Wednesday, April 9, 2014

we're drinking a little more here in Ethiopia right now

We have less than two months until we say goodbye to Ethiopia.  Only a few weeks until the moving company comes and packs up our life.  It's sort of moving too quickly and not quickly enough all at the same time.  

For all the entertaining we've done in Addis Ababa, we've accumulated quite a sophisticated liquor cabinet.  Gorgeous bottles of port, bourbon, liquors for baking, gin! We're grown-ups now! In the last few months, we've been drinking casually on the weekends and even in the evenings.  I hate to see some of our collection get wasted since it cannot be packed to move on with us to our next post.  It's a problem all expats have.  Gotta get rid of the liquor!  I swear we're not turning into alcoholics or anything but if you're familiar with the home stretch of any overseas tour, you'll know a good stiff gin and tonic can ease the pain a bit.  

Anyway, now that you've thoroughly decided I'm not nearly as sweet as you thought I was...HA!

Last weekend the sun was hot and we sat outside and let the girls ride their bikes, splash in the water and enjoy the afternoon.  

Enter- plan to get ride of liquor:
My husband drinks his whiskey on the rocks (or rock I guess since it’s a single huge spherical ice cube).  But I like mine as a cocktail.  I’m not allowed to use the “good” whiskey but too be honest, I don’t care.  Jamesons or Jack Daniels is good enough for me.  A seventy dollar bottle of whiskey definitely shouldn't be mixed with sugar syrup! HA!

The best cocktails are made with the freshest ingredients so slice some juicy limes and make a sugary syrup.  I like using the “raw” brown sugar found in Ethiopia.  It’s a dark brown color with a hint of molasses. 

Sara's Whiskey Sour
1 shot whiskey
Lime juice from 1 lime
Dash of sugar syrup (Just heat sugar and water 1:1 ratio until sugar dissolves)


Pour whiskey over ice and add the sugar and lime juice.  Stir.  Taste.  Add more of this or that to taste.  Some people like it sweeter, some more sour.  It’s up to you.  Have a few lime slices to garnish your drink.  

Sit back and sip while you make mental lists for pack-out!

2 comments:

KyleMatthieu said...

Hi Sara - I noticed your photo of a KNOTTED Ethiopian carpet among your posts, but the website you recommended only seemed to have woven ones ... is there still a workshop making the knotted natural ones? Fantastic if you could let me know & put me in touch with the company. Great blogspot, thank you, reminding me of my childhood at the Lycee! I'll try and code my e-address! Not for publication of course. Gina DOT Dow AT gmail Dot com Many thanks! Gina

Sara said...

Hi Gina,
Maybe you can email me at ouryuppielife@gmail.com Can you remind me which post? Salem's makes cotton loop carpets and woven cotton carpets. Trio Craft PLC makes natural fiber rugs.