated Lemon Wedge

Certainly I’ve missed some great TV weddings. It seems nearly every single show to last a couple of seasons has featured a ceremony. Did I neglect your favourite nuptials? Give me hell for that egregious error!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes: (3 Sips out of 5):
I tried two different recipes for this shot. My second version consisted of Cupcake Vodka, Citrus Vodka, Limoncello, and Amaretto. In the end, I decided to present to you the more traditional recipe, rather than my own original idea. Either way, there ended up being quite a bit of liquor in each shot, so it turned into more of a sipper than a shooter and I’m not too sure whether I’m a fan of the Cupcake Vodka or not. Which recipe would you have preferred?

February 12 – Skor Bar

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

He Shoots, He Skors

There are a number of drinks named after popular chocolate bars. Today we enjoy the Skor Bar cocktail and we learn what some of The Sip Advisor’s favourite chocolate treats are:

Chocolate PayDay

The Chocolate PayDay bar has become a unicorn of sorts for myself and Mrs. Sip. We found it once, in a hotel vending machine. It was the last bar of its type in the machine and we’ve never seen it again. It took the classicly awesome PayDay bar – salted peanuts held together by chewy caramel – and covered it with chocolate. Had I not seen the bar with a witness, I’d begin to wonder if my years of drinking were taking a toll on the ol’ noggin.

Wunderbar

The Wunderbar is a favourite shareable for me and the little lady. Hell, she thinks every chocolate bar is a shareable… and don’t even get me started on our long standing McDonalds’ fries dispute (if I knew you were going to eat half of my fries, I would have ordered the larger size!!!). But I digress. I like to accuse her of eating more than her fair share of the chocolate bar and then she leaves me more the next time. It’s the ol’ bait and switch, executed to perfection!

Twix

Twix is another perfect “sharing” bar that brings out the Cookie Monster in me. I hate when chocolate bars are hard to share, like what do you do with the third peanut butter cup (note: in the United States, packages come with two cups, but in Canada, there’s three… yup, we’re better! …never mind the fact that you can probably buy two U.S. 2-packs for the price of one Canadian 3-pack). Obviously, you can break the third cup in half, but then your fingers get all chocolatey and delicious and such. Perfect for wiping on your loved one’s finest clothing.

Snickers

I like the new line of Snickers “you’re not you when you’re hungry” commercials, as it’s always nice to see Joe Pesci in front of the camera again. Mrs. Sip isn’t a fan of Snickers bars, so I get this one all to myself! She doesn’t like Oh Henry!, either, so I bet you can guess which treats are well-stocked at the Sip Advisor offices… that’s right, not these ones. These are the delicacies I hide around the house – toilet tank, recycle bin, among the DVD collection – for when I’m not acting myself.

Toblerone

They were 3-D first and we have to thank them for that. While travelling through Switzerland a handful of years ago, it seemed we were buying Toblerone bars like they were going out of style. When we took the trip up Jungfrau Mountain, we made sure to have this wonderful chocolate on hand, as eating some can actually help you adjust to the altitude. Either that or you need to down some serious wobbly-pops.

Drink #43: Skor Bar Cocktail

Rim glass with Skor bits
1 oz Irish Crème (I used Bailey’s)
1 oz Kahlua (or Frangelico for a twist)
1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
1 oz Crème de Cacao

Everybody has their favourite chocolate bar… what’s yours? I know it’s a hard choice to narrow down. Maybe it’s easier to pick one you hate. It is Fat Tuesday today, so make sure to enjoy as many bars (chocolate or otherwise), guilt-free, as possible!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
This actually tasted like a Skor Bar. I know that’s how it’s advertised, but sometimes the results don’t match the name. Butterscotch Schnapps and Crème de Cacao make an amazing pair and the Skor Bit rim was a lot of fun, too.

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