Coffee, anyone?
If you've ever woken, as I did, with your breath visible above your covers and the incredulous voice of the Chicago weatherman warning of current temperatures of -9 degrees Fahrenheit, you're going to need something stronger than just coffee to even begin to entertain thoughts of leaving your bed. Allow me the pleasure of introducing the real coffee mate: alcohol.
WEEK 42:
Cafe Amaretto
1 ounce amaretto
1/2 ounce brandy
6 ounces hot coffee
Pour the booze into a mug. Add coffee and stir. Top with whipped cream or just add milk. Repeat as needed.
I recommend Disaronno and Christian Brothers, and the strongest coffee you have on hand to fight the chill of winter.
On that note, if you've ever wondered if booze really warms you up, consider it a half-truth. Alcohol does, in fact, open your capillaries, coaxing more blood away from your core and out to the chilled surface of your skin to make you feel warmer, that is true. However, the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding your skin plays just as big a part in maintaining that overall body temperature. If you're standing in an airtight cocoon of Gore-tex and swilling whiskey while tailgating on a 20 degree day, you are better insulated against the cold by keeping your radiating body heat inside the surrounding air close to the surface of your skin. Try the same trick in a swimming pool on a cloudy day, when it's 50 degrees warmer, and you won't swim for long, no matter how much you drink. Hell—-you can die of hypothermia in 80 degree water if you've out long enough.
So if you too must endure a cold snap, you'll learn quick enough that the best part of waking up isn't just the Folgers in your cup. Good morning, Chicago!
***
Looking for funny T-shirts? Type scapegoatink.com into your web browser or click the image below.
WEEK 42:
Cafe Amaretto
1 ounce amaretto
1/2 ounce brandy
6 ounces hot coffee
Pour the booze into a mug. Add coffee and stir. Top with whipped cream or just add milk. Repeat as needed.
I recommend Disaronno and Christian Brothers, and the strongest coffee you have on hand to fight the chill of winter.
On that note, if you've ever wondered if booze really warms you up, consider it a half-truth. Alcohol does, in fact, open your capillaries, coaxing more blood away from your core and out to the chilled surface of your skin to make you feel warmer, that is true. However, the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding your skin plays just as big a part in maintaining that overall body temperature. If you're standing in an airtight cocoon of Gore-tex and swilling whiskey while tailgating on a 20 degree day, you are better insulated against the cold by keeping your radiating body heat inside the surrounding air close to the surface of your skin. Try the same trick in a swimming pool on a cloudy day, when it's 50 degrees warmer, and you won't swim for long, no matter how much you drink. Hell—-you can die of hypothermia in 80 degree water if you've out long enough.
So if you too must endure a cold snap, you'll learn quick enough that the best part of waking up isn't just the Folgers in your cup. Good morning, Chicago!
***
Looking for funny T-shirts? Type scapegoatink.com into your web browser or click the image below.
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