A Cloudy Day - New Drink for the Overcast Mood

Global warming is in its early stages, but we're seeing effects that might seem contradictory. Weather, for instance, has become increasingly unpredictable, unseasonable, and even deceptively cold or wet in some places. While the icecaps are evaporating, or melting into the ocean, we seem to be getting increasing amounts of annual rainfall, at least this year. Another storm is heading our way this Friday, and our annual totals will certainly exceed those of last year, which would make two years of wetter weather in a row.

I wouldn't mind the additional precipitation, if it weren't for the worry this causes us in our present house. The drain system we installed when we had it built on this lot included an elegant water gathering system, with a large sump pump to direct the accumulated roof and ground water uphill to the street drain (we live on a hill). Our drain system hasn't been working for several years, and requires manual operation, which can be daunting during a rainstorm, standing over the catch basin holding the manual pump down into the 9 foot deep cavity. Murphy's Law dictates that any water pump system will usually fail "during a rain-storm" and that's a rule worth remembering.

So we spend less time outdoors, and try to stay warm and dry (assuming that our custom skylights aren't leaking). Here's my antidote to a grey, overcast afternoon, a concoction to cheer one up in the face of seasonal doldrums.

As usual, by proportion--

3 parts brandy

2 parts Coq d'Or cognac

1 part triple sec

1 part macadamia nut liqueur

1 part sweet lime juice

Stirred moderately and served up. Coq d'Or cognac is a cheap kind of French calvados, suitable for mixing (not straight). Macadamia nut liqueur is a smoky, caramel-like mixer. Sweet limes are not quite like limes--more like lemons but somehow "juicier" and sweeter.

Here's to drier times and clearer skies.