Friday-Night Date Night

When COVID hit in 2020, my husband and I had to come up with a new plan for our Friday-Night Date Nights. Five years later, we’re still enjoying Plan B.

As empty-nesters, we had long had a practice of going out just us two on Friday nights after work—nowhere special, just the local Long Horn, a favorite Mexican place, or the like. But it was something we looked forward to for TGIF.

Yet with isolating and social distancing, we began having Friday-Night Date Nights at home. Over a few months, hubs became a home mixologist with his signature cocktail, a whiskey sour. We would sit out back and listen to classic rock from his outdoor speakers. Or we’d get comfy inside before a real wood fire and TV.

We binge-watched for the first time ever, such as Mad Men. We pulled up old movies—from Casablanca (1942) to The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). We “hit pause” a lot to converse (or to get clarifications . . . “What did she say?” LOL). As a writer, I appreciated taking more time to study the art of storytelling.

I’d also cook oven-roasted hot wings or throw together a spinach salad. And every week, we toasted with whiskey sours. John likes a lowball glass; I like a long-stemmed coupe. His much-tweaked, perfect recipe follows.

By the time the world came out of quarantine, we were hooked on staying home.

Recent TV series we’ve watched include Jon Hamm (again) in Your Friends & Neighbors—created by novelist Jonathon Tropper. And who couldn’t indulge in rewatching Jaws for its 50th anniversary? The film still holds up!

Funny how after all this time we have no desire to change our “new” tradition. And every Thursday, one of us will be heard to say: “Tomorrow’s Friday.”

 

 

Perfect Whiskey Sours for Two

3 oz. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 9 Year, 120 proof or bourbon of choice

1 ½ oz. Grand Marnier orange liqueur

2 ¼ oz. simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar, chilled)

1 ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice, strained

½ oz. fresh lime juice, strained

2 large organic egg whites

Garnish:

Luxardo cherry in its juice

Angostura bitters

Combine ingredients in a metal shaker. Dry shake 70 times. Add ice and shake 17 times more. Strain into two chilled glasses. Foam should rise to the top. To garnish, use a long bar spoon to take one cherry with juice; drizzle the juice in a swirl on the foam, and gently sink the cherry into the drink. Then dot the foam with six drops of bitters, using a dropper. Stir a pick through the foam to create an abstract art effect.

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