Cozy fires, Chicken Soup and a Manhattan
Today is my favorite kind of day. Texas has been hit with another cold spell, cold enough to have a wood fire burning in our fireplace. And so we do. To go with that cozy fire is my traditional Manhattan. I’m not sure how long I have been pairing the two, but somehow when I think of a roaring fire, a Manhattan* [see recipe below] goes along with it.
What else pairs with a cold, wintery day besides a toasty fire and a nice cocktail? Soup, of course! And so I also have Chicken Soup simmering on my cooktop for tonight’s dinner. I’m using the turkey stock I made from our Thanksgiving turkey as the base, and into that I have added the normal carrots, celery, onion and garlic I typically use…along with some rutabaga and sweet turnips I bought at the Dallas Farmers Market. I used some chicken from a rotisserie chicken I brought home from my local grocery store and then stirred in some ancient grains pasta I had in my pantry. The pasta consists of quinoa, amaranth, and brown rice. It was not only tasty but also healthy. I love win-wins!
Catching Up
It is certainly a nice, relaxing way to settle in after the hectic holiday season. We spent New Year’s Day and some of yesterday driving from the Northeast back to Texas. Earlier today I caught up on laundry, knowing the water would be turned off later in the morning. We needed a plumber to fix a pipe issue from the last cold spell we had about two weeks ago! Ha! And you thought Texas was always warm… Then there were the other errands and tasks I needed to take care of that come with being away from home for a bit. I seem to still be recovering sleep-wise, so a fire and chicken soup are just what I needed today!
I’ve got yet another hectic day tomorrow, so I’ll sign off here to make the most of my time by the fire. Cheers!
Manhattan
- 2 parts rye whiskey (I’m using Whistle Pig tonight…yum!)
- 1 part sweet vermouth
- a few dashes of bitters
- Luxardo cherry and/or orange peel to garnish
Place the whiskey, vermouth and bitters in a glass; Add ice and stir to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass and add the garnish.
**Tonight I am using molé bitters made by Wigle Whiskey