If you've ever spent time looking at the hull of a ship, you may have noticed a strange mark at the waterline, something that looks like a circle with a series of arms extending out from it. It's called a Plimsoll Mark, and it is used to measure how a ship is sitting in the water. Very simply put it gives a picture of whether the ship is loaded such that it can maintain its proper buoyancy.
I first learned about Plimsoll Marks while paying a call for cocktails onboard a South American Navy destroyer (a ship) during a deployment in 1994. The cocktail glasses were adorned with a Plimsoll Mark. My boss, a very salty US Navy admiral, was quite taken with them. In fact his admiration of the glasses was so pronounced that one of the South American lieutenants offered to get my boss a souvenir or two to take home. As my boss made his goodbyes, the lieutenant ferried me off to a separate part of the ship. He passed me glass after glass that I tucked into my handbag and then, running out of space, into my pockets. I finally made my way topside and joined the Admiral on the pier. He didn't have the most patience in the world and started to bellow about why I had keeped him waiting. I quickly quieted him, whispering that it would be worth the wait. As I emptied my pockets his bemused look quickly turned into a smile. For the rest of our five month deployment in South America, he took great pride and pleasure in showing off the prized treats from the cocktail party.
During another part of our voyage in South America, my boss again learned about speaking too favorably of things in our host nation. In our efforts to be gracious guests we often paid many compliments to our hosts, in the name of forging friendships and strengthening relationships, which was the overarching mission of the deployment. During a visit in Peru, the Admiral spoke highly of Pisco, a local brandy made from grapes. As a reward for his enthusiasm for the spirit, he was presented with a case of Pisco bottled especially for one of the Peruvian ships. It had a very entertaining label that said it was "bilgewater" from the ship and had several custom features identifying it as such. It was a very special treat, and one that the boss was very careful to share with those of us on the staff. (Although in keeping with our strict regulations, I must point out it was never enjoyed while onboard our Navy vessels!)
It is probably fair to say that, taken straight, Pisco is indeed bilgewater. But when prepared in the national traditions of Peru and Chile, a Pisco Sour is a delight. The "sour" preparation provides enough sweetness and smoothness to mask its true strength. It becomes quite easy to take and to drink without really keeping count, one pisco sour, two, three.... At that point it can be dangerous. You don't feel a thing and then you stand up and .... well it's a different matter altogether. How do I know this? That is another story, for a different time....
In recent years it has become quite easy to find Pisco - Peruvian or Chilean - at liquor stores in the US. Here's a recipe for you to enjoy:
PISCO SOUR -
Ingredients
2 oz. pisco
1 tablespoon superfine sugar (regular will work, in a pinch)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker, shake 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Strain and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters atop the froth.
I first learned about Plimsoll Marks while paying a call for cocktails onboard a South American Navy destroyer (a ship) during a deployment in 1994. The cocktail glasses were adorned with a Plimsoll Mark. My boss, a very salty US Navy admiral, was quite taken with them. In fact his admiration of the glasses was so pronounced that one of the South American lieutenants offered to get my boss a souvenir or two to take home. As my boss made his goodbyes, the lieutenant ferried me off to a separate part of the ship. He passed me glass after glass that I tucked into my handbag and then, running out of space, into my pockets. I finally made my way topside and joined the Admiral on the pier. He didn't have the most patience in the world and started to bellow about why I had keeped him waiting. I quickly quieted him, whispering that it would be worth the wait. As I emptied my pockets his bemused look quickly turned into a smile. For the rest of our five month deployment in South America, he took great pride and pleasure in showing off the prized treats from the cocktail party.
During another part of our voyage in South America, my boss again learned about speaking too favorably of things in our host nation. In our efforts to be gracious guests we often paid many compliments to our hosts, in the name of forging friendships and strengthening relationships, which was the overarching mission of the deployment. During a visit in Peru, the Admiral spoke highly of Pisco, a local brandy made from grapes. As a reward for his enthusiasm for the spirit, he was presented with a case of Pisco bottled especially for one of the Peruvian ships. It had a very entertaining label that said it was "bilgewater" from the ship and had several custom features identifying it as such. It was a very special treat, and one that the boss was very careful to share with those of us on the staff. (Although in keeping with our strict regulations, I must point out it was never enjoyed while onboard our Navy vessels!)
It is probably fair to say that, taken straight, Pisco is indeed bilgewater. But when prepared in the national traditions of Peru and Chile, a Pisco Sour is a delight. The "sour" preparation provides enough sweetness and smoothness to mask its true strength. It becomes quite easy to take and to drink without really keeping count, one pisco sour, two, three.... At that point it can be dangerous. You don't feel a thing and then you stand up and .... well it's a different matter altogether. How do I know this? That is another story, for a different time....
In recent years it has become quite easy to find Pisco - Peruvian or Chilean - at liquor stores in the US. Here's a recipe for you to enjoy:
PISCO SOUR -
Ingredients
2 oz. pisco
1 tablespoon superfine sugar (regular will work, in a pinch)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites
Preparation
In a cocktail shaker, shake 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Strain and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters atop the froth.
