Room 562 - Monastery

Warm Zen Bones for entrance into the Meditative State

Fecamp, France is where the Benedictine distillery is located. Therefore, The Benedictine Chapel shouldn’t be too far away. In a shaker cup with ice, pour in 3 oz of Boodles gin, and ¼ oz each of the following: Benedictine, Gallo sweet vermouth and dry vermouth. Shake it up cold and strain in a chilled martini glass. No garnish necessary.

Quiet down the mind’s endless chatter by first sitting down and getting the body still. Slow down your thoughts on anything and everything, eliminating all outside bothers. With enough regular practice in your routine, this relaxed and renewed mind deserves a nice, calm drink from time to time. The Silent Monk is a shake and strain drink that goes in a chilled cocktail glass, getting 1oz
Benedictine, ½ oz Cointreau, and 1oz cream.

Holding the snifter glass in the palm of your hand eventually warms the glass up, and
subsequently what’s poured inside. These three liqueurs together in the glass creates the drink known as Liquid Zen. Pour straight in, ¾ oz each of B&B (Benedictine & Brandy),Drambuie, and Grand Marnier. This attractive combination gets you thinking in the slipstream.

Sometimes when you enter into a life of meditation practice, it is mainly due to the need for slowly unravelling chaos from your current or previous existence. It can lead one to battling their own demons in order to achieve peace of mind.
Monk’s Madness is a cream drink made with 1 ½ oz Benedictine, ¾ oz Marie Brizard Wild Strawberry liqueur, 1oz Bols white or dark creme de cacao and 2 oz of cream. Shake and strain till ice cold in a martini glass and garnish with some shaved chocolate over the top.

How high up does this Buddhist tower go ? Hopefully enough stories so there’s room for you ! This Black Pagoda is best served in a stemmed cocktail glass, and stirring and straining 1 ½ oz Christian Brothers brandy, ½ oz each of Noilly Prat sweet and dry vermouth, and ¼ oz Dekuyper triple sec. Garnish with a half slice of orange.

Sitting between Ecuador and Venezuela is a country where the capital city in known as Bogota. In Winter, up in the mountains, is the ideal place for retreats, hidden away from it all. If it gets too cold on you walks during the day, try on a
Snow Cap Columbian Monk for a taste treat when you get back inside. In a large, ceramic mug, pour straight in 2 ½ oz Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, fill with strong hot coffee, and top with 1 scoop vanilla ice cream. You’ll need a spoon.

There is no guarantee that when one enters into the journey of religious or charitable work in some territory or foreign country, that you will want to do it as a work for your entire life. We all go through many changes as we live, and to leave a work where you’ve gained many good experiences as well as shared knowledge of your own to others, should never be looked bad upon if a change of direction is decided on. The Missionary’s Downfall is a blended drink that goes in a coupette glass, preferably. With ice in a blender cup, it calls for 1oz Ron Matusalem white rum, ½ oz Torani caramel syrup, 1 ½ oz Rose’s lime juice, ½ oz Hiram Walker apricot brandy, and a few pineapple chunks. Blend to desired consistency.

This one will definetly turn you into the awakened one, moving beyond both suffering and existence into a state of illumination. In a collins glass filled with cubed or cracked ice, the Sky Blue Buddha is a build-over-ice drink that starts with 2 oz Skyy vodka, 1 teaspoon Sake, 2 oz grapefruit juice, a dash of Arrow blue curacao, ½ oz each of lemon and lime juice, and a dash of simple syrup. Garnish with a slice of orange.

A hot drink going in a warm mug creates a nice sensation for the Trappist Monk. Pour straight in ¾ oz each of the following: Kahlua coffee liqueur, Trappistine liqueur, and Carolan’s Irish cream. Fill the mug with hot coffee and top with whipped cream.

In Hinduism, he is known as the 8th and principal avatar of Vishnu. Yet, everyone needs to have a cocktail now and then, so this one is named after this enlightened being. Hairy Krishna goes in a short highball glass filled with cubed or cracked ice. Pour in 1 ½ oz Ketel One vodka, ¼ oz Dekuyper Peachtree schnapps, and ½ oz Kamasutra liqueur.

UPDATE - Sorry for the tardiness on this week's (or last week's) installment. Busy week (more like swamped), what can I say. KB