Just about everyone we know is beside themselves with anxiety about this election (we find ourselves checking Nate Silver’s 538 polling blog compulsively for comfort).  On the eve of the election, we offer our ‘improvised life’ survival guide: cocktails and easy-to-whip-up treats to help assauge anxiety no matter which candidate you favor.

The first order of business are alcoholic beverages. Wine-Spirits-Food writer Josh Eisen suggested a cocktail based based on the most American of spirits: bourbon and/or rye whiskies (Rye is especially fitting because, eons ago, early Ohio’ns — that BIG swing state — unable to grow wheat, grew rye instead…and of course, made whisky from it.) Josh found a simple formula for a Manhattan in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy:

Combine 2 ounces Wild Turkey rye, 1 ounce Martini & Ross sweet vermouth, 2 dashes angostura bitters in a vessel; add ice and stir, then strain into a chilled coupe. Add brandied cherries if you have em on hand.

Personally, we love PDT’s Bacon-Infused Bourbon Old Fashioned that we wrote about a while back. If you don’t have time to infuse the bourbon, just use what you have; maybe replace the maple syrup with sugar.

Bacon Infused Old Fashioned Coctail from PDT
nirvino.com

Cocktails and anxiety require crunchy things to complete the healing process. The easiest and most versatile in our book are good potato chips. They make a great base of any number delicious bits from robbiola cheese to our Real Onion Dip (above). Check out: the potato chip improvisations + recipe: real onion dip 

Another extremely popular drink that combines alcohol with the comforts of ice cream: Stout and Vanilla Ice Cream Float (for Grownups). Check out the list of American stouts in the post…

We find that chewy/crispy things help bolster our courage as well. So tonight we just might whip up A giant super-easy popover that can go savory (with cheese) or sweet (w lemon and sugar).
Parmesan popover pancake
photo: sally schneider

If chocolate is what takes the edge off for you, we recommend Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

And if you haven’t guessed, ALL these drinks and eats are GREAT for celebrating.

Related posts: a mantra from bill murray
is luck made or found? (peter dinkelage)
houdini’s mantra: “my brain is the key that sets me free”
‘replace fear of the unknown with curiosity’x

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