Naughts and Zeds: Black Friday

Naughts and Zeds is an ongoing series of posts on the differences between language, culture, and everyday items in America and in Britain. For a list of previous posts, go here.

Black Friday is a popular if crazy day in America. It's the day after Thanksgiving and is typically the beginning of the mad shopping rush leading up to Christmas. Stores have big sales and open very early. Some stores go overboard and start their sales Thanksgiving Night, which is wrong in all sorts of ways. The shopping experience is usually sheer pandemonium with people fighting over very popular and/or very cheap items. I generally avoid the situation since I don't like shopping anyway.

I was surprised to read in a local paper (back when I lived in Britain, boy this post is long overdue) that Britain has its own Black Friday. This is the Friday before Christmas. That night is the busiest night for restaurants, pubs, police, and paramedics. People go out for their office or work parties that night, creating a high demand in both good and bad ways. The night is also known as Mad Friday or Builders Friday. Mad because people indulge a little too much. Builders because it's the traditional day for building sites to close for the holidays and everyone takes home their last paycheck, or maybe they don't take it home directly. I general avoid the situation since I am completely ignorant of it!

Happy shopping to those Americans crazy enough to get up in the middle of the night to shop at Walmart!

War of the Christmas Novelty Ales 2014

After a couple of years of European battles between beers with a yuletide theme, I thought it was time for American brewers to get into the fray. I'm keeping up the tradition of drinking beer for the benefit of my dear readers. No sacrifice is too great for you all.

Here are this year's contenders:

1. Yule Tide brewed by Heavy Seas. Describe as "weizen dopplebock ale aged in rum barrels," this has the excellent flavor I've come to love from Belgium-style ales matched with a hint of my favorite spirit, rum! The nutty, malty flavor is smooth and delicious with a 9% alcohol kick that puts a smile on my face. This brew is part of the brewers' "Uncharted Waters" line of beers that are "carefully matched with a wood treatment." All I can say is, more please! I will try out the Heavy Seas label for other beers (they are a local Baltimore brewery). The title is a nice pun on the company's name and the holiday, too!

2. The Mad Elf Ale by The Troegs Brothers. Described as "A cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. Fermented and aged with a spicy yeast, this ruby red beer delivers subtle cherries and enticing aromas." Usually fruit flavors are a big turn-off for me (the only bad experience I had with beer in Belgium was in a grocery store when I saw Hoegaarden for sale in a variety of fruit flavors as if they were wine coolers), but the cherry in this is very subtle and adds a nice tartness. It's robust without being rough. The 11% alcohol content is not noticeable in the flavor, which I guess could be dangerous. Another fine product coming from Hershey, Pennsylvania!

3. St. Festivus by The Brewer's Art. Described as"Ale brewed with spices," the bottle is particularly uninformative. It is a dark, nutty ale with a spicy finish that is reminiscent of the season but could easily be offered any time of the year. It has good flavor and 8.5% alcohol. The gigantic bottle (750 ml or 1 pint 9.4 fluid ounces) is drinkable by a lone drinker in an evening (another sacrifice for my readers) but is a good size for sharing as well. I like the beer but it doesn't seem very seasonal in flavor and the name is a little bland too.

4. Corsendonk Christmas Ale by Brewery Du Bocq. Describes as "Dark ale refermented in bottle," it sounds like there's no real holiday spirit in this spirit. The ale is made in Belgium according to the Belgian style. It has the rich flavoring I've come to expect from Belgian ales but with a little bit of aftertaste. This bottle is another 750 ml behemoth with 8.1% alcohol. It's a fine drink but like #3 the brewer could easily slap a different label on it and sell it at a different time of year.

This year's winner is this year's first contender, Yule Tide! Be of good cheer my dear readers and I look forward to next year's batch.

More Chartreuse Drinks

I finally tried out some of the other Chartreuse cocktails I mentioned on a previous post. Here's what I found...

Green Glacier ingredients

GREEN GLACIER from here
2 ounces brandy
3/4 ounce green Chartreuse
1/2 ounce white creme de cacao
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

While this seemed on paper like it would work well, in practice it was not a drink worth drinking. In fact, I did not finish it. The white creme de cacao seemed to curdle a little bit in the mixture. The flavors did not blend well and wound up being unpleasant to me.

FLAMING DRAGON from here
1 oz. Green Chartreuse
1 oz. Bacardi 151 Rum
Mix together and light on fire. Let the drink sit for about 10 sec. Blow out (optional according to the web site, though I don't see how you can drink it if it's still on fire, especially if you, like me, have facial hair).

It's certainly entertaining to make this drink. Burning off the alcohol helps cut the bite. The taste is nice but this is definitely more of a show drink than a serious drink. It makes a nice flame:



I've concocted my own drink for which I need to make up a name.

1 oz. Green Chartreuse
7 oz. ginger ale

This is a tasty blend of flavors bringing out the best of the Chartreuse and the ginger ale. Yummy!

Calvados Recipes

Calvados is an apple brandy made in the Normandy/Brittany area of France. I bought some to try and it had a recommended recipe on the back:

Ingredients

Jack Rose
  4 cl Calvados Pere Francois VS
  2 cl jus de citron
  1 cl sirop de grenadine

Shakez ces ingredients et servez dans un verre a cocktail!, which according to Google Translate is "Shake well these ingredients and serve in a cocktail glass!" Also, 4 centiliters is about 1.35 ounces. For my drink, I combined 1/2 oz. of grenadine, 1 ounce lemon juice, and 2 ounces Calvados. The recipe doesn't mention ice so I tried shaking it without ice and it tasted alright. It's still got the sharp brandy flavor but the lemon juice and grenadine give it some complex tastes I like. 

I tried it another day with ice and it is not as good. I guess the recipe left the ice out for a reason!


I thought I would invent my own recipe based on my recent travels.

European Union
  1/2 oz. Raki (after dinner wine from Crete/Greece)
  1/2 oz. Limoncello (lemon apertif from Italy)
  1/2 oz. Calvados (apple brandy from France)
  1/2 oz. Lewza Liquor (almond apertif from Malta)
  1/2 oz. Unicum Zwack (alcoholic poison from Hungary)
  1/2 oz. Jura (whiskey from Scotland)
  1/2 oz. Green Chartreuse (herbal liquor from France)
  1/2 oz. Porto Calem (dry port from Portugal)

Actually, this sounds like such a disaster that I should rename it "The League of Nations." I have not made this drink, nor do I recommend it.

To apologize for the above invention, here are some cute pictures of the kids from France:

L is blinded by patriotism

Some shop was playing Gangnam Style and J danced

Naughts and Zeds: Is That Really English?

Naughts and Zeds is an ongoing series of posts on the differences between language, culture, and everyday items in America and in Britain. For a list of previous posts, go here.

There are plenty of products in America that have the "English" moniker stuck on them. Thomas's English Muffins are a popular breakfast treat with many knock-off brands sold as plain old "English muffins." English toffee is a popular dessert treat or topping. English Breakfast Tea is available just about everywhere in America, even in coffee shops. But are all these "English" things found in England? Do they call them "English?"

First, let's look at the mouth-watering muffins that I treasured in my youth and still treasure today. The other day I was in the grocery store and found these:

Yes, these are definitely what in America are called "English muffins" and here are just called "muffins."

We did try making our own muffins following a recipe from the Stainsby Mill. It was a bit of work and we didn't quite have the knack for cooking them properly. The heat level is pretty vague in the recipe ("Warm a griddle gently and grease lightly with lard or oil then place the muffins [i.e. uncooked dough] carefully on the griddle and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on a moderate heat until golden brown underneath"). They turned out not quite so well. We may stick with the store-bought brands.

As for English toffee, we have found plenty of toffee here in England. It is definitely more popular than in America. But nowhere is it called "English toffee." Sure, there's sticky toffee pudding (which is the greatest dessert ever) and I've had a drink called hot toffee that is basically hot chocolate but with toffee instead. These cookies are pretty awesome:

Yes, these are just like Doctor Who's favorites without the jammie

As for English Breakfast Tea, that is indeed found here and is also called by the same name. Presumably to distinguish it from Irish and Scottish breakfast tea (why is there no Welsh breakfast tea?). All the larger tea makers make a version of this tea.

Local popular drinks

It is just as delicious here as it is in the States. Though I haven't found Irish breakfast tea like I have back home. Maybe when we go to the Emerald Isle we won't find English breakfast tea!

Naughts and Zeds: Drink Driving

This is the beginning of an on-going series of posts about the interesting differences between American English and British English. Americans say "zero" while Brits say "naught" and the last letter of the alphabet is "zee" in America and "zed" in the UK. Stuff like that. Today's topic is especially relevant for any post-Saint-Patrick's-Day revelers who had too much green beer.

Americans and the English refer to driving while intoxicated with slightly different terminology. In America this is referred to as "drunk driving" while in England they say "drink driving."

The English generally have a much lower tolerance for drinking and driving. As in zero tolerance. The advice we were given was you shouldn't drive if you have any alcohol at all. The advice makes sense, because even if you aren't legally impaired, you still are affected by the alcohol that you drink. You don't have to be drunk for your performance to be impaired. If you are busted, the fine is £5000 and comes with a twelve month driving ban and a criminal record. Check it out at the government web site. Also, they have a video that's quite direct about the consequences.

Americans have more of a "know your limit" attitude towards drinking and driving. If your blood/alcohol content is over a certain level, you are considered "drunk" and can be in serious trouble (British law enforcement also measures the alcohol content of your breath/urine/blood). How much trouble is often dictated by local or state laws, so there's no standard penalty across the United States.

While the "designated driver" (someone who doesn't drink and so is fine behind the wheel) is popular in America, so is our independence. If only one person was in the car, it's hard to have a designated driver and a drinker. Carpooling is an excellent way to pool resources and avoid getting into trouble. Another solution sometimes available is a free taxi ride provided by local government or a non-profit agency.

So if you are in America, drink responsibly and you won't be in trouble for drunk driving; if you are in the United Kingdom, don't drink at all or else you'll be in trouble for drink driving.

Chartreuse the Liqueur, Not the Color

From Wikipedia

What a happy discovery to find that Chartreuse is not just a color but is also a fabulous liqueur made by Carthusian monks in France.

The monks originally came across the recipe for this liqueur in 1605. It was described as an "elixir of long life." The monks began making it for medicinal purposes (at 55% alcohol, I can see how it has potent properties). It can still be bought in small, concentrated quantities for just that purpose, though probably no reputable doctor would prescribe it. The recipe was altered in the 1760s and the monks went through a long history of being banished by the French government and coming back to reestablish production. Read more about it at Wikipedia.

The distinctive green color is from chlorophyll. The name is from the monastery where it is produced, i.e. Grande Chartreuse. This is the head monastery of the Carthusian order. Also, it was the monastery featured in the documentary Into Great Silence.

Here's some recipes I've tried with the blessed stuff:

CHARTREUSE SOLEIL "Sunburst" from here
1 part of Green Chartreuse
6 parts of orange juice
Serve over ice in a long glass

This drink is like a liquid form of the smell of freshly mowed grass or fresh cut herbs. There's no hint of mint, only the refreshing feel of being outdoors on a fine spring day. I found this very enjoyable and would make a great summertime cocktail.

CHARTREUSE TONIC from here
1 part of Green Chartreuse
9 parts of tonic
Serve over ice in a long glass

If you like tonic water, you may like this drink. I don't like tonic (which I forgot) so I didn't like this drink. Anybody want five 12 oz. cans of tonic water?

GREEN CHAUD “Chartreuse Mousse" from here
One teaspoon of Chartreuse in a mug of hot chocolate

This version of hot chocolate is very nice. The chocolate brings out the mint flavor of the Chartreuese, but the other herbs are floating around in the background leaving a delightful impression on your tongue. This drink is quite popular at French ski resorts, if word on the internet can be trusted.

Here are other drinks I haven't tried yet but will soon. I wanted to include them (hopefully a video of the Flaming Dragon), but I needed something green for the blog on St. Patrick's Day.

FLAMING DRAGON from here
1 oz. Green Chartreuse
1 oz. Bacardi 151 Rum
Mix together and light on fire. Let the drink sit for about 10 sec. Blow out (optional according to the web site, though I don't see how you can drink it if it's still on fire, especially if you, like me, have facial hair).

GREEN GLACIER from here
2 oz. brandy
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz. white creme de cacao
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

We would have done this already if I could find white creme de cacao. The search goes on!

If we survive both a green glacier and a flaming dragon in our home, I will report accordingly on the results.

Home-made Zombie

I finally gathered all the ingredients for the zombie cocktail mentioned previously. The only problem was finding passion fruit syrup. I won't claim it doesn't exist in England but I haven't found it yet. I did find passion fruit juice, which is probably close enough. Oh, and I didn't have a mint sprig for a garnish. Here are the various parts I used to construct my very own home-made zombie:

You'll notice I didn't have to raid the pineapple tidbits to get some pineapple juice (though a chunk of pineapple would be a great garnish, especially if dyed blood red). You can't see it in the picture, but the bottle of 151 proof rum (i.e. 75.5% alcohol) has all sorts of warnings about how flammable it is. That made my wife a little nervous. Amazingly, all of the ingredients are available in local grocery stores. I love living in England. Here's the final product:

Unfortunately, I've never accumulated proper bar glasses, though this frosty mug did a good job holding my liquor. The cocktail shaker is one of those wedding gifts that never sees enough action in our home. I suppose that will change now with a new favorite drink. I like the drink a lot!

To go with the drink, I watched Evil Dead II, which stars Bruce Campbell and features plenty of zombie mayhem. I would review it for the blog but I'm frightened of listing all the gore in the movie. To start with, I noticed bodily fluids came in four different colors, maybe in tribute to the four bodily humors theory, except the yellow bile came out green in the movie. The movie is just as much comedy as it is horror, earning its "splat-stick" reputation with gallons of blood and other ooze flying all over the set. There's lots of other comic violence and mayhem that probably isn't to everyone's taste, but I enjoy it more than I should. That's what a guilty pleasure is all about!

I hope you all had a great Halloween and are looking forward to the next big holiday. Here in the UK, the next big celebration is Guy Fawkes Night, November 5. Lots of fireworks and bonfires are scheduled, seemingly one in every town around us. We will probably attend at least one. I will be sure to blog about it!

Official Drink of the Blog?

I've always known a drink called a zombie existed but I've never tried one. Now that it's that time of year, perhaps I should. As if to further encourage me, Julie from Happy Catholic posted a recipe recently (on her food blog) with some interesting commentary of her family's experience with it. The story is here and I've taken the liberty to repost the recipe:

Zombie
1 tsp. Brown Sugar
1 oz. Lemon Juice
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 oz. Gold Rum
1 oz. 151-proof Rum
1 oz. White Rum

Dissolve brown sugar in juices. Combine all ingredients, shake with ice, and pour into chilled Collins glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

The only problem with this recipe is the abysmal state of my liquor cabinet. When we shipped our household goods here from America, we were not allowed to ship any liquids. I drank what I could before leaving and gave the rest away to friends. Of the nine ingredients listed above, we have three: brown sugar, lemon juice, and gold rum. I guess the can of pineapple tidbits is packed in pineapple juice, so we have a fourth in a pinch. Time to go shopping! With any luck, I will report later on our concoction and its results.

But I wanted a flaming rum punch! We don't have those ingredients, either.