{image1}After a certain age it's time to leave the kegger of beer behind and move on to more mature pastimes, like making blender drinks. Yes, there's nothing more refreshing on a hot summer night than shaved ice, fresh fruit and multiple shots of hard alcohol.
A blender, therefore, is an absolute necessity, and it's imperative that you use a powerful one that's able to crush ice cubes.
When you crush the ice, put the blender on low speed until the cubes begin to break down, and then slowly increase the speed to the maximum. If you don't have a blender, you can crush the ice cubes in a dishtowel or plastic bag with a hammer or rolling pin, but use this method only in desperation. Finally, use recently-made ice cubes. Old ones may taste like other food in the freezer, and nobody likes a hint of frozen cauliflower in their peach daiquiri.
Stephanie Solsaa, who pours at Friday's, 17430 W. Bluemound Road in Brookfield, clears up a blender drink myth.
"The longer you blend a drink, the thicker it gets," she says. "People think that the drink gets runny if you blend it for a long time, but it's actually the reverse."
Who knew?
You'll also need a cocktail shaker, a measuring cup and a classy or eclectic selection of glasses. Rummage/estate sales, thrift/antique stores and Target are great places to find such items. And don't skimp on the extras, after all, who doesn't like monkey-topped swivel sticks, bendy straws and paper umbrellas?
Garnishes are also keys to the ultimate blended beverage. Slice orange wedges or strawberries to serve on the lip of the glass or plop right on top of the drink. And for the love of Jimmy Buffett, serve margaritas with sugar or salt on the rim. To do so, take a small plate, pour salt or sugar on it, then take a piece of lemon or lime and run it around the edge of the glass, turn the glass upside down and dip the rim. Finally, shake the glass gently to remove any loose bits.
It's a lot more work than uncapping a beer, but Ron Zeller, owner of At Random, 2501 S. Delaware Ave., thinks it's definitely worth it. In fact, he and his wife, Shirley, and son, Randall, don't even serve beer or wine at their popular Bay View lounge.
"A lot of bartenders don't want to dirty their blenders, but not me," says the 72-year-old who has owned the lounge for almost 40 years and offers more than 100 blended drinks on his menu.
What's most important to Zeller? Fresh ingredients like real fruit, especially fresh lemons and limes. He says not to bother with mixes if you can help it. (The Internet is loaded with easy blender drink recipes.)
Zeller also suggests mixing blender drinks with good -- but not expensive -- liquors.
"You don't need to spend 25 or 30 dollars on a bottle of vodka if you're going to mix it with five or six other ingredients," he says.
Kyle Kleist, formerly a bartender at the now-defunct Bryant's Lounge, 1579 S. 9th St., recommends adding a little extra sugar and fresh lemon juice to whatever you blend up. He also says when choosing between rum and vodka, vodka is usually the best choice.
"A lot of people think rum, but that makes a very sweet drink," he says.
Kleist says his blended specialty is the "Brainbuster," Bryant's signature drink, but couldn't divulge the ingredients. "Let's just say you can't make it at home because it has a couple of secret syrups that have to be special ordered," he says.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
