Spif Barwunkel

I have mentioned this in other martini threads. Let's see how it goes over here. Your liquor is strictly gin or vodka, whichever your preference, with or without dry vermouth. It is the garnish that drastically changes. You really have to like all the ingredients, or it won't work. Remove the pimento from two queen olives, Stuff one olive with fresh bleu cheese and the other olive with an un-rinsed whole anchovy. Place the olives into a chilled martini glass and pour liquid slowly over the olives. Your Bleufish Martini is now ready. If caught using pre-stuffed olives your martini license will be revoked. These olives go well in a Gimlet also, as a contrast to the sweet lime juice. I love olives, bleu cheese and anchovies. So, for me it works.

Anyone a fan of the Gibson? Cocktail onions as the only garnish gives this martini its name. I do like this version, and it brings no tears to my eyes.

Now that is a version that you do not hear mentioned too often. I like a Gimlet on occasion myself and I add sweetened lime juice to the vodka or gin. I am sure that most Gimlet drinkers prefer fresh squeezed lime in the mix, with or without the addition of simple syrup.

DW and I tagged along with our daughter, son-in-law and 2 grand kids on Harmony for a seven-night Caribbean cruise. The passenger count was north of 6000 and even though all must present a negative Covid test taken two days prior to embarkation, you realize that this mischievous viral variant is lurking somewhere just waiting to pounce. Sure enough, three days into the cruise we began hearing, through word of mouth, that some passengers were being quarantined due to the virus. No official announcements were ever made but it seemed that more folks were succumbing each day. On Sunday, debarkation day, mild symptoms presented to me, my daughter and son-in-law. Fortunately, it is only a thirty-minute drive home for all of us and upon arrival we all took a self-test. DW and the grandkids were negative while we three were positive. It seems that daughter and son-in law are having it a bit tougher than me even though they are 33 years younger. Might have something to do with the second booster which I took but they cannot yet get. On Monday morning I contacted the Veterans Administration and requested the anti-viral drug, Paxlovid. They jumped through hoops to get me a prescription ready for pick-up so I could start the treatment that day. To be effective, you must start the regimen within a few days of onset. If you are going to fall victim to Covid, you are very fortunate if you are close to home. In May, my wife and I were cruising in Europe and spent three days post-cruise in Rome. With all the testing we had to do before and after the cruise, how nice it was to have only negative results. Although my symptoms are relatively mild, I do not want to experience them again. Not to say that won't happen, but I sure am glad for the vaccinations, and I will definitely get any and all boosters necessary.