the Singapore Sling

Before I go any further, let me say that I'm usually the designated driver because my drink of choice is water.

BUT. . .

I've learned how to make a mean Singapore Sling.

When I was a teenager, my first drink was Peach Fuzz. Our beach trip chaperone moms mixed up a (very weak) batch and let us have a cup. We thought it was sinfully delicious, even though we were probably dividing one jigger of alcohol between 8 hormonal girls. Recently I phoned my friend to see if she could retrieve the recipe for Peach Fuzz from her mom. After much debate, they came up with what they thought they remembered. I tried it. Either my tastebuds have changed, or I was once so giddy with the idea of having a drink that anything would've tasted good, but this recipe was far too tart for me. After some tweaking, however, I did create a slushy Peach Fuzz drink that was pretty good. (One uses a whole fresh peach- peel and all- hence the name).

As the years progressed, my friends drank beer; I drank screwdrivers. Try though I would, I could never develop a taste for beer. In college, this sometimes presented a problem. At fraternity parties or beer softball games there was obviously no open bar. Times like these, I'd have to bring my own bottle of something like Brass Monkey or Boone's Farm Wild Mountain Grape. (I never lowered myself to the likes of Mad Dog 20/20, however.)

You see, when we were in college, there were no such things as wine coolers or flavored alcohol or Bacardi Ice drinks like there are now. We never heard of ice shooters or funneling or flavored martinis. It was beer, mixed drinks, or a few bottled drinks like the two mentioned above. BUT when we went to someplace like Underground Atlanta or Bourbon Street, we could get some dee-li-cious mixed drinks - like Singapore Slings. Now that was a grand beverage! We could also get a Pina Colada, a Daiquiri, a Bloody Mary, a Margarita, or a Hurricane (at Pat O'Brien's), but the choices were definitely limited.

One weekend my friend, Nancy, and I decided to learn to drink Scotch. It was our turn to decorate the entry-way for the sorority. While we worked, we tried the Scotch in various ways: with soda, with water, probably even with Coke. If my memory serves me correctly, Nancy succeeded in acquiring a taste for the nasty stuff. I thought I would gag. Back to screwdrivers and Brass Monkey for me.

After college graduation and before I became responsible, I even tried the salt, lime, and tequila shots. Once. Only once, and we'll never speak of this again.

The best thing that ever happened to my social drinking was the invention of wine coolers. (Plain wine gives me a headache.) Coolers are fizzy, don't contain too much alcohol, taste good, and come in a totable bottle. No more Brass Monkey. Time went on, and I almost forgot about Singapore Slings.

Rocking on the back porch of a beach house at dusk as one watches the crashing waves and the pelicans riding the air currents is synonomous with slushy drinks. When we planned a family reunion at the beach last year, I embarked on a quest to learn to mix superior pina coladas and daiquiries. (This actually began as trying to learn to make Peach Fuzz, as described above). My friend, Susan, and her husband served as guinea pigs on many a late afternoon when I appeared in their back yard with a pitcher of my latest attempt. It was a tough job, but they were able volunteers. By mid-summer, I had the recipes perfected. (Susan reminds me that I need to keep practicing so as not to lose my skill - and they'll be happy to help out however they can.) Needless to say, I had two blenders whirring many an evening during that week at the beach. No, NOT all for me - we had 16 people!

Recently, for a reason I can't determine, it came to me that I hadn't had a Singapore Sling in years! It is never offered on the backs of menus or beverage lists. It became a challenge. I searched the internet for recipes. I found what purports to be the original recipe created by a Raffles Hotel bartender at the turn-of-the century. (http://www.webtender.com/) Between it and other variations, I was ready to mix. Mine didn't turn out so well. I prefer fruitier, sweeter drinks. This recipe was not to my liking, so I tweaked it. Thought you might like to try it for yourself:

My Version of the Singapore Sling

1 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Cherry Heering brandy or liqueur
4 oz. pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Rose's sweetened lime juice
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/8 oz. Benedictine
1/2 oz. Grenadine

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice, and shake until very cold. Strain into a glass, add the ice from the shaker, and garnish with an umbrella or a pineapple slice and a cherry, or nothing. I like to use a straw.

M-m-m-m good.
Enjoy - in the comfort of your own home - do not drink and drive!