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What to Drink During the 2010 Olympics

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published Feb 3, 2010

The most awkward drink a white guy ever asked for. (Relax, the Negroni is named after its inventor, an Italian count, no less) Christine McAvoy

We’re all agreed that Canada is going to clean up at these games, both literally and figuratively. But I can only toast with a bland lager and rye so many times (18 to be exact). So for a little imbibage diversity while rocking the rings, I plan to harken back to some glorious Olympians of the past and their national drinks.

Negroni

Sport: Alberto Tomba (2 golds Calgary, 1 gold & 1 silver Albertville, 1 silver Lillehammer)
Too easy— the Italians only have one decent cocktail

Recipe
1.25 oz gin (nothing too fancy)
1 oz Campari
.75 oz Cinzano red vermouth
Serve in a rocks glass with ice.

French 75

Sport: Jean Claude Killy (3 gold medals, Grenoble)
This Frenchman had style to spare but was also a deadly competitor, sort of like the French 75 which also has style (Champagne) and power (Gin) in pure Gallic proportions

Recipe
2 oz. London Dry Gin
1 tsp. superfine sugar
½ oz fresh lemon juice
4 oz. Brut Champagne
Mix ‘em all up and strain into a tall Collins glass with ice.

Black Velvet

Sport: Eddy "The Eagle" Edwards (last, Calgary)
The Brits might have learned to ski jump had they not be spending countless hours in the pub watching sports, which is not the same as playing sports.

4 oz. stout (Guinness works)
4 oz. Brut Champagne
Fill Collins glass with Guinness then top with Champagne.

Rum Punch

Sport: Jamaican bobsled team (goofballs, Calgary)
Sometimes I wonder whether these guys existed just so we could drink rum punches.

Recipe
8 limes, juiced to equal 1 cup
1 cup unrefined brown sugar
1 cup water
3 cups dark rum, preferably Cockspur Old Gold or another spicy, mildly sweet and woody rum
4 cups ice
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool. Mix with remaining ingredients, and season with four or five good splashes of bitters and grate 1 whole nutmeg into the batch. A maraschino cherry is the traditional garnish, although orange or lemon slices, frozen watermelon (or nothing at all) are also acceptable (recipe courtesy Chris Johns)

Moscow Mule

Sport: Vladimir Tretiak (gold Sapporo, gold Innsbruck, silver Lake Placid, gold Sarjevo)
The dominant goalie of his era was known to tilt a few back with his comrades.

Recipe
2 oz. vodka
5 oz. ginger beer
Juice of half a lime
Mix with ice in a Collins glasss

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Filed Under

2010 Vancouver Olympics, Campari, Cocktails, Drink, Gin, Olympics, Recipes, Vermouth