Cosmos in the Countryside

On a golden-hued Maryland Friday evening, as the sun sparkled and danced across the river, an invitation had gone out for cocktail hour with friends. How is it that such a civilized event has become an almost forgotten practice, lost in our busy over-scheduled modern lives? High time to bring it back.

It was a gathering where first time stories were shared: the shocking description of fingers almost meeting their end in a lawn mower, the inevitable dissection of current political battles and the ongoing presidential race, the tragedy of a teen mowed down in the prime of his life, lamentations over the lack of time to just sit down and enjoy hours of reading. Why is it we all seem to fall asleep after half a page?…laughter, smiles, newly forged friendships and older ones made ever stronger.

And throughout the evening hours, as the moon rose to replace the sun, at our feet was Chloe, a little energizer bunny of a Jack Russell. Her warm wet nose snuffling against my toes, black peppercorn eyes silently imploring me for another tiny morsel from the human table. 

Surely another piece of bread or cheese couldn’t hurt?

This recipe comes from Jim who got it from Ed (that's Ed in the background, in mid-story at Jim's house) who says it’s really not his either. So, try it, taste it, tweak it as you see fit and call it your own.

Not Ed's nor Jim's Cosmopolitans

4 parts vodka

2-3 parts triple sec

2 parts sweetened lime juice

2 parts cranberry juice