“I’m an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)…..”
I admit it. The heat does strange things to our brain. After two weeks of 110+ temperatures, humid swamp weather, rolling blackout warnings, and wildfires in California I’m starting to lose lucidity. The pool is 98 degrees, the air is heavy with humidity. Literally the stank of 2020 is lingering in the air trying to smother us with despair.
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Okay, maybe I’m being a little theatrical, but you get the gist of it. My brain is on burnout and all I can hear is Bing’s melody about being an “Old Cowhound” ringing in my head. When this happens there is only one thing one can do and that is take an adult time out. I find this generally works better than any rash decisions one might make to move to Alaska to escape the weather and crazy Californians.
My time outs frequently involve a cocktail, my pool, and a good book. Since it is so bloody hot out, there is only one cocktail that would even be remotely refreshing, which is Ranch Water. Ranch water origins are from West Texas where the weather can be hot and humid, and was concocted by a rancher to provide refreshment to his crew after a hard day of work. The cocktail is super easy to make, and isn’t a recipe so much as a suggestion to eliminate a little mineral water and tequila and lime juice. Oh, and since the mineral water has no calories, this is low calorie cocktail. Tequila is about 69 calories an ounce, so depending on how much you use this is a skinny drink with a lot of flavor!
Tips for the perfect Ranch Water Cocktail:
-Locate Topo Chico Mineral Water – If you are in the Palm Springs area I have found this at Aldi ($3.95 four-pack), Total Wine, Jensens, Wal-mart and online at Amazon. The water is important component of the cocktail as it is from Monterey, Mexico and adds a bit of minerality that is unique to the drink.
-Keep your Topo Chico in the refrigerator so it is cold and ready to use at a moments notice.
-Though the cocktail recipe calls to discard 2 ounces mineral water and replace with 2 ounces tequila, you can alter this to your taste. Some people like a stronger drink, so you can use more. Some just are looking for an essence and can use less.
-I like the taste of lime so I add extra lime juice.
-Travels well, so great for summer afternoon at the beach, picnic with friends or on the lake.
Yay Christy, glad you’re back with this website. I always enjoyed it and hope you keep it up. Stay safe and healthy.