tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post4496398687915330822..comments2024-03-29T00:29:24.395-04:00Comments on Off The Presses: The Cocktail Elite and the Mysterious Allure of ShotsRobert Simonson, "Our Man in the Liquor-Soaked Trenches"-New York Times.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14428424677554600158noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-86372638024751595212010-05-23T20:51:48.241-04:002010-05-23T20:51:48.241-04:00Nice insights, Joachim. Thank you.Nice insights, Joachim. Thank you.Robert Simonson, "Our Man in the Liquor-Soaked Trenches"-New York Times.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14428424677554600158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-56493933971813682682010-05-22T16:22:54.161-04:002010-05-22T16:22:54.161-04:00Don't discount the near-immediate physical and...Don't discount the near-immediate physical and psychological effects of a shot, especially when taken late at night by someone who has been working hard for 6-8 hours and hasn't eaten or sat since pre-shift meal. Your sore back and aching knees immediately feel a little better; you take a moment from serving everyone else to acknowledge and toast your fellow foxhole mates, and you're ready to keep going. At the bar, we'll take a staff shot an hour before last call to keep us smiling and shaking. <br /><br />At big events like MCC, you saw shots being taken not only as a reprieve from the cacophony and disorganization of even a well-run event, but also because we were working with friends and colleagues from all over the country and a quick toast together commemorates our mutual fondness and respect.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07767825451688988062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-45561106230586027292010-05-20T17:17:58.696-04:002010-05-20T17:17:58.696-04:00Context can not be discounted.Context can not be discounted.Robert Simonson, "Our Man in the Liquor-Soaked Trenches"-New York Times.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14428424677554600158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-67689781899876551072010-05-20T17:07:54.351-04:002010-05-20T17:07:54.351-04:00As Freud might have said, "Sometimes a drink ...As Freud might have said, "Sometimes a drink is just a drink."<br /><br />And to speculate on your lede, just to put it into possible context -- let's say that it was that journalist's birthday, and he'd entered that bar to celebrate with his friends. Let's also say that the craft bartender you mentioned bought the shot of Jaeger both as a birthday drink, and as a dare: a "Hey, Mr. Cocktail Geek, will you accept a shot of Jaeger on your birthday or are you too good for that?" Well, really, there's only one way the journalist could proceed without being churlish (and the after-the-fact Twittering of the event by the bartender was probably to be expected). No, it wasn't an absinthe frappe or a vieux carre or any of the other nicely done drinks one could find in the French Quarter; but, it was a celebratory drink, offered by a mischievous friend, and -- it was just a drink.Paulhttp://www.cocktailchronicles.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-62004300740015620672010-05-20T17:05:34.905-04:002010-05-20T17:05:34.905-04:00Nice comparison, Darcy. No doubt you are right.Nice comparison, Darcy. No doubt you are right.Robert Simonson, "Our Man in the Liquor-Soaked Trenches"-New York Times.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14428424677554600158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-91827442804583203802010-05-20T15:29:11.315-04:002010-05-20T15:29:11.315-04:00I would liken it to the appeal of the Big Mac, and...I would liken it to the appeal of the Big Mac, and other fast food, to some of the worlds top chefs like Gordon Ramsay's not-so-secret love for In-N-Out Burger and Julia Child fondness for Big Mac's.Darcy O'Neilhttp://www.artofdrink.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4751805452043419723.post-20794101647170201152010-05-20T14:51:28.413-04:002010-05-20T14:51:28.413-04:00I agree about the whole shot thing. I generally s...I agree about the whole shot thing. I generally sip Fernet shots when they're bought (or any other shot for that matter). On occasion I've done it in one gulp when it was a group event, but some things meant are to be savored. Shooting it almost signals that you don't actually like the taste of what you're drinking.frederichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17939679837071519844noreply@blogger.com