The Moscow Mule was invented in 1941 in New York’s Chatham Hotel by John G. Martin, an east coast spirits and food distributor, and John “Jack” Morgan, President of Cock ‘n’ Bull Products (which produced ginger beer) and proprietor of the Cock ‘n’ Bull Tavern, a bar on Sunset Boulevard popular with celebrities. Apparently the two men were drinking in the Chatham bar with Rudolph Kunett, president of the Pierre Smirnoff vodka company, when they came up with the concoction. The drink became extremely popular in the Los Angeles tavern, and by 1942 the drink was touted as the craze of the movie colony.

A good Moscow Mule is hard to come by. Traditionally the drink is served in a copper mug. I don’t know the reason for this, and do not even know if there is one. The only thing I can find is that it might have something to do with oxidation. I would wager it was more of a marketing ploy to set this cocktail apart from all of the other vodka drinks.

Moscow Mules are seldom found in copper mugs anymore due to the cost of copper and the bad habit of people stealing the novel cup. The few remaining places I know that still use copper mugs, either hold your ID or require a deposit.

I was lucky enough to stumble across a set of four mugs at the Mile High Flea Market in Denver for 50¢ each. Score!

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Moscow Mule

Refreshing light and sparkling. The mule is a perfect drink for a hot summer day.

Course Cocktails

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Smirnoff vodka
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 4 ounces Cock ‘n’ Bull ginger beer not to be confused with ginger ale

Instructions

• Fill copper mug with ice.
• Add vodka, lime juice, and Cock'n'Bull ginger beer.
• Garnish with lime.

T.G.I.F.

I always enjoy looking in cooking stores. I can get sucked right into a Williams-Sonoma or Sur la Table in a heartbeat. Walking through the store my mind wanders thinking of all the wonderful things I could make if I only had one of these, or this, or that. Holding the beautiful shiny new objects in my hands I get all excited…..until I see the price and realize that I might only use the item one time. I mean how often am I really going to bake a vertical lasagna, or would I actually use a fifty-dollar 3″ le creuset pan? Being somewhat practical I seldom leave the store with anything other than ideas.

But I have found a solution for my desire to collect kitchen gadgets. Thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. I never know when or where I might find something, but the search is fun and the rewards great. For the past several weeks my sister has been staying with us lending a hand with the elderly parents. She and I both enjoy junk shopping, so to get a bit of an escape from dealing with real life situations, we have sought refuge at a few of the local thrift stores, and the findings have been tremendous.

Located at 21 South Broadway is the Denver Goodwill, or what I refer to as the Macy’s of thrift stores. This beautiful brick building was originally the JC Penney department store. Grand and glorious this building now contains some of the best finds around.

So if you’re the kind of person that enjoys a treasure hunt, appreciates finding bargains, and likes to recycle then check out your local thrift stores. You will be supporting a good cause, and you just never know what you might find.

With the warm weather arriving early this year, my yard is crying for some attention.  As I witness the plants jumping out of the ground a month early, I see all kind of things that really should be taken care of. The perennials that I intended to move last year, the grass that would be much easier to dig out of the flower bed now than later, and the reminders of the past winter that quietly beg for mercy. So many projects that someone really should do something about. So what did this someone decide to do?……………. Go to the flea market.

The Mile High Flea Marketplace is 80 acres of everything you can imagine. A year-round farmers market, shops with new and used merchandise, delicious food, and some of the most amazing people watching in the region. The weekends are and extra special treat. People show up in droves attempting to sell their strange assortments of trinkets and treasures they have hoarded in their basements, garages and attics. It is probably the most “crap-tastic” yard sale anywhere to be found. You really can see it all, and you just never know what you might find!

I particularly enjoy strolling around enjoying an icy cold Chelada while scouring the stands for fantastic prices on produce. I find this so much more fun than pulling weeds. The yard can simply wait.