Welcome our guest blogger Elizabeth Black
Work is the curse of the drinking classes. – Oscar Wilde.
Oscar Wilde might have been more right than he knew in that drinking may be a writer's curse. I don't know about other writers, but I'm driven to write. (You thought I was going to say I'm driven to drink, didn't you? LOL) I can't help myself. My hands and brain atrophy if I don't put my thoughts in a manuscript.
There are writers who don't drink alcohol at all, let alone when they write. I know a few. It seems so against the stereotype of the imbibing writer, but they do exist. For the non-booze drinkers amongst us, I have a wonderful recipe for you. I make my own version of Celestial Seasoning's Red Zinger tea when I need something non-alcoholic. It's fantastic as iced tea. Red, delicious, and it has no caffeine. Here's my recipe. You can find the herbs at either an herb shop or a holistic grocer with an herb and spice section.
RED ZINGER ICED TEA
1 1/2 tablespoon hibiscus leaves
1 tablespoon rose hips
1 tablespoon peppermint
Sugar to taste
Boil one gallon of water. Once the water starts boiling, drop in the tea (in a tea ball) and remove from heat. Let the tea steep for about an hour. Wait until the tea cools, and then pour it over ice.
So what do you like to drink when you're writing? Tell me about your favorite alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Let's have a party!
Work is the curse of the drinking classes. – Oscar Wilde.
Oscar Wilde might have been more right than he knew in that drinking may be a writer's curse. I don't know about other writers, but I'm driven to write. (You thought I was going to say I'm driven to drink, didn't you? LOL) I can't help myself. My hands and brain atrophy if I don't put my thoughts in a manuscript. Every writer I've ever met must have something to drink whilst writing. Whether it's your fifth cup o' joe or a glass of pinot noir, writers gotta drink. What do you like to drink to keep the words flowing?
Here it is, 9 am, and I'm on my third cup of coffee. I just bought some gourmet coffee from a site online because I got a pound of Costa Rican for free. Can't beat that with a stick. The coffee I bought to get his free pound of coffee was also Costa Rican, and it was from volcanic soil around the Poas volcano. Sounded yummy to me. When I had my first cup last week I wasn't disappointed.
When I'm not drinking coffee, I drink either iced tea or sweet red vermouth. I recently got into vermouth after years of drinking either ruby port or a variety of red wines like merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chianti, and even amontillado. Yeah, I'm a Poe fan. Sometimes, when the mood strikes and when the purse allows, I'll buy French absinthe. The real stuff. Not eastern European green-dyed swill that tastes like Nyquil. Authentic absinthe is very herbal and medicinal-tasting. And it knocks you flat on your ass in no time at all, even if you water it down. As my butchering of the old saying goes, I might not touch absinthe much but it sure touches me. There are writers who don't drink alcohol at all, let alone when they write. I know a few. It seems so against the stereotype of the imbibing writer, but they do exist. For the non-booze drinkers amongst us, I have a wonderful recipe for you. I make my own version of Celestial Seasoning's Red Zinger tea when I need something non-alcoholic. It's fantastic as iced tea. Red, delicious, and it has no caffeine. Here's my recipe. You can find the herbs at either an herb shop or a holistic grocer with an herb and spice section.
RED ZINGER ICED TEA
1 1/2 tablespoon hibiscus leaves
1 tablespoon rose hips
1 tablespoon peppermint
Sugar to taste
Boil one gallon of water. Once the water starts boiling, drop in the tea (in a tea ball) and remove from heat. Let the tea steep for about an hour. Wait until the tea cools, and then pour it over ice.
So what do you like to drink when you're writing? Tell me about your favorite alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Let's have a party!
10 comments:
My drinks range from Iced Green tea, to Coke Zero, and lastly a nice glass of pinot noir. It depends on my mood. I could go for a nice glass of pinot noir right now and write in a comfy chair in the backyard! Hmmm.....
My husband and I bought a case of sugar-based root beer from the Mercury Bottling Company. We normally don't drink soft drinks but this stuff is so good we decided to treat ourselves. Next time, it's lemon-lime so my son can enjoy it. Turns out he doesn't like root beer. That stuff is awesome, though, and great to drink when writing. If not that, it's tonic water. I love tonic water.
I'm still drinking coffee. Going to hit the sweet red vermouth in a few hours. :)
Here I am -- one of those writers who doesn't drink alcohol. Coffee and ice water are my beverages of choice. Once in awhile ginger ale. Great post and love the recipe. Thanks for thinking of me! ;)
Cassie, I'm well aware that many people don't drink. My son is one of them. He doesn't like alcohol. He drinks only milk, water, and orange juice. He won't even touch soft drinks. Doesn't like them.
I love that red zinger tea recipe, too. It's very tasty. You can buy the herbs online as well. The hibiscus leaves turn the tea red. It's a delicious tea. Glad to think of all the drinks, alcoholic or not.
As a matter of fact, I bought some lemons and limes to make lemonade and limeade this weekend. Yum! Summer is such fun!
I don't have many alcoholic drink preferences when I'm writing if I drink anything it's usually the old stand by Pepsi or on some occasion Cherry Dr. Pepper or Sprite.
I also love iced and hot tea, usually in the morning because it usually energizes me.
Going back to alcoholic drinks I don't drink very often in that department, I usually only drink when it comes to special occasions like when it comes to New Years or other special moments.
I do like Long Island Ice Tea, and I'm also fond of Virgin Daiquiris. Also that Red Zinger Tea sounds good too, and I was wondering Ms. Black what is tonic water?
I mean does it have like an acquired taste?
I also don't drink wine very often and like I stated before if I do drink it it's only for special moments, and even then it's usually only white wine. I haven't been able to handle any form of red wine... at least not yet.
Gabby, tonic water has quinine in it. It's also very bubbly, clear, crisp, and fresh. Has kind of a limey taste to it. It's often mixed with gin or vodka for a gin or vodka tonic. I don't like it that way because I think the booze interferes with the delicious taste of the tonic water. :)
You'll find it in the supermarket in the same aisle next to the seltzer water. It's in the soft drink aisle. My husband likes seltzer but I don't. I can go through tonic water by the gallon. It's a very refreshing drink, especially in the summer.
By day, I drink diet coke the whole time I'm writing, preferably right out of the freezer so it's a nice slushy consistency, thick enough to enjoy but thin enough to get through a straw. Anytime after five o'clock, I switch to lite beer (55 usually), but by then I stip writing!
Angela, slushy Coke, diet or otherwise, sounds delicious! I used to drink cola Slurpees by the gallon but I don't live near a 7-11.
Before we start writing I brew a pot of coffee. My better half sticks to sweet ice tea or ice water. Sometimes on a Saturday night, we treat ourselves to White Russians. I was a bartender many years ago and can make a mean drink!
Usually it's hot tea with milk and Splenda. But every so often, when I remember, I have Bailey's Irish Cream on the rocks when I write. Don't know if it helps or not, but it sure tastes good!
Post a Comment