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It’s August! You know what that means: summer is almost over. And with heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and an ongoing global pandemic, many of our vacations turned into staycations. But just because summer travel didn’t turn out as planned doesn’t mean we can’t visit new places virtually. Don’t Zoom your travel agent — check out this curated collection of cocktail recipes and create a vacation experience that transforms your patio into a cross-country tour.
Nothing says out of the office and off on an adventure like a good cocktail. Whether you like your potables potent or non-alcoholic, there’s something about a shaken-not-stirred concoction poured over ice that signals fun. But before you raise a glass, make sure it’s the right one — stock your bar cart with glassware the pros use.
Of course, you don’t need all of these; you can have a good time with a red Solo® cup. But embracing the ritual of preparing a drink is part of what makes this an adventure. Now let’s explore this great land of ours, cocktail by cocktail.
Chatham Artillery Punch gets the party started in the coastal city of Savannah, Georgia. Just like Savannah, this drink is full of history. Legend has it the drink was offered to George Washington upon his arrival in the city, but it’s more likely the libation was created to honor a military regiment based in Savannah.
source: Punch by David Wondrich
Enjoy this cocktail while you steep yourself in all things Savannah — try reading John Berendt’s Savannah-set best-seller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and put on Savannah-born saxophonist James Moody’s classic jazz album, Moody’s Mood for Love.
Next stop? Tuscaloosa, Alabama. If you just shouted, “Roll Tide!” then you know why we’re here. Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, is a football town, and the Yellowhammer is a tailgating drink. The recipe is top secret, but this is pretty close to the original. Yellowhammers should be served cold, so make sure you’ve got a full ice bucket handy.
source: The Daily Meal
Get caught up in the excitement of game day with Warren St. John’s look at Alabama football, Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Road Trip into the Heart of Fan Mania. Crank tunes from Alabama native Brittany Howard’s latest musical offering, Jaime.
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Skip the tourist-y Hurricane cocktail and try this sophisticated sip of New Orleans instead. Invented in the mid-1800s, the recipe eventually swapped cognac for rye whiskey. In 2008, the Louisiana House of Representatives made the Sazerac the official drink of the Big Easy.
source: LIQUOR.com
Pick up Sara Roahen’s book, Gumbo Tales, a mouthwatering look at N’awlins cuisine, and do a second line strut to the sounds of Jon Batiste’s joyful ode to NOLA, We Are.
Let’s spend some time in Minneapolis! As the cocktail’s name suggests, the Bootleg was invented during Prohibition — that’s significant because Minnesotan bootleggers chose the drink’s ingredients to mask the taste of alcohol in the event of a police raid. The result is a delicious tasting drink that sneaks up on you.
source: Pip and Ebby
Lose yourself in the Twin Cities by reading The St. Paul Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald; then give a listen to Piano and a Microphone, the acoustic album by Minneapolis royalty, Prince.
Name one of the top blueberry producing states in the United States. Did you guess Washington? The Pacific Northwest state produced a whopping 160 million pounds of blueberries in 2019. Ripe blueberries are perfect for this refreshing alcohol-free mocktail.
source: Cook with Manali
Crack the spine on Maria Semple’s Seattle-centered book, Where’d You Go, Bernadette and turn up the volume on the eponymous album from Seattle-born singer-songwriter, Brandi Carlile.
Ahh, Boston — the “Hub of the Universe” and home to elite universities, amazing sports dynasties, and so much history! In fact, Boston Rum Punch was the drink of choice at the Green Dragon Tavern, the very bar where the Boston Tea Party was planned. That’s an august legacy, better use a coaster.
Grab Zadie Smith’s Boston-infused novel, On Beauty, and cue up Doolittle from Beantown alt rockers The Pixies.
We end our Cocktails Across America expedition in Florida, the Sunshine State. And nothing says Florida like Jimmy Buffett and margaritas. In a survey of America’s favorite drinks, margaritas beat out martinis and mimosas for the number one spot. Here’s a delicious non-alcoholic take on the watermelon margarita.
source: Tasty Kitchen
Snag a copy of Karen Russell’s paean to Florida’s weirdness, Swamplandia!, and sing along to Margaritaville, from Buffett’s breakthrough album, Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.
That’s a lot of places to virtually visit and more than a few cocktails to imbibe, so spread your Sip Trip out over a long weekend and savor each remaining moment of summer. Sláinte!
Check out our full line of barware to serve up drinks in style, and read our mBlog series for more entertaining inspiration.
Lisa Langford is a Senior Copywriter at mDesign
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Posted: Aug 5, 2021
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