Pinchas

So, as some of you regular readers may have noticed, I sometimes have more d'var torah parts to the blog posts and sometimes more cocktail parts to the posts. This is one of those times where I will have more cocktail recipe words than d'var Torah words. Here are the main reasons:

1) In this week's haftarah, the wife of Manoah was specifically asked not to drink "wine or other intoxicants" so that she could have a son. so, this blog kind of goes against that, therefore, not so much d'var torah this week.

2) It is Canada Day this July 1! So, I feel that a cocktail is necessary to celebrate that. Here is a link to the Canadian Heritage website to learn more about Canada Day:

http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/jfa-ha/canada-eng.cfm

3) Also, this Sunday is July 4th and since I have been living in New York City for awhile now, I feel that it is important for me to celebrate that holiday too, so I have included a red-white-blue cocktail.

Enjoy your freedom and independence!

RED cocktail recipe (sorry, but I couldn't find a red and white one...)

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7915.html

1 oz Fris® apple vodka
2 oz apple juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup

RED WHITE BLUE cocktail (I found the recipe on a British site, ironically enough...)

http://www.cocktailmaking.co.uk/displaycocktail.php/877-red-,-white-%26amp;-Blue

red , white & Blue Cocktail Ingredients

• 1/3 shot grenadine
• 1/3 shot peach schnapps
• 1/3 shot Blue Curacao

Instructions

• pour grenadine into shot glass. Float peach scnapps on top , then float blue bols on top again. Drink should seperate into three layers like a flag

  A nice shot that isn't too strong , it won't blow your head off but it looks pretty smart.

Parshat Balak

I LOVE this story! The mah tovu story of the guy who tries to curse the People of Israel, but after many occurrences that stand in the way, he changes his mind and blesses them instead!! One of the obstacles is the donkey that talks back to him!

So, in honour of the donkey, here is an awesome cocktail recipe, which is also very appropriate for summer. Also, I cited my source and follow it to view a video of how to make the punch:

Donkey Punch

3 parts orange juice
2 parts ginger ale
1 part pineapple juice
1 part Bacardi® light rum
1/4 part grenadine syrup

Mix all ingredients in a punchbowl and float orange slices on top.

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink3228.html

Chukat-on the rocks

In this week's parsha we read the famous story about Moshe hitting the rock, instead of speaking to the rock. Basically, a quick summary: The Jewish People are in the desert on their way to Israel and are complaining of thirst and have been complaining in general a lot. I don't blame them because who wants to be in a desert anyway? (Just kidding, Josh! And Jenn! And all of my Israeli people who love the desert, except that I'm kind of serious too) Anyway, so God told Moshe to speak to this one rock and then the water will come pouring out. But, out of frustration or possibly other reasons, Moshe hits the rock instead. Water comes out anyway, so it sort of works out. However, because of this and maybe other reasons, Moshe is not allowed to enter the Land of Israel.

Since this method did work, I felt inspired to introduce the idea of "on the rocks". There are 2 meanings to this:

1) simple meaning: some kind of alcohol (usually scotch or vodka) over ice

2) not-so-well-known meaning: a kind of mixed drink, usually in the form of a shot glass

So, I am giving an option of either one of these interpretations for this week's drink because both get the same result. (sound familiar???)

Choice 1) your favourite scotch over ice

Choice 2) Sea Breeze: 1 shot of vodka, 1 shot of orange juice, 1 shot of grapefruit juice (fitting since it is about water...)

Parshat Korach

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of a post last week. But, I was very busy with all of these weddings and sheva brachot, so I did not have enough time. I hope that you understand and that you were still able to enjoy Shabbat drinks.

This week's parsha is Korach. Cool story about a rebel in the Jewish people who got a bunch of others against Moshe and then as punishment the ground swallowed him! Read it and learn about what not to do.

This coming Shabbat, I am going to be leaving Manhattan and going to my real home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to be with my family. We are all going to be home together for the first time in awhile. One thing about my family is that they drink a lot of beer and my brothers and my abba try to get me to try beer a lot. So, this week's drink is not only inspired by the parsha, but also by my beer-loving family.

Also, a big thank you to Megan Goldman who also gave me the idea for this drink:

Sake Bomb!!

fill a beer glass with your favourite kind of beer (I will be enjoying Canadian beer: Alexander Keiths!!!)
fill a shot glass with sake

place the shot glass in the beer glass and watch it get swallowed up (get it: just like Korach!!)
drink!!