<p>2.5 to 1? Wow, not sure i could drink that, though i 'll consider that as i drink the last of the Cosmo pitcher i made for DW and i</p>
<p>Any idea where you can get blue cheese stuffed olives besides Amazon?</p>
<p>^Trader Joe’s. In the refrigerated section. Be sure to get tooth picks with something colorful on the end.</p>
<p>In the ethnic aisle at any supermarket also,though Trader Joe’s isn’t bad</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>I usually lurk on these pages but this thread drew me out of the closet. ;-)</p>
<p>I had my first martini at age 40. It is definitely a “grown-up’s” drink. I like mine with Tanquery gin, x-tra, x-tra dry, a “little” dirty with 2 olives. If I’m feeling generous, I ask for a third olive to give hubby at the end. He loves them. :-)</p>
<p>There was a steak restaurant that recently closed where the martinis were so huge they lasted thru dinner. Loved them. :-)</p>
<p>For some reason, when I make them at home, they are much stronger. :-/ Last Christmas Eve, we stayed home and had martinis and played Scrabble. S tasted but did not partake. Needles to say, hubby and I had a blast.</p>
<p>Ah, haven’t figured out how to celebrate the last tuition payment–this MAY! I have a few months to ponder and we’ve been working toward this day for 25+ years! Hope to have a mortage to burn at some point in the near future as well.</p>
<p>Am so pleased we are getting our new dishwasher delivered, photovoltaic panels on the roof and the three huge thorn trees cut from our front yard with the stumps ground down. We are SO tired of the thorns and the seeds that the trees deposit all over our cars, driveway and sidewalk.</p>
<p>Have never acquired a taste for martinis but do love dining out and travel. Planning to do some of that. :)</p>
<p>BTW–we sent our first last tuition payment a few weeks ago, but still have two more lasts coming up (one in three years, one in five). (Or that’s the plan anyway.) So we’re celebrating with Natty Light. :(</p>
<p>*Any idea where you can get blue cheese stuffed olives besides Amazon? *</p>
<p>I saw some at Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, or Williams Sonoma. </p>
<p>Look at any kitchen/gourmet or upscale grocery kind of place. Whole Foods might have some, too. </p>
<p>I think I’ve bought them at Super Target…look in both the olive section and liquour mixers section.</p>
<p>I’ve seen some soaked in vermouth.</p>
<p>Well to be honest, not all that sure about whether we’ll be having to pay grad school tuition (&/or living expenses/rent, etc.) to help D, but at least for now, that’s not being discussed. Happy anyway that she’s getting her degree and at least S has a good job that he seems to enjoy. </p>
<p>Will probably hold off on the alcohol, since much of it seems to make me wheeze (dang sulfites). Will join folks in sashimi and poke and sushi.</p>
<p>Sop14’s, I’ve invested in some Hendrick’s and tried a small amount of it straight. It’s utterly remarkable, and I even have a cucumber aversion! I have no doubt that a non-gin drinker would like it. I’ll try it as qdogpa recommends - very dry, very cold, and non-dirty. (But I’m not putting a blasted cucumber slice in it like the Hendrick’s bottle recommends).</p>
<p>Gadad, it sounds as though I’ve made a convert. My apologies, as it’s so darned expensive! Yes, I wouldn’t recommend a dirty Hendrick’s martini–I think you’d really lose something there. (The cucumber thing reminds me of a Pimm’s Cup from New Orleans, which is really the antithesis of everything I like about Hendrick’s, and so I haven’t tried it.) Meanwhile, enjoy!</p>
<p>^^^there are things to cut back on where it makes financial sense…Liquor is NOT one of them;)
Drink well my friends,drink well…</p>
<p>Thanks to this thread I found blue cheese stuffed olives in Harris Teater last night; they’ll be making an appearance in a certain DH’s Christmas stocking ;)</p>
<p>You wicked, wicked people: I found bleu cheese-stuffed olives while Xmas shopping today. Resistance was futile. If DH is nice, they will go in his stocking. If he is naughty, they will go in MY stocking …</p>
<p>^^^Is that supposed to be a double entendre?^^^</p>
<p>12rmh18 - thanks for the link!</p>
<p>This is one of my favorite topics. </p>
<p>Sapphire - I like to put the bottle in the freezer for a few hours. requires less ice. I chill the glasses, do the vermouth rinse. Olives, sometimes dirty. Sometimes I garnish with orange peel instead. </p>
<p>I’ve tried Hendrick’s but prefer Sapphire. Tanqueray 10 is an acceptable substitute.</p>
<p>Blue Cheese olives - I usually get them off the olive bar at our local grocery.</p>
<p>:eek: :o no double entree intended :eek: :o </p>
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<p>because of this thread, I went out and bought a drinking bourbon whiskey and a sipping rye. I did the same last year. Forgot that I intensely dislike the cheap stuff. but it will be gone quicker, in big gulps :p</p>
<p>I got some 40 year old marochino cherries, I thinking about a manhatten tonight that will go well with the young stuff.</p>
<p>Which bourbon? Always looking to try a new quality bourbon</p>