Traditional Welsh Recipes

Alcoholic Drinks

In the West, alcoholic drinks are never far away from the arena at festive times, but do we aways know how to get the most from alcoholic drinks? Too many people these days just think that it is a question of 'getting as many alcoholic drinks down as possible in as little time as possible', but this is the wrong attitude.

After all, most people realize that a good meal does not consist of eating as many chips as possible in fifteen minutes, so why should that theory not apply to alcoholic drinks too? You will get far more enjoyment from a bottle of wine, if you spend an extra dollar on it and drink it slowly with a friend and some suitable food than if you swill down a cheap bottle of plonk on your own. It makes obvious sense, but not everyone sees it.

So, with that idea in mind, I have put together a few tips on how to get more enjoyment from your alcoholic drinks, if you are old enough and of that turn of mind.

Gin and Vodka - if these white spirits are your favourite snifter, always keep the bottle in the fridge, not the drinks cabinet. Keep the mixers in the fridge too. That way the ice will last longer and you will not be tempted to have to swig it down before the ice melts. If you are having friends around, go one step further and put the bottle in the freezer.

It will not go solid. You can even cut the top off a plastic cola bottle, put the bottle of gin or vodka in that, fill it with water and then freeze it. Take off the plastic bottle and you have an attractive "collar of ice" around your bottle.

The Last Tot - five minutes or so after finishing a bottle of spirits, tip it out one more time and the bottle that you thought was drained will provide one more tot of contents. It is not a lot, but it is a pleasant free surprise. The same works for many alcohol based products including underarm roll-on and scent.

White Wine - white wines taste best when they have been gently chilled over a prolonged period, but if you get caught out by surprise visitors, put the bottle of wine in a container of ice and cold water. Try not to have to place it in the deep freeze, it is too severe, but if you must, then ten minutes is all that it requires.

Port - it is always better to decant port and older, heavier red wines, because of the dregs that may be at the bottom of the bottle, which tastes horrible and because it assists the aeration of the wine.

However, it is not always easy to see when the lees are coming. The books say to use a candle, but they were written a hundred years ago. The concentrated beam from a torch is far better. Try using a Durabeam because its swivel head allows it to be directed more precisely.

Decanters - sometimes the stopper becomes stuck fast. Tap it with another glass item and it should come free. If not, run the neck of the decanter under hot water for a few seconds and it will come out.

Labels - if you store your wine in a damp place where the labels are likely to rot or fall off, spray them with hair lacquer first.