WHISKEY

[Texas Ranger]

WHISKEY


In 1952, Armon M. Sweat, Jr., a member of the Texas House of Representatives, was asked about his position on whiskey. What follows is his exact answer (taken from the Political Archives of Texas):

"If you mean whiskey, the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean that evil drink that topples Christian men and women from the pinnacles of righteous and gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, shame, despair, helplessness, and hopelessness, then, my friend, I am opposed to it with every fiber of my being.

However, if by whiskey you mean the lubricant of conversation, the philosophic juice, the elixir of life, the liquid that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer, the stimulating sip that puts a little spring in the step of an elderly gentleman on a frosty morning; if you mean that drink that enables man to magnify his joy, and to forget life's great tragedies and heartbreaks and sorrow; if you mean that drink the sale of which pours into Texas treasuries untold millions of dollars each year, that provides tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitifully aged and infirm, to build the finest highways, hospitals, universities, and community colleges in this nation, then my friend, I am absolutely, unequivocally in favor of it.

This is my position, and as always, I refuse to compromise on matters of principle."

[Kansas]

The first paragraph is what you feel the morning after. The second paragraph is what you feel the night before.

[sawguy21]

A glass of good whiskey is a special treat and a great way to bond with a person of like mind. Of course taken in moderation.

[Banjo picker]

He was a true blue politician...Tim

[Texas Ranger]

Texas is famous for his kind. 8)

[JV]

One of my favorite movie scenes was Charles Durning doing "Dance a Little Sidestep".  Most politicians are master of "double-speak."

[Piston]

I'm for it.  ;D

.... Just as long as it isn't ruined with mixers.  ;)

[Sprucegum]

When I first learned to weld I welded a bottle of Whiskey into a piece of pipe and gave it to my Father for Christmas. He kept it on his shelf for over 30 years. At his wake I opened the bottle and we all toasted his passing - that was goood whiskey.

[Banjo picker]

I need a picture.  Tim

[Norm]

What a great idea Sprucegum. 

[Sprucegum]

No picture Tim, it all happened when Kodak was just a kid with crayons.

I bought a whiskey that came in a smooth round bottle and cut a length of sched 40 pipe 1" longer than the bottle. I cut some hearts and diamonds and the date into the sides of the pipe so you could see the bottle inside. I then welded a solid cap on the bottom, inserted the bottle and very carefully welded a solid cap on the top, and there you have it  :D

[Piston]

Sprucegum,
That was such a great idea.  ;)

[Sprucegum]

Over the years lots of guys came up with lots of bright ideas about how to get the whiskey out of the pipe but Dad declined them all.

[Banjo picker]

That exp. was about as good as a pic.  thanks.... Tim

[sandhills]

For a wedding gift my wife and I got a bottle of Crown Royal with a congratulations and our names and the date we were married printed on the label.  Not sure when that bottle will be tapped but it will be a special anniversary when it is.

[isawlogs]

 How could I have missed this ....  :   A nice glass of whiskey on spring made rocks.  8)

[Texas Ranger]

Sure would like to share that with ya, Marcel.

[isawlogs]

Tex... That'dll be easy enough, take a road trip , head out north east  ;D 

[Texas Ranger]

Gonna happen some day, got kinfolk up on PEI.

[mandolin]

You can't beat good ol' Southern Comfort

[LeeB]

I'm sorry, but I do have to disagree. My good buddy Jack says you are all wrong.  ;D

[beenthere]

Ahead of SC and Jack, I'd prefer sipping on VG (Virginia Gentleman), JTS Brown, Ezra Brooks, and Wild Turkey.   ;D ;D

[LeeB]

Jack is my go to, But i really like Woodford Reserve.

[Todd]

My father likes to sample different whiskeys, and has gotten a few nice bottles recently.  Christmas night, while the family was gathered at the parents house, my father and 2 brothers were by his chair sampling some and trying to discern the subtle differences.  He had opened his bottle of Johnny Walker Blue, a Johnny Walker Green, and a 20 year old Glenfiddich.  I told him my palette was wasted on them, but I dutifully sipped a little from the Blue..(very smooth) the Green (a little harsher finishing) and the Glenfiddich (kind of creamy, aged in old sherry casks).  We call my better half over to sample, and she politely declines at first but is egged on into trying.  She takes the glass with about 1 1/2 oz. of Blue in it and throws it back like a shot!  (probably a $40 shot!)

[Piston]

I like Gentlemen Jack the best out of all the Jack's.  I had a bottle of Single Barrel that I didn't complain about, but I still find that I like the mid grade Gentlemen Jack better.

[Texas Ranger]

 A real woman is a man's best friend. She will never  stand him up and never let him down. She will reassure him when he feels insecure and comfort him after a bad day.
   
She will inspire him to do things he never thought  he could do; to live without fear and forget regret.
   
She will enable him to express his deepest emotions, and give in to his most intimate desires.
   
She will make sure he always feels as though he's  the most handsome man in the room and will enable him to be the most confident, sexy, seductive and invincible...

No wait...

Sorry.

I'm thinking of whiskey. It's whiskey that does all that.

Never mind

[moosehunter]

 :D :D good one TR.

I can't do whiskey. There was an incident 30+ years ago. My stomach turns upside down at the smell of whiskey still today!

[Roxie]

My favorite is Old Grandad Bonded. 

[doctorb]

I'm not much of a hard liquor guy, but after coming in at dusk off the lake in Canada in mid-October, a couple of fingers of Jack or Makers Mark warm you by the wood stove in a contented, end-of-the-day sort of way.  I would strongly recommend this bourbon marinade for steak.  We use it often and it is praised highly by our guests.

MUSTARD AND BOURBON MARINADE

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons of Bourbon (Jack is our usual choice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2teaspoons of Worchestershire sauce
1/3 cup minced scallions

You have to work a bit to get the sugar and mustard mixed in right, so be patient. Let the beef soak, turning occasionally.  I prefer at least 4-6 hours.

Then grill.  No need to baste.  Have a little bourbon yourself along the way.

[chain]

Remember this ditty?

"Whiskey, If you were a woman,

I'd fight you and I'd win.

I'd drive you from his tangled mind

for good!"

Paulett Carlson
Hiway 101

They tell us our Missouri white oaks are special in the flavoring of staved whiskey..well..all I know is,  when splitting fresh white oak that aroma makes me want to take a hitch!

[Chuck White]

Given a choice, I prefer Crown Royal.

But in reality, I'm not real fussy!

When you've spent 20 years in the military and some of that overseas, you learn to accept what's available.

[lumberjack48]

I spent my first Million on Wine, Women and Song, and wasted the rest.
I loved my C C or Windsor

My plan was to start saving for retirement when i turned forty, will that plan didn't work.

My first marriage of 19 years, wife, 4 kids went out the window because of drinking.
I would have been a millionaire times over if there would have been no drinking in the family.

My trouble was i made to much easy money, i was 14 yrs old when i was strip cutting with the Ole Fin's, they taught me how to work and drink.

[Roxie]

We used doctorb's marinade recipe last night, and it was wonderful!  We let it percolate for 8 hours and then put it on the BBQ grill.   8)

[LeeB]

This has been an entertaining thread. Funny how we can build preconceived ideas about people. Some of the posters on this have really surprised me. A few I would never have believed to have a sup every now and then.

[doctorb]

Thanks for the review Roxie!  I knew you'd like it and I appreciate that you gave it a chance.

[Raider Bill]

:D :D good one TR.

I can't do whiskey. There was an incident 30+ years ago. My stomach turns upside down at the smell of whiskey still today!

Same here... anything brown makes me gag..  Rum being the worse

On the rare times I drink anything but beer it's either vodka/tonic or good ol Tenn never freeze stump blower. I do like some Dr McGillicutys when it's cold to warm my innards once and awhile though.

[sandhills]

doctorb have you ever tried that with the steak sliced up thin and marinating it in a bag?  That marinade sounds great.

[Piston]

doctorb have you ever tried that with the steak sliced up thin and marinating it in a bag?  That marinade sounds great.

I wish I read the marinade recipe a few days ago, my wife made an excellent salad for dinner the other day, with exactly as you describe the steak, thinly sliced.  Would have been even better with the Doc's marinade. 

[doctorb]

I have not tried it on thinly sliced beef, but it's a good idea and one that we'll explore.  We too enjoy steak salads as you described, and I think we have just found a new wrinkle to try.

And for you guys that keep whiskey at arm's length as a drink, don't think that the whiskey taste in that marinade will bring back bad memories.  It won't.

[scsmith42]

Doc, that marinade looks pretty good.  I think that I'll try it out as soon as I can get some fresh scallions.

Scott

[Texas Ranger]

Doc, whiskey should be kept at arms length, during the toast.

[LeeB]

I never tried toast with my wiskey. I prefer pistachios.

[isawlogs]

 Toast.. pistachios....  I like it with ice.  :

[LeeB]

Well, yes, you be right there. Finished with my hitch in the morning. I'll be putting a tad of the magic elixer in my neck tommorow night before my flight home the next day. The boss is buying too. Can't beat that.

[LeeB]

Reminder to self, don't go drinking with boss again. 24hrs of flying with a bad head is NO fun. :(