Category: New Year’s Resolutions

Evita – The Cocktail

Welcome to 2021 people of the internet!  What will this year bring I wonder?  I’m tempted to say that it can only be better than 2020,  However, that seems a bit too much like waving a red flag in front of a particularly vindictive bull that tells me to hold it’s beer even as it is pawing the ground and getting ready to charge. So, let’s swiftly change the subject….hmmm…speaking of alcohol….this is the Evita!

Evita 1

The Evita was my cocktail of choice for NYE and a very good choice it was.  It has the fruity sweet-sour flavour that I love.  And the colours  –  acid lime green with a flash of orange from the garnish are like a neon version of the more traditional deep green and red of Christmas.  Kind of festive edgy if you will. Or 1970’s chic if you won’t.

Evita 2

Evita – The Cocktail

The Evita cocktail contains vodka, melon liqueur, lime and orange juice.  You can find the recipe here.  There is another cocktail called the Eva Peron which has very different ingredients so make sure you get the right one if you want to make it.  Which you should because it is a delightful little tipple!

Evita  – The Woman

Truth be told until I started researching for this cocktail did not know all that much about Eva Peron aka Evita.  This is what I knew:

  • She was the wife of the Argentinian president
  • There was a musical written about her which includes the song Don’t Cry for me Argentina
  • Madonna played her in the film version of the musical
  • She was very glamourous and wore gorgeous clothes
  • I cannot write the name Eva Peron without first writing the name Eva Person and having to correct it.

What I did not know:

  • María Eva Duarte met Colonel Juan Peron in 1944 and married him in 1945. He became President of Argentina in 1946
  • During his presidency, Eva, who became known commonly as Evita worked tirelessly to help the poor people of Argentina and to give women full suffrage.
  • She spoke publicly on labour rights and ran the Ministries for health and labour.
  • She set up a charitable foundation dedicated to social justice and helping sick and poor Argentinians
  • And set up an all-female political party.
  • In 1951 she announced her candidacy for the nomination of Vice President of Argentina, an act that was hugely popular with poor and working-class people.
  • She was forced to withdraw her nomination because of failing health.
  • Eva Peron died of cancer in 1952.  She was 33 years old.

The Inspiration

What an amazing woman and what an absolute inspiration!  Also, what great timing because this is the time of year when I, (and many other people around the world) are setting goals and making resolutions for the New Year.

Learning about this wonderful woman’s life really made me rethink the goals I had started to set – instead of the usual save more, spend less, drink less, exercise more goals maybe this year I will try to live with some of Eva’s grace and devotion to her cause and conviction.  Why not make this the year of being strong, vocal and politically active for the causes I care about.  And if I can also have all the glamour and wear some pretty dresses that is a bonus!

So, my friends, let’s all raise a toast to Eva Peron.  May she inspire us to live our best lives in 2021!

Evita 3

Have a wonderful week and year ahead!

Signature2

 

My New Year’s Resolutions

I think we all know that the holidays can be stressful.

Hands up how many of you silently vowed to kill at least one family member over the festive period?.

Yep, nearly everyone…

Now, hands up how many of you gave it a red-hot go.

Just me huh?

Oh,  and the creepy looking guy in the corner.  Dude, you may have issues.  Mine was an accident….

Oysters with Citrus Salsa
Oysters with Citrus Salsa

This is how it happened.

If you ‘ve been reading this for a while you probably know I am a huge fan of Vietnamese food.

Since our first visit there in 2012, the so-called beloved and I have been exploring Melbourne’s Vietnamese restaurants.  We finally settled on a favourite which we have visited  at least once a month since then. The food has always been fabulous, the prices are great, the service is good, and the ambience is of the bustling, cheap and cheerful sort which is actually quite reminiscent of Vietnam. And it was hugely popular with people lining up for tables.

Chicken Salad with Peaches
Chicken Salad with Peaches

And for the last few years I have been trying to get my family to try the food there.

The reasons for the refusals have ranged from the casually racist and formally ludicrous “I don’t want to eat dog” to the slightly more realistic “I don’t want to have my car stolen/be robbed at knifepoint”.  Because this restaurant is not in the most salubrious of areas.  The first time we visited it, walking through the local car park, I nearly stepped on used syringes…twice.  And I don’t think they were due to a meeting of the local diabetic society.

TimTam Cheesecake
TimTam Cheesecake

But there is such a thing as a Christmas miracle and on Boxing Day, maybe they were all still a little drunk, or just hungover and hence in a weakened state, I managed to convince three family members to visit this restaurant.  Yay me.  This was going to be the best meal ever.  And once they tasted it, they too would love this restaurant as much as I did.  And the world would be a better place full of  sunshine, lollipops and rainbows or grilled beef in vine leaves ,claypot rice and pho.

Chistmas Snack Plate
Chistmas Snack Plate

So we went and we had a fabulous meal.  They really liked it.  Even started to make plans for a return visit.

But you know the saying about something being too good to be true?

Thus it was with this.

Christmas Snack Plate 2
Christmas Snack Plate 2

A few days ago my aunt who had eaten with us called my mum.  “That restaurant she took us to?  It’s in the news.  On every channel”.

Yeaahhhh…

And not in a good, it’s won some great award way either.

In short. Three people in hospital.  Another 18 ill, all diagnosed with salmonella poisoning.  Restaurant shut down.

Best guess at date of poisoning because apparently salmonella can take a few days to develop – somewhere between 27 and 31 December.  We were there on the 28th so bang in the wheelhouse of potential death.

Salad By Mark
Salad By Mark

And you know what’s even worse than taking your family to the salmonella restaurant?

It’s the knowledge that they will never, ever, ever, let me forget it.  I’m going to be living this one down for the rest of my life!

Chilli Con Carne Meatballs
Chilli Con Carne Meatballs

So my New Year’s Resolution is…no, not to do a better job of it next time I try to kill my family (but thanks for the input creepy guy in the corner).  My resolution is never to recommend another restaurant to anyone ever again.  I’m done with that.

And to find a new best restaurant.

So, what are your New Year’s Resolutions?

And just in case you’re wondering, the photo’s this week were of some of the food I made over the holidays. I didn’t think we really needed pictorial representation of the subject matter.

Have a great week!

Signature 1 Vintage Valentine Quick as Wink2